do you mind if i knit

Apologies.................

My sincere apologies................ I have been an atrocious blogger the last week or so................ just disappearing................. not letting you know what's happened, and not replying to your lovely messages.................. I'm very, very sorry.
The thing is................ I've been snowed under ..................with decorating................. And now that the workmen have all gone, (because the building work is finally finished!), I have been removing thick layers of dust from what seems like a million books............ boxes and other things, and finding new homes for them.
Do I really own all this 'stuff'?
It's felt like that point when you move house, and you're unpacking.............. I feel quite ashamed my how much stuff I have............... But of course, when it's all put away, that sense of shame will soon evaporate............. Yes, I do need all those knitting books, yarn.............. crafting stuff................. all essential purchases.................. When they were bought....................
As the basement is in a bit of a state, there are no photos yet.............. sorry................
When things are less chaotic, and I feel like I'm coming up for air.............. I'll reveal all............
Wish me luck on this last stretch..................

I'm taking some time off..................

....................I'll be back blogging beginning of July....................... Cheerio!..............................

If I had the funds, our house would be full of fresh cut flowers from a florist all the time.....................
Being realistic................. and trying to be innovative................ I present to you an alternative to expensive blooms from the florist.................
........ Wild flowers from the wayside................. in this case, with a colour theme of 'dark and gold'.
When I returned home from having collected my flowers, I arranged them in a vase like a florist might, with blades of grass adding a bit of 'pizazz'. I liked the way they were turned into something out-of-the-ordinary................. a fancy bouquet of weeds!
......And this one is my 'Fancy Weeds', more casual, 'plonked in a cup' version...........
As I've said before.............. I love nature's freebies..................

Following on from yesterday, and the blaze of colour of the daffodils, I want to introduce you to a slightly different floral experience..................
..............The world of Primulas..................
......................While Daffodils charm with their bold colour, Primulas are exceptional for their delicacy of flower and form.
...................Narcissi sometimes have the fragility of Primulas, and the dashing bright colour of Daffodils, both traits complementing each other perfectly.
.........................When you are given detailed information such as the date of sowing, they make you realise just how involved and caring the owner is..........................
These plants have been nurtured with love, and the utmost care ................ just imagine how important this one little plant is .......... the time spent examining each leaf and flower petal............. all I can do is marvel at the involvement, and admire the dedication from afar............

Sometimes, something comes along in life that makes me feel especially happy.
The Spring show at Alnwick Gardens was one of those things............
I'm not sure I want to know how these perfect blooms were coaxed and created............ .............
.....................It all looked perfect to me................
Such a profusion of bright colour was gripping................. flowers on a stage.............
...............Giving their best performance for the audience.................
This show looks like it might have been the  daffodil equivalent to to a performance at the National Theatre, in London.......... all the actors in the play of the highest calibre............
..................I can't remember what category this was................ 'daffodils in a basket'............?
Whatever it was, there was something charmingly old-fashioned about this display.
...................First prize in this category was well deserved.......... I love Snakeshead Fritilleries, and Grape Hyacinths.............. and I'm also partial to that more 'informal' style of display that has been used here..........
................The one lone stem........... so much to prove all by itself........... the scrutiny..........
The effect this Spring show had on me was ..........tipsiness............ I walked out the door drunk on colour........... as experiences go, it was very uplifting.
.....................I felt I had been in the presence of greatness...................

Flowers in a plastic bag.

There is a village not far from us called Etal. It's a beautiful place........ with the remains of a castle, it also has a pub, a village shop, tea room, and a delightful plant nursery called Jan's Plants. If we are driving by, and it is a sunny day, we stop for a cup of tea, and maybe a little cake, at The Lavender Tea Rooms. The tea room also functions as a post office and village shop. There is a small lawned area to the front surrounded by borders of flowers and a neat hedge, on the grass are placed tables and chairs ........... We sit and sip tea, and everything feels comfortable and just right. Last time we were there I started having fantasies about having just such a little tea room........ which would also sell yarn.............. People could sit on the sofas provided, and chat and laugh.......... Of course, Hugo could bake, and we could run a bed-and-breakfast ........... Everyone and everything would be jolly, old-fashioned, beautiful..............The sun would always shine................ At night, when everyone had gone to bed, there would be the pitter-patter of gentle rain ........ We would wake up the following morning to blue sky and rain drops....... on roses.................. Of course, while all this delightfulness was taking place, I would be miraculously finding the time to knit and craft all day............. ........... We lingered over these thoughts, enjoying the sunshine........... .......Once the tea pot had been drained, and we had both agreed that this was a fantasy unlikely to become reality, I put my knitting away. (I take my knitting or crochet with me everywhere, and don't feel the slightest bit embarrassed by knitting or crocheting in public........... luckily Hugo is very sympathetic, and doesn't appear to be embarrassed by it either). We then crossed the road to Jan's plants, and I became a little more down-to-earth......... by purchasing some plants.......... I wonder how many people have fantasies about opening tea rooms..................

