Thursday, August 03, 2006
I'm obviously not spinning this up fast enough......
I'm sorry, I can't resist this. There is fibre involved.
Admitting I was wrong about Zadie Smith
I am a very tolerant and broadminded person. Very. But possibly that comes at the cost of my very few totally irrational and vituperative prejudices. As in my feelings (unprintable) about kitchener stitch, long-tailed cast on, Kate Humble. And until this morning Zadie Smith. Well, not her, personally. Her books. Which I had never read any of (ouch). But I can change, and admit to my change (perhaps, though, not about Kate Humble. I hope.)
When "White Teeth" came out, to great acclaim, many glowing reviews, brouhaha in general, I really did not like the sound of it. I can't, now, remember one word that was said, but I acquired at that point a very deepseated notion that it was Not A Book That I Would Ever Want To Read. So I didn't. I kept hearing Zadie Smith on the radio, and thinking how intelligent and personable and funny she sounded, what a shame she wrote such dreadful books. Which I had never &etc. Mind you, I used to feel exactly the same about Alan Clark - who is this erudite and sensible man, I would think, before his name was mentioned and I blushed fiery red with shame. But we won't go there.
Move forward a few years and a few books, and I am scratching around on the mobile Library van for something to read, and not only that but something to show the snip of a new assistant that I can read things other than Janet Evanovich and Kkkkkatie Fffffforde. (Although, I do like them, and Maeve Binchy and Charlotte Bingham and Jilly Cooper, and Kathy Reichs and....so now you know another of my guilty secrets.) My eye, closely followed by my hand, falls on "The Autograph Man". By Zadie Smith. I take it.
It sits on my shelf. Sits and sits. Until finally this morning, I have read all the other library books bar....it. I have to try, I can't risk the young snip asking me what I thought. "Couldn't be arsed, I have an irrational prejudice" would not be an adequate answer.
Now, so far, I have only got to page twenty. I have laughed more than at any book for a long time, and am drooling at the quality of the writing. This author is intelligent and personable and funny. Who is it? Er - Zadie Smith. Say again? Oh, all right, I admit it. I Was Wrong. Zadie, I apologise. I am your newest. Biggest fan. After twenty pages of one book.
Who knows, I may even try "White Teeth" next.
Fibre pursuits are being pursued. I continue to knit, in a fairly gallopy fashion, on the Noro shawl. It is too easy even for me, and boring. It will get a little more interesting soon, but my next project will be just a tad more challenging, by my standards. I have spun a little more of the Jacob. Quite fun, and rather soothing. The other spinning at present is some alpaca top, very nice, which I will move back to if the weather as is promised and as seems to be happening, improves.
Now, there was something else. Whatever was that? (Terrible how the memory starts failing as you get older. Much older, rapidly. Something to do with fibre, and colour........
Oh, yes.
I do so hope that no-one is disappointed. It is rather subtle, no? Just three patches. And it is all a cheat - this isn't a dye job, it is hair extensions.
I am, you realise, still working on growing old disgracefully, which I do so enjoy.
Actually, I could do with some suggestions for my next trick.......
When "White Teeth" came out, to great acclaim, many glowing reviews, brouhaha in general, I really did not like the sound of it. I can't, now, remember one word that was said, but I acquired at that point a very deepseated notion that it was Not A Book That I Would Ever Want To Read. So I didn't. I kept hearing Zadie Smith on the radio, and thinking how intelligent and personable and funny she sounded, what a shame she wrote such dreadful books. Which I had never &etc. Mind you, I used to feel exactly the same about Alan Clark - who is this erudite and sensible man, I would think, before his name was mentioned and I blushed fiery red with shame. But we won't go there.
Move forward a few years and a few books, and I am scratching around on the mobile Library van for something to read, and not only that but something to show the snip of a new assistant that I can read things other than Janet Evanovich and Kkkkkatie Fffffforde. (Although, I do like them, and Maeve Binchy and Charlotte Bingham and Jilly Cooper, and Kathy Reichs and....so now you know another of my guilty secrets.) My eye, closely followed by my hand, falls on "The Autograph Man". By Zadie Smith. I take it.
