Miss Augusta has the right idea this chilly morning!
It's absolutely bucketing down here in Cape Town today. Winter is lingering. I'm trying not to complain. I know how much I will miss these cool, moody, cloudy days once the African Sun is blazing down on us again, drying out all the lovely lush greenery and sending the Winter birds away to cooler climes. I will miss them so! I absolutely love the Cape in the Winter months. The colours, the wind, the clouds, the ocean...sigh.
I'm working on two more cosy cowl designs. I need to get those out of my system but also, working these simple, quick cowl patterns helps me to unravel all the ideas incubating in my head for a new blanket design! As the ideas swirl about the challenge then is to get them into some sort of order that makes it possible to manifest into something tangible. Usually, I like to picture the completed design in my head. It's simultaneously exciting but nervewracking!
By the way, I'm loving some of the beautiful colourways you Lovelies have chosen for your Nomad cowls!
NOMAD 💗Made by Urooj Umar
NOMAD 💗Made by Marilyn Warczak
THANK YOU, so much to all of you Lovelies who left a comment on last week's post. I just want you to know that even if I don't reply I do read through them all and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all your comments and snippets of news from your patch of Crochetland. Our Giveaway last week was the Duchess Cowl...and then I forgot...and made both the Nomad and the Duchess Cowl freebies for our Heritage Day! I hope you all took advantage of that? If not, let me know?
Today, our Giveaway is another of Noelene's adorable tassel designs. This time, the Passionflower Tassel HERE! Don't forget to leave your Ravelry name if you do comment.
Wishing you a fun and leisurely weekend filled with all good things!
💗 Jen
PS: this made me laugh so much. Nisha completely fixated on my current screen saver! 😆
How are you all managing so far with your various Lockdown regulations? I know that every time I feel isolated and frustrated it helps to know that we are all in this together, in one way or the other. Troubles shared and all that. And a common thread connects us, which of course, is Crochet!
TGFC ( = Thank Goodness For Crochet/Craft ).
Last time, I promised I'd introduce you all to Princess Leia ( aka Lally ). First, her bandages and stitches had to be removed and some of her scars properly healed. I'm sure she didn't want anyone seeing her not looking her best! She's a rescue who's been through the mill judging by old scars but you wouldn't know it by how sweet, playful and smart she is. We've had so much fun getting to know her little peculiarities of character. She loves playing with her ball ( she's frequently stocked up seeing as they regularly disappear to Ball Heaven ), she ADORES Roxy and Roxy has been an absolute angel with her new sister. It's as if Roxy knows she herself is very privileged and generously shares her time, her toys, blankets, space in the car, walks, river splashes and treats with a very deserving little soul. Leia looks a lot like an Alsation but she's half the size ( if not smaller ) possibly a result of malnutrition in her puppy years. A MAJOR bonus: she loves the Cats ( even if it's not reciprocated...yet ). She has amazing hearing...can you tell?
Also, I promised I'd share images of the snow-capped mountains that enclose the beautiful Riebeek Valley where we have our little off-grid "retirement" cottage on the outskirts of one of the villages. I'll be spending ten days there, in August ( a birthday present to myself ), and will make an effort to snap more gorgeous scenes from this lovely part of South Africa. Thing is, once you arrive, it's as if the air and pastoral scenes of vineyards, olive and fruit groves, surrounded by mountains like a warm and welcoming hug intoxicate you, and you are properly enchanted! A day feels like a week there! It's always a rude awakening to arrive back in fast-paced noisy Cape Town which truly is a city that never sleeps ( not even in lockdown ). And so it happened. I did not capture one single scene on my weekend away but gazed at the clouds drifting overhead while lying on a blanket under the Almond trees. You could say I was away with the Fairies but in a good way. Thankfully, and no surprise, the Valley is home to artists galore and I've taken advantage ( once again ) of Mary Walker's keen eye and professional skills as a Photographer of the area.
I wish you all a very peaceful and relaxing weekend with lots of fun crochet projects at hand. I'm finishing off another large cushion block pattern! I wonder when I'll ever get tired and/or bored of making them? THANK YOU so much to all of you who have been sharing your gorgeous finished pieces. I never get tired of seeing an Amanzi through new eyes or a new colourway for the Mandalas. I say this often, many of you Lovelies are AMAZING colourists!
