Nessienora craft explorer

Being creative

2011-01-15T15:45:00.000-08:00

Although it is many months since I have posted on this blog, this does not mean I have been entirely uncreative, just that I have not written about it!

The craft event to which I refereed in the last post did not happen. Thank goodness really, as we were so busy with the guest house, that I did not have any time to make things in the summer.

However, we did have a stall at an event in Exeter at the end of November. This galvanised me into making a lot of Christmas cards and some lovely little doves as decorations. But, the sales were not good, but we did promote Michal House well and that part was a success. i think the cards did not do well, as there were charity cards available at vastly cheaper prices. I thought my work was actually pretty good! if we do that event, organised by Animal Aid, in the future, I will have a smaller stall and focus on promotion of the guest house, with a few cards available.

I am currently engaged int eh endless task of sorting things out in my craft room, getting rid of lots of magazines on Freecycle etc. then I must make a load of cards to sell over the summer, when we do tend to shift quite a few.

oh dear

2010-06-25T15:45:00.000-07:00

Making things has really taken a back seat whilst I am so busy with the guest house. But, we have a local exhibition coming up and I must make cards and such like for that. So, need to get myself into gear a bit, but the garden is also desperate...

2010-06-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

blblblbl

hijacked no more!

2009-10-23T06:27:00.000-07:00

This blog has been hijacked by the animals, they now have their own blog, then hijacked by my travels into veganism! No more, both have their own blogs, so this one can focus once more on creativity.

Our craft group in Treknow is great fun, and we have covered a lot of topics, we are trying to keep a focus on one at a time a bit more now, as we all have lots of partly made items at home! We have been exploring still life, but not from a conventional perspective. We had to make the components from torn or cut papers and plastic, and then take a section of the result and paint this. I enjoyed the process at first, but became distracted and chattery - it is impossible to talk and create at the same time as both tasks need the opposite sides of the brain to function! So, that one went in the bin and I then concentrated on making a few watercolour cards in my usual style, with hills and the like. Quick and easy!

I should have cropped the other, upside down card out of this before adding it!

Still vegan!

2009-10-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

So, I have now been vegan, almost properly, for over a month. It begins to feel normal, and hasn't caused any major problems. I have felt awkward, for example refusing cakes people have lovingly made, this feels rude, and i have had to continue to taste test some of the vegetarian foods i have cooked at Micheal House.

A fun new social network, www.volentia.com which is for vegetarians and vegans is helpful and provides links with other veggies and vegans.

The funniest answer i have received so far, when asking if any cakes were vegan in a cafe we love visiting was 'no, they all contain chocolate'.

Quite apart from the butter and milk etc. many of them obviously contained, they did not all contain chocolate!!!

I am vegan

2009-09-19T03:07:00.000-07:00

Just trying writing that out! I am still vegan, with the odd unavoidable lapse, but am sticking to the mantra, 'I am vegan for today'.

It seems that moving towards veganism is more of a process than an instant state of being. For a long time I have thought I 'ought' to be vegan. It is the logical point to aim at from being vegetarian. There can be no milk or it's products without cows having calves, half of which will be male. They are mostly either considered a waste product or raised for veal as I understand it. Eggs lead to the same problem, there are many male chicks born which are seen as no more than a by-product, and hens rapidly come to the end of their useful laying lives. Dairy cows often live their lives in large sheds, not grazing the fields as we like to imagine they all do. They are engineered to produce around twice the milk they would naturally make for their calves, from whom they are torn. I do not want to be part of supporting this cruel industry, of lives being no more than a waste or by-product. The environmental issues are compelling too, but to me, only as a supporting one for the animal welfare case.

But, I love food, I adore nice cheesy dishes, cakes, eating out. Will I just have to accept my life is less food focused and replace my delight in eating yummy things with going to the cinema or something? It seems that, at present at least, food is even more of a focus, making sure I get plenty of nice things, checking labels, etc.

Running a vegetarian guest house raises it's own problems. I do not plan, at this stage at any rate, to make the guest house fully vegan. I therefore have to accept I will need to taste some dishes. Will I find myself with rather large taste test portions?!

Being vegan ought to be a gentle, non aggressive option. But, it seems it is the opposite in some ways - it raises uncertainty, discomfort, questions, defenses. I do not want to be seen as difficult, I do not want to be the centre of an awkward scene in a restaurant as I question ingredients and eyebrows get raised higher and higher. Being organised and arranging vegan meals when booking will doubtless help with this, and I have already been pleasantly surprised by the extent to the knowledge of one pub's staff recently.

It seems that it is more acceptable to have allergies or health reasons to be vegan than to do it for ethical reasons. We recently went to our local Indian restaurant. As I had only been vegan for a few days, I would have felt a fraud to say I was vegan, so I asked for dishes that were dairy and egg free. They told me the ones we had selected were dairy and egg free, but that one of them contained almonds. I was flummoxed for a moment, wondering what the relevance was. Of course, they thought I had an allergy to dairy products, and that I might also have a nut allergy. It seems rather sad that the health considerations of the individual are more recognised and valued than consideration for other creatures.

Another issue is waste. I am still cooking eggs for guests for example. Sometimes these break when I am frying them. I usually eat the broken ones. I cannot now do this. Is it worse to give the dogs yet more treats than to eat it myself?

Will I be able to keep making felt? I am only just getting into it, I have already stopped painting on silk, I do not want to give up using wool in felt making. I recognise each person has to do what they can, there are no absolutes. But, I know how I feel about 'vegetarians' who eat fish. Is a vegan who makes felt similar? Or, is it better I go as far as I can, possibly extending the process as I go, rather than becoming trapped and ending up not doing any of it?

There will be many more questions raised I am sure, and I will keep to 'vegan for today' for now and see how it goes, reporting here. Ooh, I am hungry. We have the most yummy bramble jelly made by Dawn, which goes very well with the homebaked bread, and the little bit of soya marge I use instead of butter, should mean I start losing weight...

Being vegan

2009-09-07T15:56:00.001-07:00

I have now been vegan for four days! It has been easy so far, but we are going out tomorrow, so it may all get more troublesome! By telling myself I am only doing it for a few days, it makes it easy. One of the guests who left today said that is how she still does it, and she has been vegan for three years! I have lost three pounds as well, which is a very good thing, but today I ate a potato rosti and the big baddy - peanut butter, by the spoonful. A big spoonful. Two big spoonfuls.

Vegan for a week

2009-09-05T01:03:00.000-07:00

I have decided that I can no longer go on supporting the cruel dairy and egg businesses in the way that I formerly have. To this end, I yesterday decided to try being properly vegan, just for a week.

I didnt tell anyone, even Simon, as that would make a 'big deal' of it, I just wanted to keep it as something I was quietly doing. We have vegan guests staying, so it is easy to have what they are eating, as we usually do, but then not supplement it with the butter etc., I usually use. Simon now knows, as I showed him some of the horrendous images which make me cry and which lead him to say we should be vegan, and I told him my plan!

I plan to blog about it, mainly as a way to record how it is going for myself, with no expectation of the blog being read by others. if it is, that is great!

One day in, and it seems fine so far. But, what will happen when we go out or have vegetarian guests eating supper? What of the wonderful chocolate Brownies at my favourite cafe at Trebarwith Strand? I can have their veggie burger though, it is vegan...