It sits on my shelf. Sits and sits. Until finally this morning, I have read all the other library books bar....it. I have to try, I can't risk the young snip asking me what I thought. "Couldn't be arsed, I have an irrational prejudice" would not be an adequate answer.
Now, so far, I have only got to page twenty. I have laughed more than at any book for a long time, and am drooling at the quality of the writing. This author is intelligent and personable and funny. Who is it? Er - Zadie Smith. Say again? Oh, all right, I admit it. I Was Wrong. Zadie, I apologise. I am your newest. Biggest fan. After twenty pages of one book.
Who knows, I may even try "White Teeth" next.
Fibre pursuits are being pursued. I continue to knit, in a fairly gallopy fashion, on the Noro shawl. It is too easy even for me, and boring. It will get a little more interesting soon, but my next project will be just a tad more challenging, by my standards. I have spun a little more of the Jacob. Quite fun, and rather soothing. The other spinning at present is some alpaca top, very nice, which I will move back to if the weather as is promised and as seems to be happening, improves.
Now, there was something else. Whatever was that? (Terrible how the memory starts failing as you get older. Much older, rapidly. Something to do with fibre, and colour........
Oh, yes.
I do so hope that no-one is disappointed. It is rather subtle, no? Just three patches. And it is all a cheat - this isn't a dye job, it is hair extensions.
I am, you realise, still working on growing old disgracefully, which I do so enjoy.
Actually, I could do with some suggestions for my next trick.......
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
αφήστε τα παιχνίδια να αρχίσουν
According to the online translator that I used, the above is the translation in to Greek - modern, I assume - of Let the Games Begin!
I have never studied Greek. Latin, yes, I have dim shreds and shards of memory of Latin. I put the same words into the translator for that, and didn't recognise anything that came out, so the above probably says something like two taramasalata and hold the lemon. Or worse.
But it is a momentous day, and needed marking somehow. It is the first day of August. 1/08/06. It is the first day of my birthday month. As this is a special birthday, I am having, in my head at least, an entire month of celebration. Well, in some ways, year, but publicly one whole month, and today is the day that it kicks off. So...
Let the Games Begin!
I first of all did a huge amount of ironing, which had built up again with the hot weather (that happens, you know, temperatures in excess of 25C encourage the rapid proliferation of unironed shirts. Fact.) That isn't as daft as it might sound at first hearing, the DSM now has enough shirts to last for weeks, so I can forget about it again. Well done, me.
Then, I finished off plying a skein of red yarn. This came from a Falkland roving that I had dyed myself, as I considered it, badly. It looked like a robin in a blender. I very nearly threw it but at the very last minute reprieved it and have spun it up rather quick and dirty to see if it would make socks. And it is quite amazing, it looks much nicer spun, and is perfectly usable. Well, whadja know!
Then, I picked up a chunk of the Jacob, which had managed against all odds to dry. It isn't half bad. Quite short stapled, on the cusp of "would be better spun longdraw", but I really didn't want to card it, did want a worsted yarn, and thought I would see what a quick comb-out would do. Quite nicely, actually. It is not the best Jacob I have ever had, but is better than most. It feels funny spinning fleece again, I haven't done any for ages. Maybe this will inspire me to deal with the minor mountain that I have stashed away.....
This fleece needs spinning up quite quickly, I didn't wash it quite well enough. I was rushing to get it out into the fine weather, knowing that it was likely to change, and I should have given it another hot soapy soak.
