"I love butter" Buttercups, and blue skies.

Hello dear readers. I don't know what your weather is like today, but here it's stormy. Stormy wind, stormy rain, stormy seas, slashing against windows and pulling at rooves stormy. I took the dogs out this morning and they looked completely non-plussed. Ellie was doing that thing where she lifts up a paw and shivers, looking frail, and like she's stepped in something horrible. They both looked miserable. And the weather has got worse now. This morning Ellie did the neccessaries, and then literally ran full pelt for home. The dogs have been known to refuse to go for a walk when it's raining, and I have a nagging suspicion they're going to play up later on. And the funny thing is, they just don't appreciate that the last thing I want to do is step outside.  I try to explain that the weather has forgotten it's meant to be summer, but the dogs just stand and stare at me, with long faces.
 
So, as an antidote to todays atrocious weather, I thought I'd have photos of yellow Buttercups, against a blue, (that could be the sky).

Do you remember this post ? I'd been making crochet hearts, and had been inspired by a purple Aster in my garden. Similarly, these Buttercups, picked on a walk with the dogs, and stuffed into a jar on our return home, were sitting on a table in my studio, and I just loved the startling contrast of the yellow and blue. I'll have to show you the other hearts I've crocheted another time, next week perhaps. The colours in them aren't all inspired by flowers and nature, they're just bright and cheery.

Do you do that thing where you hold a buttercup flower under someone's chin, and if their skin reflects the yellow in the flower, you say they like butter? There's something carefree and charming about that little game isn't there? And it always makes everyone smile!

This isn't the first day the weather has been spitting and huffing with fury. We had tremendous thunderstorms and cracking of the whip lightning on Wednesday. I thought the lightning was going to crash through the window and zap me, it sounded so close. At one point all the electricity went off, just like that, and the computer shut down. I managed to lose about an hour and a half's work because I hadn't saved it, bit of a nuisance that, but entirely my own stupid fault for not saving my work. Learnt my lesson there. (There, just pressed the save button! Again).
Tonight, Hugo and I are going to see Germaine Greer give a talk. As she's a Feminist, I thought I'd take my knitting along with me. What do you think, would a Feminist think this was a backward or a forward step?! Shall I ask her?!!! Do you think I'll get my head bitten off?!!!! (Just for the record, and incase you're wondering, I do believe in women's rights, Hugo will confirm this!).

So! That will be a jolly start to our weekend! I wonder if Ms Greer will make it? The weather is so bad, I wouldn't be surprised if all transport was stopped by uprooted houses and trees flying all over the place.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend. And I hope your weather is better than ours! Looking forward to seeing you on Monday. Love Vanessa xxx

Right! Ellie! Douglas! Walkies! ................................Ellie? Douglas? ..............Are you hiding from me.....................?

Comments

[Deborah]

Hee Hee, I've had dogs like that...stand at the door, sniff the air then turn around and go back to the fire, just because it's raining!
Hope you have a good weekend and don't get too wet.
Deb x

[driftwood]

weather is awful here too, but your blue "skies" and buttercups have certainly added some welcome colour. xox

[bakeandsewblog]

My soppy Lab puppy wouldn't step in puddles for ages, until he realised it rains a lot in Holland and you have to get used to getting wet! He doesn't have that problem now - it is just me - I hate the rain. Fortunately we had the storms in the night and the sun is shining, so we have had dry walks today.
Enjoy your weekend
A xx

[Isabelle (France)]

Hi Vanessa! I love your beautiful pictures!! My husband has taught our girls ths buttercup trick, but I had never heard of it before then.
The weather here in Alsace is also cold and very wet. We've had several frightening thunderstorms that have kept me and the girls awake at night this week(funnily, my husband slept through it all, how is that possible?!!).
I hope you tell us about the feminist's talk! Bon week-end! :o)
Isabelle

[penny]

Hi Vanessa! Love your blog! Just spent what seems like the whole afternoon on mine (with interruptions!)the main one being everytime I switch on the computer there's a big rumble of thunder and I have to dash round switching everything off! So the Norfolk weather is no better than yours! I absolutely LOVE the colours on your crochet blanket, what yarn have you used? Your dachshunds are very sweet. I have a short haired miniature dachshund puppy waiting to join us at home here in September, he's only 10 days old! Thanks for a great read, I'll call by again!

