Two Little Dickey Birds...

 

Two years ago, on my birthday, Steph, Gaz and the boys sent me a corn plant from Bloom and Wild. It has thrived in the lounge, and doubled in size. I may have to repot it soon. 
It has glossy green leaves, but was looking a bit uninteresting. I decorated the compost with the flowers and cross from Rosie's 2025 Easter garden...

Then when I was in the garage recently, I found something unexpected in ,y bag of silk flowers.  Two cute little orange birds with clips on their undersides. I have popped them onto the corn plant. I think they are fun - I shall wait to see if Jess and Rosie notice them when they next visit.

Four Years On

Four years ago we held our first Foulsham Pancake Party. On Tuesday, Bob will flip the pancakes again for our fifth such event. 

The war in Ukraine had begun the week before, so although our event was free, we put out a donations jar for HopeNow, a charity we know personally, who have been working in Ukraine for many years. 

That night, we raised £75. This week we will have our fifth pancake party here. It has already become a tradition - and until this war is over, we will go on supporting, and go on praying.

God who hears,

For four years we have prayed, mourned and lamented. Four years of war in Ukraine. Four years of invasion, of violence, of death.

Sometimes it slips from news broadcasts and from people’s consciousness. But we know you, O God, have not forgotten.

We hold before you refugees who still feel like strangers, unsure when or if they will ever see and hug loved ones again.

Keep safe those who remain in Ukraine. Protect them from the mental and physical wounds of war. We ask for a miraculous end to this bloodshed.

Help us, even when we feel powerless, to act where we can. To care, to listen, to sit with those who grieve. To give, to protest, to continue to pray:

Your kingdom come, your will be done on Earth as in Heaven.   Amen

[With thanks to the Churches' Joint Public Issues Team for this prayer resource] 

Happy Valentine's Day

Here is a picture of the jigsaw I bought in November. I started it early December, then rolled it up on the felt mat - and only got it out again this week. It took a couple of evenings to complete

The Kiss seems a fitting picture to post on Valentine's Day!  I found it quite challenging, all that black hair and the black rectangles - not to mention the curved edge [no corners !] 
Bizarrely the picture is actually the mirror image of Klimt's original artwork. I wonder why? This is such a small section of the canvas too.
But today I celebrate love... not just Eros - romantic love, but also Philia - true friendship/family love, and Agape - God's perfect love.
Today is a day for showing love and kindness to all. And being grateful for those we love, and who love us.

Double Vision?

Bob is very fond of science fiction, whether books,films or TV programmes. Me, not so much. But years ago, he pointed out to me two actors in this TV genre who look so similar, they are frequently confused. So much so, that they themselves occasionally appear together...[they are both Brits] 

James Callis played Dr Gaius Baltar in more than 70 episodes of Battlestar Galactica [as well as playing Tom, a good friend to Bridget Jones in 4 films] but he looks awfully like Alexander Siddig who played Dr Julian Bashir in over 170 episodes of Star Trek

They do look very like each other imho

We both like crime dramas. Currently enjoying Grantchester, Patience and Silent Witness, in the first, one of the main characters is Leonard [the former curate] played by Al Weaver. We were watching Patience, and I said there's Leonard! He sounded like him too. But when I checked out the cast list, this minor character was actually a different guy called Rasmus Hardiker. And to add to the Co fusion, RH also had a bit part in Silent Witness too. Here's RH and AW.

What do you think?

Can you think of any other famous lookalikes?

PS tomorrow's post will not have a sight- related title!

UPDATE Suggestion from A below - Jack from Silent Witness and Christopher Lee in Fu Manchu

Terri suggests Justin and Nathan

Gill says Rupert Grint and Ed Sheeran 

Finally  Rob Brydon, Ben Miller and Anton Du Bec!  Thanks for the great suggestions, not adding any more pictures here tonight

Eye! Eye!

Well, that will teach me! Having joked about SpecSavers and Double Vision, I ended up back at the opticians just after I posted yesterday. The left lens fell out of my glasses. It happened on Monday, then again Wednesday morning. I took them back and the manager agreed that they were rather loose in the new frames. They have gone off to be fixed. Leaving me acting like Steve Fletcher again, alternating between two pairs of specs. 
A bit frustrating as I'd set aside Wednesday as a sewing day. I got on with it as best I could.
The half duvet cover was hemmed properly to make a tablecloth. I used part of the remainder to recover the ironing board. 

Originally there were seven "Ports Of Call" in Jeff Banks' bedlinen range. But that was 30 years ago - now there are just two patterns [but not this one]
Quick tip for making a new cover for your board. Measure length, and width. Add 25 cm to each of those, and cut a rectangle that size. Fold all edges over to make a double hem approx 2 cm deep. Press firmly.  Mitre the corners as shown. Then stitch the hem all round. Close to the edge  leave the mitres unstitched. This makes it easier to thread your elastic. 

Take a length of elastic, feed it through the casing and pull it tight on the board. Those unstitched gaps at the corners will make it easier to thread. Fasten with a knot and tuck loose ends inside. My elastic is repurposed from an old anorak, and still has the retaining bobble!

I am very pleased with today's endeavours. I have also been working on two secret projects for Ro and Jess, and working on the 2x2 [ but gave up because I coulndn't handstitch as neatly as I wanted without my proper glasses.
I did at least manage to do the ironing!

I Spy...

Two SpecSavers Home Visit Vehicles outside two adjacent properties. Is this a case of Double Vision?

Yesterday was very busy, lots happening on the craft front. One thing I hadn't done for ages...

French Knitting.

I bought this little knitting doll in Flying Tiger a couple of summers ago, and meant to teach Rosie but then forgot.

Now I have a genuine reason for wanting to make some cords myself, so I sat and had a practice after lunch.

I will explain later! 

The 2x2 project is progressing slowly. K and I are exchanging a lot of WhatsApp messages. I will be glad when the weather brightens up, it's cold and damp found here! 

Rediscovered Treasures

Back in 2012, my blog friend Floss suggested a new blog event. [now a fully fledged Anglican priest, it was Floss who started the Pause in Lent and Pause in Advent events]

She called it The Thrill Of What You Already Have and you can read more HERE

I was reminded of this on Saturday when I was pottering in the old garage, and came across a carrier bag of silk flowers. There were some daffodils in there, and I'd just thrown away a bunch of real [but dead] ones.
They were 95p in Lidl, and they had lasted two weeks and brought much joy. These ones could take there place until more fresh ones arrive.

Normally there is a green cloth on the dining table - I have two, bought from Scotts of Stow, back in the 90s, and I rotate them. But I felt like a change. I looked in the linen drawer - and found a single duvet cover. I know exactly when I bought that - Easter 1996, it was in Debenhams, half price - and I had just been given a new divan bed for the spare room in Kirby. That bed is long gone, and most of my other single bedlinen too. I shook it out, and put it on the table. Ta Da!

I really like the way the amber/brown pattern sets off the greeny blue vase, and the daffodils. And Steph's lovely picture behind picks up those shades too. I think she painted that when she was a student - it is at least 20 years ago...
It has the words of the Lord's prayer, and a dove of peace, and fresh golden wheat against a sunny background [originally hung on a yellow kitchen wall]

I quite like this arrangement - fresh and springlike. I think I may unpick the duvet cover, and hem the fabric from this side, and retain the other for something else!

I found other treasure in the carrier bag - but that will be for another post.

Do you use silk flowers - or only fresh ones ? [my daffs were purchased for a Day of Prayer display four years ago]

How often do you find 'treasure' in the cupboard, when you are actually looking for something else?