And my main anxiety - will I forget?!

oh dear, oh dear, oh dear

2009-06-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

It is so long since I have posted a blog on here, it is really a disgrace. I now have some of my work in a local shop, which is fun, will see how it goes, and have some photos I must post here. But, the season at the guest house is taking off well, and I have an obsession with the farm town game on Facebook, so I know I will only occasionally post on here over the next few months. I think I shall have to accept, I am a winter blogger! I also have a post to do about Barney on the animals blog! No, Barney has a post to do.

Selling stuff

2009-05-13T02:39:00.000-07:00

In the past I have had my wares for sale in a variety of shops, as well as attending craft fairs, doing little 'open studio' type events in my home or the homes of others.

Since living in Cornwall, I have not had anything in any shops, although a few of us do do sales around Christmas. I got to the stage where I felt acutely shy of approaching shops with my work and the above post about procrastination has held sway! However, recently, a friend locally jolted me out of this and into action. She had painted a picture of a local pub and approached the pub landlady with a proposal they buy the picture. They did and paid a very good price too. Her work is lovely. So, I have now approached a shop, The White Horses in Tintagel (they do not seem to have a website) and they were quite enthusiastic about taking my work in, although he spoiled my bubble of confidence at the end of the conversation by saying he will take the work of anyone!

This picture is rather blurred, but is an example of the kind of things I will take in. It is a card of Trebarwith Strand, with Gull Rock, a very distinctive landmark round here. I have made it of felt, made on the embellisher machine. I cannot take a better picture of it, as I sold it this morning! I have a few things, cards etc., for sale at the guest house, and do quite well with these in the summer season.

never put off...

2009-04-21T03:07:00.000-07:00

If only I could get round to it, I could procrastinate for England.

Neglected blog

2009-04-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

I have been keeping up with the Michael House blog and the animals have been busy on their new blog, so this one has been sadly neglected.

Just a little grumble. Why does politics and inter-personal strife have to creep into everything, even the most innocuous of local activities? That is the nature of people I suppose, and I'm sure I'm not entirely innocent of all blame. Entirely, notice. Ie, I think I am mostly innocent!
This fellow is entirely innocent. Even though they have their own blog now, they still find their way onto mine. Whatever has happened to his mouth?

mi go, mi go, mi go

2009-04-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

i hav not ritten on heer for a long time. i hav not been allowed on heer, as she nu i wud say tru things abowt her. i kan now say that i hayt mi new bel. it is hewj, insulting. and it is on a koller with a diamondy hart. i hav tried to get it off, butt it wont go away. it is to friten off the babi berds and the naybors scardi kat.

vanesser fownd this blog, bi a bear. she thincs we rite similarli. now, that is so rewd, he is just a stuffd beer. i am a propa, reel, living kat. he dus seme to be a bit ov a selebrety bere thow, so may be i wil suk up a bit. luvli beer.

I am praktising mi evill luk. befor bel. evill luk did not werk.

Gadsden purchase and other stamps

2009-03-29T03:53:00.000-07:00

I am still wading through my parents things. My mother died over 6 years ago. She was quite a hoarder and we took about 30 carloads of things to the Oxfam shop when she moved from East Grinstead to Lymington to be near me, and another similar number to the tip. Oh, if only Freecycle had been around then, so much could have been reused, how fast things change, and there were loads of clothes which might now have been snapped up as retro. That was just 8 years ago. Then there was another major sort out when she died. I have saved some things for nostalgic reasons, well, lots really. I have saved some to go through and possibly sell. Now, I am going through things once more, and am sending things off to charity shops and Freecycle. One pile I keep coming across and putting aside to sort 'another time' is her stamp collection.

I have always cut out the stamps from letters received and sent them to Oxfam, (any guesses where I got this habit from?), who sort and make up packs and sell them, presumably sending some abroad where our boring ones become of interest! I feel quite wicked if I just put the whole envelope in the recycling with a stamp on! I also keep some envelopes from junk mail with pretty innards, to make into card, but that is another story! Who did I say was a hoarder?

card made using insides of old envelopes

I recently sent some to the Plymouth Oxfam, and received an unexpected and very grateful letter in return. They are struggling to get enough stamps for the packs they sell, and have had to use some from their store. So, please do send your old stamps to them, they will be very pleased.

My parents worked in the Oxfam shop in East Grinstead for many years.

I have now found the perfect solution to all the stamps that my mum had sorted into countries of origin but never mounted, as well as the vast collection of old stamps from this country. I have boxed them all, ready to go off to Oxfam. I shall feel virtuous, Oxfam will have a source of stamps for a while, we shall all be pleased. I have just got to go and do it...

One stamp I shall not be sending, among others I shall keep for now, is this Gadsden Purchase one. My maiden name was Gadsden.

'The Gadsden Purchase (known as Venta de La Mesilla, or "Sale of La Mesilla", in Mexico[2]) is a 29,670-square-mile (76,800 km2) region of what is today southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico that was purchased by the United States in a treaty signed by President Franklin Pierce on June 24, 1853, and then ratified by the U.S. Senate on April 25, 1854. It is named for James Gadsden, the American ambassador sent to Mexico at the time. The purchase included lands south of the Gila River and west of the Rio Grande. The Gadsden Purchase was intended to allow for the construction of a transcontinental railroad along a very southern route, and it was part of negotiations needed to finalize border issues that remained unresolved from the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War of 1846–48.
As the railroad age grew, business-oriented Southerners saw that a railroad linking the South with the Pacific Coast would expand trade opportunities. However, the topography of the southern portion of the Mexican Cession was believed to be too mountainous to allow a direct route, and projected southern routes tended to run to the north at their eastern ends, which would favor connections with northern railroads. That would ultimately favor Northern seaports. A route with a southeastern terminus, in order to avoid the mountains, might need to swing south into what was then Mexican territory. '

courtesy of Wickipedia.

earth hour

2009-03-28T03:31:00.001-07:00

Tonight, at 8.30pm, we are all encouraged to switch off our lights. This is a symbolic gesture of protest against what is happening to the planet, and is intended as an international wave from the earth, something like a Mexican wave in reverse I suppose, as the lights go out around the world as each country reaches 8.30 pm.

I will be supporting this, and have encouraged others to do so too, but it can only be valuable if it has a longer term impact, at a personal, national and international level.

At a personal level, I grew up with parents who were perhaps ahead of their time, but it infuriated me at the time. They switched off everything if it was not in use, they conserved everything, reused everything, rescued everything that might be of use, ate an excess of lentils. The war had an enormous impact on them which was long lasting. Thus, I have an awareness of how right it is to take care of our world, but a bit of me has also rebelled against this abstemiousness. The devilish temptation to leave lights on because I can, to eat sweet things because I can, buy something new because I can (not that I can afford to at present!), just sometimes takes over. And I am 52! I am still going through their things, six years after my mother died, and sending them off to the charity shops.

I try to do a little. I send my used stamps off dutifully to Oxfam as I always have. I rarely throw anything away that could be used again or sent somewhere that someone else could make use of it. Running a guest house, I need it to look welcoming to potential guests, so do keep the outside light on and the hall light on into the evening, but we do turn others off if we are not in the room. We reuse, recycle, reduce our purchases, I always have tended to, despite that little devil, I suppose it really is a tiny, shrinking devil who surfaces less and less!

