We Plough The Fields...

For many people, that is the harvest hymn they remember from schooldays. Today we have Harvest Festival at Church followed by a Lunch.
Here's a more more modern one - reflecting that crops are not always as bountiful as we might hope - and that we all have a responsibility to our world - to share our blessings with others [and to be better stewards of our plant] And to acknowledge God's goodness and faithfulness to us.

For the gifts of heaven in the fields of earth,
My soul will sing to the Lord.
For the fruitful lands as they yield their worth,
My heart gives thanks to him.
We may plough the soil, we may plant the seed,
But God will make it grow,
And the harvest comes from the tender goodness
Of the Father’s hand.

As the trade winds blow over thirsty plains,
My soul will sing to the Lord,
And the storm clouds pour with reviving rains,
My heart gives thanks to Him.
Every season whispers the mystery,
The glorious rhythm of life,
Till the harvest comes from the boundless goodness
Of the Father’s hand.

When the crops have failed and the fields are bare,
My soul will cry to the Lord.
When the hungry know only death’s despair,
My heart will look to Him.
For the call goes out from the heart of God
To share with those in need;
As we feed the world we reflect the goodness
Of the Father’s hand.  [Getty/Townsend/Bronleewe]

The top picture is a field in Norfolk about 8 miles from here - the farmer was lamenting his poor barley crop in the local paper - but at least he has some grain. The drought -ridden fields are in Myanmar, the flooded rice field in Bangladesh. 

We are collecting food for the local foodbank, and contributing to a project in Sierra Leone

Did It Work?

👒👕👖👚🧢👙🩳🧦

Last week, I shared my Sudoku Packing Plan. The idea was to take a selection of separates which would combine to make various outfits. Did it work? Mostly yes. But there were a few mistakes.

• I hadn't realised it would be so hot or that I'd spend so much time I  the pool. One, not two, pairs of trousers would have worked along with the shorts [see below].
• I took a pair of brand new shoes, and developed a blister.
• Having use of a washing machine meant I could have managed with far less underwear and fewer  tops. 
• I never wore the blue sarong/scarf at all. 
• I somehow only packed one pair of socks, but Bob let me borrow a pair of his trainer socks

Good things

• At the last minute I tucked  my shorts in the case. These got worn a lot. 
• I was able to create various outfits - very satisfying. 
• The lightweight cotton robe [for breakfast in pj's, or sitting round the pool] was quite superfluous, worn once.
• The folding M&S sun hat and CS baseball cap both got a lot of use
• The jewellery suggested by my Family  Fashion Advisers meant I could dress things up or down.

I realised I was feeling more confident about my shape than I've been for ages, even though I weigh a little more than I'd like. So I splashed out on a new bikini. I have not had a bikini since 1978!
Wendy took me to her three favourite clothes stores- I came away with a smart top [on my wardrobe wishlist] and a cool linen-mix dress [to wear next time I visit Cyprus?!] She is very persuasive! 

Bob bought a lightweight cotton collarless shirt, cooler than his teeshirts [both in fabric and styling!]. His fleece remained unworn until we got back to England in driving rain, in the early hours of Friday morning.

Main lessons learned 

• I hadn't allowed for the hot weather, which made it was so easy to wash and dry things. Wendy was really helpful, and so I was able to do a final wash first thing on Thursday morning, and therefore had a suitcase full of clean clothes to bring home!
• Next time I go, I will pack two or three dresses - although my trousers were linen, and elasticated waist, they still felt quite hot. My long skirt was cool and breezy.
  

👒👕👖👚🧢👙🩳🧦

I will use this method again. 

Other holiday pictures to follow later... 

Still Burning...

 I came across a prayer this week, which I am sharing as I found it helpful ..

Loving God our Father, who has blessed us,
And given us a good world to live in as stewards,
We bring before you all those who are affected 
 by the wildfires ravaging Europe
We especially pray for those
 who have been evacuated.
Give them peace and safety
 as they wait for the end of this crisis.
We are so grateful for the firefighters
 and other workers who are risking
 their own lives to bring the fires under control.
Protect them and strengthen them
 as they serve their communities.
And bless all those in authority
 who are releasing funds and resources
 to provide shelter and other necessities
 to those at risk.
We thank you for the outpouring of concern
 and support for those in need
And we pray that this community spirit
 might be seen among us all the time
 not only at times of emergency.
Lord, we are conscious that the world is warming,
 and that human activity is contributing significantly
 to the changing climate.
We are sorry and repent of our selfish consumerism.
Help us all to find ways to reduce
 our footprint upon the earth,
And give wisdom to those in power
 to find a way to reduce greenhouse gases
 in the atmosphere.
We offer this prayer in the name
 of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
Amen. 

