Nothing But Blue Skies

Just back from a really lovely afternoon spent at our local National Trust property, Stourhead. D and I started off with a super picnic in our own private part of the garden in the sunshine right by the side of the big house. We followed this with a long leisurely stroll around the lake and grounds, taking in the grotto and the temple, admiring the ducks and watching the fish basking in the sun. Some of the volunteers on the estate were doing some clearance work and had a little fire going - there really is nothing to beat the smell of woodsmoke. Gorgeous! We rounded it all off with a trip to The Spreadeagle for a nice quiet pint in beautiful surroundings. I've included a selection of pictures here from the afternoon, so you can see just how lovely it all was!


On the needles, I have cast on another new project since my last post. Now, I know that this is ever so slightly against my one in - one out policy but Dad's Danica is so nearly finished that I just thought it wouldn't hurt (just this once). It is completely worth it as I'm making a fabulous pair of Fetchings by Cheryl Niamath in Sublime Angora Merino. It is just so soft and fluffy. Delightful! The only problem is that the dpns I'm using are super-shiny and incredibly slippery! Add in the fact that there are four of them, and an additional cable needle to boot, and you can soon see how I managed to let not one, but two needles drop under my seat on the train journey home last night! In spite of this, I'm really rather proud of my first attempt at cabling and I can't wait to wear them!

Some Enchanted Evening

If you only go and see one movie this summer, then it must be Coco Avant Chanel. It is an incredible and inspiring film. Okay, so it helps that it's a biography of one of the Twentieth Century's most amazing women - Coco Chanel was brave, bold and at least fifty years ahead of her time. But the film is so much more than just a celebration of her early life, it is beautiful. The actresses and actors were wonderful, the scenery stunning and the costumes just gorgeous. The scenes with Boy where they watch the fishermen bringing in their catch in Deauville made me wish more than ever that I lived by the sea. To have a glimpse of the things that inspired the designs of such a visionary creative, is enough to make you look at the world around you differently - and to look much harder for your own inspiration. I simply can't recommend it highly enough. It is perfection in a film!


In record time I have completed my latest project, which is just as well as its intended recipient is due to arrive this Wednesday. Good luck to Piney and Jez - I can't wait to meet the new addition to your family. I have now started on a Milo Armadillo, as created by the lovely Jan Fearnley, for my friend Corinne. It's quite an easy pattern, and it's really good fun, so hopefully this'll be another quickie. Especially as I bought some lovely dusky brown angora in the sale yesterday, which is just begging to be made into a pair of Fetchings. My plan of having a one in one out policy when it comes to knitting is working out suprisingly well. It seems to make me knit more quickly and appreciate my projects just that little bit more. Hoorah!

Messing About By the River

Today, I have a lovely change of scenery. I am sitting in very comfy armchair in the Garden Common Room of Henley Business School. As I type, I can look out of the (very impressive) bay window and gaze out over lawns to the Thames. There are swans on the water and the odd rower strokes past. A beautiful wooden motor cruiser with a red ensign has just purred along, while I’ve been describing the scene. Beautiful! I’m here for the day, while D gets a good amount of work done on his dissertation and I’ve got all of the comforts I could possibly need to while away a few hours.

I’ve got a couple of books; Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer and the third part in the Luxe series by Anna Godberson Envy. I’ve got tea and shortbread biscuits whenever I fancy and I’ve brought my knitting with me for a spot of gentle crafting. Dad’s Danica is all done bar the finishing and blocking and a little baby jumper for Piney and Jez’s imminent arrival just needs one more stripey sleeve before I sew it all together. I even have a DVD to watch later on my Mac in case I get bored of the good life! And yesterday’s crossword too! Really, what more could a girl want?

I’m going to pop into Henley itself in a while to get the makings of a picnic and grab a paper. Hopefully the sun will be out in a bit and I can spread a blanket out on the lawn for a spot of lazing in the sun.

A little bit later…
Well my wish came true and the sun has come out. I am now stretched out on a blanket as happy as a cat in the sunshine! We've had a lovely picnic lunch of bread and cheese, with cherry tomatoes and a crisp green apple. A steamboat has just gone past with a brass band playing Dixieland jazz! And I’ve taken the opportunity of taking a couple of photographs of my current projects out in the fresh air. Hope you like them!