On a national and international level, the picture seems bleak to me at present. Even there, small changes could be effected without too much trauma. Although churches and public buildings look lovely floodlit, do they need to be lit so much, for so long? The Peak Oil situation, see http://www.oilcrashmovie.com/ is alarming in the extreme. The local response, the setting up of Transition Towns, is a positive way for people to take some control over what happens, before control is taken out of our hands, as it must eventually be if no changes are made.

The current financial crisis may be good for the planet. We are all more careful with what we do, what we buy, I suspect the amount of rubbish going to landfill is decreasing. I am a huge supporter of Freecycle, and am one of the 'owners' (daft term, I do not own it!) of the Wadebridge site.

One thing I do not like is the tendency to out 'green' each other. I am sure I am guilty of it, but I do try not to fall into this trap. We all do what we can, well, most of us do, but there is always someone who will criticise our efforts and have to do it better. There are so many contradictions, so much to learn that seems full of jargon, it can be almost impossible to know what to do for the best. I guess though, that this has been the case throughout history and it is only hindsight that will tell us what we should have done.

title

2009-03-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

I have removed the piece of felt that was shown in my title. I have never been happy with how it was displayed and need to have a tweak with other ideas, but I do find this the most challenging part of blogging!

My first ever tea bag folded card. This is not something I would have ever tried, but we had a go in our group and it is great fun, calling for a high degree of accuracy. The term apparently derives from folding the decorative bags tea bags came in in some parts of Europe in the past, presumably when tea was a valuable commodity.

three beautiful things

2009-03-21T03:02:00.000-07:00

I have not done this for a while, which usually indicates I am surrounded by beautiful things and have no need of reminding myself!

Tiny jonquils, found in the hedge where they were not visible, so had to pick them! They delighted me on the shelf by my computer for a few days. Rather fuzzy photo.

Bonsai pepper tree. We have made a couple of attempts to keep bonsai trees, but they both died, very soon after buying them, so we blame the shop/growers! Not deterred, Simon was given this for his birthday. So far, it is thriving, and looks great against the white wall. it has even needed a little pruning!

'This bath is now over'. Barney having his bath before he went on his holidays with Philippa.

Less Ness

2009-03-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

This is what I am aiming for, at any rate. I have started Weight Watchers. It has been looming for some time, but I have been putting off the moment. I am doing it on-line, Simon has joined up too, we both have health related matters which would be best tackled smaller! So far, I have lost 4 pounds and am managing OK, but feel very hungry tonight. I like the structure of the 'Tracker' to keep my food intake under control. We have quality chocolate each day, and this I am enjoying far more than when I was scoffing a bar of chocolate a day, it is now a real treat, to be looked forward to. I promise not to go on about it too much here!

No, of course this isn't me! Thank you Internet for lending this image, hope it is OK to do so.

Dresser

2009-03-13T10:11:00.001-07:00

This dresser is now in use in our kitchen and I love it. It was originally given to my parents many years ago, and I hated it! It seemed old fashioned, tatty and daft! I have recently given it a bit of a makeover, although I rushed it, as is my wont, but that does not show in the picture!

By the time we moved to Michael House, I had decided I liked it and wanted to restore it, and so it sat in our shed for five years!

I did strip the drawers properly.

It is of oak construction, many might see my painting over the wood as wickedness.

But, it is now bright, light and very, very useful. It is full of quirkiness. The little spice section has a soft area to the top of it, acting as a lid to the three glass jars. The little glass drawers are precious and i doubt could be replaced. I cracked one cleaning them in overly hot water. The glass jars at the top also have a soft section above them, with a wooden system which lowers and again acts as a lid across all the jars.

There is a glass area inside one of the top doors for reminders of what to order, such as mace and wheatmeal

The other door has reminders of how to do household stuff, such as dealing with chimney fires and how long to cook things. Larks only take 10 - 12 minutes, and brussels sprouts 15- 20 minutes. There is evidence of poor painting around the edges of this area, but most of that was already done badly before I started. I know, I know, I should have cleaned it off.

I love it, it is so ergonomically designed. I do not know when it was made, or anything about it's history, and would love to know more. Surely people have not been eating larks for a very long time? My guess of it's manufacture was around the 20's. But, were people needing to know how long to cook larks that recently? Could it be a copy of a French dresser?

Bad blogger

2009-03-05T03:12:00.000-08:00

Berri tucked up with his pig in a rather dirty doggie duvet

Recently I seem to have been using Facebook at the expense of my blog! Sometimes I am more drawn to one, sometimes the other. I have got some blog posts in my head, but that is where they will have to stay for a couple of days at least, as I have guests arriving today and a house that is far from ready to receive them.

Our craft group is going along really well, it is great fun. We focus for a couple of weeks on one topic and then move to another. It does work best when at least one of us is a bit ahead and can introduce the rest of us to a subject. I have done this with felt making and will carry that forward as well as leading a session on card making. One week we had a go at mosaics, this was less successful, as it looks easy and we were all a bit over ambitious. We did not really have the most suitable materials, just multi-purpose grout from a DIY store and loads of old bits of crockery etc!

We are learning about each other too. The group laugh at me for the amount of materials, books, and general stuff I have for some of our subjects. We did patchwork last week, and I found some templates and books (and a few little half made hexagons of Laura Ashley fabric!) from way over 30 years ago. Well, I was able to get on and have a go and share my materials. I was very modest in my efforts, only aiming to make a piece to use on a card. I will add it here once completed. We do have a great laugh.

25 random things about me

2009-02-27T03:17:00.000-08:00

I was tagged on Facebook to do this, so have copied it to here as well. A bit of a cheat, but a fun exercise. Do have a go on your blog and let me know, I love reading them!

1 - I can't think of any things about me, let alone 25. OK, I lived in Sarth East London for 17 years.
2 - I went to just one school all the way through, for 13 years - a Steiner school
3 - I often eat peas, friom the freezer, briefly boiled up, on their own. I also often eat sweetcorn straight from the tin.
4 - I grew up a Quaker, and still feel a strong affinity, if it weren't for the God bit
5 - I had osteomyelitis, twice, when I was 14, and was in hospital for Christmas. It was quite fun
6 - I was good at art at 5, and had pictures all over the walls at school. My art teacher wrote something along the lines of 'despite her lack of ability...' when i was 14ish. I love art now, and paint, love pastels. I have sold 7 of my pictures!
7 - I have never, ever, eaten meat - well, OK, once, by mistake.
8 - I have never, ever, been tempted to eat meat. It just doesn't seem to be anything to do with food.
9 - One of my favourite places is the Victoria Falls, from the Zambian side
10 - I was adopted, age 6 weeks. I met my birth mother when I was 32. she died 8 years later, she was lovely. The process brought me closer to my adoptive parents as well.
11 - When I lived in the New Forest, I loved going to Monkey World.
12 - When I was about 12, I wanted to be a geologist. When I was about 14, I discovered it involved maths.
13 - My favourite place is Cornwall, Trebarwith Strand is hard to beat.
14 - I have an MA in Mental Health. I am proud of this. My dissertation was on the impact companion animals have on the daily living skills and self esteem of people with mental health problems.
15 - Yesterday, I bought some squeezy bottles from Lakeland, like they use in Masterchef, in the hope it will transform me into an exceptional cook
16 - I make nearly all the greetings cards I send. I love making things.
17 - When I trained as an Occupational Therapist, we spent 6 weeks doing basket making, a skill I would later strenuously deny when ribbed by non OTs!
18 - I love blogging. www.nessienoracraftexplorer.blogspot.com
19 - I love animals and get desperately upset about animal welfare issues, factory farming, abuse generally. I could never be active in this field, as I would get too upset. My bit is running my vegetarian guest house and doing what I can in my own life and gently raising awareness.
20 - I have not shopped in Tesco for nearly 2 years. This was initially because I learned they stock live turtles in their shops in the Far East, which cannot be humanely killed. But it is now because of a range of additional issues, their refusal to stock only free range eggs and poultry, their treatment of suplliers, their apparent attempt at world domination, judging by the number of Tesco lorries we see when we are out.
21 - My favourite meal is a jacket potato, with rich tomato sauce (with capers, sun dried tomatoes and loads of garlic), cheese and vegetables. And something with chocolate for dessert.
22 - I use a monocular to view distant objects, I only use one eye at a time, so two lenses is wasteful of limited world resources. I had an operation to correct my squint when I was 37. On the way home from it, I heard that John Smith had died.
23 - I would love to make Michael House posher and more luxurious
24 - I love the music of Geoffrey Oryema, Schubert, requiems, oratorios, and the kora, and Radio 2!
25 - I grew up going on Aldermaston Marches - ban the bomb - and first went in my pushchair. I am a fan of Tony Benn.
26 - I hate getting up, and rarely get to bed before midnight. Only 25, oh, it's 26! I'm only just starting...

