Over the hills and far away.

To clear heads and exercise legs, we took the boys for a walk a few days ago. We picked up Eldest's friend along the way and set off for the hills. There was a brisk breeze which slapped at our cheeks as we piled out of the car and layered our walking gear on. Giddy dog was excited, squeaking and pulling on her lead as we strode  along the lane to the gated access to the moorland.

We were the only ones out. Youngest and the friend chatted  incessantly about anything and everything related to boy-favoured subjects. Ranging from harpoons to ground to air missiles, from fireworks to fast cars and everything else in between. Eldest added a word or two but seemed content to allow his brother to monopolise his friend.

Despite a definite autumnal chill to the air and the waning warmth of the sun, grasshoppers sang their last songs of the summer. Eldest managed to catch one too busy singing to notice him stalking up. A quick photo, then it binging off his finger and disappeared into the grasslands.

We chanced upon this handsome fellow. He obligingly let me burrow my face into his neck and inhale deeply. I know there is always a risk when snorting sweaty horse scent that the sweaty horse in question will object and bite, but, it is a risk I am prepared to take. I guessed he was a Percheron and was probably  quite used to being petted as we were not too far from a horse trekking centre. The boys too thought he was beautiful and made plans how they could keep a horse in the back garden (yeah right) I suspect they don't realise that a horse this size would eat the entire contents of the garden in a day. (I was able to stand beneath the crook of his jaw bone without having to bend my neck....) 

The weather constantly changed from brooding rained filled clouds to light whispy clouds that filtered the sun, making it feel cooler. We found a sunny spot and hunkered down for lunch. The boys wolfed their food and cheerfully slurped their tea. Within moments of finishing, they were ready for more walking, while I, with tea half drunk and feet resting was quite comfortable and not quite prepared to yomp off just yet!

I love the relics of old time farming. The gentle rusting over years and years of abandonment adds to their charm. In the brief flashes of the sun, these degenerating lumps of retired metal glowed with a warm russet hue.

We came off the hills as the sun began to sink a bit low and the air definitely became chilly. Our walk took us through the village of Kettlewell. Today it gave off the air of quiet rural contentment but during summer it is heaving with walkers and tea-room hoggers. Day trippers clad in brightly coloured walking clothes that have only ever walked from the car to the shops fill the narrow streets. Gaudy tourist attracting clapper boards jostle for pavement space, all trying to entice the wallets inside. But, as we walked through, it was just us.

We reached the car as the sun sunk completely, leaving a brilliant orange glow. Three hungry boys, still nattering, muddy dog and a feeling of release. Himself and I exchanged a look and smiled. A good walk.

In the absence of a prosaic title - weekend walk....

Dearest Himself spent a very long and very mucky Saturday emptying all the soot and rubbish and dust and cobwebs that had accumulated over 150 years in our attic so that he could continue with the loft conversion. And he was totally fed up.

So, on Sunday we escaped and headed for the Dales for a lovely walk. (we did have a false start which involved going shopping for our picnic lunch and not having any way to pay for it and having to dash back home to get wallets..erhemm)

By the time we reached..........

 .........................it was lunch time and the 

the boys were faint with hunger (they did however make an awful amount of noise insisting that they were faint with hunger!)

We pulled up to the village pound - one of our favourite picnic spots - for lunch. Benches and a picnic table sit within the circular walls with a few native trees and the most stupendous view.  Having amended the lack of lunch for the boys with a picnic feast , we set off and had a most delicious afternoon autumnal walk.

the pound gate - the gateway to our picnic

 Top left - Settle village, top and middle right - locals.

Bottom left - make shift boardwalk and bottom right - limestone country

 Youngest and his favourite hat

Loving his shadow!

Eldest - away with his thoughts in wonderful surroundings

We returned through the village as dusk fell - ready to go home having had a cathartic walk. Bliss. And I managed to get some knitting down whilst out and about - double bliss :) Will show you shortly xx

Well, Monday seems to have returned with its usual speed. Hey ho - supposed it means one day nearer the next weekend :)

Excuse me while I wash out the salt from my hair

For a few short blissful weeks I turned feral.

