A Quiet Wednesday

I had a bit of a weird day today...I didn't feel like going outside at all.  The two times I ventured out (to feed the piggies) it seemed very cold.  

I stayed in a sewed instead.

This is a smaller version of the bears I have been making.  I thought I would try a smaller one, quite pleased.

I made the last of the mohair bears (I have no more fur fabric)

A line-up of five.  

I sewed a skirt for an American Girl doll, Lindsey.  I am taking part in a Mix and Match Capsule Wardrobe challenge on an online knitting group I belong to.  So far I have made the cardigan and the skirt.

The patterning on the skirt unfortunately hides the detail - real pockets and stitching detail to the front.

Saturday!

I went for a lovely walk this afternoon, although will say I was surprised to see just how many GROUPS of people were out.  A group of four young men with beer cans walked along the cliff path and stopped down on one of the bays.  All one family?  Somehow I doubt it. There were EIGHT groups of people on one of the beaches!  These are quite small beaches, actually just little bays... but hey ho there you go.  On the one hand I can't blame them, it is a gorgeous day and the temptation is there, but we will never get rid of the virus if people don't maintain social distancing.  All it takes is one asymptomatic person, and it will have spread to a large number of people in just one afternoon.  But that is just my thoughts...I don't usually comment on this, but I was quite shocked today at just how many people were socialising.

But back to more interesting things...

There are some really lovely butterflies out to see.

This beautiful orange tip butterfly is lovely.

There were cows in the fields.

Or perhaps steers?

Delighted to see another Glanville Fritillary Butterfly

Cormorant on the rock.

Pretty wild flowers.

I spent the morning in the garden mowing and strimming the orchard and round the vines.  Jolly hard work, still need to get in with the shears round the bottoms of the fruit bushes, but it just got too hot and I was worn out.  I also weeded the raised vegetable beds and planted out some more seedlings.

The rose bush is looking really lovely.

I finished stitching up the three bears I had partially started yesterday.

The pink and blue ones are made with vintage fabrics.

Smokey Friday.

I was not very happy this morning to wake up to the smell of bonfire.  Our neighbours lit a very early morning bonfire, and it spoilt the whole morning (actually the whole day!)  as it was too smokey to spend any time in the garden front or back.  I had so much to do in the garden as well, so was pretty frustrated and annoyed.  So inconsiderate, as it wasn't really necessary to have a bonfire in my opinion.  

I cut out some bears first thing in the morning, but it was getting so hot inside that in the end I took myself off for a walk to the local bay.  It was nice and fresh down there so I spent a little time just sitting looking at the ocean (and eating an apple!)  

I was able to sit out the front late afternoon, but the back garden still smelt smokey, so I sat and stitched up a bear on the decking while listening to some Glen Miller and Vera Lynn.  

I had to laugh at the antics of a couple of magpies in the garden, one in particular who took a great liking to the bird bath..

Here he/she is on top of the gazebo seat.

Just after its bath...and it was funny to see it actually rolling around on the grass drying itself. Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to get a photo of that.  

This one didn't have a bath, but is looking very sleek and smart indeed.

There they go.

This clever crow and found a piece of bread from somewhere and had brought it to the pond to soften it to make it easier to eat.  They are so clever!

I sat in the evening and stuffed and stitched some more bears, but didn't get them finished.

A Busy Monday.

It felt rather surreal this morning, perhaps even eerie... the sea was very calm and there were about nine ships at anchor.  

I had a funny feeling in my stomach, and for the first time I think I felt frightened.

Partly perhaps because our little dog Percy has not been right since he came home from his last chemo treatment ten days ago, and had a fit yesterday morning.

But party because the future seems so uncertain.  Seeing these ships stationary just brought it home...especially as I know that there is a similar scene in the Philippines where my son is currently at anchor on his ship.

There were more seagulls on the rocks than usual as well.  More than just the two I photographed.

I spent a little time on my favourite beach.  All I could hear was the waves gently lapping the shore, and the waterfall running down the hill and onto the beach, plus the occasional bird song.

The water was clear.

Pretty cowslips have started to flower.

I watched some cormorants on the water and on the wing for a while.

Before I headed on.

A solitary fisherman?

Not sure if he was fishing or heading round the bay.

The sun came out and it turned into a really nice day, although still very calm and still.

I spent the rest of the morning making 11 pairs of bloomers for the TRDs.  These just need the legs and waists gathered once they are fitted on the dolls.

I tackled the climbing plant that had almost obscured the front bedroom window.

Before

After.

I still need to get the ladder and trim it back from the guttering.

The afternoon I spent in the garden, another three round bin fulls of nettles which I then wheeled down to the steps to take down and round the front and into the garden waste bin.  More tingling and stinging this evening!

I cleared all the weeds and nettles around the gooseberry bushes.  Forgot to take an after photo.  The gooseberries already have tiny fruit on them!

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I planted some tomato seedlings into bigger pots.

I watched a robin on the fence.

I also enjoyed watching two buzzards doing acrobatics in the air.  They were calling out as they were flying this way and that.

Earlier I had also watched a crow chasing one off.  It was really chasing it.

After the gardening I worked on a tiny bear which I managed to finish.

Here he is with Johnathan.

This evening I decided to make use of the AGA being on and made a fruit cake.  I'll look forward to having a slice with my mid-morning cup of tea.

So my strange morning, turned into a rather productive day...keeping busy is a good distraction from other things.