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Knitters will know the term WON - meaning wool over needle, It appears that we need a new one - WOM.
I was knitting - working on a piece of lace, when our devoted doggie decided I needed little light diversion, and asked me to play tug with her squeaky giraffe.
WOM stands for "Wool Over Muzzle" She managed to pick up a loop and it was quite a job to untangle her. Thank goodness it was a blend of alpaca/merino, so didn't break. Shetland probably would have.
No pictures of the incident, but one of the dog. She has got a very pointy long nose, and if you could control two of them they might make something of piece of string.
Just to say that I am still extant. And that I managed to do a little sewing over Christmas. Daughter had bought some new headphones - largeish ones, and she rather hoped I might be able to make a drawstring bag for transport purposes. I couldn't decide what to use, so went shopping in the stash and found a decorative machine embroidered pillowcase that had been liberated from a charity shop years ago. With a lining of jersey backed wadding, the job is done, and she will never find another like it. That is what I love about home-made stash -busters. Just wish I had the energy to do more of this sort of stuff.
I have a favourite jumper which was looking rather pilled and seedy. The old clothes shaver sorted about half of it and then gave up. So I sent for a new one - they are cheap enough. On the box of the new one is one of the niftiest little pieces of nearly-con I have ever come across. A little red square contains the words "SIMILAR TO AS SEEN ON TV"
Read carefully and there is absolutely nothing that can be objected to. Since the gadget
does a cracking good job, I love it.
Actually two of them, but I didn't have the camera with me when I saw the first, and clearest one. The general situation was overall altocumulus (allover highish cottonwool balls) and there was this funny funnel thing hanging down. Where it came from, the cloud had re-organised into a circular eddy. According to the book it is called a Fallstreak Hole, and can happen when something disrupts the layer of air that the clouds are sitting in. Well, we have RAF Coningsby nearby, and some of those jets they send up have a whole lot of hot gas coming out of their rear ends.
Some garment have names and this one is called the "Doiley Blouse". Many years ago, my OH was out of work, and we were in a bit of a pickle. A local lady found out that I could sew, and offered me work trimming sheets and making cushion covers. The fabric she passed over was of a quality I didn't know existed. It was such a pleasure working with it. One day she called to pick up some finished work, and the children were all around the table "making" clothes for little dolls - using sellotape and staples as fastenings, while I was at my sewing machine on the little table in the corner. That was how I worked - a better height table and I didn't have to put it away to serve a meal. She was delighted to see how they amused themselves, and said she would send around some bits left over from her shop - which I believe had been a very classy soft furnishing boutique. Some of the stuff they got to play with, but there was a lot that I snaffled double-quick and some was the broderie anglaise on this blouse. Both girls wore it, not a lot - too fussy, but it was my whim and I am still glad I made it. It has now had the crisp yellow elastic replaced in the sleeves and will soon be winging its way to the Granddaughter, for when she wants to be a princess, after a day in workaday school clothes.
We had two Hibiscus bushes which were getting more and more straggly and sick, so out they came. This is one of the replacements - a Crab Apple which is doing very well for it's first autumn here.
I don't know whether we are feeding birds or mice with the windfalls, but it is unlikely to be the usual wasps. They must be having a bad year in these parts - I have seen very few.
The Witch Hazel is beginning to colour nicely.
And the Pyracantha will soon be ready for the birds. Won't take the sparrows long to polish that lot off!
Today he brought me a present from his walk with the dog. A primary wing feather from a Barn Owl - moulted not lost in trouble so that's Ok.
I must stop running down my little point-and-shoot - with the help of some good sunlight, I was able to capture the tiny fluffy hairs on the barbs, which are the Barn Owl's secret of flying silently. This feather must now be put in a very safe place, ready for the next visit from Grandchildren so they can have first lessons in the use of a magnifying glass.
This light effect fairly took my breath away! The sun was shining through a hole in the clouds and creating a broad rainbow, which the camera just about captured. I wish I had something more sophisticated than this point-and-shoot AND knew how to use it!
I am more than pleased with the Arne & Carlos Regia sock yarn.So accurate that the pair are truly identical. They will be comfy too - Regia is.
The next item has no photo. OH called me out to the garden to show me two little grey/black "deposits". Hedgehog Poo! So we have got one of our little friends on slug patrol -Hooray. Very fond of the beasties.
It has taken since the last post (Last Christmas) to get a photo across the great electronic ocean and have it appear here. Not for the want of trying, and I don't believe it was all my fault. There have been plenty of frustrated attempts.
I want to say thank you to Mary Berry for the cake pictured. It is blueberry and lime drizzle cake and it is also luscious. Improved by the blueberries being home grown and therefore much sharper and tastier than shop bought. The lime glaze seems to hold its tang for longer than a lemon one. That is quite an issue when there are only the two of us to eat it. I have several tempting American and German cake recipes, and they seen to think that if you make cake you are feeding a small Scout Troop - not very helpful to a pair of crumblies who ought to keep their consumptions modest!
We took the Magic Dog to visit our daughter and her offspring, and she behaved impeccably. "These cushions are just what I need to make myself at home."
We are getting quite a collection now.
Something nice to eat. Warning - contains uncooked eggs.
Christmas Icecream
1 packet Annas Ginger Thins (Pepparkakor)
2 Eggs
6.5 oz low fat cream cheese
4.5 oz caster sugar
6.5 fluid oz whipping cream
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
quarter teaspoon vanilla extract
Line a 2lb loaf tin with cling film
Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs and pat half of them into the bottom of the tin.
Separate the eggs.
Whisk the yolks with the cheese, cream, sugar and flavours until thick and leaving a trail.
Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff and dry.
Stir a spoonful of the egg white into the yolk mix, and then gently fold the rest in, using a metal spoon. Pour the mixture into the tin and top it by sprinkling on the rest of the biscuit crumbs. Wrap and freeze overnight. To serve, turn it out and cut slices, and decorate with fresh (or thawed from frozen) berries.
