Bakewell Wool Gathering

It's hard to believe that a year has passed since I went to the Bakewell woolly show last year, but it has come around again. This year I managed to get a place on a 'Freeform Crochet' workshop  with Pauline Fitzpatrick. I mostly follow patterns when I'm making anything, usually because I don't have time or ingenuity to make up my own. I have a few notable exceptions such as Wendy Wensleydale, but on the whole I tend to use or adapt someone else's pattern. I've wanted to have a go at freeform crochet for a while but have not made the time to play and research how to go about it so took the plunge when I saw that there was a place left on the workshop. It didn't disappoint. The pieces of work Pauline had brought were quite stunning and she was wearing a marvellous freeform crochet cardy. I'm not sure I will ever manage anything quite so detailed, but was quite pleased with my effort on the day. I took some photo's of Pauline's work at the workshop, but the photo's really didn't do them any  justice so haven't included them.

I have a bag of crochet motifs that I have been building up on a periodic basis. Most of them I've done when I've been away on holiday as it is really easy to just pick up a ball of wool and a hook and do a motif or two and then pack it all away after the holiday. I made a start joining them together to make a funky wrap or poncho, but there are some odd shaped gaps so thought that I might learn some techniques during the workshop to fit them together better. I've certainly got a few more ideas on how to finish it now. The only problem is that I haven't an excuse for not finishing my wrap thingy apart from the old lame excuse of lack of time!

I have been very productive this week on the crochet and knitting front. I wanted to use up the left over super chunky wool from the fox cowl, plus a ball I bought on holiday, and I found a fab free pattern for a headband for using it up. It took a while to work out the pattern, but once I'd sussed it there was no stopping me. I found that I could easily make one an evening, and on Sunday I made two! The last two were in black and I don't have a photo of these as they have already been despatched as birthday presents. Anyway, it was really satisfying using up all the wool. I also made a pair of chunky mittens to match the fox cowl and these would have been made in an evening as well except that I inadvertently made two right mittens and had to re-do one as a left mitten! 

I'll finish with an absolutely stunning sunset. Our temporary accommodation might be bijou but it has a surprisingly lovely view. I say temporary, but we've been there a year now and it's beginning to feel quite permanent, somewhat disturbingly!

Ooh, I nearly forgot. We had a lovely walk at Carsington water last week. It's just stunning driving through the Derwent valley on the way to the reservoir, but it was equally beautiful there too.

I just can't stop........here are a couple of photo's from the barns. It's turning very autumnal everywhere. I really love autumn........ when the sun is shining, and absolutely hate it when it's foggy and dark.

Heage Windmill Walk

We are not far from Heage windmill, the only 6 sailed stone windmill in England. It was restored to working order in 2002 and has been my source of wheat grain and stone ground white flour for the past 18 months. It is in crisis at the moment due to a wet rot problem in the main beam holding the sails and tail, and is trying to raise £50,000 towards the £90,000 estimated bill. Click the link if you want to help the restoration of this historic mill. 

Last Wednesday It was very much like the song "I can see the sunshine after the rain", because after an overnight swamping, the sun came out in the late afternoon and it was just too beautiful to ignore. We decided on a short walk from Heage windmill, going down the valley and then following part of the route of the Cromford Canal. I was particularly intrigued by a section of the map marked 'Starvehimvalley Bridge' and so had to go and visit it before making our way back up to the windmill. It was a short walk but it was so nice to be outside in the sun.

Sunny Sutton on Sea part 2

Here again at Sutton on Sea. It's the August Bank Holiday weekend and the weather is glorious. Great news for the seasonal seaside economy, and of course great news for us because it truly is beautiful. Sutton on Sea has been a perennial seaside favourite of my family and I still love it here. Sometimes I don't even mind if the weather is a little less than welcoming......sshhhhh say that quietly,  because it means that it is perfectly acceptable to stay indoors and read or sew or crochet, or even just watch a good film. Occasionally, we break out the board games, although not so much these days as the children are all grown up and mostly not here. However, when the weather is good you just want to be outside. Yesterday I went for a swim in the sea and was treated to the sight of terns diving right in front of me. Today I managed a swim and then a jog along the beach before breakfast. Again, the bird life was teeming. The terns were scouting back and forth and my little jog along the beach was interrupted by the sight of a host of terns, gulls, sanderlings and even a giant black backed gull all resting? roosting? on the part of beach restricted to dogs. 