visiting 5

2009-02-18T07:08:00.000-08:00

I is werring thiss kertin

I is stukk

i is not larfing any more, let me owt

visiting 4

2009-02-18T07:06:00.000-08:00

I iz hiding in thiss kertern

no human assistance was provided in the adoption of the above ludicrous stances. Human rescue packages were, however, later offered to Sky.

visiting 3

2009-02-18T06:57:00.001-08:00

sunset at Camber Sands

visiting 2

2009-02-18T06:31:00.000-08:00

The main purpose of our visit was to see Uncle Maurice, now 96 and still living alone and coping pretty well. I have waxed lyrical about him in previous posts. He wanted Simon to look at a tree, which he duly did, and suggested UM get a full tree survey. The tree in question dropped a branch onto a neighbour's garage, causing some damage, apparently, although the branches looked pretty thin. If he has a survey, he will be fully covered by insurance if there are any problems in the future. But Simon did not feel there was too much of a risk from the tree in question, but that one or two others might need a bit of a trim. We had a lovely lunch out, during which UM questioned most of what I said, basically suggesting it was rubbish. He prides himself on being an intellectual, and I think, me on not being! He likes to refer to writers he knows I will not have heard of, and he likes to dismiss my use of terms such as 'creativity'. He also thinks Facebook is absolute rubbish, I would not really expect him to think otherwise, but also suspect he, as his sister, my mum used to, is overly keen to dismiss anything of which he has no knowledge. But, if I reach 96, which I doubt, I hope to be as alert as Uncle Maurice and able to lead 51 year olds a merry dance of words. In the above picture, he was a mere 95!

visiting

2009-02-18T05:56:00.000-08:00

Berri has stolen Sky's ball again
Philippa and Peter

Now Stan has stolen Sky's ball

Snow, what snow, just throw my ball

It is hard now to remember back to the snow we had not long ago, as there is no trace of it any more.

When we headed up towards the Wiltshire plains, there was plenty. We were not sure we would get there as the A30 was shut by snow (6th feb), and we waited at home until the road was partially cleared around Okehampton. It was a magical journey, the trees were weighted down and the hills reflected the purples of the sunset. I have no photos of it sadly. The roads were nearly empty of traffic, but the snow did not stop one or two drivers' appalling behaviour - eg a tanker coming up behind us, hooting and flashing, overtaking and doing the same to the lorry in front which had been driving very well. For most of the way there was just one lane cleared. I was glad to be in the Landrover.

We then had a lovely weekend with Philippa and Peter and then headed on to Henley-on-Thames, to see my niece and her husband and their son, Tom, nearly 2.

That evening we headed off to sussex, the weather was awful, heavy rain this time! We were glad to arrive at the little cottage we have rented twice before, at Icklesham.

oops, bit of a paws

2009-02-18T05:06:00.000-08:00

thiss cubbord nedes painting. now. i is not duing it, yu is.

paws can be accounted for by

a - being away for a week

b - being busy on return with guest house

c - having serious Man Flu for that past few days

normal service will resume shortly.

Ted has been a very good nurse, or so he thought. Sleeping on my face, further restricitng my breathing, did nto really help though.

what a waste of good snow

2009-02-04T11:35:00.000-08:00

Snowing over the sea, what's the point of that?

Starlings

2009-01-29T03:40:00.000-08:00

We were told that there were huge flocks of starlings gathering over the woods beside Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor to roost at this time of year.

When we visited, we were not disappointed. As we arrived, some time before dusk, groups of starlings were streaming into the area, settling on the fields or in the trees, then taking off again and swooping around once more. We headed into the woods and it was an amazing sight. They chatter loudly, but only once they have settled in the trees, never in flight, it seems. The sound when they are flying is of their wings. It is advised to avoid having one's mouth open when looking straight up at them!

The image shown above is not mine, but is similar to what we saw. We did not see them performing high in the sky, the swoops and swirls of the flock working as one being we witnessed in the programme 'Swarm' recently. We may have been too close, or it may have been that the birds were just seeking rest and did not bother with all that display stuff! There was a brief 'The Birds' moment when it felt as though thousands of starlings were swooping at me, but of course they were not. It would be amazing to see them leave, presumably around dawn, but dawn is not my time of day...

Art and Craft Group

2009-01-27T07:03:00.000-08:00

We have just started up a new art and craft group in Treknow. Treknow is a tiny village of some 140 houses, many of which are holiday homes or holiday lets. Last week we had 8 people to the group, this week, 10. I think that is pretty good as we start out, and just right to get to know each other better and work together. The plan is to have a topic approximately every second week and to consolidate the subject or do our own thing on the other week. The first week we discussed the plans for the group and made out an initial programme. We had mulled wine, and one person had brought along their spinning wheel. she told us she had not used it for 20 years, and proceeded to use it fluidly and perfectly. We took turns on it, with hilarious results. It is very difficult to co-ordinate the foot pedal and the hand movements, and we had the best fun any of us had had in a long time. We did not look like the lady above, we all had teeth which I think she may not!

This week I lead a session in felt making. That was great fun, and people discovered that felt making is fairly easy, if slightly arduous. We tried both needle felting and wet felting and I had also taken along my embellisher machine which one or two people tried. i think at least a couple of people were inspired enough to peruse this craft on their own, and i suspect we will return to it a s a group in the future. I will add some photos later.

Forever Friends

2009-01-24T10:45:00.000-08:00

forever friends image - Google Search

how hideous are these? They are everywhere in the card making world. Yuck. I have never been one for cutesy things, these are just the worst!