With thanks to John Bavington, Chaplain of Aquitaine, CofE in Europe

Hit For Six

I had a couple of squares 'in hand', then knitted two more, so decided to send one of each to Kirsten. She sent me two [by mistake!] 

Top row block #73 – Two Edges
What a boring name! Basically, the finished square has two adjoining edges which include two contrasting stripes , and two edges which don’t.  The square is knitting in a ‘L’ shape – starting with 61 sts all in knit stitch, On every other row, 2 stitches are decreased [one each side of centre , using sl1, k2tog, psso] This creates a diagonal line. The centre stitch on row 1 is the corner between the stripe edges. The final single stitch when all is decreased is the opposite corner. It is the same as K’s “Allsorts” 6 weeks ago. I had a random heathery yarn for the main part, and picked a lilac grey shade and pastel pink for my contrast stripes. On reflection, I think I should have used a much stronger contrast colour for the single row stripe!

Middle Row block #78 – Lattice
Grey/blue yarn left over from a jumper knitting for grandson George when he was much younger! The pattern was easy, simple knit and purl, stocking stitch and garter stitch. Both squares are the same. I like the way that the finished piece looks like a woven lattice. And no slipping, no cables, and no random dye yarns!!   Proving you can create texture with the easiest of patterns.

Bottom Row  Block #54 – Pink Flash
This was a nice, straightforward 4 row repeat, which K knitted originally in purple with turquoise flashes, and then in turquoise with green flashes. She says "The colours remind me of the 1960s, when all kinds of clashing colours suddenly looked fabulous together. Those of us lucky enough to have the new, brightly coloured felt tip pens would infuriate our teachers by underlining dates and titles in our school books three times, in pink and purple, orange and green, etc. I’ve still got my old log tables book from maths lessons, covered in psychedelic paper and stickers. They are no use to me now; it’s just a piece of pure nostalgia." It soon became very clear to her which square she would send me; she was close to binding off when she spotted a mistake about 16 rows back. There were three options; rip out the rows and re-knit? Drop the stitch down to the error and then hook it back up – but – colour work? Or decide it would pass the galloping horse test* and send the other one? It’s hot. Kirsten says she chose option 3! [In fact it was SO hot, she sent both in error]

It has proved too hot for serious knitting this month – but these squares are good for a little bit of relaxing knitting in the evenings. I am surprised how quickly we are both managing to produce our squares, I need to go through my pattern book and note which squares we did when, or we may get repeats. There are dozens more left in the book. I'm avoiding ones with buttons and beads – and still undecided about the lace patterns, and those requiring four 3” square to be stitched together!

*Galloping horse test: would you spot the mistake from a galloping horse? If yes, then Something Has To Be Done About It. If not, then carry on and forget it.
There was a wonderful 'flat gift' in her parcel, which I will reveal tomorrow...thanks K [and I'm  keeping the purple square]

Green Pizza, Red Alert

On Friday evening, we went over to Heydon near Reepham, for "Friday Night Pizza On The Green". Fortunately Jon ordered beforehand, as when we arrived, a sign said "Pizzas sold out" . Clearly it is a popular event. We sat facing the church - below is an older photo - when we were there, there were literally dozens of people sitting around enjoying their food. Family groups, cyclists...Liz took me over to "Folks"at the corner of the green to collect our order. They are open 8-2 Saturday and Sunday for coffee and cakes.

