Daffodils in December!!!!!!

I took this photograph this morning in a garden near our house.We never have daffodils out in December.We are lucky if they are out by St David's Day on March 1st.I live in North Wales and so far this winter we have only had one frost.Unheard of.What is happening to our weather.Not far from here there is massive flooding.The cities of Leeds,York and Manchester flooded.More bad weather is expected overnight with lots more rain.In the U.S.A reports of at least 40 people having died because of extreme weather.


On a different note ,it is our 49th wedding anniversary today(I married young!)I really can't believe it.When my late in laws reached their Golden Wedding I thought they were ancient.Only one year away for us.C is my best friend.We have loads of different interests and friends but love doing things together.We started off today with a visit to the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight.It has an impressive collection of Pre Raphaelite paintings but also paintings by Gainsborough ,Wilson,Turner,Laura Knight etc.Well worth a visit.We then went on to have a walk at Parkgate and lunch out at the Boathouse.I came home and had sleep as I am full of a cold.A nice bottle of wine tonight will round off the day.

The Lady in the Van and Merry Xmas too

has anyone seen the film The Lady in the Van?I can thoroughly recommend it.We saw this on stage a number of years ago with Susan Hampshire playing the Lady .Maggie Smith is brilliant in the film.I am sure it will get awards.
We are off to our daughter's tomorrow for Xmas.We saw our son and family two weeks ago for a pre Xmas get together.Xmas will be ,my hubby,our daughter ,son in law and Emily and Ruby ,our granddaughters.Ruby with her broken arm.Poor thing.
Anyway.
           
      HAPPY XMAS AND A WISH FOR HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL 2016


            Love to you all.Barbara (in North Wales G.B )

Xmas 2015

I must live a very mundane life as I havn't blogged in weeks.I felt Ineeded to add a Xmas blog.Last night we went to see Cinderella at Theatr Clwyd in Mold(where we live) in North Wales.We took our two gorgeous granddaughters Emily and Ruby.You may be able to see Ruby has her arm in a sling.Yes.She broke her arm last Saturday when she fell off a slide.Not the ideal thing two weeks before Xmas when she is having a bike!!The pantomime was great,very noisy but performed by an ensemble of ten,all so multi talented playing various instruments,singing ,acting etc.Brilliant.

Last weekend we went to Cambridge for a pre Xmas get together with our son as we are spending Xmas this year with our daughter.We shall go across on Xmas Eve and stay until Boxing Day with the gorgeous girls above.

I am wishing everyone a very Happy Xmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year(and I promise to blog more if anyone is interested!)Lots of love Barbaraxx

Snowflakes for the Homestart Appeal

 I heard about this appeal from Claire at Summerhouse by the Sea.Homestart is a British charity that supports young families.They are aiming to get 30,000 snowflakes and these will be displayed at the Christmas Handmade Fair in Manchester at the end of November.They will then be given to families to hang on their Xmas trees.

They are fun and quick to make.I used Lucy's of Attic 24's pattern.I have made 30 so far.I blocked them when they were finished and put spray starch on them to give them a bit more body.

Is it just me or are people not blogging as often as they used to?

My Latest Project!

I have really enjoyed making this wreath.At the moment the flowers and leaves are just pinned on but I wanted to share it with you.My thanks must go to Lucy at Attic24 for the patterns.I find following crochet patterns quite difficult as I am left handed but Lucy's are so clear and are taken step by step.The flowers and leaves are going a wreath made of twigs bought from Hobbycraft for,I think, £2.50.This makes it a really cheap project as you are just using up scraps of wool.
Give it a go.Its good fun and would make a great present.

Would you be brave enough to eat fungi found in your garden?

 We moved into this house almost a year ago.It was built 30 years ago and when it was built there were five large trees in the garden,all with TPOs(tree preservation orders).During that time three have gone and we are left with two huge trees,a beech and a horse chestnut.Around the garden are rotting tree roots from the other three and this is where we found the fungi.The one on the left started off looking like the one on the right,egg shaped but on maturity has flattened out.Initially we thought it was a Common Puffball but now think it might be a Parasol Mushroom.My book says they are edible and delicious but I would never dare to try it!!

 Isn't the underside beautiful?

 This is our beech tree.You can see the size in relation to the conservatory.

This is our horse chestnut.Our garden is littered with empty conker shells as the local squirrels are hoarding them away.
We can do nothing with the trees(wouldn't want to as they are amazing) without permission from the local authority.If anyone knows about these fungi I would welcome some info.
Barbarax

Yarndale

 This weekend I went to Yarndale in Skipton,Yorkshire ,UK.This is organised by the lovely Lucy from Attic24.A wonderful feast of yarn and creativity.

 Two years ago ,when it started,we were asked to send in crocheted triangles to make bunting.They came in from all over the world.Here they are again for all to see.

 This year was a different challenge.Flowers.All in aid of the Alzeimers Society.The effect was stunning and took your breath away/

I was in there over three hours and made a few purchases but walking round the stalls and seeing the things that people do and create is amazing.

I like to buy thingsI would not buy else where.The above yarn is for making brooches(left),very fine linen and the other two for scarves.The colours do not come across very well.The one on the right I said to the vendor was "zingy" and she thought that was a good word to describe it.

I also bought an owl shawl pin.I now just need to find some time to create and make.