Craft Magazines

2009-01-23T10:34:00.000-08:00

I am noticing that my creative interests are changing. I subscribed a few years ago to several card making and craft magazines. I used to greet their arrival with excitement and spend long hours absorbing many of the ideas they contained. Now, however, I find most of the ones I receive to be far from exciting, and many of the ideas dull. I still get a frisson of excitement occasionally, and have lots of pages stashed away in folders. But, things like Forever Friends, which seems to have flooded the card making market, I think are really trashy and yucky! The magazines I pass onto friends or Freecycle are increasingly complete! I have today cancelled all my direct debits to magazines. They have changed companies it seems, so the direct debit details have changed, so I had hesitated to cancel any, for fear of cancelling the wrong ones! Now, I do not care. I can always start afresh, and get the 'free' gifts again, or just get the occasional magazine from the shop if I fancy! Maybe the magazines have changed, but I think I have shifted more. I am more excited by textile magazines now, felt making, as well as art. The magazines I was taking just seem to be expensive adverts for products I do not want and cannot afford.

3 Beautiful Things

2009-01-23T10:16:00.001-08:00

Today, well by the time I took the dogs out anyway, was so far from beautiful, that I think the discipline of thinking of '3BT's is called for!

- laughing and chatting with a person I often see but rarely talk to much, as we were both getting soaked walking our dogs.

- making my first reasonably successful sheep in felt

- having a craft room all to myself, still in a mess, but getting there.

Notice how I still manage to qualify these, with 'reasonably', 'still in a mess'...

Agility

2009-01-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

For a long time I have been talking to a friend locally about the possibility of Sky, our collie, joining an agility class. Finally, aged 13, (sadly, Sky, not me!), but still very fit and agile, we went along to a group this evening. It was very entertaining, and I had a great time, but not exactly as expected.

It was not really the right class for Sky to join, as the others were already au fait in the basic principles, and we were clueless. We were invited to watch. It was lovely seeing all the dogs jump and follow directions. Sky looked very eager to join in. She was given a little go at the end. She just went around the jumps, so pleased to be off the lead and she wanted to play with the balls that were around, not jump over silly bits of plastic. I felt most let down by her. Then, when we left, she did a poo just outside, so that had to be cleared up in the dark. As I walked along just behind the others, who were talking of the hazards of a nearby speed bump, I fell, smash over it, in mud and humiliation, holding the poo bag aloft in an attempt not to squidge it on myself.

I think Sky may have the agility required, with training, but perhaps I do not. We have been having a little go with setting up little jumps with the broom and bowls! We may abandon plans for further humiliation for now.

There was something else going on today. Now, what was it? Oh, some inauguration or other. It was wonderful, and he fluffed his lines, and the speech was great and it was all so uplifting. There was depth, history, vision, intelligence. But then, I have never had the slightest interest in watching the inauguration of the President of the US before, so I can't pretend to make any comparisons. But, I bet there are many, many people who have likewise never been interested, and therein lies the hope of the world that Obama can shift the US and the world a few inches in a more constructive direction.

One day!

2009-01-18T10:52:00.000-08:00

One day, 9 hours, 7 minutes. That is how long it is until Barack Obama replaces George Bush, according to my 'Backwards Bush' countdown. How exciting, just hope that all goes well for him and that he can rise to the enormous expectations the world has for him. He can't of course, no-one person could, but maybe he can edge the process of change towards a more positive world.

2009-01-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

A little observation

2009-01-12T04:02:00.000-08:00

I sometimes press 'next blog' at the top of the blogger page, just to see what there is out there. This can be quite addictive, sometimes I have found interesting art, craft or literary blogs, or have followed links on to other blogs and probably then lost track of where I started out! My observation, however, is that in my surfing, I come across less and less in English. Less too, in our alphabet. I assume this is a reflection of how popular blogging has become, and the increase in people blogging all around the world, and those in English are becoming a smaller proportion of the whole. Many have photos, so the language is secondary.

A spot of arty stuff

2009-01-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

Once a week, well far less as I can't always get there when we are busy with the guest house, I attend an art group in Tintagel. It is great fun, I catch up on the banter I miss by working alone much of the time. I am really enjoying pastels at present. These are cheats in a way, as I used a book of pastel techniques for my source for these pictures, rather than using photos or real life. But, I quite like them!

Pastels are really messy to use, the dust gets on everything. I have not fixed any of the pictures, so have difficulty moving them about without them getting smudged. These two may get framed, but the ones which are not good enough I do not know what I will do with. I use most watercolours I have completed for a variety of purposes. The ones which I cannot frame get chopped up into cards, or used in my die cutting machine to make flowers or other shapes, used for backgrounds, etc! There is little waste. I will just have to ensure that all my pastels are good enough to go behind glass. There are fixatives available, or you can use hairspray, but these apparently dull the colours, I have not tried.

'Backwards Bush'

2009-01-06T16:12:00.000-08:00

It is amazing to see it saying 13 days left, it must have been there nearly a year! I wonder what it will do when Bush goes, will it vanish, or will it start counting in minus, or just freeze up until I delete it?

For anyone reading this who thinks I may be mad, well, I probably am, but, that aside, there is a little widget to the side of my blog which is counting down the days until George Bush leaves the Whitehouse!

Trago Mill

2009-01-05T14:28:00.000-08:00

In Cornwall, there is a very strange phenomena, Trago Mill. It is a shop, well I think there are three, it is an institution, a source of love and loathing. It sells just about everything, some things at greatly reduced prices, but, beware, not everything is cheaper than elsewhere! The one near Liskeard is situated in a bizarre, castellated but tacky building. There are political notices scattered about, proclaiming the wonders of UKIP (The United Kingdom Independence Party, seeking to leave the EU), and you have to show your receipt when you leave the store, which is then scribbled on without being unravelled or even glanced at.

The image shows a tiny section from the rear of the building, so gives a limited impression of the place.

We went there yesterday. We brave the place about once a year, usually seeking specific things, but then finding a few other 'essentials' we didn't know we needed. It is not as bad as Ikea in that way. Ikea manages to have loads of things I didn't know existed, but then realise are essential. Fortunately I do not go often, I have been only once since moving to Cornwall five years ago. At least Trago only has familiar things!

I think I still fall into the loathe it category, but I did quite enjoy our visit. I think my experience was improved by the friendliness of the staff, which I have never felt they were on previous visits. Perhaps in 2010 I will venture there again.

word for 2009

2009-01-04T15:41:00.000-08:00

after looking at Shelagh Folgate's blog just now, I was inspired to think of what my word for this year would be. I have decided it will be - explore. What is yours?

The end of Christmas

2009-01-04T14:59:00.000-08:00

This is a knitted nativity set I have had for a few years. I did not knit it! I love it, and I know of at least two others locally. Where has Joseph gone? He is hiding amongst the kings! Behind the scene is a copy of the labyrinth situated at Rocky Valley near here. I suspect the labyrinth is about fertility, so not that out of place really.

The sheep is kissing (or possibly eating) the baby.

Ah, there's Joseph, a bit the worse for wear, blurry, after all that myrrh. I don't think you are meant to drink myrrh Joseph.

I always greet the end of Christmas with mixed feelings. On the one hand, it is good to get the decorations down and clear the space and get on with the new year. On the other, it seems a shame to put away all the pretty things, take down the tree and leave the festive season behind. I try to leave the taking down until the 6th January, 12th night, as this has been how I have done it throughout my life. I am not religious, I do not even properly know the significance of 12th night. I have noticed that the tendency is for Christmas to start earlier and earlier and for it to end sooner as well. When I was a child, we would only put up the tree shortly before Christmas, but it stayed up until 12th night.

