Playing away

I've been a bit silent the past week. I've been OK, but very much not liking the weather, and keeping my head down. There has been spinning and knitting - the pretty yak and silk has all been spun, and should be plied this evening; and I am up to the heel on the first Socks That Rock sock in a pattern shamelessly cribbed from my SIL who saw it on someone else's Rav page anyway! Violet Green "Waving Not Drowning" which seemed such a totally appropriate pattern for me that I couldn't resist. Very pretty, too. And the yarn is - oh! To die for. Now I understand why folk rave about it so much. Thank goodness I have another couple of skeins.....

But Friday afternoon, I ran away to play. Recognise anywhere?



My usual teaching room at AH, but I'm a learner again.

More PMC



Terrible photograph. I need to take some more, but I forgot before I did the upload and don't have time now. This is fuzzy, and unfired. Although, I did actually only complete four pieces. I had gone expecting to spend the time learning how to do filigree - which I did. But learning by getting it all wrong. Not entirely my fault, and neither was the fact that I had to spend a lot of time amusing myself, but I did get quite a bit out of the class despite the glitches, and kept myself amused in other ways. I'm booked on another one early next year, and will go well-prepared this time, and not make the same mistakes. I've also got the wherewithal to do some here, assuming that I can find the firing block.....I know it is here somewhere.

Anyway, it was quite a nice day yesterday, so I went to a profitable wander with my camera. Just nice shots of attractive things, but they may make for inspiration one of these days.



I loved the delicacy of the ornamental tree and its orange "fruit" against the rose coloured brick in the walled garden.



And I was struck by the Victorian novel-ish appearance of the pergola as I walked past the end of it. The word "pleached" always comes in to my mind when I see this sort of thing, general accompanied by "limes". I have no idea what it means, but it sounds so romantic.



Beautiful richly coloured shiny leaves and a delicate, unfamiliar fungus.



Lace doilies!



The name of this plant has gone completely out of my head....begins with "A"....but I loved the colour, again.

Right alongside the walled garden is a more or less derelict greenhouse, which is both a very sad sight and totally intriguing. I have been observing the gentle, slow decay of the door for a while now, and was very struck by the present state. Then I started playing around with Photoshop. Must do more when I have a spare hour or three.





OK, off to throw together a quick pasta bake for supper, have a cuppa, and then hit the spinning wheel. Tomorrow, I'm having a yarn crawl with a friend. Yes, I know, I know. I shall do my very, very best not to be tempted by anything. It was obviously a huge mistake to ever allow myself to by commercial yarn At All, because once I started, I can't stop.

I do hope Alice wants to inherit my stash.......