When I wash fleece, I fill the sink with the hottest water I can stand, and use a good squirt of washing up liquid, usually Ecover. I leave it soaking for ten minutes or so, more and the grease resettles on the fibre as the water cools. I drain, and usually repeat, maybe more than once if the fleece is particularly dirty. This wasn't, so I just gave it the one soapy wash, and then rinsed a couple of times. Same procedure, fill sink with hot water, leave ten minutes. Repeat as necessary - and in this case, a further wash and rinse would have been good. Never mind, it will do.
When I first started spinning, it was considered sissy to wash fleece, spinning in the grease was the thing. Especially for a beginner, it "helped the yarn to stick together." Good grief. People still worry a lot about felting the fibre. I have only ever done that once, and that was with some Polwarth(?) in a washing machine, attempting to spin dry it. I may have mentioned it before....... With some fleeces, hot washing is essential to remove the waxiness, Wensleydale for one. A cold wash makes it disgustingly sticky. Merino and other superfines too, in fact, for the same reasons, but with greater caution. The swishing locks about in very hot soapy water does actually work, I've done it.
While I had the camera out, I finally got around to photographing the Noro shawl-in-progress. Doesn't it look like moorland!
Actually, having said that, the "peat" is right up the top left hand corner, and not terribly noticeable, but I think it is, anyway.
Tomorrow's indulgence is a trip to the hairdresser's. You have been warned!
I have never studied Greek. Latin, yes, I have dim shreds and shards of memory of Latin. I put the same words into the translator for that, and didn't recognise anything that came out, so the above probably says something like two taramasalata and hold the lemon. Or worse.
But it is a momentous day, and needed marking somehow. It is the first day of August. 1/08/06. It is the first day of my birthday month. As this is a special birthday, I am having, in my head at least, an entire month of celebration. Well, in some ways, year, but publicly one whole month, and today is the day that it kicks off. So...
Let the Games Begin!
I first of all did a huge amount of ironing, which had built up again with the hot weather (that happens, you know, temperatures in excess of 25C encourage the rapid proliferation of unironed shirts. Fact.) That isn't as daft as it might sound at first hearing, the DSM now has enough shirts to last for weeks, so I can forget about it again. Well done, me.
Then, I finished off plying a skein of red yarn. This came from a Falkland roving that I had dyed myself, as I considered it, badly. It looked like a robin in a blender. I very nearly threw it but at the very last minute reprieved it and have spun it up rather quick and dirty to see if it would make socks. And it is quite amazing, it looks much nicer spun, and is perfectly usable. Well, whadja know!
Then, I picked up a chunk of the Jacob, which had managed against all odds to dry. It isn't half bad. Quite short stapled, on the cusp of "would be better spun longdraw", but I really didn't want to card it, did want a worsted yarn, and thought I would see what a quick comb-out would do. Quite nicely, actually. It is not the best Jacob I have ever had, but is better than most. It feels funny spinning fleece again, I haven't done any for ages. Maybe this will inspire me to deal with the minor mountain that I have stashed away.....
This fleece needs spinning up quite quickly, I didn't wash it quite well enough. I was rushing to get it out into the fine weather, knowing that it was likely to change, and I should have given it another hot soapy soak.
When I wash fleece, I fill the sink with the hottest water I can stand, and use a good squirt of washing up liquid, usually Ecover. I leave it soaking for ten minutes or so, more and the grease resettles on the fibre as the water cools. I drain, and usually repeat, maybe more than once if the fleece is particularly dirty. This wasn't, so I just gave it the one soapy wash, and then rinsed a couple of times. Same procedure, fill sink with hot water, leave ten minutes. Repeat as necessary - and in this case, a further wash and rinse would have been good. Never mind, it will do.
When I first started spinning, it was considered sissy to wash fleece, spinning in the grease was the thing. Especially for a beginner, it "helped the yarn to stick together." Good grief. People still worry a lot about felting the fibre. I have only ever done that once, and that was with some Polwarth(?) in a washing machine, attempting to spin dry it. I may have mentioned it before....... With some fleeces, hot washing is essential to remove the waxiness, Wensleydale for one. A cold wash makes it disgustingly sticky. Merino and other superfines too, in fact, for the same reasons, but with greater caution. The swishing locks about in very hot soapy water does actually work, I've done it.