Swarms

2009-01-04T14:45:00.000-08:00

There was a TV programme tonight, the first of a two parter, about swarms. The bees were extraordinary, covering a man who had used a pheromone spray to mimic the Queen bee, they were even walking in his face, he looked as though he was wearing a bear suit. The starlings were phenomenal, we see them doing their tricks in the sky not far from here, but not on the scale of these, above Rome. They became less welcome after dark, when they found their nighttime roosts. The crabs and ants were fascinating, and the mayflies were beautifully filmed. The flies which were made into fly burgers and the locusts were less appealing, as were the cicadas who burst out of their skins into flying versions. But worst of all for me, were the mice in Australia. Millions and millions of them, literally pouring out of a farm building where pigs lived. Until they focused on just a pair, looking very sweet at the end. I couldn't help drawing a parallel with the human race, individually wonderful, but, en masse, sometimes the power for good gets lost. The programme next week will explore the science of swarming behaviour.

The butterfly in the porch

2009-01-04T14:39:00.001-08:00

This is the butterfly in the porch, not nearly so pretty as the picture I stole from the Internet for an earlier post, but he is the real thing!

He is looking quite healthy, his wings do not appear to be damaged. It is forecast to be very cold tonight, hope he will be OK. What I am also noticing, is the rather shabby paintwork he is having to sit on. I have plans for that...

Resolutions proper

2009-01-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

OK. Thinking about what I want to achieve in 2009 I have found there are really two areas I want to focus on.

I want to develop my business and take more risks, not just stay in the safe niche i could choose. I plan to offer cheapish evening meals to local people again, e.g. curry evenings, and make Michael House available to groups of people to have meals or arrange meetings or other events, craft weekends etc. i am planning a curry evening at the request of someone locally, probably for the beginning of February. I am also aware of the need to consolidate what I have achieved so far, and need to establish which of my marketing strategies is most effective, by keeping better records of how people found us.

I want to develop my creativity. I don't only mean in making things or painting, but also in tackling the uncertainly of the coming months in financial terms, reducing dependency on new things, using what I have effectively, altering and improving things, be it clothes or decorating parts of the house, which is due a freshen up. I need to get my craft room working properly for me, make it feel inviting and less cluttered, so that I get more of my ideas into reality.

These are things I feel positive about, not just chores I could rewrite each year with no progress.

resolutions

2009-01-03T03:44:00.000-08:00

St Michael's Mount, picture taken early last year. Included for no other reason than I like it!

Perhaps reverse psychology is called for here. For example, I usually stay up until midnight, but, on New Year's Eve, because I was trying to stay awake, I wanted to go to bed early. I spoke to several people who felt the same! Let's start with the following New Year's Resolutions:

Procrastinate. Never do today what I can put off until tomorrow.

Be less creative.

Spend more time on Facebook.

Eat more, exercise less, go to bed later.

As soon as I set myself a target I seem to need to rebel against it and do the opposite. Trouble is, I know I am only kidding myself with the above! I will leave the sensible plans to another post.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T04:12:00.000-08:00

Trebarwith Strand on a sunny winter's day, probably last year!

I can't believe it is 2009 already. I haven't got used to it being 2008 yet, I'm only just adjusting to the 21st Century! Am I showing my age in this?!

I plan to add some resolutions, once I think of some I might stand a chance of keeping. The mental health charities advise against making resolutions in January, as being fuel for feeling even more miserable if they fail at a time when moods are often low anyway! But, if I don't make them now, there is no likelihood of me doing so in, say, August when the sun might be out. The 'eat less, lose weight, exercise more' type will not feature, and can be taken as read.

Happy New Year.

nessienoraCRAFTexplorer

2008-12-29T12:22:00.000-08:00

These are the three bags I made and sent to Simon's nieces in Austria. I have been collecting old pure wool jumpers, gathered from various sources, for some time, and excitedly shrinking them in the washing machine, only then to leave them stuffed into a cupboard! I had been planning to make these for some time, so was delighted, however amateurish the results, to complete these at last! The first incorporates some work using the embellisher machine, and the other two have birds and flowers cut out on the Cuttlebug machine, as well as stitching.

This last one was a delight really, as the bobbles were part of the jumper! I get the jumpers cheaply from charity shops. Some shops cannot sell certain woollen items, e.g. where they have been handmade, or where they have shrunk already.

Christmas at Michael House

2008-12-29T12:14:00.000-08:00

Christmas was great. We were fully booked with guests. I was quite anxious before the guests arrived, fuelled by not being very busy for a while before Christmas, allowing greater focus on the few days than might have otherwise been the case, and the fact that I alwasy want it to be a great success. I also always hope the guests will get on with each other. They did, they were all lovely, and it all went well.

The dogs behaved, mostly, Barnie only stole on two occasions, a chocolate gift he found in Simon's top room and a piece of Christmas cake he managed to tear off the cake when we were distracted! His (Simon's, not Barnie's!) study is titled the 'Doghouse', and as it has a big TV in there, is now dubbed 'The Doghouse Studio'!

Christmas butterfly

2008-12-29T10:01:00.001-08:00

I confess I did not take this photo, I 'borrowed' it from the searchable archives.

Each winter since we have been at Michael House, we have had one or two Vanessa butterflies hibernate in the house over winter. Some have lived, some have died. Last winter one was poised above our bed on the ceiling for months. Then, I realised it had gone. I had not found little sad bits of butterfly dotted about, so I can only assume it survived and went on to enjoy the warmer weather.

We have one in the porch at present. I have put out some sugar water for it to drink. Apparently they taste with their feet, so I hope it knows what it has there! One year I overdid the stickiness and the poor thing got all stuck down, so I hope I have avoided that this time.

I thought the poor thing had died, it was folded up and on its side. But I glanced at it later, and there it was, wings resplendant, so I have popped it back with it's water in the porch.

It is interesting that we make such a fuss of pretty things. If it were a moth, would I be bothering? Perhaps. If it were a wasp, a cockroach? I doubt that there is much difference between a butterfly and a cockroach's experience of pain or pleasure, whatever they have of either. It is largely our love of what we interpret as beautiful or useful that dictates our decision to protect one creature over another. I would be likely to protect a bee before a wasp, a butterfly before a moth, a pretty caterpillar over a cabbage white, I suspect most of us would.

I do hope this butterfly survives the winter and goes on to do great butterfly things in 2009.

I do find another affinity with these butterflies of course, the name!

one present less to open

2008-12-22T16:19:00.001-08:00

Barnie has already consumed one present. We hadn't even got it as far as under the tree.

Limericks

2008-12-21T12:29:00.000-08:00

There was a young dog name of Berrri
Who used to be overly merry
His boisterous jumpings,
and leapings and humpings
were snipped by our friendly veterinary

or...

There once was a lab name of Barnie,
Who had a great love of the sarnie
He’d eat the bird seed,
On all things he’d feed.
We wish that he’d move to Killarney.

For Lovely...

There was a young lady, a charmer,
Who had it in mind, 'Be a farmer'.
So she gave up OT,
She'll make, as you'll see,
Without drama, the best llama farmer.

I am beginning to think in limericks!

Ted remembered something he forgot to put in his letter this year - he is getting scatty in his old age, like the rest of us:

'the uptites hav bene thinking ov getting anuther kat for ajis, but thanc gudnes thay hav not yett. du not remind them. thay wud like a main koon. i thinc that is rasist.'

For anyone reading this who has not received Ted (the cat)'s round robin, you are going to think me completely mad! Ted has very poor spelling and is generally grumpy and rude about everything and everyone. My alter ego? Of course not!