I lived alongside a rocky highland shore where there were more seals than sunbathers.
It was cathartic.
It was healing and it was wonderful.

I spent quality time with my boys - I watched two of them grow and mature into sun-kissed, tousle haired young men with freckles on their noses. Himself and I both calmed down and left our work-stresses behind, found time to talk and more importantly - time to just sit in companionable silence.

We both breathed.

Deeply.

Now we have returned. The holiday washing is - how can I put it...... bordering on solar eclipse level. Not that we were that grubby I hasten to add! No, it's salt crusty jeans and sandy socks. It is bracken scented jerseys and river wet towels and swimming costumes. Wet suits hang out dripping, bodyboards are stacked up waiting to be put away till next year (oh what a depressing thought) and beach-combed treasures lie in bags awaiting rediscovery and placing somewhere special.

Despite all our yearnings to return to our island feral dreams we have returned to normality and our cats. Who are delighted to see us and as I type, Pan is sitting on my knee and purring her little heart out and kneading with pinsharp claws - bless.

I am back.

I will return.

But I need to hang the washing out first............

And you?

Today.

I took boys to school.

Drank peppermint tea and had fruit salad for breakfast.

I gardened...

....With the cats as they played and ran around the plants.

Felt the sun on my back - a rare and delicious feeling this year.

Felt a tiny bit melancholy - not sure why or what for.

I got mud on my face and dirt in my hair and it actually felt good to be grubbing around in the earth again, not been able to do that properly for a little while.

Listened to the blackbird complaining in the tree.

Watched my rose buds, willing them to open.

Need to spend more time with my boys.
Listen to them, listen to their stories, listen about what they got up to today.
They are growing up fast and I don't want to lose any time with them.

Feel the need to crochet or knit or anything - bursting to create but lack inspiration and time.

And now?

Sitting at my desk, freshly clean after a welcome shower. With a purring and tired kitten sitting on my lap.

Still to tidy the house before trudging off to work. A mixed blessing.

What are you doing at this moment?
What is keeping you busy?
Who is sitting on your lap?
What are you crafting?

Go on, share, spill the beans:)

Have a terrific Tuesday xxxxxxxxx

Inspiration

A couple of weeks ago we happened upon , whilst on holiday, an event call the Spring-fling, which occurs during the first week of June and celebrates arts and crafts in Galloway. We wandered around artist's workshops and homes and came away enthralled, delighted and inspired.

Youngest was so inspired by one exhibit that he actually created a smaller version to suit a homework topic.

We had wandered into a willow workshop and fell in love with all the creativity and joy the willow sculptures exuded. Outside was a quirky sprite-like figure happily 'juggling' pink wellington boots and a mystical woodland lady with huge swirling skirts.

The door way to the workshop was as equally quirky and inviting

And inside, the space was dominated by a huge willow tree

The boys were fascinated, both decreeing they wanted one in our house too, I agreed and Himself, although raising his eyebrows as the silliness of the thought, probably would love it too.

What Himself did like was the huge mermaid in a shell (although at the time we thought it was a coracle - it was only afterwards when we looked at the photos we could see it was a shell)

Suitably sated and inspired that when we came home from our holiday,  Youngest started his homework with enthusiasm.

The topic was to create a sculpture or some form of artwork to reflect the positivity of life and the environment and he immediately set about planning a tree like the one we saw at the willow workshop.

We all marched off to the local beck and fought our way through a swathe of nettles and brambles to help collect some willow for him, which he painstakingly wove and wound until he had a tree shape.

He then wrote a list of positive words down, then cut out coloured leaves - writing down the words he'd found on each leaf. These were then tied on the tree. He wound barbed wire at the base to represent evil and gave the tree a tree post - naming it 'strength'. We were amazed at his creativity and I am kicking myself at not getting a final picture of his tree - which is now at school. He carefully/triumphantly carried his tree in this morning with such a grin on his face - bless him!

