Tuesday 12 June 2018

Tranquillity and beauty with slow little stitches .....














When I go into the garden it is an uncomplicated world
where flowers grow and bees come to dance with
the butterflies.  Weeds are flowers waiting to be discovered
and nature bursts into life.  The smell of roses and lavender
in the air all add to its tranquillity and beauty..... 










Oh what a glorious day it was yesterday.  The sun was out all day and it was a really hot summer's evening, the kind that makes you sit outside and have your supper and stay there until bed time.

My office yesterday was out garden table and chairs and I was more than happy with the wildlife around me and the smell of lavender and scented roses in the air.  I saw two gorgeous dragonflies that were dancing together and their colours were peacock blue and green with some black, the glistened in the hot sun.  Not many birds at all as it was too hot and they were, I think staying in the shade of the trees and only coming in to bath and to drink.  I had to fill the birdbaths around 7 times and they were loving the cold fresh water on them.

I was sat there with a cold drink ( for a change) and with lots of ice and happily stitching away at my mushroom sampler.  It is still not finished but I am in no hurry as I am thoroughly enjoying stitching it.  I keep coming up with little whimsical ideas and trying them out.  I love mushrooms both to eat and as decoration... there is something magical and fairy like about them and anything flora, fauna or fungi I love to stitch or draw with all the textures that they seem to have.  Artistic licence then takes hold and why not have paisley mushrooms anyway!

In the morning I managed to get a work basket ready but I was too impatient to do another in the end because we do not get that many glorious mornings where you wake early and it is already 19 degrees, by 3 in the afternoon we had 26 degrees and there was a little welcome breeze coming off of the sea.  I had the best day and not a phone call or any drama ... just a slow stitch day in paradise!

It got a little warm for me to be pulling through the needle in the afternoon so I had an unscheduled design and idea four hours, bliss ... There is always something I can do that is work related and fun as well.  I love what I do and I am grateful every day that  I can do this for a job.

The weather is supposed not to be anywhere near as fabulous today or tomorrow but we will see, I am still waiting for the huge thunders storms that were coming into the South Coast at least three weeks ago, I will wait and see how it pans out. 

Whilst waiting for my husband to come home I also managed a glass of wine and journaling time, along with a letter written for a dear pen pal.... It was a productive and varied day and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I think tomorrow may see my mushroom sampler finished and then I can get on with another couple of bits that I would like finished .. then to a new design.

I can not tell you how quickly my day went and I have today and tomorrow where I do not have to go anywhere at all so I have my list of things that I would like to complete.. actually I do have to go to the post office but that is a lovely walk in the nice weather or a very quick couple of minutes in the
car if the weather in inclement ....

As I am writing this blog to you I am watching large seagulls swooping around and looking in gardens for food they like.  They do not come in for seeds but if there is a little extra out there like bacon fat or bits of cheese they seem to know.  Even if I tuck it down the edges of the law under the trees, where I am sure they can not see it from the air ... they seem to know.  I will be going out with a coffee and feed them all after this.  I have decided to mix it up a bit on times so they look for their natural food as well and do not just rely on the food that we all put out around our neighbourhood.  The babies have flown the nests and everyone is watering their gardens so the juicy worms should be there for them.  Miss Muddy Beak however waits for her breakfast... I have not seen her beak muddy in ages! she is loving bacon and mealy worms .. oh and nuts chopped up as well ... I know I know ...but she is my lady and she is very dear to me indeed.


I am thinking it must be competition time again and so I am having a think about the prize and what the competition can be ... So watch this space over the next few weeks.  I need to get my thinking cap on.

My husband and I love to make pizza's in the summer as we love them cooked on the BBQ.  We have a pizza stone and the taste is amazing.  I always make batches of the tomato sauce and the dough and he loves to do all the toppings ( although I am boring when it comes to pizza, proper Italian that is does not have to have lots of different things on it at all ..)  I like Margarita with green olives and herbs and he well he loves things like pork and apple or meat feast or one of his favourites is chilli beef .... I keep mine simple.

This year though we are making sourdough pizza bases and starting our culture to be able to produce
it ... Also then I can make sourdough bread as well.  We are going to give it a go and it is, by tradition given a name.  We are thinking Alaska as the culture recipe is from there but we will see....

We have a feeling you see that England this year is going to get a stonking summer and we want to enjoy the outside as much as possible.  Sat outside with our supper every night that the weather will allow us is the plan.  Pizza and salad supper suits on occasions ... Also cooking on the BBQ as well so that I might work in the garden and then when my husband gets home after being cooped up in an office all day he can get some fresh air and sit in the garden and unwind a little from his incredibly busy day..

