Above and below: we finally got around to making a pretty wreath yesterday. I had cut some honeysuckle back at the front gate, and that made a lovely base for this wreath. The ivy we cut on a walk along by the river just before Christmas, along with the dried Hogweed flowers and tree ferns. I will save the base of this one and remake it up for each season. I think it's one of the prettiest we ever made, all down to Tam's creative hands.
The weather has gone from being very mild to being darn chilly and our planned beach walk yet again got abandoned yesterday when it came on to snow as we were driving into town! Time to hibernate, methinks, during January and catch up on all those jobs that need doing in the house.
Now is the time to use up the leftovers. This is Tam's tasty Parsnip soup, which has grated fresh ginger in it. We seem to have a vat full! I have cooking bacon to use up and some left-over cooked veg so will make Minestrone soup and hope I can squish some into the freezer. That is pretty full after we got some reduced meats at the supermarket yesterday. We have plenty to take us a couple of weeks or more into the New Year now.
This was my Christmas present from all the family. I got up early on Boxing Day morning to find out how to use it and have been working on the border for my Twister table topper, and am now doing the binding. As you can see, the little squares cut out of the Twister pattern are then used to form the border with the cream sprig material. It's a lovely machine to use. I have given my old one to Tam, as she doesn't have a decent one but had been "making do".
Today we have half-planned to go and have a walk around Carmarthen Fleamarket. This is the one we normally sell at, but this particular venue has been going downhill for the past 18 mths. Plenty of people through, but they keep their hands in their pockets, which pretty well defeats the object of us traders going and setting up. It is a long day for us - up early to be in the queue to get in around 6.30 a.m. (gates open for us traders to set up an hour later), setting up - and at this time of year the big agricultural barn it is held in is like a freezer. I cancelled on the grounds of the winter temperatures in there and no buyers. It is better for us to be in heated indoor venues, and at Fairs where people actually come prepared to buy something . . .
Right, I have a loaf in the Panny so had better go and see if it is ready yet.