Thank you so much to all of you who commented on the last post. It's always like chatting with old friends. I really enjoy your comments! For those of you whose names were picked out of the Hat for last Friday's GIVEAWAY pattern by Rosina Plane...you'll find your free pattern at Ravelry! 😊
I'll be giving away 10 x FREE patterns for the new cushion block ( actually not a square but a cushion round ) so be sure to leave your Ravelry name if you do pop in to comment. I'm not exactly sure of the release date but definitely soon!
Take care, stay well, stay safe, stay calm and happy crocheting!
Dear Lovelies, and here we are at day one hundred and eleventy of lockdown in South Africa!
How are you all doing? I've been reading through all your comments and very happy to hear that so many of you are simply appreciating all the lovely little things: clouds, sunlight through overhead branches and leaves, weeding the garden, growing veggies, watching flowers bloom, baking, ironing ( stop that at once! 😆 ), the children and furbabies, birds in hedgerows or at their feeders, a quiet predawn coffee... regardless of where in the world you are experiencing the restrictions placed upon you and your loved ones during these surreal times. The human spirit is a beautiful thing that appears to show itself fully under duress.
We all seem to be going back to basics. Strangely, I feel that we have all had a massive collective wish granted! It's that wish we generally keep in the back of our minds as we beaver away through our incredibly busy "normal" lives, that if we could complete this, or finish that, then eventually we could grant ourselves some downtime to enjoy all the things we are doing now under our enforced quarantine! I'm not suggesting our collective consciousness created a pandemic but sometimes if you can't stop the treadmill then something comes along to put, as they say, a spanner in the works. On the big plus side, I'm sure our natural world is heaving an earthy sigh of relief that we are, albeit enforced, giving ourselves and our beloved home Earth, a long-overdue break.
Food for thought ( seeing as we're all baking again! )?
Here at number 6, you'd think that living in what is effectively sanitised hibernation nothing much would be going on in our daily lives that anyone could call dramatic. After all, the drama is "out there" not in our fairly predictable and controlled personal environments. But no. It found us nevertheless!
1. Exactly 16 days ago I woke up feeling off and by the end of the day had a mild temperature and upset tum. Later in the day, the lymph nodes under my right ear swell to golf ball size...painful much! Every time I chew on that side it sends a shock of pain through my cheek and jaw ( hurriedly googles *that which we shall not name* symptoms ). Slight headache. I put it down to a blocked salivary gland and drink litres of water.
2. Then, 2 days later Mr HooksnTales begins with exactly the same symptoms but slightly worse. He has chills and both lymph nodes swell. We panic and call our lovely GP who examines us both telephonically ( she compliments me on doing such a sterling examination 😀 ). She reassures us that it's highly unlikely we have contracted * that which we shall not name * but cannot pinpoint what it is seeing as our symptoms do not match mumps, lupus, mono or any other viral infection she can think of. Although later I read that Influenza viruses including Para-Influenzas can infect the salivary glands too!
3. After exactly 14 days we both fully recover.
4. The very next day, my youngest son, who lives next door, develops a very high fever ( 41c ). We all panic. He's perfectly fine 2 days later. MY NERVES by this stage, are shot to pieces!
I would like to know how any virus could make its way through all the sanitising protocols and barriers we created! In "normal" times we avoid seasonal flu and colds without taking any special precautions. Life is full of mystery... which is very annoying!
Through the worst of Lumparella, as we now call our mysterious viral infection, I happened upon this lovely young duo who call themselves Emerger. They are local, as in Capetonians, and their latest composition Urban Wilderness has been playing itself in my head all day long ( and literally in my first waking thoughts too). As always, in tough times, we turn to the arts for solace and strength. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
However, besides all the uncalled-for drama of Lumparella, we did have some fun even though it was vicariously through Roxy! We sent her on an outing with Super Woof to a farm in picture-postcard pretty, Franschhoek. This super-affordable service was impressive, especially considering they collected and dropped off as well ( Franschoek is at least an hours drive away ). An added bonus was sending us pics and videos throughout the day! To say the least, Roxy had a ball and came home bright-eyed and bushy-tailed then flaked out completely and slept for 6 hours straight!