While I had the camera out, I finally got around to photographing the Noro shawl-in-progress. Doesn't it look like moorland!
Actually, having said that, the "peat" is right up the top left hand corner, and not terribly noticeable, but I think it is, anyway.
Tomorrow's indulgence is a trip to the hairdresser's. You have been warned!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
It's my fault
Although fault isn't the right word, we needed the rain. Plus the sun does seem to back again this morning. Still and all, it may be that the heatwave has broken, even if summer has not yet come to an end.
What did I do? Washed this -
This is the little jacob fleece that followed me home on Friday. I had vowed to myself that it wouldn't simply get put alongside the other fleeces acquired over the last couple of years, that this time I would really do something with it, straight away. So, into the water it went, and then thrown out into the sun to drip.
If this sounds an odd way to wash a fleece, well, not only do I not have that marvel of technology a top loading washing machine (most Brits don't, they are too big for our more bijou residences) but I can't use my front loader to spin the water out either because I don't have a spin cycle without a rinse. Baldly, the DSM bought the washer in an emergency when I was away from home - but I'm not sure that it would have occurred to me either that a washing machine could be so....stupid. So, until this one bites the dust, washing fleece is decidedly problematic.
In other respects, the rain did us a favour, dragged us inside to the computer to do a few things. I do so love the internet! The DSM has booked a flight, for the first time, to Cornwall in September, so he can have a quick visit to his mother for her birthday. And we booked for this. Simple as anything, and I can never get over the thrill of arranging something half a world away with a few clicks and key strokes.
The strange thing is we were supposed to be going to see the same opera in Leeds the month before, but had to give the tickets to friends as we were teaching over in Lancashire and couldn't make the start time. We are spending a few days in the city before SOAR, so......now we maybe need to research a few more things to do!
What did I do? Washed this -
This is the little jacob fleece that followed me home on Friday. I had vowed to myself that it wouldn't simply get put alongside the other fleeces acquired over the last couple of years, that this time I would really do something with it, straight away. So, into the water it went, and then thrown out into the sun to drip.
If this sounds an odd way to wash a fleece, well, not only do I not have that marvel of technology a top loading washing machine (most Brits don't, they are too big for our more bijou residences) but I can't use my front loader to spin the water out either because I don't have a spin cycle without a rinse. Baldly, the DSM bought the washer in an emergency when I was away from home - but I'm not sure that it would have occurred to me either that a washing machine could be so....stupid. So, until this one bites the dust, washing fleece is decidedly problematic.
In other respects, the rain did us a favour, dragged us inside to the computer to do a few things. I do so love the internet! The DSM has booked a flight, for the first time, to Cornwall in September, so he can have a quick visit to his mother for her birthday. And we booked for this. Simple as anything, and I can never get over the thrill of arranging something half a world away with a few clicks and key strokes.
The strange thing is we were supposed to be going to see the same opera in Leeds the month before, but had to give the tickets to friends as we were teaching over in Lancashire and couldn't make the start time. We are spending a few days in the city before SOAR, so......now we maybe need to research a few more things to do!
Friday, July 28, 2006
It was Friday, all day
And yet again, hot and sunny. The weather reports keep on telling us it is all about to go pearshaped, but so far - not. A-mazing.
I was at AH today. I had been slightly dreading it because of the heat, which I normally only cope with by staying quietly in the shade, but in fact it was not too bad. We had three fans in our regular room, all the doors and windows open, and little direct sun. Went the day well? I would say so, but I'm not going to say too much about it because I owned up to having a blog and then wouldn't tell people how to find it, issuing a challenge to hunt me down. I guess that it would be only fair to reward success should anyone who was there today find me, so first comment from one of the nine who all know who they are (well, in theory at least...) will bring forth a fibery bon bouche.
