The last day of a sad year

 2024 was a very stressful year for all of us, with Keith's steadily worsening health and subsequent death.  The birth of Rosie was about the only positive thing to have happened. I can only hope that 2025 brings some happiness back into my life .  

Looking back towards Aberedw Hill.

I felt that I needed to start my only New Year's Resolution (to walk more, and walk further) a day early - indeed, heavy rain is forecast for the morrow.  Today it was just very windy.  I only did a short walk yesterday, up to my friend's house, but today set off resolutely up the long and steeeeeeep hill which will lead you to the Epynt range or you can turn down through the woodland bridleway onto the bottom lane.  I did about a mile uphill and managed it better than I thought, though I did stop and take a few photographs.  It was good to end the old year with a brisk walk.

This, believe it or not, is the roof that covers our water reservoir. . . .  No comment.  No wonder the previous owners never took a photo for us before selling us the house!  All I can say is, thank heavens for the UV filter.

A neighbour's farm.  Fairly typical of the ones in Wales. An old farmhouse, range of old but useful outbuildings, and some more modern barns.

A glimpse through the sheep wire at one of their trees brought down by Storm Darragh, and providing firewood for their wood burning stove.

Looking along the line of the hill where the sweep of Aberedw continues above the River Wye.

Moelfre hill.

Looking in the direction of Rhayader - with a goodly few hills inbetween us and the Elan valley.  You can just make out a climpse of white van which is on A483 road heading into Builth.  It's 1/3 way into the photo from the left.

Where it's been mild, you can just make out the first heart-shaped Celendine leaves.  Indeed, whilst Tam and I were heading towards the Old Railway Line Garden Centre this week, there were Hazel catkins out in their full yellow lamb's tail glory.

Plenty of clusters of Cow Parsley to be found as well.  Let's hope spring comes early this year.

I was idly looking up x-stitch patterns today and saw something on Etsy which I instantly thought, oh that's gorgeous!  The pattern was reduced and downloadable, but then I found another in the same range and couldn't chose between them.  Oh dear . . .

They cost less than £4 the pair, BUT oh my goodness, VERY detailed charts and one by the time I've taped it together, is going to be the size of a double quilt!  A bit too daunting perhaps . . .

You can see why I was drawn to them, I'm sure.

I intend to start the first block of my Heirloom quilt tomorrow.  However, I do need to get 2 metres of cream fabric, so I will have to go to Doughtys in Hereford for that, and some Liberty fabric for a little frock for Rosie . . .  Their New Year sale  will be on . . .  I am going to use a little frock Rosie had for Christmas to draw the pattern from and see how I get on.  They should be open again on 2nd January.

First though, I have just found I have to deal with abscesses on both the boys - Alfie on his face by his ear, and L. Whale at the base of his tail.  I saw ginger and white fluff outside and saw there had been a dust up this week . . .  Blardy farm tom cats that will be.

Back to mydoable x-stitch now . . .

De-Christmassed

 

Starlings.

It had to be done.  The needles were going to start dropping in earnest soon and once Christmas is a memory, it's time to be done with it.  If I HAD to wait until 12th Night I would be tearing my hair out!  The tree is out, and all the decorations and cards put away (I re-use the cards, cut up where appropriate, for gift tags).

So that was this morning's main job, along with a load of washing, taking useful boxes out to the stables until I decide what to do with them, ironing the pile of nearly all my teatowels, and going for a walk along the lane to see my horsey friend and thank her for her Christmas present.  I enjoyed the walk, and even managed it up the hill without stopping.  The sun was out and it was mild, and so I decided to tidy up in the wake of the hedge being cut, and I emptied two planters which were just housing weeds.  I needed the compost to top up the planters at the front, once I'd weeded them.  Then I put some bulbs in.

This afternoon I looked for some 32 count linen for a x-stitch project.  I had blown the dust off some of my old Just X-Stitch magazines as I wanted to make some more x-stitch Christmas tree decorations for Rosie's tree in future.  I found a nice design with a brown-clad Father Christmas, and have made a start on that tonight.