I'm sure you're wondering if I am ever going to talk crochet? Yes, I am, but it's not good news so I'm prattling on about other things. First, Part 4 of the Green Tea Extension is slightly delayed seeing as I simply could not concentrate while I panicked over Lumparella. I'm all over it now but I did lose a few days. Keep those hooks warm. Secondly, I did a poll a few months back on our Group. and asked about which methods you preferred I use when making the extensions. I think the least favourite was making lots of squares and then having to attach them. Guess what? SORRRYYYY, but I can't help what my mind is forcing me to do! It will be worth all the work, and besides, we're all in lockdown to one degree or the other. I'm just making sure you keep those hands and hooks busy. It's a public service, you can thank me later. 😆
By now, those of you randomly picked to receive last weeks free pattern giveaway will find your gift in your Ravelry library! Tadaaa! Enjoy! Today's Freebie Pattern is the SAFE AT HOME BLANKET by Margaret Holzmann. This is the crochet version of her knitted design. I think it's brilliant and such a fun stash-busting project. If you don't already know, our HooksnTales Workshop Group is running a fab competition.We're making crochet houses ( any format! ) and there are CASH prizes to be won so head on over....you still have four weeks to make your crochet house! We've had the most fabulously creative entries so far! Here's a little peek at some of them. If you'd like to win a free pattern leave a comment below about your favourite spot at home. Is it your bathtub, your bed, a favourite chair or couch, or spot in the garden? Don't forget to include your Ravelry name!
Made by Iman Van Der Kraan
Made by Sonya Holland and the House Mandala below.
Steam Punk Housie made by Dona Lock.
Interactive Chicken Coop made by Sam Austin.
Adorable Snail House by Catherine Pousserot
Hansel and Gretel Masterpiece made by Katerina Russo Efthimiadu.
🌼
In conclusion: It's a Public Holiday here today. HAPPY WORKERS DAY to all our incredible frontline Hero's and Heroines. Words fail me how to express my gratitude for their ongoing service. The pennies I am earning during lockdown via pattern sales have been channelled to food banks and supporting small businesses through vouchers and donations. Every time you support me, please rest assured that I am paying it forward. We are all in this together! THANK YOU SO MUCH! 💗
Dear Friends, I hope you are all staying safe as houses, staying well, staying calm and shining on!
Thank you to all of you Lovelies who commented on the last blog post. I loved reading through all your comments. It really was like visiting with old and new Friends!
It's a beautiful sunny, cool breezy Friday morning here in Cape Town, South Africa! 4am sharp, I'm woken by the adorable Cape Robin-Chat... a very chatty fellow mimicking over 40 other birdsong. Which it does at the top of its voice. No need for alarm clocks here.Mary Walkerand her husband, William are super talented local photographers and Mary shares a daily post of the local birds in her Cape garden. Cape Robin-Chats are back in town!
I've completed all the usual household chores in record time ( before 9am ), had a lovely hot shower and made a fresh pot of coffee. One of our local supermarkets has a brilliantly user-friendly APP called Sixty60, where you get your groceries delivered to your door in an hour, so I don't need to leave the house at all. A route through the house and around the garden has been plotted and this is where Roxy and I take our daily 40minute walk. Surprisingly, I'm not bored yet with this!
For ages, I mean literally years, I've been off cooking. If meal prep is over 20minutes I don't do it. Guess what, my cooking mojo is back! I'm baking a loaf of quick soda bread every day too. Crikey, I hope this doesn't stick or I might very well open a restaurant again and abandon crochet ( hahaha...not going to happen! ). But I have enjoyed being in that headspace for a change. Chopping and sauteing things is very, very meditative which of course is relaxing. I'm grateful for these little moments and counting my blessings every day.
🌼RECIPE for my version:
Heat oven to 180c or 360f
Prepare a loaf tin.
🌼INGREDIENTS:
3 cups wholewheat all-purpose flour.
1/2 cup chickpea flour ( or any other flour of your choice ).
1t salt
1.5t baking soda ( bicarbonate of soda ).