[Liz]

The weather has just got worse and worse here...yuck!! Lady won't even go to the door, she just looks at us as if to say 'yeah right, you can go on your own!!!'. If she does go to the door, as she did about 30mins ago, then we know she is desperate...she runs out, does what she needs to do and runs back in!!!

[trudette]

You have such an inspiring Blog !
I love the picture of the buttercups and the crocheted hearts are awesome.

[lucy@theantidote]

I thought of the "butter" cup game as soon as I saw the title of this post.
I think Germaine would embrace you exercising your right to knit. A friend and I had a discussion at work about feminism the other night, based on us having rights to stay at home and knit, sew, bake and mother...but then of course pretty yarn doesn't pay for itself!!

[Helen Lambert]

wonderful pictures as always...I must take my Lumix off automatic auto...I love buttercups...they remind me of my childhood...we always used to see if we liked butter.....

[kitschen pink]

I'm sure Ms. Greer is big enough to know there's more to womens' rights than having time to knit... I once read a lovely story about Kate Adie sitting and doing tapestries whilst being kept waiting to speak to dictators and world leaders. Apparently she would get very cross if she had been kept waiting for days and then they finally agreed to see her before she finished her stitching! t.x (the storms here seem to have taken most of the mud and grit in the garden and plonked it onto our lettuces! pah! x

[elizabeth of course]

I love crocheted hearts! every year I thinK I'll make a ton in cotton for washcloths for Valentine's but never end up having the time, haha!
Anyway, I'm hosting a colour challenge this week and next and today happens to be yellow so I linked over to this, being such a nice coincidence!

http://my-crafty-mess.blogspot.com/2009/07/she-comes-in-colours-everywhere.html

http://my-crafty-mess.blogspot.com/2009/07/yellow.html

[Kate MacDonald]

Oh how I LOVE walking in the rain and my three mutts couldn't care less fortunately! I expect it is because they haven't been given the choice!
We haven't had much up here so once I have taken the rabble out I'll be watering the garden - again!
Such a cheery post. I am in awe that you find the time and subject matter to write daily. I once gave it consideration but that was as far as it went!
CKx

[Kate Bruning]

How exciting seeing Germaine Greer. I just feel alive knowing she is in the world. Surely she would support knitting for pleasure and by choice. Feminism after all is about us being able to have all options available in life. Maybe to get the whole equality thing up in lights, Hugo could sit there knitting too.

[Bobo Bun]

Can't wait to hear her response. If she's in a good mood I'd say yes to knitting as equality has won us the right to be and do whatever we choose. I used to be such a militant feminist. Age has softened me greatly.

Colours perfect antidote for a soggy walk Vanessa.

Enjoy your evening.

Lisa x

[Menopausalmusing]

Germaine Greer? GERMAINE GREER?????? oh, spill the beans..... SPILL, THE BEANS......... (purrlllllleeeeeeeasssse?????)x

[Laura]

I envy you your rain, although one of my dogs hates thunder and refuses to go out for a walk if he hears a slight rumble.

Lovely combinations of blue and yellow!!

[Maggie]

We had the stormy weather yesterday, love it.. but then, I don't have doggies to walk! I am looking forward to hearing if you actually did do your knitting whilst listening to Ms Greer.. she might take it that you were bored by her and as I know she isn't backwards in coming forwards, wonder would she say anything to you?

[Anna]

I now sure what Ms.Greer's response will be to knitting but I know that she's a keen gardener which to my mind means that she must be a nice person :)

[Jennyff]

First I thought yes take your knitting of course you can, then I thought Ms Greer might think you weren't concentrating on what she was saying if you were knitting so no, then I couldn't decide so I waited till you'd gone. Now I'm wondering what happened.

[Nicola/smilernpb]

The yellow buttercup hearts are so cute, but then again, yellow is without a doubt, my favourite colour!!

xx

[Nicola]

Hi Vanessa, I blogged about your beautiful blanket tonight - here's the link...
http://nicolaknits.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/on-a-lighter-note/
Nicola