Of course, as is always the way, no matter how many spools of embroidery thread you have, when you start a new project, you are always wanting . . . So far, two colours short but I substituted the dark gold yellow for the DMC colour I didn't have, and also had a green thread just two numbers off the one called for. However, there were tears as I was originally given the fabric by an American penpal who was an Arts teacher and she sent me a big packet of linen and Aida fabrics and x-stitch charts - this was more than 35 years ago, and it was she who encouraged me to take up x-stitch when I was pregnant with Tam.  She sent me a little chart of a brown bunny - all one colour apart from its eye and nose.  I have the worked bunny still.  We had lost touch over the years and so I thought I would check her out.  She had moved from the address she was at when we were writing, but I did find her, or rather, I found her Obituary.  She had died about 3 weeks ago.  I was very sad, and tears sprung to my eyes.  She was a lovely lady.  So I am sewing this in her memory.  For you, Joanne.

I have been watching tv and that caused more tears too. First "Call the Midwife" which is often a tear-jerker.  Then The Railway Children Return (more tears) and finally, the Christmas edition of All Creatures Great and Small.  Back to less emotional viewing now I think . . .

The weather forecast isn't brilliant and so I think the planned trip to Tam's to take part in a Treasure Hunt in the next village will be cancelled.  Plenty to get on with here.

Long before dawn

The fireplace at Christmas (think I'm stuck with Danny and Emma's Indian horse until they get a place of their own).

 I am awake and downstairs again.  I tried to read myself off to sleep but my brain just got more active - the story line of Shadows and Strongholds is compelling.  It tells about Fulke Fitzwarin trying to reclaim Whittington Castle again, and his falling out with King John (he was a bad 'un) and becoming outlawed for a time.  We used to stop at Whittington Castle on the way up to Manchester Granny's and know it well.  We know the stone ruins though, and of course in the 12th C it was just made of timber.  It is near Oswestry.

In this period between Christmas and the New Year, it is easy to lose track of what day it is.  Fortunately, I knew that yesterday was the day I had an appt. to see the Dermatologist in Llandod, a 6 mth check up to look at a mark on my nose.  I was in and out quickly and am due back for another check up in 6 mths.  

I nipped into Tesco's beforehand, as I had to get more cat food.  Having stocked up over Christmas, the girls decided that really, the BIG (expensive) sack of dried cat food that they always have wasn't to their taste.  No, fish flavour was off the menu.  They wanted chicken instead.  They also wanted Whiskas and not Felix, and kept walking away from whatever I put out.  I also needed paper hankies (those have been somewhat in demand this Christmas), and  AAA batteries.  I  wandered across to the reduced chill cabinets and got some Aberdeen Steak mince.  There were some huge slabs of pork, but I wasn't tempted.  When I happened to wander past one last time before going to the checkout, the pork had gone and in its place were some big legs of lamb - priced at £37 and reduced mightily.  I bought one for me (freezer) for £7 and one for Tam and Jon (£10).  That should feed us well.  Mental note to go there again at this time of year.  

Later Tam, Rosie and I went to the Old Railway Line Garden centre to see what reduced Christmas things they had.  I was contemplating extra lights on the tree as the ones I have are a bit underwhelming, but they only had 25% off the lights and the ones I liked the most were only a very short 3m length which gets lost on a 6 ft tree.  I was too mean to for out £25 for those.  The baubles had 50% off though, and I got 3 and some gift tags and Tam got a couple of baubles too.  It was nice to get out and have a wander.  I will go for a stroll later today once I am on my own again.  When I've had a big tidy up, changed my bed, put the washing on and decided what on earth to make for tea tonight.  Tea last night was just cheese and ham toasties.  We've been trying to use up all the leftovers in the fridge.  I have double cream in there so will make it into butter.  There's still enough veg to shake a stick at too - Tam will take half of it, and I will make some soup I think. I've already cooked and frozen the leftover Parsnips.

Poor Rosie has had a sore tummy the last couple of days.  She had some more stodgy type food (Farley's rusks and cheesy potato etc) but this made her tummy uncomfortable and we had two nights where she was really crying at bedtime and took ages and ages to settle.  Poor Tam is absolutely exhausted as she is still waking lots and lots in the night and will only go back to sleep again on the breast.  Life will hopefully be easier when she is weaned.  