2 cups buttermilk ( I made vegan buttermilk using 2 cups cashew nut milk, add juice of 1 lemon, allow to stand for 15minutes).
Nuts, seeds or raisins optional.
🌼METHOD:
Mix all dry ingredients together using a whisk.
Add "buttermilk".
Mix lightly into a soft dough ( no kneading required ).
Place your dough into the loaf tin.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until your crust is golden and sounds hollow when tapped with a spoon.
Aaaaand it's Day 29 of our national lockdown... but there is light at the end of the tunnel in that next Friday we can resume some activities ( under strict guidelines ). Most importantly, we can go for walks again! I can't wait!! Masks are compulsory wearing though, especially in public spaces. I don't mind at all seeing as I've been wearing them since the first cases appeared in Cape Town. Initially, I ordered 100 masks from a local Maker and after handing out to Fam I've been handing them out to anyone I see who isn't wearing one. They are plain 2-layer in basic navy blue so I thought of making some snazzy ones for myself. Unfortunately for me, I was decluttering a while back and gave away bags of fabric I've not used in years...Murphy's Law, in my face! Luckily, Mox and Louise ( who usually make gorgeous little dolls and other lovely things ) started making them, using beautiful washable cotton floral prints, three- layered with a filter fabric insert and darted in various spots to fit perfectly. Of course, I bought six ...I mean who doesn't want flowers on their face? Not me! 😀
Some little things that made me happy this week:
A new visitor to our garden who is trying to court Augusta ( she's not interested ). We've called him Mr Big. He's not a stray but belongs to a new noisy Fam who moved in two houses down from us.
Little Things 2:
My little roses bloomed! I was stupidly happy!
In between all the usual Life-In-Lockdown...hahaha... joking, it's freaking surreal most times, nothing normal about it, I have been in Crochetland. Part 4 of Green Tea will be ready next Friday. There will definitely be a Part 5. I'm itching to get this Throw completed because my mind has a backlog piling up of ideas in lockdown, nagging to see the light of day. Also, my new yarn which arrived just before lockdown has teased me mercilessly. I feel another Throw coming on!
So saying, I better get on with it, right?
I would love to hear about thelittle things you are grateful for during these VERY challenging times? Let me know? I've picked five random winners from last week's GIVEAWAY so you should find your FREE pattern in your Ravelry library by now. Enjoy! 💗
Today our GIVEAWAY is: the Sarin Lace Shawl by Sylwia Kawczynska ( there is a free version available on her blog but I'm sure you'd prefer an ad-free printable pattern? ).
If you comment DO NOT FORGET TO ADD YOUR RAVELRY NAME! 😊
Lovelies, I hope you have a super enjoyable weekend!
Stay safe 🌼 Stay calm 🌼 and Crochet on!
It's Friday ( not so easy remembering which day is which these days! ) and today is day 21 of our 21-Day ( Very Strict ) Lockdown, except....it isn't! It's Day 1 of our NEXT 14-Day Lockdown!! I'm not complaining ( I am, quietly, inside ) because I know it's for The Common Good... but shooowee, even for a homebody like me, this is hard on the emotions. I feel I've been forced onto one of those carousel ponies, going around and around but through all the stages of Grief, instead of a manic fun ride!
I think it's fair to say, we are all grieving our "before" lives? Even if it seems as if your life hasn't changed much, on a day to day basis, everything out there has changed forever. We are literally living through an epic historical moment which will become part of our children's or grandchildren's History syllabus! That is, to coin a 70's phrase, blowing my mind!
I've spent this week disciplining my emotions so that Gratitude overrides overwhelming Uncertainty, Fear and Grief. Not easy for me who's a classic Fixer. I can't fix this but I can fix how I respond.
Safely Home. I repeat those two simple words much like a Mantra every time the word lockdown pops up. We are asked to stay safely Home. How bad can that be? Instead of Home being an option now ( in the recent past I could sell my house, move, or become a caravanning gipsy ) for now, it has become a necessity. Prison or Haven? Choice makes all the difference. I've been appreciating every little aspect of my Home. And feeling so much gratitude. Little things, little moments!