Wishing anyone who reads this a Happy Christmas and a great New Year, in which the only Crunch is of snow underfoot and Coco Pops.

X factor, pah

2008-12-18T05:07:00.000-08:00

here's the proper version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf36v0epfmI

oh no, it's Leonard Cohen again!

2008-12-18T05:04:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki9xcDs9jRk

this is another beautiful song!

The unshaded one

2008-12-11T03:01:00.000-08:00

Berri managed to completely break his collar last night, but we didn't bother too much, as he was due to have it removed today. He is now so pleased to be lampshade free and is most loving and gorgeous, he doesn't seem to blame us for the whole episode!

3BT

2008-12-10T13:13:00.001-08:00

I think I need to list three beautiful things today, as I have not been seeing much as beautiful. Sometimes, reminding myself of how lucky I am and that I have a great life just makes it worse, as then I feel gulty as well as miserable. I am having difficulty getting up at present, I think there may be a little SAD effect on my affect. Anyway, enough maudlin introspection, on with the 3BT.

err.

oh, I know...

Being amongst people at the art group and eating, err cake. Oh, and creating a reasonable pastel picture.

At last having a card machine for guests to pay on. It has a clock on the front, so that will be useful. Oh dear, that is really scraping the barrel of beautiful things.

Anticipation of tomorrow when Berri will hopefully be able to cast his lampshade aside and walk proud and tall again, if slightly lighter underneath.

And now, Ted the cat has just fallen into the recyclling bin trying to get my attention to let him in. 3BT and 1AT.

Getting creative

2008-12-09T10:13:00.000-08:00

A watercolour card, very simple, but quite pleasant!

This no longer exists, as I stupidly painted something else which was more important on the back! It was just intended to be a little card, and was copied, roughly, from a book, to learn new techniques. I enjoy painting buildings.

This is a watercolour of Trebarwith Strand, and sold some time ago. I tried to make it my header for the blog, so it now has writing on, but I could not get it to work properly as the title!

This year, partly due to the need to reduce spending and partly to having a bit more time and feeling inspired, I am making quite a few Christmas presents. I will not display those on here until after they have reached their new homes, but here are a couple of my watercolours for now, which have either already sold or are cards or other pictures.

The Shaded One

2008-12-08T11:02:00.001-08:00

Nuff said. Sky is clearly embarrassed to be seen with him. It should be coming off soon.

The Patient

2008-12-04T15:36:00.000-08:00

The four legged patient is doing well, he has eaten a lot today and been for a little walk. He forgets he is impeded by a lampshade and just carries on as if it is not there, until he is stopped by it jamming into something. He had broken it even before he left the vet, so it is getting much the worse for wear.

Berri-Biskit

2008-12-03T13:38:00.000-08:00

Berri-Biskit has had the chop today. He now looks as far from the picture of him in a recent post as would be possible to imagine. He has a big lampshade on to stop him licking the affected area, he is very miserable and looks pitifully and, we feel, accusingly, at us.

I have always had all my animals neutered, so I am not really sure why this has been such a difficult decision. Maybe because it is for me the first dog i have had to have done, or because it was not done immediately it could be. The vet was not particularly encouraging of having it done. The decision was made when Berri was badly bitten by a dog which I assume he had tried to mount. He had done this before and been very badly bitten on the beach here. Both times involved various visits to the vet and discomfort, for Berri and all of us. but, he always seems such a proud boy, I hope that has not gone for good.

3BT

2008-11-30T15:36:00.001-08:00

I stopped doing the 3 Beautiful Things exercise some time ago. I think I will revisit it sometimes:

Macaroni cheese cooked by Simon

Being on the beach at Trebarwith Strand and meeting lots of dogs and their people. There is no better way to get chatting to other people than via your dog sniffing their dog's bottom, or their dog stealing your dog's ball.

Facebook - witty little comments, re-making contact with people I had nearly forgotten, links to other things. OK, OK, Wordscraper Blitz, a scrabble type game, in which you play against yourself, but it is timed and others are also playing and the person with the higest score wins. Very addictive.

Pavlov

2008-11-29T14:22:00.000-08:00

Maybe our dogs are not so clever, or they think we are not.

During the few days of summer we had this year, and in past years to a greater degree, we enjoy taking our food outside to eat whenever possible. The dogs love to come with us. As they cannot be near us indoors when we eat in the kitchen or dining room, being around us and hoping for morsels to 'accidentally' drop on the patio holds great interest for them, so they leap up and down and wait for us to open the gates etc.

Today, we decided to eat crumpets and cake in our little annexe, where we sleep and where we have a wood burning stove alight much of the time. We have never done this before. The route to the annexe is via the back door, as the route to the garden is, and the dogs jumped up and down for the gate to the garden to be opened. They were of the opinion that, as we were carrying food and drink, we must be going to eat outside!

This all comes down to the conditioning that Pavlov discovered in some cruel experiments he conducted whereby dogs learn to salivate on the cue of food and act accordingly. Or does it just come down to us having very silly dogs, who expect us to eat outside in the cold in winter? I wonder if they will latch on the next time we take food out of the back door!

Shopping in Truro

2008-11-24T15:09:00.000-08:00

We ventured to the vast metropolis of Truro, for a spot of Christmas shopping today. It was fairly quiet, pleasant and we had several food and drink breaks. What I noticed however, was how out of touch with fashions I have become and what a country cousin I now am! I haven't worn a skirt for months, it never crosses my mind to do so even! Yet, here were all these women wearing skirts with lovely boots and looking generally great. I bought some make-up for someone for Christmas, and it was extortionately expensive. I began to understand why, on Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 yesterday, someone rang in to say that the new 45% tax threshold of £150,000 'wasn't much at all, and barely enough to get onto the property ladder', which I had previously considered a preposterous statement.

Searching for ancient woodlands

2008-11-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

We have come to realise that it is fun to search for ancient woodlands. There are books describing where to find them, and it entails visiting all sorts of places we would probably not otherwise see. We went to three woods on our recent holiday in Shropshire, some on the well trodden route at Croft Castle, but we did not find the really ancient ones here, then we visited Shrawley woods, much of which seemed to be behind fences saying 'Keep out'. The woods were of small leafed lime trees and were right beside us for a long while. The final woods we tried to visit, but did not really see properly, due to failing light, were at Lords Hill near Snailbeach, where there is a stand of ancient holly. To find this we had to cross the Long Mynd, quite a hairy car ride. Then the road went down a lane so small it had grass growing along it's length and there were two closed gates along the way! I found this quite daunting, and might have chosen to turn round, but when we found someone opening and closing the gates and going through as though it was all quite normal, we followed suit. All these visits were just tasters, and much more time could be spent at each of them, as well as exploring many other sites, we have many holidays of searching ahead I hope...

Shrawley Woods, small leafed lime trees

Lords Hill Snailbeach, - hollies

Croft Castle - collection of ancient trees

Pretty pictures from our holiday in Shropshire

2008-11-19T14:35:00.000-08:00

Mistletoe

Fabulous autumn colour

Those dogs have to sniff their way into as many pictures as possible. This is mainly of an amazing tree we found when we were looking at a small leafed lime tree woodland, this is not a lime tree!

Wigmore Castle

Ho hum, Leonard Cohen has become a ghost with three heads. My photos were truly awful, but there are plenty of excellent snippets on YouTube

the view from the kitchen window at The Shear

Resting at the cottage we rented in Shropshire - we all did lots of that

Credit crunch - well there's nothing else to eat.