Well, that is quite enough waffling.  I shall read for a bit and try and get back to sleep.

Alchemy

 

Enough detail in the photos to give you an idea of Tam's present for Jon.  We all think it turned out well and I - who am hopeless at designing things - am impressed.  

Gabby came down with a heavy cold today (hope it wasn't my bugs, though I just had a bit of a cold) and has gone home to rest up over the weekend.  Danny was here today, but just for a few hours.  It was lovely to see him though.

We haven't done much - I made a beef curry for our evening meal which went down well.  We managed to find the channel where Britannia was showing as I really wanted to watch that again, so have been doing so off and on all day.  The place is still an absolute mess with so many little gifts waiting to be packed away and to go back to T&J's.  Rosie had lots of things, bless her, but the bigger toys will stay here as Tam and Jon don't have the room.  

Some of my super books.  The Rustic Table is from the Youtube channel I've been watching, from Azerbaijan; The Welsh Marches walks was from Tam and I'm looking forward to exploring.  Church Going is a wonderful book, an unexpected gift from D in Dorset, and has some photos and write ups of churches I already know and love which makes it extra special.  

Rosie with her big present from me which was a special wooden activity centre - that will be staying here.

Tam's just trying to get her to sleep but she was late going up and is over-tired, and also cutting another bottom tooth.  She has a bad dribble rash, bless her and has been fretting on and off all day. They are off home tomorrow and so it's going to seem very quiet here without everyone but I will be able to get back into a routine again.  Gabby has set up Netflix for me as an additional Christmas gift and will pay for it monthly, bless her.  

I hope you have all had a lovely Christmas.  I will answer personals tomorrow.  

A murky day out there

 

This is the design on Tam's bag in its entirety.  I enjoyed choosing the embroidery silks in complementary colours.  This was purchased from Sew Enchanting (Princetown, Dartmoor).

Whilst this one, originally intended for Tam, went to my dear friend D in Dorset,  as the words were more appropriate.  Each took about 30 hours of embroidery to sew and I did enjoy working on them.

I will add a photo of Tam's "Alchemy" present for Jon later on, when he's unwrapped it.

Meanwhile, having gone to bed early, full of cold - what a time for a cold to hit me, Christmas Day! - I didn't sleep well.  I was too hot.  We are all going out for a short walk later on to blow the cobwebs away and give our livers some exercise after firstly Champagne in the morning as we unwrapped our gifts, and then red wine with the roast beef.  We were dancing round the kitchen to old Tamla Motown songs, which Rosie loved (the dancing as much as the music).  That helped keep the tears at bay.

I had lovely thoughtful gifts - the girls collaborated and got me a difficult floral 1,000 piece jigsaw and one of those roll-up mats to keep the cats off it!! A little book of local Welsh walks, a book about the cooking family in Azerbaijan whose videos I follow on Youtube, and books from my dear friend G, who started off as a penpal when I was about 19 years old - a fair few years ago now! (53)  I am wearing my new White Company socks (SO pretty and comfy) and have the widest, warmest scarf to snuggle under when it is bitter outside.  

This morning, as I was down early (because of being in bed early), I decided to do some research into Keith's genetic link to the Pankhursts.  I have the names, but can I find them in the records?  Not much so far. The obvious marriage with Goulden, but actual birthplace for Sophia Jane Craine's father (William) - not so easy, but at least I have a year now.  Then there's the cousin who's a Folkloreist and is equally wriggly to tie down!

Outside it is cold and foggy (low cloud foggy).  A little blue sky is just peeping through though, so I'll get the venison casserole in the slow cooker and we can leave it to do its thing whilst we go for a walk. 

Hoping everyone has had a lovely Christmas.

The Star of Christmas

 

She has helped our tears with her antics!  Bless her.

The cost of Christmas

 We are sharing the cost of Christmas food and drink amongst the family, and all told there will be 5 people to feed, spread over the Christmas period.  Even so, my contribution was 3 figures.  That is mainly because of extra cat food (a fortnight's), several bottles of wine, a joint of beef from the butchers' for Christmas Day, and a kilo of Venison (butchers too) for the Anthony Worrall Thompson venison casserole on Boxing Day.  There is extra fruit, lots of veg (though that is pennies right now), double cream/good dark chocolate/raspberries for the roulade, a tub of Quality  Street etc.  I shan't need to go shopping until the New Year though.  I went into Llandod today for the veg and more fruit, and even though I was in Aldi by 8.30 it was still busy, and left Tesco by 9.30.  5 mins later people were queuing up for the Tesco car park!  