I succumbed to a fleece. A not too huge and very nice looking Jacob. I haven't spun one of those in a very long time, and couldn't resist. Someone suggested I could knit socks with it, and do you know, they could just be right. Working on today's class has totally revived my sock knitting urges, and I am going to indulge them.
I have just spent an infuriating few minutes attempting to get a url to show a photograph of a super pair of boots that I have seen in a catalogue and that would be great with hand spun hand knit socks....but it simply won't co-operate, obviously a serious glitch in their software. I'll have to wait until I actually get them in my hot, sweaty mitts - or rather, on my ditto feet - and photograph them myself.
Drove home via another country, or at least that is what it seemed like. So hot, and everything starting to look so parched. Had to have the windows open in the car, as I don't have air con, so I have warned the DSM that if I fall over on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night he is to just pick me up and slide me back on to the bed. The reason being that my ears can do funny things if assaulted by too much buffetting wind, leading to vertigo, which is quite scary, but does soon pass.
OK, so I've waffled, and need more of the very nice vin de Pays de l'Aude that got opened this evening. Some real fibre doing next week.
I was at AH today. I had been slightly dreading it because of the heat, which I normally only cope with by staying quietly in the shade, but in fact it was not too bad. We had three fans in our regular room, all the doors and windows open, and little direct sun. Went the day well? I would say so, but I'm not going to say too much about it because I owned up to having a blog and then wouldn't tell people how to find it, issuing a challenge to hunt me down. I guess that it would be only fair to reward success should anyone who was there today find me, so first comment from one of the nine who all know who they are (well, in theory at least...) will bring forth a fibery bon bouche.
I succumbed to a fleece. A not too huge and very nice looking Jacob. I haven't spun one of those in a very long time, and couldn't resist. Someone suggested I could knit socks with it, and do you know, they could just be right. Working on today's class has totally revived my sock knitting urges, and I am going to indulge them.
I have just spent an infuriating few minutes attempting to get a url to show a photograph of a super pair of boots that I have seen in a catalogue and that would be great with hand spun hand knit socks....but it simply won't co-operate, obviously a serious glitch in their software. I'll have to wait until I actually get them in my hot, sweaty mitts - or rather, on my ditto feet - and photograph them myself.
Drove home via another country, or at least that is what it seemed like. So hot, and everything starting to look so parched. Had to have the windows open in the car, as I don't have air con, so I have warned the DSM that if I fall over on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night he is to just pick me up and slide me back on to the bed. The reason being that my ears can do funny things if assaulted by too much buffetting wind, leading to vertigo, which is quite scary, but does soon pass.
OK, so I've waffled, and need more of the very nice vin de Pays de l'Aude that got opened this evening. Some real fibre doing next week.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Feeling the heat
I have been tagged by Leigh.
Well, I am all too happy to sit in front of the computer, or rather, the fan that I have set on high speed, for a few minutes. So, here goes.
5 things I always have in my purse (trans. handbag)
1. Keys
2. Mobile phone
3. Mini-Filofax
4. Lip salve
5. Bach's Rescue Remedy
5 things I always have in my wallet (trans. purse)
1. Enough change for a car park
2. Credit & debit cards
3. Library card
4. AA membership card
5. Receipts from at least three months' worth of supermarket etc transactions
5 things I always have in my refrigerator
1. Real coffee
2. Skimmed milk
3. Free range eggs
4. Black olives
5. Dead carrots
5 things I always have in my closet (trans. wardrobe?)
1. Several pairs of interesting coloured lace-up ankle boots.
2. Long skirts.
3. Several garments that I haven't worn in a long time.
4. Many funky scarves.
5. Dust mammoths.
5 things I always have in my car
1. The owner's manual
2. Sunglasses
3. A spare pair of OTC reading glasses
4. A windscreen scraper
5. Dead car parking stickers
5 things I always have on my desk
1. A pile of stuff waiting to be actioned.
2. A mug from the Metropolitan Opera Gift Shop with pens in it
3. Sellotape
4. Notebooks
5. Tweezers
(Before anyone panics, the computer is adjacent to the desk)
5 people to tag....will have to wait while I think about it. I'll do my best!
