Sunday, 30 June 2019
Does anyone know what plant this is?
The shrub is about one metere tall and wide with lots of these tiny yellow flowers.I can't find it in any of my books.I live in North Wales .uk.
Any suggestions ?
Saturday, 29 June 2019
We have been to Northumberland.
We stayed in a Studio flat attached to a pub in Boulmer,Northumberland.It is east of Alnwick on the coast.These are fishermen's cottages by the inn.
This is the view from our window.
It is a wild and rugged coast and very beautiful.We were there for three nights but packed a lot in.Below is Bamburgh CastleWe went round this at the end of the day and it was hard work,steep and lots of stairs and slopes.Next was Lindisfarne Castle on Holy Island.
Blogger will not let me scroll down so Here is where else we went
Cragside(NT)This was the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity.Wow.It was a pretty impressive.It was also an Arts and Crafts masterpiece with stained glass by Rosetti and tiles etc by William Morris.
We also visited Wallington(NT),again very impressive.
C wanted to visit Hadrian's Wall which we did on the way stopping at Housesteads Roman fort.
While we were in Alnwick we visited Barters Books ,a second hand book store with
This is the view from our window.
Blogger will not let me scroll down so Here is where else we went
Cragside(NT)This was the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity.Wow.It was a pretty impressive.It was also an Arts and Crafts masterpiece with stained glass by Rosetti and tiles etc by William Morris.
We also visited Wallington(NT),again very impressive.
C wanted to visit Hadrian's Wall which we did on the way stopping at Housesteads Roman fort.
While we were in Alnwick we visited Barters Books ,a second hand book store with
Sunday, 9 June 2019
A funny old week.
One of our close friends was taken into hospital following a stroke.He had already shown signs of dementia and this won't have helped.This friend has had such an interesting life,RAF,worked in Paris for five years,back to the UK and then to Basel for two years etc.It is so sad to see him declining.He is now home and we shall visit tomorrow.
On Friday we went to a funeral,a woodland burial.Kate had only been ill for three weeks but was diagnosed with an acute form of leukaemia and she went down hill rapidly.She was only 73.The woodland burial was quite strange.Obviously in a wood but nowhere to sit and no shelter.Thank goodness the rain held off.Also at the funeral was a friend whose wife has got severe dementia at the age of seventy.Which is the worse situation?Brian whose wife has died or Arthur whose wife has dementia.What do you think?
Now onto brighter topics.On Thursday we went to Manchester to meet our granddaughter Ella who is just about to finish her first year at Uni.She wanted to show us the Northern Quarter full of little shops,bars,coffee shops and vintage clothing which she is into.We had a leisurely coffee,had a wander and then a lovely lunch.We are loving having her less than an hour away.
In my OH's family there was always the joke that he had Italian ancestors but no one ever believed him.On Friday I decided to subscribe to Ancestry.co.uk and dig deeper into my family history.Yesterday we started looking into his and blow me,he is right.We traced his family tree back to the mid 1800s and there is the Italian He came from Lucca in Tuscany and was a modeller in clay.We have also found some mention of him in industrial journals.He would make ornamental things to go in or on buildings.C was over the moon to prove he is part(a small part) Italian but who would want to leave Tuscany and come to Manchester?
A final note ,my S in law who is very security minded and computer savvy had a call from"BT" who managed to get enough details to take £15,000 out of his business account.Fortunately the bank didn't pay as it was the weekend .Beware!!!!
On Friday we went to a funeral,a woodland burial.Kate had only been ill for three weeks but was diagnosed with an acute form of leukaemia and she went down hill rapidly.She was only 73.The woodland burial was quite strange.Obviously in a wood but nowhere to sit and no shelter.Thank goodness the rain held off.Also at the funeral was a friend whose wife has got severe dementia at the age of seventy.Which is the worse situation?Brian whose wife has died or Arthur whose wife has dementia.What do you think?
Now onto brighter topics.On Thursday we went to Manchester to meet our granddaughter Ella who is just about to finish her first year at Uni.She wanted to show us the Northern Quarter full of little shops,bars,coffee shops and vintage clothing which she is into.We had a leisurely coffee,had a wander and then a lovely lunch.We are loving having her less than an hour away.
In my OH's family there was always the joke that he had Italian ancestors but no one ever believed him.On Friday I decided to subscribe to Ancestry.co.uk and dig deeper into my family history.Yesterday we started looking into his and blow me,he is right.We traced his family tree back to the mid 1800s and there is the Italian He came from Lucca in Tuscany and was a modeller in clay.We have also found some mention of him in industrial journals.He would make ornamental things to go in or on buildings.C was over the moon to prove he is part(a small part) Italian but who would want to leave Tuscany and come to Manchester?
A final note ,my S in law who is very security minded and computer savvy had a call from"BT" who managed to get enough details to take £15,000 out of his business account.Fortunately the bank didn't pay as it was the weekend .Beware!!!!
Friday, 24 May 2019
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
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
Saturday, 18 May 2019
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.
Below is a willow sculpture of Emily Pankhurst to celebrate the Suffragette Movement.
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.
Monday, 22 April 2019
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 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.
Monday, 1 April 2019
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.
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.
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