Tam has just messaged to say that Aberystwyth is totally gridlocked and she has been sat in a queue to leave the Tesco car park for 20 minutes now. . .  Madness!  

I wasn't going fast around Tesco (only needed 4 things) and happened to notice that turkeys are expensive beyond belief.  I was looking at Organic Bronze Free Range turkeys - the smaller ones were around £75 each and the giant ones - well, one was £117!!!  You'd need a blardy big oven to cook that in!   However, if you are vegetarian you can eat for peanuts as in Aldi they had a bank of veg all at 8p a hit.  I bought a red cabbage and a head of broccoli (Gabby's bringing the veg, cheese board, nibbles, Lemon tarts for Boxing Day, and more wine).  You could have parsnips, a bag of sprouts, a bag of carrots, etc - all 8p a time.  I feel sorry for the farmers, who obviously take this seasonal hit in their pockets.

I've done my round of friends and neighbours with home-made Christmas gifts - cushions and jam for my two local friends, and a Spicy Dorset Apple Cake and two jars of jam for the farmers up the hill.  I walked up the hill to them - every time I do that I forget QUITE how steep it is and how many times I have to stop to catch my breath!  Their mum was so pleased to see me, as she doesn't get much company, an she said to come up any time, so I will try and go up for a chat more often.

Last night I finished the embroidered present:

A close-up - I did a lot of it in the tiniest chain stitch.

Those French knots got a bit tedious towards the end, as there are lots of them in the pre-printed design.  Anyway, it is a useful gift.  It took me probably 35 + hours of sewing.  Love (and Outlander!) sewn into every stitch.

Tonight I shall start on the Felt Mistletoe and will need some of the craft wire which Tam bought to make Jon's present.  She has made an absolutely AMAZING gift for Jon, which is called "Alchemy".  It's inside a glass dome and is dried moss, tiny fern sprigs, tiny twigs, tiny Alder cones, dabbled with gold leaf, and a wee green glass bottle with Iron Pyrites in it, and a printed and scrumbled Alchemists' "recipe".  It looks amazing.  I did take a photo of it but it hasn't downloaded from my camera.  It's wrapped now so I will share it once Jon's received it.

Well, this won't do.  I know everyone will be busy with family and food over the Christmas period, so I will wish you all a special Christmas now.  

Next Project - FINALLY, My William Morris Heritage Quilt

 

This has been in my stash since 2018, when darling daughters took me to Calico Kate's in Lampeter to get the fabrics for my birthday present.  Bless them.   Finally I have the chance to make a start on it, so that is my New Year project.

This photo (sorry about the glare from the  flash) gives you an idea of the overall design, with a close-up below.  The range of William Morris fabrics (Kelmscott) doesn't seem to be generally available to buy yet, so I chose William Morris fabrics I liked and will look for some more to add to (or instead of) patterns already chosen.  (NB: This was written originally in 2018).

Above and below - the fabrics my daughters bought me.  We had such fun choosing them, and laying them out on a table to see what was going with what.  There are a couple of prints I chose just because I liked them (my girls were saying, go on mum get that one or this one!) and will be used in other projects.  The red fabric in the photo above is one of those.

I still yearn to go to William Morris's Cotwolds house Kelmscott Manor.  It's 101 miles each way . . . if I got up early one summer's morning . . . it is possible.

This morning I checked my emails, and was annoyed that I kept getting reminders for car insurance.  NO, I kept saying to myself, they've got that wrong, it's the HOUSE insurance that is due (Christmas Eve).  But no, when I checked, it's due on 21st January.  The only slightly good thing is that the quotes are actually DOWN on last year. Ye Gods, are there no end to the bloomin' bills for this time of year?  The only one I managed to get mid-year was the car tax, by taxing it for 6 mths, and then the normal yearly renewal.  So that's some BIG bills (apart from 3 birthdays and Christmas) in December/January.  House insurance, car insurance an car MoT (potentially big).  Sigh.  I had better have a good Fair in February is all I can say!!

