Tuesday 29 October 2013

After the Storm


Well, after all the hype for the Big One - Storm that is - and after going round putting things away, under cover and battening down the hatches - it was a non-event here.  Instead of sweeping across our part of Wales it turned right, up the Channel, and sweapt across Britain with its skirts around Cardiff, rather than Carmarthen.  Phew.  It claimed 5 lives, including a 17 year old girl at the threshold of her adult life.  Life seems so unfair but perhaps it is destiny.  Who can say?

The photo taken across the paddock corner was Before the Storm, when we had some weather approaching (a gale and a half and heavy rain) and there was that peculiar yellowy storm light.

"Some" cats have taken up their winter quarters already, and don't give a hoot about the weather outside . . .  Here is Alfie, who has decided that the big shopping bag containing quilting material and bits and bobs, makes the best bed . . . though they all know they are not "meant" to go up on the table, they do the moment my back is turned:


Here - well known for her most peculiar choices of places to sleep - is Banshee, who thinks a box of Earl Grey teabags is the place to be!


I have been busy taking my ease, and getting better, and decided as my brain had gone walkabouts and piecing patchwork blocks was beyond it, I would do some of the repairs which had been sidelined all summer.  First, an old (1900ish) narrow loom quilt, which had been torn on the bottom and needed the torn bit removing, and a new hem done.



Here was a little indulgence from eBay, and full of fabulous quilts and ideas.


A while ago I found this little tray cloth, with some unsewn bits, at a car boot sale, so I took pity on it and brought it home.  I finally sat down with it yesterday and sewed the last few leaves and stems.  I am contemplating turning it into a cushion front, to make it more useful.


I began working on this last night.  It is a large tablecloth with a gorgeous pattern on it in just these two colours, orange and deep emerald.  It is 3/4 finished, but then the old lady who was doing it became ill and was never able to finish it.  I promised her daughter I would finish the embroidery, which I will, but then it will probably go on my Fleamarket stall.


It's lovely, but I know I wouldn't use it here.  I have a lot of smaller cloths which get used over little tables and this one is too big for that and too small for the big tabbles we have.


I wish I could say, here's one I did earlier, but no - this is a tablecloth I came across in my travels and will be listed on eBay later today.


We had a stroll along by the river yesterday afternoon, now my legs seem to be working again!  Water levels are dropping, but it is still pretty fierce.

Having mastered a fiddly recipe yesterday without too much trouble (Spiced Pear Bakewell Tart), I think my cognitive powers may now be restored too, so I am off downstairs to my sewing machine and the star quilt . . .

8 comments:

  1. Thankyou for visiting my blog and commenting on the block and earrings. I love new visitors and hope you will come back some time.
    I havae a friend who left Brighton and now lives in Aberystwyth, she just can't cope with the weather up there even thought the scenery is amazing and is moving south again.
    It looks as though you have several interests close to my heart, cats, quilts, car boots and embroidery among other things, I shall enjoy reading your posts.
    Briony
    x

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  2. So pleased to hear your kegs are working again. That's great news. The tea bag cat is fantastic! x

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  3. Hi Briony. I thought we sounded kindred spirits! There is a lot of weather up at Aber - I think that the fact there is Tregaron Bog not far away says it all for the direction of the weather and its wetness! We have been here 25 years now, and hope to relocate back in the West Country, where - in parts - there is a little less of the wet stuff. : )

    Em - Kegs, legs - whatever! I am going to give them a wee trial up the hill shortly, to see how they are responding to rest and embroidery. Tea Bag Cat was Top of the Fridge-Freezer Cat all last winter. She scarcely moved, and had food, drink and a litter try up there . . . Indulge her? Possibly . . .

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  4. Glad you are starting to feel better - don't go overdoing things though!! As for the Great Storm I suspect it was vastly overhyped by the media, it was no more than a rainy day with a bit of a breeze here, Neil in Suffolk where they were supposed to be in the teeth of things said it was nothing more than they have 5 or 6 times a year. I've seen people from various other areas saying the same thing too. It's really sad about the two people who lost their lives to falling trees but invariably autumn and winter winds do bring down some trees so the falling trees themselves weren't an out of the ordinary event. When we were young this weather wouldn't have even been mentioned in the news!

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  5. The new header picture looks perfect up there-good expanse of shimmer.

    And indulge a kitteh ? Who ? Us ? I have held CatCat's bowls while she refused to move after tangling with a low-hanging branch and injuring left rear leg. Three days she stayed in MY desk chair while it healed-don't know if she got up to pee in the night but I never saw her use the litter facilities the entire time. As we speak her tail flicks across my keyboard obscuring the letters and helping my typo rate considerably. Indulgent ? Who ? Us?

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  6. Lynda - that made me smile. Your cat couldn't even have had her legs crossed either!! I do indulge mine and no wonder my kids always called me "softy-mummy" . . .

    Rowan - glad that it wasn't too bad for your family in Suffolk. I think they were doing a belt-and-braces with it, but I do think had it been slow-moving a lot more damage would have been done. You're quite right about when we were young this wouldn't have even got a mention!

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  7. I so enjoyed this visit. I think its lovely that you have an eye out for bits of unfinished needlework and have the skills to finish it properly.
    Folks who don't have cats do not understand that its never a matter of 'allowing' a cat to be on the table, the sewing machine, the top of the fridge--cats will be where they want to be!

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  8. I have just found your wonderful blog, love your kitties, they don't mind where they sleep, I also have two kitties, both 15 now. Your recipes and stitching's are so interesting as I too love both and I LOVE Wales so I shall enjoy reading more on your blog as I also love reading, a house with attached Library would suit me too. I'm so glad to have found you.

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