I thought I'd share a few snaps of my Home and Garden, which is my entire world right now. I am so grateful for the privilege of having a comfortable home, a little garden, food in the 'fridge, running water, electricity... and a well-stocked larder.💗 I'm grateful the streets are quiet and that our hedges are filled with happy birds. The air is definitely sweeter. Even the neighbours are ( sort of ) behaving themselves.
The Lounge in the morning.
Where we eat all our meals these days ( as opposed to in front of the Telly or in the Kitchen ).
My old Piano where I make up melodies to please Roxy and the Cats.
My recently renovated bathroom ( which I did singlehandedly! ). It used to look like this...
And my favourite room, the bedroom where five of us manage to squeeze into every night!
Yep...Augusta, Nisha and Roxy!
As some of you may already know, our house is 118 years old. It's more of a cottage than a house. It's one of two semi-detached houses which many houses in our area are. In effect, we have two houses. My youngest son and his wife live in the "other house". Both houses have their own address although they are on one erf. Old houses are lovely but need lots of ongoing TLC!
Our small front garden got Palletized! I've been battling for years to make anything grow in the sandy soil. Eventually, after much slog... I gave up and then, tadaaaa, an idea popped into my mind to lay pallets on top of the sand and make a container garden!
I made this around the same time that I "palletized" the front verandah!
I am having so much fun each day in these little spaces...tweaking this and moving that and snipping things, watering pots, laying down more stones. One day I'll show you the other side but for now, it's still a work in progress.
Most of my days end with this view and a Netflix documentary or Series. We're working our way through Mad Men!
Time for a GIVEAWAY!!
Let me know how you're working your way through these strange times?
Leave your comment below and stand a chance of winning an adorable Butterfly Shawl pattern by Wilma Westenberg. I loved this sweet, summery, light butterfly design. Butterflies are a symbol of freedom. A little of that would go a long way right now!
Lovelies, stay safely Home and enjoy a happy weekend,
💗Jen
Oh, my dear Lovelies...Hello, Homies has never rung so true, right?
THANK YOU ALL so much for your lovely comments on the last blog post. I was answering everyone's comments and then realised we are all on the same page! Sending you all much love and best wishes for happier times to come. 💗
Just last night we learned that our very, very strict 21-Day-Lockdown here in South Africa will be extended until the end of April. Effectively another 3-weeks of:
No dog walking.
No cycling.
No jogging or leisure walks in parks or on beaches ( all beaches are closed ).
No surfing!
No restaurants open and no food deliveries other than essential groceries from registered Supermarkets or online essential suppliers.
No alcohol or cigarettes may be sold.
No travelling unless on essential missions ( collecting medication or groceries ).
No school, college or university.
No online sales of any non-essential items.
No computer shops. electronics, hardware stores or paint shops are open.
No craft shops, fabric shops or yarn shops are open either!
No train or air travel.
Lots of no-no's, that's for sure!
I was thinking of ways to cheer myself up and remembered that a few months ago at one of our local antique shops ( Froggat and Frost ) I'd seen a lovely kitchen island style unit. It was really expensive, at least for my wee money pouch so I admired it deeply, but left the shop with an enamel coffee pot instead while throwing loving glances over my shoulder at the kitchen island.
So today, while I was thinking along those cheering up lines I thought: why not buy that kitchen unit! You want it, right? You know it's going to fit perfectly into your 117-year-old house, right? What are you waiting for? And thus the saving begins! If not now then when? I've calculated that if I save really hard over the next 3-weeks while we are in lockdown...I WILL have my kitchen island! Also, now my mind is totally focussed on this "reward". I was thinking that this is quite a good idea to get oneself through these unsettling times. Imagine something you really want: a lovely weekend away, a fabulous hike, dinner at a fancy restaurant you wouldn't normally go to, snazzy shoes, top-notch yarn, or more books! Then start working out a plan or strategy that will make your wish come true after "this" is behind us. I'd LOVE to hear about what your WISH is?