The pizzas were really tasty. Bob and I were grateful we had taken our folding chairs, though! The girls enjoyed ice cream, for dessert.
Then suddenly, there was an alarming noise, as everyone's phones went off with the national wildfire alert. It was quite a surreal moment. We all looked around and smiled nervously at one another.
Complete strangers bound together by one message
Rosie was concerned it meant we were at imminent risk of a nearby fire. We assured her that was not the case. I suppose her only experience of fire alarms would be practices at school, where they have to get up and evacuate the classroom immediately. 
Personally I feel it was a good idea, it certainly alerted us to the importance of keeping safe. But I do appreciate that for others it was upsetting. I note that in Wales there was a bilingual alert [in Welsh first, then English]
My neighbour he was quite frightened by it. I can imagine those living alone might have been alarmed more than alerted. 
Should I pack a Go-Bag? I asked Bob. He didn't think we needed that - but I notice he is starting to updating the household inventory in case of any insurance claims! [yes, I know one should do that every year, but we haven't!

Thinking of all those people who have really suffered with the damage caused by wildfires. Keep safe everybody!

Hot Topics Q & A #2

 As before, a question I have answered for myself, and a second one where I need your input please!
[1] Am I Picking Up Good Hydration?

I think so, and I am humming Beach Boys Songs all the time, in this long, hot summer. My best hydration tip is use a smallish coffee flask, and put ice cubes in when you fill it. That keeps the water chilled all day. A big flask is just too heavy to carry around - and you can usually find a suitable tap for refilling if you drink the lot. Eating food with a high water content is really helpful too. A cubes of water melon, slices of cucumber, a thin broth type soup - all these help hydrate. I'm also leaving a filled bowl at the end of the past for all the pooches who potter past with their owners in the blistering heat. Our pets need hydrating too.

[2] Box Shocks?!?

One of my lovely little box trees is looking really sparse and sad. Lots of leaves have gone brown and crispy. I have kept watering and some new ones have appeared, but it has completely lots its charming conical shape. SIL suggested it was in the wrong spot by the front door, as it is in full sun all day. She recommended moving it to the shade and giving it a long cool drink in a bucket of water. As I was doing that, one of the many dog walkers passed, and said "Box Caterpillar!" It seems these little beasties are running rampant through the village . "We had a box hedge for twenty years and it has disappeared almost overnight." I cannot see any caterpillars on either bush. Should I leave the brown crispy foliage in situ or attempt to brush it away? I will not attempt to trim the topiary into shape until it has a full head of lush green foliage, 
Have you any experience of Box Caterpillars? 

Thank you all. The box on the other side of the front door seems ok. But I will sadly have to dispose of this one....

Hot Topics Q&A #1

 Still hot here. I have an answer for one question, and then a question for which I'd really appreciate your answers. Thank you.

[1] What Are Chafeguards?

Safeguards are things which guard us from anything unsafe. Chafeguards is my word for things which guard us from painful chafing in hot, sticky, sweaty weather. First up, baby powder

Baby powder these days is no longer talcum. In the UK/EU the rules are very strict about the purity of traditional talc. In the USA, there have been cases of cheaper talc containing carcinogenic asbestos. But Boots and major supermarkets are all using cornstarch. A dusting on your skin helps all those areas which get sweaty and maybe sore. Rub it on your sandy feet and it will leave them clean, soft and comfortable when you put your shoes on. 

Chub-Rub shorts are fabulous. In hot sticky weather I find it really uncomfortable wearing a dress, my thighs rub and chafe. A pair of these under my skirt makes such a difference. I use Snag. They are light and fit perfectly. Liz recommends Primark cotton cycling shorts. As Carole King [almost] sang, Can I believe the magic of your thighs? Will you still love me tomorrow? 

[2] Are you a [S]crimper?
I keep being sent links to this offer - a free mini crimpit wrap. I can see the potential usefulness of this gadget for making quick snacks in the airfryer.  I read a few reviews which went from 5* genius, use it everyday to 1* useless, I could get the same result with beaten egg and a fork. Have any of you out there got one, and how would you rate it? Crimp and Rave, or Scrimp and Save?

Faithful and Brave

 April 2015, Bob and I took Liz and Jon to Oxburgh Hall - the lovely NT Property the other side of Swaffham. Liz and I climbed into the Priest's Hole - and got our stickers to prove it. I cannot imagine what it must be like to know that at any moment you could be imprisoned or executed for your faith. The Bedingfield Family, who had owned Oxburgh for centuries were staunch Catholics, and throughout the turbulent Tudor period, were 'recusants' - practising their faith as they believed they should. 
When we visited on Saturday with Liz and the girls we were being bright and cheerful. Jess loved taking part in the Summer of Play activities. Lots of games on the grass she could get involved with, and she really enjoyed herself. She was a princess bricked up in a tower by her Mum - from which she escaped with enthusiasm, and she played giant dominoes with Grandad.