Walking with the past

Stepping into the Hoffman Kiln is a step into the unknown. Outside, in the brilliant blue cloudless sky we squinted at the brightness of it all. Then in a short pace we were thrown into a dark and mysterious place where ghosts walked.

We had visited  before but once again we were thrilled and a little frightened by its presence.

The eerily quiet air was cool and felt thick as we walked through. Damp walls and stalactites enhanced the atmosphere.

We stopped being human and disappeared into the dark only fleetingly appearing as a flash in the bands of light.

It was almost a relief to return to the sun and the sky and the flowers and the trees and to continue our walk.

Little bit of this, a little bit of that

I keep meaning to stop and say welcome to some new faces, hi to some regulars and hello to any one meandering through.

Jane you asked about the yarn - it is the one I am using for *sshhh you know what* and is Nymph 4ply 'Wisteria'  from my shop - it's working up beautifully for that particular item (and if you are wondering at the secrecy -  I am crafting a birthday pressie for my Mom - for her birthday [obviously] which was about 2 weeks ago.......I am still perfecting the art of the item - I've managed the frogging back part really well so far.....) *sigh*

Lovely Lady - yes finally after a bit of a rocky start, the cats are almost as close as sisters or I suppose more like a mother daughter combo. It is funny to think there is only 6 months between them. I suspect that due to Pan's less than auspicious start, she will remain a small cat especially next to Lily's VAST quantities of fluff!
When she sits down, her fur wafts upwards just like a lady's crinoline skirt - in fact - remember the 1956  'King and I' with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr? Well, Lily's fur reminds me of Deborah Kerr's dress when she dances.

Hi Jacqueline -I see your sky scarf is growing beautifully, I am still recording the sky colours but must knuckle down and knit some rows - just need to finish my Mom's pressie first!

Hi Amanda  and Miriam Weaver! Welcome, nice to meet a new bloggers :) I am hoping this week to get over and say hi, it's been ages since I last has time to play on the lap top - combination of work, sunshine and the boys homework needs.

Thanks N (colouritgreen) your bwahahaha hit the spot!! Yes, I agree we do have loads of  'you-is-me-and-me-is-you'  similarities :)

My on a rather musical note posting seemed to have a toe-curling response from all of you but much more interestingly I was delighted at how many closet folkies are skulking around out there - woo hoo!

Any hoo, it has been nice chatting but the garden, the cats and the sunshine are all tempting me out so I will have a brief encounter with the vacuum cleaner, hang out the washing then spend some quality time with the weeds before going to work.......well, that's my day sorted!


Oh, before I go, one quick photo from our weekend.......... what do you do with a pack of boys and a thirsty garden on a hot day?  Well fill the pool and let them loose......garden gets watered and boys cool down - win win.

Where have we been?

Here

There

Walking

Working

Crafting

Progress

Loving

Living

Normal transmission will return shortly 

when my life returns to normality. 

Ps watching the Eurovision (surreptitiously on my lap top coz Himself thinks its all a bit too girly!!)

Easter Break review in photos

Visiting......

...A vintage vehicle rally in Kirby Stephen.

Knitting.......

...my sky scarf and my first mitten on dpn needles

Walking................

....on high wild hills, over farm land, through isolated villages.

We celebrated Easter.....

.....with cheese rolling down a wet and windy hill...

                                   ....eating chocolate for breakfast!

I took inspiration from......

.....lichens on stone walls, carvings from ruined buildings, fungus on rotten trunks, flowers, stones and sky.

We had a lovely time, may be a little wet and a little cold at times, but these small discomforts were far outweighed by the beauty of the wilderness we camped in.

******************************

Again I have to say thank you for all your wonderful thoughts and kind words. We are really touched by the response - thank you very much xx