My little pot.

When I saw this wonderful post on november moon's blog, I immediately printed out her instructions on how to make a similar pot................ .................I then selected a vessel, and thought, yipee....... I can now use up some of those sweet wrappers, and oddments of pretty paper I have been collecting for years, (and hadn't a clue why I was collecting them)............ and make my own version of Cathy's creation. I loved cathy's use of the moss, but could not stop myself having a Viola instead............... just like cathy's next planting. .........This sits on the window sill in my studio, at weekends it's in the house , so I can tend to its needs......... When I dead-head the Viola, the flowers are never quite dried up enough to have lost their intense colour, so I pop them in water, in any pot that is to hand, and am always amazed at how long they last........... ........... Knitting the collar was quick and easy, just using garter stitch, and it really does finish off the look of the pot nicely............... I've become very emotionally attached to my little pot............. and may make more some time...........

Looking down.............

I must admit, I do spend a lot of time looking down when I'm walking along a street................ I'm a little paranoid about stepping in things I'd rather not put my feet in............... I am aware there are things I miss out on by not looking up more often.............. .............But then again............. if I didn't look down all the time, I'd miss out on these flowers, which most would call weeds.............. ...............growing in the most inhospitable place......... through concrete! It's a no-win situation, because I can't look up, and down, at the same time................although I wish I could. The way I'm talking you probably have an image of me, head bowed, shoulders hunched, walking along as though I'm battling a strong head-on wind............... I've given you the wrong impression..............I do look up..............and when I do............. .............. sometimes I see things like this!

The Snowdrop Walk.

On Sunday afternoon, Hugo and I took the doggies on a Snowdrop walk, at Mellerstain. We were allowed to let the dogs off the leash, and they strutted around the grounds as though they owned the place............ It was a fine day, not too cold. The Snowdrop walk is at the beginning of its inception, so while there were lots of Snowdrops to see, in time it will be glorious. The man taking the Snowdrop walk, seemed to be very much the driving force behind the whole concept, it's his 'baby'. On our way round the grounds we were approached by an older gentleman. The guide greeted him with, "hello, Mi Lord". Lord Haddington then joined us on the walk, and was very friendly and chatty .............. which was nice! Towards the end of the walk, people started to make conversation, and at one point I talked to someone called Lachlan. He and his partner have a company called ROAM, making luxury blankets for the home, and children. I love learning about new things like this. At the end of the walk, we had a cup of tea, and a slice of cake, and I bought a clump of Snowdrop bulbs, from those displayed in huge crates. My own Mellerstain Snowdrops to plant, and watch spreading round our garden. And with regards to the Mellerstain Snowdrop walk, even though it's going to take a few years for the Snowdrops to get established, and create a carpet of flowers, there were enough that had established themselves, to create a magical effect. Hopefully we'll go back again next year, and each following year if we can....... what a great way to mark the passage of time.

Scented envelopes.

Hyacinth bulbs hold so much promise before they have even started flowering. From the moment they are planted, or balanced above water, it's like a starting gun has been fired. I love the simplicity of their form before they flower........ but when they start to unfurl their buds, that is when the performance makes you sit up and take notice............... ..............It's not just the colour that starts to glow as each flower bud reveals it's true colours............. it's the perfume! That rich, heady, sweet aroma. The scent thickens as more flowers open, and forces you to analyse it's complexity. It isn't simply sweet, it is musky, earthy, almost cloying. One morning I stood, hovering over them, like a wine taster might over a glass of dark ruby red wine. As I enjoyed their thick, syrupy perfume, I scrutinised the flowers. Some of the buds were still closed. 'Tiny envelopes of scent', I smiled to myself........ like miniature perfumed letters. All that energy in one bulb! Extraordinary. It's no surprise it all becomes too much for them when the flowers are fully open. They become heavy, they even smell weighty. So when the stalks flop, that's when I intervene. I don't want their magnificence to be diminished, so I display them differently............ ........ in a vase......... I don't think they look any less magnificent, I'm just prolonging their splendour.