Windy out, grey - with moveable clouds and a bit of sunshine, instead of just drab wall to wall grey - and rain.  I need to pop out with Christmas gifts for a couple of friends, and need to make the cake for the farmers up the hill.  I will finish the embroidered bag for Tam today, and then there is the Mistletoe from Festive Felt book to sew together - all cut out and pinned. 

I thought I would watch a couple of films the other day, just for a change.    I chose one that Timothy Spall was in - The Last Bus.  Mistake.  Turns out he had to get down to Land's End with his wife's ASHES . . .  Cheered me up no end, NOT!  So then I watched Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Top Hat which was more cheerful.  

Yesterday we were watching Sanna Vaara back to back - so peaceful - and then ended up with Paddington Bear (movie).  L. Whale was on the sofa, and Rosie wanted to stroke him (e.g. yank his hair out in handfuls!)  I have been trying to show her what stroke meant, and put my hand in the way and said "gently" - which resulted in her taking my hand and moving it out of the way (!!!) and ignoring me :)  Tam rolled her eyes and said, "she's very determined".   I can't help thinking that those drops of Keith's Manx blood which were so strong in the Pankhursts, may have filtered through to young Rosie too!!

Right, this won't do.  Baking (must use up those last apples quickly).

The Winter Solstice and some Christmas crafting

 It is the Winter Solstice today, so in a month we will begin to really notice the days lengthening again.  I can't wait.  I hate the wet grey days we've been having constantly, and there is another storm coming in tomorrow!  I hope it won't be too bad for folk, but they are threatening 50mph winds again. (That's better than the 80mph ones they were talking about yesterday).

Here's the little Dala horse I've just finished sewing.  He is from the Festive Felt Decorations book I got last week.  Took ages though, as lots of fiddly bits of embroidery on him.    I think he turned out quite well, and is to go on Rosie's (well, Tam & Jon's) Christmas tree.

Tam and Rosie were here yesterday afternoon and overnight, leaving 3 p.m. today.  It was lovely to have them here, though they are still getting over the really nasty cold they've had for about 10 days now - still snuffly and coughing, and Tam is mostly deaf.

We have been watching a lovely set of Youtube videos from Northern Finland by Sanna Vaara.  They are very calming and peaceful and enjoyable.  Check them out.

I've now finished Series 6 of Outlander and the first episode from the 2nd half of series 2nd was available to view today, so I've seen that now.  I was hoping to watch the London International Horse Show on iPlayer, but whatever I do, I cannot get the recordings to run.  Tam couldn't either. So frustrating.

Tomorrow I need to make a good loaf of bread and bake a big cake for the farmers up the hill.  For now though, it's bed.  My brain is tired from all the concentration on the embroidery.

Can I go to bed yet?

 Thank heavens it's nearly the Solstice.  I know I am not alone in not enjoying the long dark evenings of winter which start mid-afternoon and seem endless.  Several friends who like me, live alone, have said the same thing recently - we get to about 7 p.m. and think, can we go to bed yet?!!!  Admittedly one of these folk lives very basically (my neighbour who's doing up the cottage) and doesn't have a tv and I imagine you soon get fed up reading stuff on your mobile phone . . . I can remember one of the stories in All Creatures Great and Small and there has been an evening call out to a farm up in the Dales, run by a couple of brothers and a sister.  James Herriot arrives and as he walks past the parlour window to the door, he sees by the light inside (this is 1930s so possibly pre-electricity and it is just lit by a Tilley Lamp) the three figures just SAT, not talking, no radio, nothing.   Just satisfied (one assumes) with the labours of the day having ceased. It is so hard to imagine that now when we expect more from life.  

This year's greenwood wreath.  I'm not happy with the droopy fir on the bottom and would have preferred Ivy, which was in great trailing abundance at Ynyswen but harder to find round here.  Ah well, not one of my best, but I may go for a wander down the Dingle and see if I can find some trailing ivy.

