Well, having said to Tam I hadn't seen Danny for ages, I then got a phone call from him. He'd lost his car keys in Carmarthen, and the spare set were on the bedside table. I went and grabbed the keys I found there, and set off to Carmarthen to deliver them. On the way, I was listening to my Audible book and didn't know he had messaged me to say they'd been found and handed in to the butchers! (Just as well, as I bought the wrong set of keys!!) Ah well, excuse for an outing and it was good to see him. He paid my fuel and bought me lunch too, and on the way I happened to notice that there was a Quilt Exhibition, so I aimed to visit on my return leg. I got more new skinny jeggings from Matalan in a longer length and a large carrot, small parsnip and some cat food in Tesco, and set off homeward. Just as I walked into the hall, my phone was chirruping at me and blow me down, D in Dorset had sent me photos of a quilt exhibition down with her! Talk about timing! Some FABULOUS quilts in her photos.
I took some photos, which I will share with you. They are a small quilting group, and I was thinking of joining but would have to have my sewing machine PAT-tested first, and on reflection, I thought I might just as well sew in the comfort of my own home and make friends in other areas.
As you can see, these creative ladies had been very industrious. All sorts of designs.
I am glad to say that my cake was well received two doors down, and not a crumb of it was left when I popped down to say hello. The folk there for the Open Day were all busy making patties of straw and clay (as in cob) and were going to put them on the party wall in the house, to make it more soundproof and to hold in warmth. Mind you, I think it will take a goodly while to dry now that Autumn is here and we've had some cold and wet weather.
I've made myself a big pan of soup-cum-stew and had a bowlful for tea. I've made such a vat of it I think I shall be eating it every meal for a week! Everything is sorted for tomorrow and all I have to do in the morning is wash, dress, do teefs, have a cuppa and some toast, cut slices of cucumber to go in my cheese rolls and then I will be away.
The quilts look wonderful, but I'm most taken by the framed piece! Was it fabric art, or just a random placement? As to that soup-cum-stew ... freeze a couple of portions and use them on pasta. Tastes great, and rings the changes ... cheese on top, or not ... chilli powder , or not ... But it gives you instant meals when you're "beyond cooking".
ReplyDeleteIf you mean the one with the hillside of houses, it's a pattern that our patchwork teacher did so must be in a book somewhere. I like the effect but my eyes would go skew-whiff with all the placements, trying to get the colours perfectly placed. The soup-cum-stew - I had a bowl of it when I got home yesterday (Sunday) and it really hit the spot. I still have a load of Danny and Emma's "pretend food" (e.g. plant based with additives!) in my freezer, and think I will have to eat my way through it now he's not coming to stay each week. I need room for my things, blackberries especially! I can indeed freeze a couple of portions to have on pasta or rice.
DeleteThat always is so frustrating when the photos never come out like you see them. Don't think I have ever seen a Hawthorne Tree before.
ReplyDeleteI will try and get a photo of a Hawthorn tree for you today parsnip. I'm going to go for a walk shortly, blackberrying.
DeleteDorset is a long way to go for an afternoon of quilting but still..... My quilting goes slowly, I have decided to make napkins out of Tula Pink spotty fabrics as Xmas presents for the four grandchildren, all obviously in a different colour. Simple and easy, did something similar last year with different coloured candlesticks and candles. Glad you got to see your son and he took you out for a meal, it is funny when they grow up.
ReplyDeleteAh yes it is, but I could see my dear friend Danette! I like the sound of the Christmas present napkins. Home made gifts are always so special. I have SUCH a stash here, I should be doing similar!
DeleteIt wasn't quite that he took me out for a meal though - we went to Greggs and he bought me a filled roll! Very welcome all the same though.
A weeks meals in one go sounds like an easy week of meals - although maybe a bit repetitive !
ReplyDeleteSome lovely quilts there - I've not seen any details of shows round here for ages - I shall go ff and investigate
Definitely very repetitive. Some will be frozen. After two days of something I go off it!
DeleteFound a quilt exhibition at end of month not too far away - good thing your post was a nudge to look!
