Unbought Delicacies: Apologies

Saturday, 31 May 2014

Apologies

- for lack of posts; I got taken into hospital last Wednesday, and am still here; not sure how long I'll be in, but finding it very difficult. Days are long, I don't feel too bad in myself, but have been put on some fearsome anti-biotics that can only be given by iv drip. So, here I am. Luckily, got my laptop and my knitting, and can get a Guardian every day to read. Tomorrow hopefully my crochet will be brought in too. hardest thing is being in among people and noise again - didn't realise quite how withdrawn I'd become! I hope to et back to posting now I'm more up together, but not sure about photos lol Will see. Hope all are well and happy :)

In the meantime, I'll share this random photo of a mini Stonehenge which I think is rather lovely :)

6 comments:

Linda said...: Hope you are on your way to recovery. We all sometimes need to take a break - be it from everyday things or blogging, but I'be found from experience the blogging community are very supportive and most of your followers are still out there waiting. Sending you hugs and hoping you get well soon. Love Linda xx; 31 May 2014 at 23:29
a.rogue (Alice) said...: I hope you feel better soon! A forced rest can work wonders. :)
Sending positive thoughts - take care!; 1 June 2014 at 17:20
Jo said...: Get well soon : ); 1 June 2014 at 22:01
Donna said...: Get well soon. Not nice being stuck in hospital xx; 2 June 2014 at 09:02
Vivianne said...: Just caught this post - I do hope you're on the mend xx; 2 June 2014 at 16:20
Anonymous said...: Lovely, I love stonehenge!

Grts
Roel Tijskens; 5 June 2014 at 20:57

I have found such joy

I have found such joy in simple things;
A plain, clean room, a nut-brown loaf of bread,
A cup of milk, a kettle as it sings,
The shelter of a roof above my head,
And in a leaf-laced square along the floor,
Where yellow sunlight glimmers through the door.
I have found such joy in things that fill
My quiet days: a curtain's blowing grace,
A potted plant upon my window sill,
A rose, fresh-cut and placed within a vase;
A table cleared, a lamp beside a chair,
And books I long have loved beside me there.
Oh, I have found such joys I wish I might
Tell every woman who goes seeking far
For some elusive, feverish delight,
That very close to home the great joys are:
The elemental things- old as the race,
Yet never, through the ages, commonplace.

~ Grace Noll Crowell

Ideas for handmade gifts

Small knitteds - gloves, scarves, hot water bottle covers, hats, tea cosies, phone covers, little toys,,cushion covers, bags. Some of these can be felted/fulled for extra interest.
Edibles - chutneys and jams, pickles, nice teas in a vintage/retro tin, sweeties, toffees, mustard, home made wine and liqueurs, home dried fruits, ketchups.
For the home - trimmed tea towels, handknitted dishcloths, quilted wallhangings, small samplers, restored picture frames, pot pourri, lavender bags, covered coathangers, little scented bags for hanging on handles, framed photos of family,etc you've taken yourself, pincushion,needle book, scissor keeper, book of promises (eg babysitting, 1 hour's housework, the ironing, etc)
Bathtime - homemade soap, bath oils, bath salts, knitted washcloths, herbal bags for the bath, hand sewn toilet bags, trimmed hand towels, homemade lotions and potions packed in pretty jars and bottles.
For the garden - home saved seed in handmade decorated packets; homemade handcream, exfoliating soap, wheat bag for those digger's aches and pains!

Handmade books, personalised printed notepaper and envelopes.
Hamper of bits and bobs from the above lists, packed in a pretty lined basket.

I'll add some more as and when I think of them; These can be used all year round and easily tailored to the recipient - everyone loves a homemade gift. :)

Inspiring thoughts.............

I saw a man, an old Cilician, who occupied an acre or two of land that no one wanted.
A patch not worth the ploughing, unrewarding for flocks, unfit for vineyards;
he, however, by planting here and there among the scrub cabbages or white lilies and verbena and flimsy poppies, fancied himself a king in wealth, and coming home late in the evening, loaded his board with unbought delicacies.
Virgil

I had no theories to prove. I merely wanted to try living by my own hands, independently as far as possible from a system of division of labour in which the participant loses most of the pleasure of making and growing things for himself. I wanted to bring in my own fuel and smell its sweet smell as it burned in the hearth I had made. I wanted to grow my own food, or forage after it. In short I wanted to do as much as I could for myself, because I had already realised from partial experience the inexpressible joy of doing so.

Harlan Hubbard, Shantyboat: A River Way of Life

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Saturday, 31 May 2014

Apologies

6 comments: