Weekend Work

This weekend I was helping my friend Jennifer in her garden.....or in her jungle....in an attempt to ensure that this summer she at least has a garden to sit in! We've spent time the last couple of years trying to tackle the undergrowth and the trees and whilst amazing progress has been made, every year it never seems enough to keep it at bay. So this year, Jennifer organised the troops and we spent 10 hours or so this weekend trying to clear the garden and level it off, so at least she can plant some grass!

The garden as we started....removing endless paths and weeds. We managed to fill the skip by 2pm and then had to start making piles in the corner of the garden again.

The garden when we finished on Saturday (I was back on Sunday as we tried to remove even more rubble and roots). 

The hired help!! OK, whilst it was back-breaking work, we wouldn't have achieved half of what we did, if it wasn't for the micro digger!!

Woollie Weekends

Last weekend I was in York, beautiful city in north east England - Viking, Roman, Medieval city with remains of all these eras in evidence. It's a favourite place of mine and I know I have talked about it before on this blog. This time, however, I wasn't really there to experience the city and its history, more to just have a fun weekend. I was off on a hen weekend with 13 other girls, so whilst I managed to have a good walk about and a wander round the shops I also saw the inside of a lot of pubs and restaurants.

This photo was taken the last time I visited York, it was raining too much to take too many photos last weekend!


This photo shows part of the Wall that ran around the city (mostly medieval dating to between the 12th and 14th century, but some dating back to Roman times - whilst the walls are not intact, long segments do remain along with a number of the city gates - named Bars - you can still see Mickelgate Bar, Monk Bar, Bootham Bar and Walmgate Bar.) It also shows the towers of York Minster in the distance. I took a little movie - more so you could hear the Sunday morning bells as opposed to seeing the Minster - as you can probably tell from the fact that the movie is sideways - I am not the best movie-maker! Can't even hold my camera properly!

The Shambles is an old medieval street in the heart of the city where some of the wooden buildings date back to the 14th century. In fact the street was mentioned in the Doomsday Book, so we know it has been in continuous existence for over 900 years. It used to be home to the city's butchers and at one time, this short little street had 25 butchers shops - but no more...it's a lot more touristy these days, although there is a lovely artisan bakers and a wool shop!

Betty's Tearoom - famous York institution

Cakes!!

Cocktail making class!

We all went to a cocktail making class at Revolution Vodk*a Bar which was a lot of fun! We had to prove that we'd managed to ensure the cocktail glass and the shaker were well stuck together before we started shaking - hence the reason I am holding a cocktail over my head! Now I know I really like a Mud Slide and French Martinis!

And for the craft aficionados amongst us - the wool shop on the Shambles is called Ramshambles and has a range of Noro, Araucunia, Debbie Bliss, King Cole (and more) yarn.

I also discovered another yarn/wool shop in Walmgate (but unfortunately I didn't discover it until Sunday morning when it was closed). It's called Grace and Jacob and is mostly felt making and spinning and they have lots of classes and a spinning night. There's also Poppy's on Colliergate and Duttons for Buttons on Coppergate. And of course there is the Quilt Museum too.

Check out the York Craft Trail if you're ever in the city.

Wandering Scotland

I went to Edinburgh Castle today, perched mightily on a volcanic rock, overlooking the city. With my annual membership of Historic Scotland, entry to the castle is free and whilst I enjoyed my visit, I must admit I was relieved that I didn't have to pay the standard £14 entry fee - I think I might have been a little disappointed. Anyone planning on visiting Scotland - take advice from the Scot.....if you really want to see a great castle visit Stirling Castle. 

Take a walk to the esplanade of the castle in Edinburgh and have a look, but for views over the city climb Arthur's Seat for free and then catch a train to Stirling and visit the castle there. This summer, the culmination of a £12M restoration project , will open at Stirling Castle. The Palace Project will return the six ground floor apartments in the castle's Renaissance palace to how they may have looked in the 16th century. This has included a wide array of traditional skills - creating magnificent 4-poster beds; heraldic decorations on the ceiling; carved toy soldiers 4.5cm tall; the creation of 7 tapestries to decorate the Queen's Inner Hall and more.

The castle has recently created a gallery to house the Scottish Heads.....33 carved oak medallions which once decorated the ceilings of the royal apartments in the castle, carved with the faces of Scottish kings and queens. 

The castle has already seen the successful renovation of the Great Hall, the largest banqueting hall ever built. It was built in 1503 and restored to its 16th century glory in 1999. 

So, I enjoyed Edinburgh Castle, but really can't wait to be back here extolling the glory of Stirling Castle.  

Woollie Hats - Chinese Year of the Rabbit

I made a couple of hats for friend's kids this week using a pattern I found on Ravelry - I adapted it somewhat but the motif remains the same....rabbits....it's spring....it'll be Easter soon.....rabbits.....it's the Year of the Rabbit.....rabbits.....

I'm still not sure I've quite mastered stranded knitting - it's still tighter than the plain garter stitch, but at least they are a little stretchier than the first one I made.

And since I haven't been up to much else of late here's a few shots that I took over the past few months....

Sunrise from home, February 2011

Amazing snowmen - December 2010