ReplyDeleteGlad that my post reminded you to look for a quilt exhibition. I look forward to the photos.
DeleteAhh it was so lovely we were synchronised! I was thrown right in the deep end heck alive! I enjoyed myself though.
ReplyDeleteHave a peaceful Sunday dear friend , I’m not surprised your baking was demolished ! They are lucky to have you as their neighbour Danette xx
Well, you didn't need to explain the quilts to people really, just let them look and enjoy. If you have a sewing machine, the simplest blocks (4 patches sewn together) soon make up into a quilt . . .
DeleteMy new neighbours are indeed lucky - having had a cup of tea down there recently, their frugal batchelor existence needs a bit of help!
We had an afternoon of archaeology yesterday. We visited Fernhurst Furnace, a Wealden Ironworks which opened for Heritage Weekend. The site (heavily wooded, natural ponds and iron-rich clay) was worked from the early 17th to the late 19th century and then forgotten about until the 1960s when a local industrial archaeology group started investigating. The most recent archaeological investigations and essential shoring-up work (costing a million pounds!) finished a couple of years ago but the feeling is there is lots more to discover. Completely fascinating and it was so good to be led around by a young hands-on archaeologist who clearly knew his stuff. There were lots of sideshows too including an encampment from Butser Iron Age Hillfort, basket and besom making, spinning and lace-making, handmade cordage, a hog roast (sold out by the time we arrived sadly) and the Scouts doing a roaring trade with bacon butties, proper mugs of tea and cake and finally an hour-long battle by the Sealed Knot with pikes, muskets and two extremely loud canons. We had a wonderful time! I made Jamie Oliver’s Savoy cabbage and pasta dish for supper (he made it this week on his “What to eat now” TV show where he cooks in his leaky wooden greenhouse) which I will make again and for pud (T arrived on his bike at 7pm) I made damson cobbler. Once we’d eaten and cleared up I was more than ready for bed. Tonight I have a chicken to spatchcock and marinade and roast with potatoes, shallots and courgettes and a big pile of greens from the garden. Itching to clear the front veg plot and sow a green manure to protect the ground from winter wet but I’m still harvesting courgettes, tomatoes, basil and French beans and so far I’ve only cleared the sweetcorn. Hope you’re finding treasure at Malvern - I’m off to explore more heritage events today, making the most of the lovely weather. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteThat sounds a really interesting site Sarah. Similar set ups in the Forest of Dean too, and coal mining as well (individual families still have mining rights), as well as ochres mined at Clearwell Caves too. Oh gosh, Butser Hill - you've taken me back a long way. I remember going there back in the 70s. We have a similar Iron Age village at Castell Henllys here in West Wales too. I hope to hear about the other heritage events you went to. Tam and I are going (with wee Rosie) to the Open Day at Llewyn Celyn on Saturday.
DeleteSome lovely meals you have made though I think I might pass on the Savoy Cabbage and Pasta.
Llewyn Celyn
Having enough for a bowl of soup[/stew for a few nights will be a real timesaver. I was only thinking the other day that I think I will start making a big pan of something at the start of each week, now that the cooler (or should that be colder ... it's really cold here today) weather has arrived. A stew one week, then a soup or perhaps a curry. It will make thinking about my tea a lot easier. Hope you have a good day. xx
ReplyDeleteWell, I had rashly bought 5 cans of Heinz soup on offer for £5 in Tesco the previous week, which are good for a quick lunch, but then I thought how much soup I could make for £5 and it was a no brainer! Just need to empty the freezer a bit to make room for it. When we've had takeaways in the past I have saved enough of the little containers which take a single portion to freeze.
Deleteoh I hear you when photos don't turn out as planned! At least it's not quite as frustrating as the days of 35mm film with a lengthy wait to be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteThose quilt photos have my heart going pitter patter! So lovely, and lucky you came across the show. The yellow one is a very unusual colour, at least to my thinking, and I like it a lot. I also like the colours on the little nine patch cushion.
It was good to see some quilts on display. Yellow isn't a colour often used, I have to say. I liked that little 9 patch cushion too. I have now noted the date for the Malvern Quilt Festival . . .
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