Rosie and I went into the house, we looked at various things [including down into the Hole, which was roped off to visitors]
I showed her the picture from 11 years ago afterwards. We also looked at the display regarding the Regency Period.

There were beautiful golden masks for people to try - opposite a grand mirror so they could admire themselves. But my main reason for wanting to go was to see the Esther Tapestry. This is a wonderful story. This huge Flemish Tapestry, created in Tudor times, featured story of Queen Esther, and for centuries a set of 7 pieces hung in the Hall. Then in 1924 they were sold, and went to the USA.

People tried to track them down but failed. Until last year, when one of the set was spotted in a sale in Maastricht by Jeremy Warren, a NT curator. A huge amount of money was raised [total unspecified - rumour has it £1.5 million +!] from NT funds, the V&A, The Art Fund and private donations.

And in June the tapestry finally came home.

It is a fabulous piece of work. The detail of the weaving is astounding. Rosie commented on the Queen's dress and cloak and said she thought it was "beautiful, because you could see the textures in the Queen's dress".  I think the tassels along the top are fun.

I had hoped to buy a postcard but they have yet to arrive in the shop. I shall return in the autumn on a quiet weekday. OH was quite busy over the weekend. Unlike the Mary Queen Of Scots embroideries, and the Bayeux Tapestry, this piece is a woven tapestry. Rosie is rightly proud of her Flemish ancestors. 

I told her the story of Esther, and she remembered watching a film about Purim, the annual Jewish festival commemorating this brave woman, who risked her life to save her people.

I do hope they find the other tapestries in the set some day!

Grandparents went to the bookshop whilst the girls and Mum walked round the grounds. Then we all ate ice creams in the shade. Thank you to my family, and the NT for another day of fun and sun.

 

Buzz Off!

It is official. There are definitely more flies around this summer. The hot weather, and fewer wasps, mean there are greater numbers of them. I have an electric zapper in the kitchen, it's blue light glows eeerily in the evening, but it seems to work there. But we still get them flying round in the other rooms. 

I'm trying to avoid developing an irrational hatred of these creatures. This article was very informative. Keeping surfaces clean, and all food covered is important. Apples are in the fridge, not the fruit bowl. And bananas are inside a cupboard. And because I like to make tea in a teapot, and have a jug of milk, I've unearthed my jug cover. 

It's the vintage doyley I edged with beads five years ago. A traditional solution, and it works beautifully.

I was out in a park with an old friend this week. Some guys were packing away a display about bees. There was a big photo frame. In the absence of grandchildren, we seized the moment for ourselves. 

I now realise flies are important pollinators. There are some plants which are only pollinated by flies [like cacao - no flies, no chocolate!] But I still struggle with their increased presence in my home. 

Bees are much cuter! 

How do you cope with house flies? 

I Spy With My Little Eye...

 ...Something Beginning With S

Wednesday morning was Superb 

It was The Swanton Shed Summer Mardle

The guys had really outdone themselves with their contribution to
the Sumptuous Spread - and so much seemed to beginning with S

For Starters, we had Smoked Salmon canapes

Sausages cooked on the Stove

Slices of cake, Sparkling Water

Sweet little plum tomatoes

Selection of sweets, Scones, freshly baked, Sausage rolls, Salads

The sunshine was beautiful, we were grateful for the shade of the big red gazebo.

The sky was so blue...

This marks the end of another year of 'shedding' in which we sadly lost one of our members, after a long illness - but gained some new friends in the group.

Lots of positive projects accomplished to benefit individuals and our community.

Now there's a break for a few weeks - and back in the autumn for more planing and polishing, sanding and sticking.
I am really proud of these guys, for all that they do together, building strong friendships as well as benches and notice boards.

Tune The World Out

A few weeks ago, I treated myself to a pair of noise cancelling headphones. They have proved useful in lots of ways - helping me relax, enabling us both to sit in the same room, but listen to different music, 

they are brilliant for listening to radio plays when the sewing machine is humming, and also managing my tinnitus.

So much has been happening in the last month. Some good, some bad, some joy, some sadness. 