There, nothing too controversial. I should have lied......
As to literally feeling the heat, I had to do a runner from my Tuesday morning Book Group, which I am seriously pissed off about, but I couldn't stand the heat in the room a moment longer. Interestingly, given that I always feel I am the only one out of step, after I got up to go someone else leapt (figuratively speaking)to her feet and left as well. We were upstairs in an old building, on its sunny side, and it was like the proverbial oven. So, after reading email &etc, I am back to my lurking spot by the door, and it is iPod and knitting/spinning for me for a while. This extreme heat is not set to linger for much longer. I don't want to see the end of the beautiful skies and sun, but the temperatures have been a bit much. Never satisfied, are we?
Well, I am all too happy to sit in front of the computer, or rather, the fan that I have set on high speed, for a few minutes. So, here goes.
5 things I always have in my purse (trans. handbag)
1. Keys
2. Mobile phone
3. Mini-Filofax
4. Lip salve
5. Bach's Rescue Remedy
5 things I always have in my wallet (trans. purse)
1. Enough change for a car park
2. Credit & debit cards
3. Library card
4. AA membership card
5. Receipts from at least three months' worth of supermarket etc transactions
5 things I always have in my refrigerator
1. Real coffee
2. Skimmed milk
3. Free range eggs
4. Black olives
5. Dead carrots
5 things I always have in my closet (trans. wardrobe?)
1. Several pairs of interesting coloured lace-up ankle boots.
2. Long skirts.
3. Several garments that I haven't worn in a long time.
4. Many funky scarves.
5. Dust mammoths.
5 things I always have in my car
1. The owner's manual
2. Sunglasses
3. A spare pair of OTC reading glasses
4. A windscreen scraper
5. Dead car parking stickers
5 things I always have on my desk
1. A pile of stuff waiting to be actioned.
2. A mug from the Metropolitan Opera Gift Shop with pens in it
3. Sellotape
4. Notebooks
5. Tweezers
(Before anyone panics, the computer is adjacent to the desk)
5 people to tag....will have to wait while I think about it. I'll do my best!
There, nothing too controversial. I should have lied......
As to literally feeling the heat, I had to do a runner from my Tuesday morning Book Group, which I am seriously pissed off about, but I couldn't stand the heat in the room a moment longer. Interestingly, given that I always feel I am the only one out of step, after I got up to go someone else leapt (figuratively speaking)to her feet and left as well. We were upstairs in an old building, on its sunny side, and it was like the proverbial oven. So, after reading email &etc, I am back to my lurking spot by the door, and it is iPod and knitting/spinning for me for a while. This extreme heat is not set to linger for much longer. I don't want to see the end of the beautiful skies and sun, but the temperatures have been a bit much. Never satisfied, are we?
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Peaceful Sunday chez nous
Woke up to gentle rain, but nowhere near enough of it, really. It all cleared away within an hour or so, and we were back to blue skies and very warm temperatures, although not quite as hot as some days have been.
So, yet again not much fibre work went on around here, but a fair bit of very enjoyable relaxing in the garden. Gave me time to wander around with the camera, something I have been meaning to do for ages.
I never did post any photographs of the New Pond. So, for your delectation....
The waterlilies have definitely approved of the move to slightly larger premises, and are looking gorgeous. Now, this next is a bit fuzzy - actually taken by the DSM, balancing precariously over the water with the camera on close-up setting, and I did think it would have been a bit churlish to have made any suggestions as to how to reduce camera-shake....