On a Yarny note: my mind is all over the place these days. I can't seem to settle on one thing and working on the Green Tea Extension Part 3 has been stalled, again and again. I think so many of us are in the same boat right now? It's just impossible to get into a good flow and then stay there for any meaningful length of time! At least that is my experience right now. I'm baking bread, then I'm deep cleaning the fishpond, then it's brushing Roxy or preparing a meal...I'm all over the place, body, mind and soul! As far as I can I am staying away from daily news, but then I worry that I'm missing some important new announcement! Shoooweeee...we are all going to need therapy when "this" is over...or a damn fine pair of shoes! 😀
Enjoy your long weekend, Lovelies!
Stay safe, stay sane, stay well, stay calm and crochet on!
Chat soon!
💜 Jen
Yep, it is Moi on a Tuesday with a few thoughts.
Just a reminder: THIS coming Friday is the release of Part 1 * the Extension * for the Golden Tea Floral Block. You're going to hate me! It's A LOT of repetition and A LOT of needlework *sorry, not sorry*. Unfortunately, it just had to be this ( you'll have to wait until Friday to see what "this" is ). All I can say is, the crochet Muses made me do it!
Ok, so on to my "thoughts". Firstly, this is not about me but rather my response to an outrageous "Tester Application Form" that is circulating Crochetland and which was forwarded to my email.
This has been a bugbear for me since I designed my very first pattern. Unbeknown to me at the time, in Crochetland, there lives wonderful magical creatures called Testers ( not a pretty name for such lovelies ). These "Testers" will contact you and offer their skills FOR FREE! Immediately my very first pattern was released I was swamped with messages from these amazing Folk and I jumped at the offers. However, it didn't take me long to start feeling very uncomfortable. This was free skilled labour that I was unwittingly exploiting. No matter which way I looked at it... I was exploiting the good nature of some extremely talented and experienced people and it made me squirm. Much!
Now, before you all start throwing balls of yarn at me let me say that I do understand that for many Testers there is some sort of fairy dust residue that settles over them when the person they Test for is a super-duper famous Designer! I get that! Also, some Testers are rewarded with Yarn ( at least ) for their troubles and a scant few may receive actual greenbacks for their skilled testing. All well and good. HOWEVER, many, many Testers do this for FREE, for the love of Crochet, to ride the coat-tails of celebrated Designers...and that too, if it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable, is also OK. But none of that sits well with me at all. It never has. It never will.
I have had wonderful Testers contact me over the years, who all regularly test for well-known Designers. A few I accepted but all too soon, as I said, I began to feel very uncomfortable with the exchange of labour. I wasn't in a position to offer payment to a small posse of willing Testers. A free pattern somehow didn't feel sufficient. It's actually NOT sufficient payback. Reluctantly I decided that in all good conscience, I could not continue accepting Testers without remunerating them accordingly, for their experience, their time, their yarn, their hard work! So I cut my Testers loose.
In my head, I can hear the words " but we want to, we don't mind, it's what we do, it's an honour, it's satisfying, we get something out of it too". No, none of that sits well with me. In my heart of hearts, I know it is absolutely wrong to take advantage of these generous offers without reciprocating accordingly. I am truly shocked and disheartened that many Designers are comfortable with this free labour, this unequal exchange of energy. More chilling, is that some Designers have elevated their own status to such a level that they issue lengthly "Tester Application Forms" where there is no mention of what they are willing to offer back! Testers, you need to ask what a Designer is willing to do FOR YOU! You are worth it!
To the Designers who make great efforts to concretely reward their Testers, I salute you! To the Testers who give so freely of their time and experience, you are amazing!
Testers:
Your time has value!
Your experience has value!
Your work has value!
You have value, and you should always bring your value to the negotiating table.
Many Designers would be absolutely lost without their loyal Testers. It shouldn't be enough that you get a mention ( if you're lucky! ) at the bottom of a pattern.
Yes, yes I know...there will probably be many Testers ( and Designers ) throwing their hooks at me right now but so be it. Testers, I love your generous hearts. You deserve so much more!
The weather here has been perfect! I'm a Pluviophile and hated by many for singing and dancing when I see storm clouds gathering. Sadly, though, there are consequences. The dogs become house-bound, and very naughty, play-fighting all over the house, traipsing muddy paw marks through the house, becoming bored and chewing things to bits. So walkies are essential. We pile the three of them into the back of our pick-up. It's always a bit mad! They become so ecstatic that they start biting each other! Then all the way to the "walk" it's like we have three very over-excited Monkeys at the back. The noise they make is indescribable. People stare. It's all part of the fun, really.