The tree is all decked out in its finery now.  I have to say, 10 days or so before Christmas is quite early enough to make the house Christmassy.  I know some people can't wait to get the decorations out and the plastic tree up  and Tam thinks I'm a spoilsport for taking it all down on New Year's Day (though she swears I do it on Boxing Day!!) but it works for me.  I don't get time to get fed up with it.

This lovely throw has turned up on a Quilting Magazine feed on Facebook and I fell in love with it. I have worked out how it "works" - the central  star is surrounded by half the same block either side. I'd love to do this and have some aqua/turquoise fat 1/4s which would be perfect to make this, and then I could hang it over the back of the oak settle in the kitchen.  

Well, it is of course the middle of the bloomin' night again.  Alfie woke me at 1 a.m. to be Let Out. As I'd gone to bed at nine, I'd had a good chunk of sleep and my brain got too busy for me to nod off again.  I lay there till 1/4 to 3 before giving up and coming downstairs. 

The embroidery I am doing (a gift for Tam) is coming on really well and I am enjoying doing it and watching Series 6 of Outlander.  It is giving me a break from the endless hexies for the blue and red quilt I was working on.

After two years of totally ignoring the Christmas tree, Pippi has this year discovered it! I was sat there sewing and she did a gallop-by, swiped one of my little x-stitch decorations which flew in the air, and put that on repeat with a couple more low on the tree!  Apparently Rosie has also discovered Tam's Christmas tree so has to be deterred from eating it!  She has now learned to say "dada" and says it over and over.  What a lovely Christmas present for Jon.

We had a windy start to the day again yesterday, but it was just that - windy - though apparently there were gusts of up to 60 mph in some places and there has been plenty of rain with it and flooding in certain areas of Wales.  I am glad to be on a hill . . .

Right, I shall do Hexa Stack and make my brain tired, I hope.

Window shopping in Hay, part 2

 Having bought a replacement battery and a charger, I now have my camera working again and when it is charged, a spare battery.

Apologies for the reflections of vehicles, but isn't this cute?  I knitted a couple of meeces like these for my Aunty Betty one year, to amuse her.

I have begun the day considerably poorer, as I went to do the Christmas shop in Llandod - it soon adds up when there is wine (both red and white), IPA beer for the menfolk, some more chocolates, a BIG double cream, dark chocolate to make the roulade, two bags of spuds rather than one, ice cream, and some meats and stuff for the freezer, and the usual cat food and biscuits (an extra big one for the girls, which alone was £15) and what have you.  Tam's bringing our M&S curry and a bottle of wine for Christmas Eve, and Gabby is bringing the cheeseboard, veg, wine, nibbles etc for Christmas Day.  I have yet to get the beef and venison, although I got some venison burgers today which are going to be the filling for a Spicy Venison Pie for when Danny comes up.  At least I won't need to do a shop, bar fresh fruit and veg, until the New Year now.

Now for some for around the market.  Photo above has gz's name on it!

Fresh fish is a rarity these days.

This is where I normally get my herbs and spices and dried fruits etc.

I'm sorry gz, I didn't get the stalls in the cheese market for you, but they were very busy and a queue for the bread and baked goods there right across the other stalls. The other bread stall, down the bottom past the clock tower, just below and opposite where Ian used to have his stall, had NO such queue!

One of Kath's window displays.  I say that but I know she was moving near to her daughter, so not sure if she is ever in the shop now.

A back window (looking towards the castle) of the Antiques Emporium . . .

Some quilt photos for the quilt makers amongst you. This top one had some age - the others not.

This was one thing which I did like but I'd rather pay the auction price on it and not £180 retail!

Nice cushions, but cheaper to make my own.

I still have a soft spot for good authentic horse brasses too and this was a lovely example.  Needed to find it before the dealer put £88 on it though!

This should give you an idea of some of the stuff on offer. Not for me.  Cranberry glass is pretty but SO yesterday!  Fashions soon change in the antiques trade.

Someone obviously has a keen eye for glass - loved the giant cocktail glass near the bottle, with smaller ones inside it for effect.

Since unpacking the comestibles for Christmas, I've popped out to the greenhouse and rustled up a wreath (photos tomorrow).  Not fancy-pants one but something that reflects my love of nature and the countryside.

Now I am about to make up the dala horse and the mistletoe templates.  Watch this space.