• Huge things, global issues - wars and wildfires. 
• Political turmoil, comings and goings, 
• Burnham and Binface, and more.
• The deaths of famous people, ordinary people, and friends and family I know and love. 
• Unexpected illnesses. 

And those lovely events which have made me smile - 

• The Tunnock and Tardis at the Commonwealth games, 
• Punch the Macaque [look him up] 
• Happy moments with the family, 
• Unstoppable, enthusiastic grandhildren

Sometimes these things can overwhelm us .The strapline on the ad for my headphones says "Tune the world out" and I confess there are days when I want to do just that. Singing this hymn to myself helps... 

What calms your soul? 

Stars And Stripes [ And Squares]

In this hot weather, Kirsten went for a pattern that was simple, not too brain-stretching. Life is never simple though…

Her idea was to see what happens as a two colour-changing yarns interact with each other. Kirsten chose Sirdar Crofter dk, designed to knit into a faux fair-isle pattern, and a self striping yarn with gradual colour changes. In 2010, I knitted a v-neck top in this same yarn. I think K's is more 50 shades of grey, whereas mine was darker bluey purples. [synchronicity again, both going for random dye yarns this month]

Her second yarn, a self-striping yarn where the colour changes gradually. It was a simple stocking stitch/two row pattern, The downside of a small six inch square is that the colours don't change and blend fast enough, and the stripes do not show up as clearly as she had hoped. Plus she discovered she had miscounted the stitches on one square. Then mislaid the other, ended up knitting a third, and finally found them all. Poor Kirsten, we have all been there!

She said in her email that she has sent me the one which reminded her most of my beloved Breton tops and enclosed a shot of 3 squares! 

But look, she sent me two of them. How kind. The 'flat gift' in my package is a pack of post-it notes. The covers are impregnated with daisy and chamomile seeds. The pages inside made of sustainable grass paper.  Kirsten has certainly 'earned her stripes' this month. 

I award her *****

Family FITS*

,*That's Fun In The Sun

bikes, balls, beaches, brothers, books...

And sipping long cool drinks through a straw

 

Temperature Spike

Julian was with us for three days over the weekend. We did fun stuff - the Bridewell Museum in Norwich, the Aviation Museum, Board Games, Lunch with family etc. In April 25, J gave me a Mr Potato Head plantholder. I filled it with an Aloe, and rechristened MrPH 'Spike' 

In 15 months, he has grown a lot more spikes. He lives on the end of the kitchen windowsill. In this extreme heat, I have kept the blinds right down all the time, so that the room doesn't get too hot. 
But I had a bit of a shock on Saturday - it was cooler, so I put the blind up a little more than it has been for the past three weeks. 
Just look at Spike now!
I do believe he is sprouting a flower,
for the first time ever.
I was ridiculously pleased that this has happened whilst Julian was with us. I wonder if the flower will get bigger or open up in anyway.? Do aloes have 'babies'?

Watching The World Go By

Friday was really quite tiring. We went to see my old schoolfriend, A, who I reconnected with in the autumn, who is now out of hospital. But her mobility is poor and she decided she was not able to look after herself properly any more. So she's relocated to a care home by the sea. I have visited her there three times now. The journey is quite exciting, as the satnav takes us on a route through the backroads, and villages I have never heard of before. Like Sco Ruston, a tiny hamlet mentioned in the Domesday Book. 

Last week, we went down a hill, on a narrow hill between some cottages and rounded a corner. Bob slowed right down as he steered the sharp right hand bend. And there, in the middle of the road was a guy in a red stripy jumper and bobble hat. "There's Wally!!" called out my witty spouse, as he braked. We did not see Wally this week. 

A has no phone and no internet connection. She asked Bob to sort something out for her. He spent the morning setting this up - once the care home had managed to find the wi-fi password for her. I don't think many of the residents are able to use modern technology - and her bedroom is woefully short of power sockets. We finally got away at 2pm, and decided to go to Sheringham for lunch.

I had my first ever iced matcha. I suspect it may be my last. It was cooling, but I didn't feel it was that special. As I told Bob "It doesn't taste green either!" We popped into a few charity shops, and I bought a mug. I don't actually need it, but it brought back happy memories. 

