Weekend looming

- again! Friday seems to come aroudn very quickly........ There is a big storm forecast for the weekend - great , as I wanted to be outside. Will need to scout around the garden and move anything that might blow, and make sure the sheds and greenhouses are secured. Nothing planned, though, just the usual; frined is planning to come up on Sunday to take his holidaying chickens home, will be ncie to see him and his OH again. He's bringing some special butternut squash seeds for me as well, which will be nice - will swap for some of my Turk's Turbans.

On this day.....

Born: Michelangelo (1475) and Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806); died: Louisa M Alcott (1888), Georgia O'Keefe (1986

Overcast here today, but might get outside to do a bit of gardening - still trees to be put in and bulbs, plants, etc; front garden is in need of a good tdiy up and finish cutting back. General house stuff, but would like to fit some sewing in, preferably curtains and a quilt square. Wonder how much I'll get done?

Pincushions

I love little intricate things, and these are my favourite two pincushions, both small, very beautiful and useful too. The wee round one was made for me as part of a forum swap by a very talented lady, and I keep my bodkins in that one; the second one is very old, tatty, but still very beautiful, with embroidered flowers on it; I rescued that one from the tip and brought it home.

More treasures...........

I bought these little tumbled pebbles, and they live in this lovely little sponged bowl I got at the tip.

Treasures

One very satisfying aspect of my life is finding uses for things discarded by others - furniture, books, fabric, craft things, for the garden - anything really. Much nicer than buying new, the things already have a history attached to them, worn in and used/loved, and I am happy and priveleged to give them a new home. Recent acquisitions have been a wash stand and fabric. I bought the little washstand at the tip - cost 10.00; the most I've ever paid for something there! I knew I'd regret it if I came home without it, so here it is. I'ts Edwardian, and I was told it's lost a lot of its value as it's been painted, but I'm not interested in monetary value, I just love the little thing. The towel rails ( would have been either brass or wood) are missing fromthe sides, but I don;t need them. I will remove the top, though, as it's not original, and will fit better under the window, and I'll paint it in a pretty apple green I think, and treat it to some new knobs on the drawer. The cupboard has keyholes, but no handles/knobs, so will have a look at what can be done there.

These fabrics came from the scrap store; there is enough of the brown to make a skirt and possibly a jacket too - the picture here doesn't really do it justice. Then there are two small pieces of linen, with naive/Medieval style animals and plants on - destined for a small cushion ocver I think. The rest is to go into the stash cupboard for patchwork/quilting.

Hahaha - spoke too soon..........

Gone very dark here, sleet/rain, cold. Washing is in now, so old Winnold can roar away to his heart's content!! Off for soup and knitting, I think.

Feast day of St Winwaloe

St Winwaloe ( or Winnold), founder of a Breton monastery and mentioned in an English proverb forecasting stormy weather on this day;"First comes David, next comes Chad*, then comes Winnold, roaring like mad"

*Yesterday, March 2nd, was the feast day of St Chad.

Well, no stormy weather here at the moment- bright and fresh out there, bit of wind, although it is snowing and gales further up the country. Lots to do today, but the kettle beckons first I think. Sewing, make a card, tidying and cleaning in the kitchen, including the mucky floor, bathroom, sitting room...................I'm sure I'll squeeze a bit of knitting in somewhere, though!

March

March is the first month of Spring. He is Nature's old forester, going through the woods and dotting the trees with green, to mark out the spots where the future elaves are to be hung. the sun throws a godlen glory over the eastern hills, as the village-clock from the ivy-covered tower tolls six, gilding the hands and the figures that were scarcely visible two hours later a week ago. The streams now hurry along with a rapid motion. as if they.....were eager to rush along the green meadow-lands, to tell the flowers it is time to awaken.


From Chambers Book of Days, 1864


I love March; according to my own personal calendar, the end of February/beginning of March is the start of spring, so it's here now - glorious day here, so hoping to be outside for most of it, working on tidying up the front garden.