Two of our doggies are rescues, one of them is a bonafide street dog rescue. Ol' Harry, our Alsatian, was found starving near to death, as he lay on the side of the road with a broken pelvis , unable to move or find help. My husband happened to catch sight of him out of the corner of his eye while driving along a busy road on his way to work. It snowed that day! He stopped to investigate and found the poor boy in a terrible state. He could barely lift his head! My husband bundled him up in a blanket we always keep in the back for our other dogs. The intention was that at least the poor dog could die in a safe place. But an hour later, he was still going. My husband left work and we brought Harry ( we wanted him to die with a name, at least! ) to the Vet. To cut a long story short, after a long period at the Vet hospital and a year of recovery we have our amazing Harry! He still walks a bit funny but what a sweet, adorable, lovable, playful and goofy boy he has become.
He used to be TERRIFIED of water, but now he runs into waves and jumps into streams and rivers! I think it is my absolute best part of our walks, watching our dogs have the time of their lives1 They always have so much fun, and make me laugh!
Winter walks are such a joy. Unlike summer walks which leave us all in a sweaty steamy puddle. Except my husband. It can't be too hot for him. Meh!
Stormy weather off the coast always brings treasures. My husband, especially, has a keen eye for these. He found Nautilus shells! Two! These are so very delicate it's a real miracle they reach the shore in one piece at all!
If I do find shell loot, it always seems to be these. I have a growing collection in sizes large to tiny.
But my best find was this. A Rainbow coloured simple little Mussel shell. It was the day after the massacre at the Pulse Club in Orlando, USA. It was as if even the oceans were sending a message of comfort and love.
Wherever you may call Home on this beautiful planet may your days be filled with Peace, Love. and Crochet.
It's been sweltering, again. I say that often, I know. Because in fact we are experiencing record temperatures here in the Cape of Storms. I really wish it would storm! Sadly, our Summers are as dry as a dry thing about to burst into flame just looking at it! So, we decided to dig out a swimming hole. In our backyard. Now the beauty of living here, and particularly in a house that is 113 years old is that you're bound to find treasure. The Cape Peninsula is steeped in fascinating history. Mostly the "treasures" come about as lovely shards of delft hand-painted crockery, and other interesting bits and pieces of handmade/hand-painted pottery.
To most people these seemingly insignificant broken pieces are of no importance but to me they are each a particularly unique key to.... Well, the imagination boggles and it's one thing I've never been short of and that is romantic daydreaming, and flights of imagination. Each piece, as I gently wipe away decades of grime, comes alive with a story to tell.
Usually I can see the lady of the house, lovingly packing away her pretty tea-sets or special display crockery, into a crate bound for the high seas to Africa, or I see a couple sitting over a breakfast, eating from lovely plates they probably take for granted. Or a family, taking tea on a Saturday afternoon, while reading the newspapers, and the children gobbling down scones and jam and drinking their milky tea from beautifully patterned cups. Mostly though, I find old bones and lumps of coal.
It seems callous to be digging out a swimming hole now, especially as we're in a drought of sorts but the reasoning behind it is sound. We're allowed to water lawns, trees and flowers and veggie gardens...which is what we've been doing, between 6pm and 6am. Luckily we have a small backyard and most of it has been reduced to sand from the high winds which have shredded practically every living flora in spite of my best efforts. We thought then, why not use the water instead to fill a small swimming pool, really a splash pool...and once it's filled, that's it. No more water wasted on an unforgiving garden. It's all sand, fine sea sand really. It's a bit like that joke about shoveling sand in the Sahara. It took us a day to dig half way! The wind howled and blew half a beach straight into the house. We are undeterred and determined to win this war! :-) I was rewarded with my most prized find of the day. A 1957 Queen Elizabeth 11 three pence coin.
I'm excited about what the other half of the dig will yield. Who knows, the Cape of Storms was also a frequent stopover for Pirates!
I hope, wherever you are in the world, that you are indulging yourself by doing the things which make you happy. Life is too short to fully grow up and lose our childlike love of discovery. Dig, for what you love, to your hearts content.