You may know La Vache Qui Rit, [the Laughing Cow] the processed cheese made by the Bel Cheese Company in France for over a century.  There is a Belgian company with a similar name

When we had a family holiday in Belgium 25 years ago, we saw adverts for "La Vache Qui Regarde Passer Les Trains" [the cow that watches the passing trains] This is the logo of a  family company producing foods which are organic, vegan, and made with ingredients sourced locally to their factory near Liege.

Sauces, dips, spreads, biscuits, crackers, desserts, chocolates...all very delicious, and good for the planet. We enjoyed some of the foods on our holiday.  At one of the major Belgian stations, there was a lovely tiled mural. The cow is standing, wide eyed, chewing the cud, watching the world go by.

The girls were growing up, that was one of our last family holidays together, just the four of us. Bob had spent all his childhood summers in Belgium staying with his grandmother. We took the girls once. So I treated myself to this mug because of the joyful happy memories that flooded back. And I shall show it to the grandchildren when they visit. 

I do like this little cow, and if it were not so hot right now, I might even get out my silks to embroider a picture of her on a piece of cotton. 

Standing watching the world go by is about all I have the energy for at the moment...

Bits And Pieces

Thursday was busy, and hot! We began by going into Norwich, as Bob has a follow-up session with his consultant regarding his recent back treatment. We got there early, and had time for a coffee in the Priscilla Bacon Hospice Coffee Shop, which was close by.
Bob's doctor was very pleased with his progress, and made helpful comments about lifestyle and exercise . We are so grateful for the improvement in his health and relief from constant pain.

We went into the city and mooched about a bit, and found a couple of CS bargains. Bob found this for £5 - a large frame, big enough for the Hockney Print! The sticker on the back says it came from the Nelson Hotel - which is due to be demolished soon and rebuilt.

I guess they will have lots of new pictures! I spent £1 on this pretty Italian sweet tin - I shall put some of my haberdashery in it. Home via Aldi, and the first Big Shop of July.

Then long cold drinks of water, and time to sploot on the bed with our books
Bob fell asleep so I tiptoed into the lounge. He came through later and asked if I'd looked at Facebook. Why?

My cousin Miriam in Perth, Western Australia had posted that her Mum, my Auntie Jean has died. She was 101! this photo was taken just three weeks ago. Uncle Ted died in 1997. They had ten children - so the Hall family in Perth now numbers somewhere around 100 people!
She was my last surviving aunt - so it marks the end of an era, but I am not sad. Her faith was strong to the last, and she was confident Jesus had a place ready for her in heaven. Such a positive lady, leaving many happy memories behind. But I guess it will be hard for Mim - they did so much together especially since M retired [she is 72] 
Today is another busy day - I doubt I will live to 101, but I am determined to make the most of every day God gives me. 

I hope your day is good, and even if the weather outside is blistering hot, try and follow the words of George Fox [founder of the Quakers] who said 

"Be still and cool within thy soul"

A Blind Cat, A Found Cat, And Six Headless Mice

 Rosie adores the Studio Ghibli Cat purse which her dad brought back from a trip abroad. It has suffered of late- it is rather grubby, and sadly the pupils have come away from the eyes. "Grandma, please do you have any black felt?" She emptied the purse and left it with me  I climbed up into the loft.
🥵It is absolutely swullocking up there🥵

I took my phone with me, as one of my tasks was to photograph the electric socket for Bob. And as I got it out, I spotted a message from Katie regarding another Mouse for the Museum. So I grabbed black and yellow felt, the whiskers wire, and a few other bits. I was just about to come down when I spotted a long thin yellow fabric bag - It was my missing Hockney posters! I've found the cat!

Mr & Mrs Clark [& Oscar] are on the spare bed, looking up very suspiciously. The only space I could find for my Bigger Splash print is on the wardrobe door. It just fits above the handle! It can stay there for a few weeks in honour of Mr Hockney

I hope that Julian, George, Jacob and other overnight guests this summer will appreciate it! Right now I would quite enjoy a pool in the garden. But I am content to have my raised beds and two fruit trees there - much more useful!

A box of half a dozen half-completed mice. Fortunately Katie only needs one new one this summer. I should be able to sort that for her quite easily. The colours are wrong in this photo, mice #4 and #5 are not really Trump Orange!

PS I know nothing about football, but I am very, very pleased that Belgium won their match!