Thank you, thank you

My previous blog post has got a great response on here and on Facebook, thank you very much for all your lovely comments.  Consensus is that you want me to continue blogging.  That pleases me very much as it's made me realise I'm not talking to myself! I have replied to everyone, either on the comments page (does anyone actually get these?) or via email if I have your address.  There are still lots of you out there that are "noreply-comment@blogger.com" so it means I can't reply to you personally.

So what have we been up to since last I wrote?  The weather has been amazing here in the UK, hotter than most of Europe.  It is however, due to break tonight but it does mean that the garden will get a water.

The garden is looking great and whilst it's a lot of work it is worth it.  I've not done any knitting, but have got some reading in.  (not sure why the text has changed size)

We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new grandson, due day tomorrow, but he'll come when he's ready.

Do people still read blogs?

I find myself wondering how much longer to keep blogging.  Do people still read them?  If they do, they don't comment that much. With Facebook, Twitter (don't get that) and Instagram (I like that), who has time to read blogs?  I must admit the only ones I regularly read are Supergran, North of 49, Knit One, Raised 4 , Small Things, all the others in my feed just seem to require far too much time.

 When I first started blogging it was to record my knitting.  I didn't actually plan for it to evolve in the way it did.  It has proved to be a handy reference point if we ever wonder when something happened, and also great for quickly looking up photographs.

Looking back over the last few months it seems that I am reverting back to just posting about knitting, photography and the garden and that's fine with me.

To that end, this is what I've been up to on that front.

Body Warmer for Miss J

Peter's teddy

Retro cardigan for baby R 

inherited yarn tangle

thats better!

My knitting area in the sitting room

Breakfast at Herbies

Village church

Puddle jumper

Just what we needed

We have had an amazing weekend, different, fun, the same.  Some time together, some time apart.

The weekend was planned around me attending the Makelight Photography for Knitters workshop held by Emily Quinton.  It was a case of third time lucky. I cancelled the first time due to my father illness and ultimate death, the second time was cancelled due to Emily being ill, so it was good to finally get there.

We decided that we would stay over in London and wanted a base fairly close to the workshop.  Peter found a review for the Tulse Hill Hotel, so we gave it a go.  I am pleased to say it lived up to every word of the review.  The staff were so friendly and helpful.  The atmosphere lively. The food amazing.  The rooms very comfortable, all in all perfect, no complaints and would definately go back again. We arrived on Friday evening, went down for dinner and were presented with a bottle of wine courtesy of Rachel and Stuart, thank you guys it was very good.  

Saturday morning, Peter deposited me at the workshop and headed out for the Imperial War Museum, he had a good day, as did I.  I learnt more about the camera on my phone than I did my actual camera, but I also learnt a fair bit about making social media work for me, in particular Instagram - you can find me here. I will be posting a bit more there and have already picked up a few more followers today. The other ladies were all either knitwear designers or Etsy shop owners, so the social media aspect was more relevant to them than me.

Emily and Kate aka aplayfulday are passionate about taking good photographs and showed us how to use light, backgrounds and props to improve the overall look of our projects.  I took three shawl/scarves and some yarn along to photograph.

Here are some of the photos I took on the phone -

Followed by those I took on my camera. I actually think my phone ones are better, not sure I like the setting I was using on the camera. I may go back to intelligent auto - sorry Emily! Though I promise to have a play with all the setting and judge the results.

We were also given a luxury goody bag from Fyberspates, I will show you the contents in another post when I have taken some arty photos!

The workshop was really good fun and there was plenty to eat and drink also, so very good value for money.

Saturday evening, we had another really good meal, and so after a hearty breakfast this morning we were glad of a good walk.  The weather was amazing so left the train at Blackfriars and walked the southbank.  I never tire of this walk and the views and I know I have shared them many times. I will make no apology for repeating them.

Tate Modern

Along the river

Refreshments!!

In the queue for the bagels

All in all a brilliant weekend and then we came home to an empty house, our temporary lodgers have gone, no little girl to welcome us home, all very quiet, but we wish them well in their new home......... they still have lots of "stuff" here so I guess we will be seeing a bit more of them!