Wednesday 29 April 2020

Early one morning, just as the sun was rising . . .


I was awake early this morning and up and taking notice as the sun came up over the side of the valley. This was about 6 a.m.



It looked like it was resting in the tree . . .


I think the steam is cows' breath, as they were up for milking and stand just behind these sheds.  There are quite a few of them huffing and puffing.


Just after lunch we three went for a walk down the hill.  The rain seems to have brought the Bluebells on (though Tam says they were like this the other day).  It's certainly brought on the Rosebay Willow Herb, which has grown over a foot in a couple of days (photo below).



Looking upstream from the bridge, everything has gone into Green Overdrive. The rain has made a difference to the river, which is a little deeper but wider and over the boulders and slate slabs and it is the width of the winter river now.


The lane ahead. The copper beech is really tall and looks amazing this time of year, before it goes a deep maroon colour. Right now it is a pinky bronze.


Up by the junction, all the trees and bushes have responded to the rain and thrown out leaves.


My favourite view, with a bit more water and greenery to be seen.


This morning I cut out the batting and backing for the 9-patch border for the Baltimore quilt I am making and pinned the layers together.  This afternoon I sat and started hand quilting (I've done 3/4 of the first short side). I was up in my office, listening to/watching a You Tube video by Fergus Drennan, taken just a couple of days ago, about Foraging in late April in hedgerow and salt-marsh.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and am now eyeing up stuff growing here with a fresh eye!  It's a long video (2 hrs 21 minutes) but worth watching.  HERE is a link.


There are four of these to work on - 2 x  7 block ones, and 2 x 9 blocks.  That should keep me out of mischief for a bit!

18 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures of your surroundings. Thank you.

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    1. Glad you enjoy them. I wish I could package the view up and send it to you to walk in.

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  2. No fair maiden in the valley below then. I'm disappointed.

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  3. What a joy to see all the beauty that surrounds you, stunning. Great projects, that will certainly keep you busy, great fabrics.

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    1. The projects are keeping me busy and I enjoyed choosing the fabrics. It is SUCH a beautiful area.

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  4. Lovely to see your walk - it looks so peaceful and even better not a soul in sight :) It is amazing the way the leaves are starting to appear in the last few weeks. The quilting looks good :)

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    1. Truly peaceful and we never see anyone (apart from the occasional neighbour if we go in one direction). The leaves have suddenly shot out growth.

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  5. Such amazing greens. I never tire of photos of your beautiful river.

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    1. It is so lovely down there in the spring and summer, spring especially as we are so starved of colour.

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  6. A sunrise worth seeing!
    Good to hear that the Rosebay Willowherb is on the way...a plant for the Elephant Hawkmoth

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    1. I can remember we had a lot of it in the garden when the children were young, and they were delighted to see the Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillars, but we never saw a Grown Up One!

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  7. Lovely pictures, and now I have that song going through my mind.

    God bless.

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  8. Hello! Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I recognize your name from John's Going Gently. I am adding you to my bloglist, your blog looks so interesting. And I'm interested in your Baltimore quilt and how you are quilting it in sections! So I'll have a read of your back posts to learn more. Thanks and come visit me again at Gone to the Beach.

    lizzy lizzzz.d@gmail.com

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    1. Hi Lizzy. Thanks for popping over and glad you like my blog. If you go back to Easter Sunday (12th April) you will see a bit more of the quilt. I will try and give a proper update for it next week, when I've got some of the 9-patch border on. It's the first quilt-as-you-go one I've done and am winging it as we can't go to our patchwork group at the moment due to Lockdown. I will certainly visit you again!

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  9. Wow it has been green overdrive down you way. We are getting there too, the recent rains have accelerated everything.

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    1. Isn't it gorgeous? The rain has certainly pushed the right buttons on the local trees, but you do notice how many dead and dieing Ash trees there are . . .

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