See the orange mark leading away from a gap between two rocks, towards the middle of the photo? And just below that, slightly up from the water, a blodgy blur? That's a frog, that is! There are two or three resident, a bazillion tadpoles, that I am assuming are not going to develop in to frogs, just like they didn't do when I was a kid and fished them out of the bomb crater pond up the lane into a jam jar and fed them on bacon rind (I was a sick kid....) And - there are four resident fish, too. Tiny, three inch long carp (goldfish to most people). Which all seem to be co-existing happily - there's lots of activity, critters rising to the surface and so on. It's good fun to sit and watch for a while.
Next up -
Pretty, huh? We've been nurturing this clematis for a few years now, rescuing it from time to time from the megaslugs that inhabit the area. But this location, and the weather this year have really brought it on a treat. The colour, for once for a blue, is about right here.
Couple of other things both quite silly.
Thanks to wonderful killer Nemaslug, this year we have veggie crops for the first time in ages. Runner beans, to be fair, usually manage to escape them mostly, but not always. These are looking good, as are a few peas and some broad beans, not to mention a forest of brassicas various.
But one plant grows like a weed around here - well, apart from the actual weeds, that is. Ladies mantle seeds like crazy and pops up all over the place.
Here's one clinging happily to a brick holding down a bag of potting compost or something. Didn't have the heart to root it out!
Also in my wanderings, I checked on the jungle that is the "dye garden". Harvested some woad seeds, lovely and ripe, and noted that I have golden rod, genista tinctoria and hemp agrimony doing well. Unfortunately, I am not in the mood for dyeing yellow, but I might harvest some of it to dry.
Tomorrow I need to finish off the sock samples and notes, and I haven't been doing enough spinning, so a wheel might just make it out into the garden. We are being promised sun again. Could get used to this!
So, yet again not much fibre work went on around here, but a fair bit of very enjoyable relaxing in the garden. Gave me time to wander around with the camera, something I have been meaning to do for ages.
I never did post any photographs of the New Pond. So, for your delectation....
The waterlilies have definitely approved of the move to slightly larger premises, and are looking gorgeous. Now, this next is a bit fuzzy - actually taken by the DSM, balancing precariously over the water with the camera on close-up setting, and I did think it would have been a bit churlish to have made any suggestions as to how to reduce camera-shake....
See the orange mark leading away from a gap between two rocks, towards the middle of the photo? And just below that, slightly up from the water, a blodgy blur? That's a frog, that is! There are two or three resident, a bazillion tadpoles, that I am assuming are not going to develop in to frogs, just like they didn't do when I was a kid and fished them out of the bomb crater pond up the lane into a jam jar and fed them on bacon rind (I was a sick kid....) And - there are four resident fish, too. Tiny, three inch long carp (goldfish to most people). Which all seem to be co-existing happily - there's lots of activity, critters rising to the surface and so on. It's good fun to sit and watch for a while.
Next up -
Pretty, huh? We've been nurturing this clematis for a few years now, rescuing it from time to time from the megaslugs that inhabit the area. But this location, and the weather this year have really brought it on a treat. The colour, for once for a blue, is about right here.
Couple of other things both quite silly.
Thanks to wonderful killer Nemaslug, this year we have veggie crops for the first time in ages. Runner beans, to be fair, usually manage to escape them mostly, but not always. These are looking good, as are a few peas and some broad beans, not to mention a forest of brassicas various.
But one plant grows like a weed around here - well, apart from the actual weeds, that is. Ladies mantle seeds like crazy and pops up all over the place.
Here's one clinging happily to a brick holding down a bag of potting compost or something. Didn't have the heart to root it out!
Also in my wanderings, I checked on the jungle that is the "dye garden". Harvested some woad seeds, lovely and ripe, and noted that I have golden rod, genista tinctoria and hemp agrimony doing well. Unfortunately, I am not in the mood for dyeing yellow, but I might harvest some of it to dry.
Tomorrow I need to finish off the sock samples and notes, and I haven't been doing enough spinning, so a wheel might just make it out into the garden. We are being promised sun again. Could get used to this!
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