Later I walked to Sutton on Sea village along the sea front. It's a typically british seaside view with all the brightly coloured beach huts. Joy of joys, my favourite beach hut was open and occupied. I wrote about it in my post 'Sunny Sutton on Sea'. I couldn't resist asking if I could have a look and take some photo's. Fortunately, the owners are used to these sort of requests and were happy to oblige. I've since been informed by a blog reader that the painting of the beach hut was commissioned by the town crier for Sutton on Sea, Mablethorpe and Trusthorpe when he owned the hut.

I have to mention my new favourite wool shop 'The Mill' in Sutton on Sea. It opened in Feb this year  to a new owner @TheCountedSheep  It has all sorts of lovely yarn, and some very tempting ribbon as well as other bits and bobs. I'm so inspired that I'm looking  for a pattern so that I can buy some wool whilst we are on holiday. I'm also particularly taken with the antique sock knitting machine in the window. I really want one. In fact I came very close to buying one from  a lovely gentleman in Ashbourne. He has a huge collection of antique sock machines ready to restore and when our finances have stabilised after the barns are completed, I'm having one!

Yarn bombing in Troyes

I almost forgot but on our journey down to the alps we stopped over near Troyes and so our first french adventure was driving into the town to find somewhere to eat.  I was so excited when I saw the yarn bombing that I took lots of photo's. Unfortunately, it was starting to get dark by then so the photo's didn't come out as well as I'd hoped. I wonder how well yarn bombing is received in France. I still fancy having a go one day when the barns are finished. I have plans for a mini woolfest of our own!

More french food

Oops, found some more photo's on my phone. I really need to spend some time organising (and backing up) my photo's. Since our holiday in France, the time has flown by and I realised that it has been a long time since I last blogged, so in a belated catchup, here are few more fab foodie photo's taken at a little restaurant in St Gervais - 'Creperie 4 Epices'. Of course, I had to try a fromage et noix galette (cheese and nuit savoury pancake for us Brits) and it would have been rude not to have a dessert afterwards. I was a bit surprised by the ginormous knickerbocker style dessert because my french isn't as good as I would like so I wasn't really sure what I was ordering, and please note I did NOT eat two desserts - one was more than enough!

Final French Food Fling

Well, we're back in the real world but thought I would do a final post about our french food adventures.

I present to you........the raclette. This ingenious contraption grills and melts cheese which you then scrape onto cooked potatoes and typically eat with a platter of meat. And of course, wash down with some chilled white wine. I can't remember which cheese we used except that it was a combination of gruyere and something else. Another lovely evening on the balcony watching the world go by.

Our last cooking on the balcony extravaganza was to use the pierrade which is basically a hot plate on which you cook some meat. We cheated and bought some ready marinated kebabs with pork and vegetables. There was an element of risk with this one because you have to make sure the pork is cooked through. This pierrade didn't have any controls other than 'off' or 'on' so there was no way to adjust the temperature. We just sat and chatted whilst occasionally turning the kebabs to make sure they were done on all sides. Very convivial, although it was quite smoky and would definitely set off smoke alarms if cooked indoors, as well as making everything smell of barbeque!  Absolutely perfect for the balcony though.

I love shopping in the big supermarkets in France because the fruit and vegetable sections have such tremendous variety. For example, I just had to take a photo of the tomatoes in the Intermarche in Sallanche. There was a whole refrigerated section just for tomatoes. At home it's pretty much a choice of 'salad'or cherry tomatoes, and usually just red ones at that. I'm quite determined to have a greenhouse again when we move into the barns as I really miss having a selection of heritage tomatoes to gorge on......err, I mean *enjoy*. 

Wood pile @30DaysWild day 29

A haven for wildlife! Day 29 of @30DaysWild.

Wall garden - @30DaysWild day 27

This pretty wall garden is part of our barn conversion (before conversion!). From a domestic dwelling point of view it is a bit of a disaster, but certainly fits the 'wild' theme. As does the rampant ivy below.