My finished cross stitch.

This is my latest cross stitch.I hadn't done any cross stitch for quite a long time so when I discovered this,half done,I decided to give it a go.I am thrilled I can still see to do it.Threading the needle is a tad trickier but I have now got some needle threaders so that should help.Now I just need a frame.I really enjoyed doing it.
My next project is a Blackwork sunflower.It is much bigger than I thought.(I am not very good with centimetres.Oops.) and it does look quite complicated but I enjoy a challenge.I am also knitting a top down jumper and I am so bored with it.Row after row,round after round,but it is good for doing watching TV.
I have just planted 50 freesia bulbs that came free with an order.I did it half heartedly because they felt a bit soft and also how long will it take the squirrels to find them.Watch this space.
OH is at band practice with his ukulele.We shall stay off the roads this Bank Holiday weekend as everyone will be rushing to the coast or the mountains.Plenty of time for crafting.Have a good one.Barbara

We went to Bodnant Gardens today.National Trust.

 At this time of the year it is azalea and rhododendron time but there are other lovely plants.Look at these gorgeous irises.
Below is a willow sculpture of Emily Pankhurst to celebrate the Suffragette Movement.

 More irises.I always associate irises with France and especially Monet' s garden.

 Blocks of azaleas.Gorgeous colours.
Finally a photo of me in front of an enormous rhododendron.
We then went to the West Shore at Llandudno for some lunch and sea air.All in all a very pleasant trip and only 50 minutes from home.
We were on Anglesey on Thursday but I never took any photos.

Easter Monday and hardly a car in sight!

 We live in North Wales which is very popular with tourists so with the promise of glorious weather this weekend for Rhe Bank Holiday our general rule is stay off the roads!!We have done that for three days but fancied a bit of a ride out today.When we have been going to Snowdonia (the quiet way) we go over a bridge in a little hamlet and there is a road off to the right going up the river valley but fairly flat at this point.I have been intrigued by it so off we went.The idea being have a quiet walk along the river,fairly flat(I like flat).Within a couple of hundred yards we came upon this church.No sign on the road to it.It was open so we went inside.It is the 13th century church of St Michael on the banks of the River Alwen which flows into the River Dee.What a surprise .We have drive along this road for 40 years and did not know this church existed.This landscape has inspired poets and writers for centuries including William Wordsworth.How amazing is that.Wordworth's poem Vale of Meditation was based on this.

 A lovely bunch of primroses outside the church.

A view inside.The photo at the top was a carved Druids chairs close by.
I really have no idea how the photos have gone out of order.Sorry.
So our little trip gave us a brilliant find and we encountered no traffic only wonderful views.A little bit misty for photos.

The church was in the village of Llanfihangel.

A very happy a Mothers Day.

Normally I don't see our son on Mothers Day because he lives four hours away but this year we went down for the weekend.I had said "no presents just a card" but of course he ignored this and spoils me rotten.We wanted to set off home about 2pm on Sunday so Matt decided to do brunch.He had found a BBC recipe and bought all the ingredients and cooked for us,his wife and the two boys and it was delicious.On the way back we called on our daughter and had a cup of tea with them so I saw both children,a first for many years.
We decided that we would call at the National Ironworks centre near Oswestry on the way to Cambridge.Massive iron sculptures of mainly animals but other things as well.Quite bizarre.I will post some photos tomorrow.We were still a bit early for arriving so did a quick detour via Ely which has a very impressive cathedral.A lovely weekend with the family but very tiring.We are both shattered today.Been to the cinema this afternoon to see "Can you ever forgive me?"C briefly fell asleep!An early night tonight methinks.
Back tomorrow with some photos.

A few busy days.

Thursday was my Reading Group.We now only have 6 in the group.On Thursday there only four of us and two hadn't read the book.It was a book of short stories called Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri.The co-ordinator in whose house we meet had not read even one story but she had found some questions from a website called Reading Group Guides.I came home exhausted when there are only two of you answering the questions.We need new members.
Friday was a very busy day.It started at 10.00am with my weekly catch up with my best friend over a cup of tea and a teacake in a local cafe.12.15 it was lunch out.Some very close friends of ours sold their house here and decided to move near their daughter who lives in Royston near Cambridge.They are living with her at the moment because houses down there are double the price they got for theirs up here but can't find anything.They were up for a few days and so we were lunching.C then went off to band practice for two hours until 5pmand then it was back to the theatre for 7pm to see Ronnie Scott's All Stars,the story of Ronnie Scott's jazz club
.There were films clips and a commentary but four great musicians and a singer playing live.A pianist,double bass,saxophone and drums and they were brilliant.We went with the friends who were visiting and another friend who always comes with us.Drink in the bar afterwards and then home.
This morning we had coffee with the visiting friends and two other couples.We all used to go out for meals together.A bit of a breather this afternoon and then back to the Film Theatre to see The Green Book.An excellent film.Catch it if you can.
Phew!!!!
Nothing on the agenda tomorrow.Thank goodness,just the usual Sunday cleaning.

Google+

Have you done anything to convert to Google+ or will it happen automatically?

Ian McKellen was amazing.

Last night we went to Theatr Clwyd to see Sir Ian McKellen in his one man show to celebrate his 80th birthday.He is playing multiple venues all over the country.He wanted to do it in our theatre in Mold because he used to come to North Wales for holidays as a child.We were very lucky to get tickets and it seems there were 200 people on a waiting list for cancellations.The Theatr holds 550 in the main theatre ,250 in the smaller theatre and a film theatre holding about 100.Sir Ian was playing in the large theatre.The first half was mainly about his life and how he got into acting.Lots of quotes and he was also funny.For most of the second half he got out books of all the plays that Shakespeare had written and challenged the audience to name them all which we did.As each one was selected he got the play and then told us if he had played in it and which part.Lots of speeches were performed and he was truly magnificent.It started at 7.30pm and ran until 10.15pm with a short interval.How at 80 years of age you do this night after night and remember all those speeches.Amazing.Sir Ian is not taking any fee from any theatre he does the show in.All money taken goes to that theatre.It is his way of paying back .A truly memorable evening.

This morning was our Art Appreciation Group.The talk was on George Bellows and the Ashcan school.He was American and lived from 1882 to 1925 and was noted for his expressive portraits and seascapes and some lovely paintings of New York.Painters in the Ashcan school included Robert Henri,George Luks,John Sloan etc.They were a group best known for works portraying scenes of daily life in New York often in the poorer areas in the early 20th Century.
I liked George Bellows paintings.I had never heard of him before today .Always good to see something new.
We could have gone to the theatre again tonight to Jazz night.We were offered some free tickets to hear the Tina May Quartet but we passed on it as we are there again on Friday and it is a busy week.