Well on that lovely note I think I will love you and leave you and start my day.  My work basket is ready and the coffee is ready to be made.  I need to start my day and finish some slow stitching. 

Tomorrow is Wednesday so I will see you back here on Thursday bright and early in the hopes that the wonderful weather is still with us ... Have a great day whatever you are up to and as always....

Happy Stitching! XX












8 comments:

  1. Hi Sarah,
    I do love your pretty sewing themed montages.
    I think your birdies would like our garden at the moment, the birds here are enjoying the huge mud piles and there were about six of them having dust baths together yesterday, I think it gets rid of mites. I must try to get a photo.
    Looking forward to seeing your finished mushroom sampler.
    I do love Italian food more than any other. The boys always want their meat feast pizzas, don't they! Love sourdough bread as well. I'm very lazy and just pop a packet of parmesan and sundried tomato bread mix into the bread maker.
    Going back to birds, have you heard The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams? I'm sure you must have, it's one of my favourite pieces of music.
    I'm going to try to copy and paste this poem by Flora Thompson called
    The Earthly Paradise

    I DESIRE no heaven of gold harps,
    Give me the harps of earth--
    Pine trees with red gold on their stems,
    The music of the west wind in their branches!
    When I am old,
    Give me for heaven a little house set on a heath;
    The blue hills behind; the blue sea before.
    The brick floors scoured crimson, the flagstones like snow;
    The brass taps and candlesticks like gold,
    And there, in my soft grey gown between the holly-hocks,
    Upon a day of days I would welcome an old poet;
    And pour him tea, and walk on the heath, and talk the sun down;
    And then by the wood fire he should read me the poems
    of his passionate youth,
    And make new ones praising friendship above love!

    One of my favourite poems. Enjoy your day xxx

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    1. Oh Dawn
      I do not know what to say, what a beautiful poem. Had to read over a few times!
      What lovely words to add to this blog, thank you so much.
      I am going to copy that into my journal..

      Birdies here love dust baths, under the bushes in our front garden is where ours go as it’s always dry under there .. the rain can not penetrate them .. all the chirping of delight as they enjoy spreading their tiny wings ..
      I have a bread machine that my mother in law bought us years ago and it’s great. I make the pizza dough in it .. saves the kneading part! Lol ..
      Those packet mixes are great as well.

      Anyway thank you for sharing the poem and yes I know that piece of music and love it too.

      Have a lovely day and thank you again, made my day!

      Sarah xxx

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  2. So glad you liked the poem. Everybody knows Flora Thompson mainly for Lark rise to Candleford but she is far more interesting than that. She was a married woman with a love of literature and developed a close bond, which in any other circumstances, would have been a romance with a Doctor who was also a writer and he encouraged her to keep writing. This poem is about him. I think she actually lived in Bournemouth at one time.
    To Ronald Campbell Macfie
    YOURS are the moors, the billowy seas,
    Tall mountains and blue distances.
    Mine is a cottage garden, set
    With marigold and mignonette,
    And all the wildling things that dare,
    Without a gardener's fostering care.
    Yet very well-content I rest
    In my obscure, sequestered nest:
    For from my cottage garden I
    Can see your cloud-peaks pierce the sky.

    She must have been in love with him!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Hello Dawn
      Yes it is how I really got interested in her work ( Flora Thompson) was Lark rise to Candleford.
      I did not know at one time she was here in Bournemouth, I wonder what she wrote here.

      I think you are right about being in love with him ... I love all these poems you keep writing on here .. please keep them coming.
      Love words ..

      Sarah xxx

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  3. Absolutely love all the poems...keeping that sewing basket prepared is a must.

    Love the British drama too!!

    Today I am working on a wool applique for a Silent Auction to benefit a friend who lost her home to a fire.

    Also doing Relay for Life Saturday in memory of my sister who died from Pancreatic Cancer in 2009. She is missed!!

    Going to be sunny here....we are blessed!!

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    Replies
    1. Hello Lora
      I am glad you are loving the poems as well, it cheers the day. Words are very important to me and Dawn is very well read .. I am honoured to say she is a friend.

      Gosh Laura how lovely is that a silent auction of lovely things to help a friend, I am really very touched by it. Is it on line or just on the day in person....

      I am so sorry to hear of your Sisters passing and I can imagine how much she is thought about and missed daily..

      Hope the sunshines for you all day ...
      Take Care

      Sarah xx

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  4. So sorry about your sister. Your friend will be very grateful, what a thoughtful person you are Lora x

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    Replies
    1. Indeed Dawn she is a thoughtful person and a good soul...

      X

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