2008-11-19T14:26:00.000-08:00

The table is bare.

I never have any money in the winter, that is the nature of the role I have chosen, and I am beginning to accept it and I have discovered some great charity shops and have more clothes than ever. We just about get by, Simon's work is less seasonal, luckily. Having little money leads to creativity, well I am hoping it will. Somehow, though, it feels more acceptable not to have any money this winter, what with the credit crunch, and everyone having similar problems. I might not have even felt comfortable mentioning my penny pinching ways this time last year, so the financial crisis has done some good, even if just for greater openness by myself. Blogging and Facebook are free.

Leonard Cohen

2008-11-16T14:51:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQTRX23EMNk

the version we heard at the concert at Cardiff was even more magical than this, but the You Tube recordings on people's mobile phones do not do it justice!

Absolutely magical, exquisite, a term I do not use often, or lightly.

delights of dog ownership

2008-10-31T16:29:00.000-07:00

Sky has rolled in something nasty, fox poo. Fortunately, she is not due at the White House where she makes her visits, for about three weeks, so should be sweet smelling by then.

the garden

2008-10-31T16:07:00.000-07:00

Today I did some clearing up of the garden towards preparing it for winter. The day was beautiful, the garden less so, as it gets very neglected. But, despite this, there were lots of things to enjoy. We still have some things to eat coming from the garden and the polytunnel in particular. I gathered runner beans, courgettes, a very few last broad beans, there are tomatoes a-plenty, and there are still a few slightly sad looking sweet peas and calendula flowers out.

We may take Ted on holiday, he doesn't know yet, but is wondering why he hasn't been fed since this morning. It is because, if he can come, he will be very unwell if he has eaten a lot, and only a bit less unwell if he has not eaten for a while.

Sky

2008-10-16T10:27:00.001-07:00

We have a little game whereby Sky drops the ball over the stile and then I throw it over for her. I have to be careful there is no-one the other side before I throw it!

courgette

2008-10-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

I was not aware there had been any nuclear fallout problems in Cornwall?

Dartmoor

2008-10-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

that smudgy thing is a balloon

We visited Dartmoor recently, en-route to see the Devon Open Studios. I fell in love with Dartmoor. We went twice and had fantastic weather on both occasions.

Sennen

2008-10-16T10:07:00.001-07:00

We visited Sennen the other day and had a wonderful day, seeing where Jonathan, Simon's cousin has moved to in St Just and we had lunch in Sennen, a favourite place of mine. Whilst there we managed to get clamped in the car park, as we forgot to get a ticket, so preoccupied were we with dogs, sorting out a table in the great cafe/restaurant which overlooks the bay, etc. The clamping man was lovely, very good at defusing any potential angst, although we had no excuse, but I tried the hopeless female rout, it did not work. I did not try it, I was it! He had previously worked in the army, including service in Iraq. He had doubtless defused rather more than angry immobilised people.

The dog in the pictures was mad, he kept jumping up at the sky. His leaps didn't seem co-ordinated with the high waves, perhaps he jumps up for fish when the boats come in, who knows. He appeared to live there.

2008-10-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

My last entry sounds rather breathless and a bit boastful really, upon reflection. I covered so many topics, just to pack them all in in an effort to catch up, where really they should all have had their own neat section. We will be busy this weekend, there is a wedding locally, a shame the weather won't be nicer. I can recall a wedding, the same time of year, with rather poor weather. Ours! At least these people will be in a proper building, not worrying that their tent may fall down. Then, they are off to Australia, to live.

Where to start?

2008-09-30T07:07:00.001-07:00

It is so long since I have made a post on here, that I do not know where to start.

We have had a hectic season, and from now on the busiest times are more restricted to the weekends. Despite the weather, July was our busiest ever and the rest of the summer has been good as well. As we move into autumn, there are more walkers coming this way and there are a few weekend weddings and parties for which people need somewhere to stay.

I just heard from someone who stayed in early July. he was walking from land's End to john O'Groats, so was at the beginning of his travels. He made it, he lost four stone in weight and he recommended Michael House as one of the best places he stayed! So, that was lovely, he also made lots of money for the charities he was seeking sponsorship for.

I recently sold the above picture. It was framed when I sold it, so looks better than this!

We also recently visited the Devon Open studios www.devonartistnetwork.co.uk. I love attending Open Studios. they provide an opportunity to meet artists, see them in their working environment, have a nose at their home and garden in many cases, and get a real feel for what they are doing. We saw about five in all, over two days, they were quite a long way off, over Dartmoor, and we had gorgeous weather, so spent quite some time enjoying that. In the process, we fell in love with Dartmoor, an area we didn't know well, but thought would be wonderful, and it is.

I have some photos to upload, so will do another post with photos soon.

2008-07-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

Just for now

2008-07-10T03:22:00.000-07:00

Whilst we are busy through the summer season with the guest house, I plan to mainly blog on the Other One - http://www.michael-house.blogspot.com/. So do pop over!

Rocky Valley

2008-06-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

This is Queen Victoria, at Rocky Valley.

Here are the dogs, again. This is at Rocky Valley, near here, a fabulous, well, rocky valley. It leads down to the coast path and the cliffs above the sea.

view from the back of the house

2008-06-23T02:52:00.000-07:00

I always seem to take these photos when the light is rubbish, I must try to do them early or late! The echiums are magnificent this year, never seen them so good. I did take this photo a few days ago.

Robins

2008-06-22T02:37:00.000-07:00

The robins are making their winter noise, immediately the solstice is over, in fact, they were doing it yesterday

What an owler

2008-06-18T02:51:00.000-07:00

As there was a full moon, and the tide was out late, I decided to visit the beach alone with the dogs at around 10.30 pm last night, after clearing up from the guest's supper and laying breakfast.

We had a great run on the beach, there was one family there, and one dog with them, whom Berri-Biskit made instant friends with. When they left, a fisherman arrived, also with a dog and he was setting up his fishing gear. I always worry a little that Berri- B will discover some sort of delicious bait and cause mayhem. All was well.

There is a stream that comes down to the sea through Trebarwith Strand beach. It forms a mini delta as it reaches the sea, ie., it widens and is very shallow. I waded through this, getting my feet and sandals very wet, as I could not gauge the depth, as it was approaching darkness. When we returned, I decided to cross on the rocks a little higher up, so as not to get wet (eh, I was already wet).

I crossed at a little rocky place, only a couple of feet to get over, a little slippery, but fine.

Not fine. Woomph. I slipped on seaweed and went, bottom first, into a rock pool. As I went down, all I could think of was my keys in my pocket and the two bags of steaming poo in my hand. I was absolutely soaked, and covered in sand. Fortunately, the water was fresh, as it was heading toward the sea. Nothing hurt, except my pride. I hoped no-one had seen me.

The poo bags were still clutched in my hand, but had taken in water - I just hope they hadn't leaked.

I scurried back to the car, which fortunately was only at the top of the beach. I just wanted to get home and out of my drenched clothes. It is only about a five minute drive home. I drove carefully, aware I was probably a bit shocked.

I suddenly saw some brown wings, near my wheel. An owl had come out of the bushes. It is a tree lined, quiet road. Had I hit it, what should I do? Carry on, go back? I had to drive passed my usual turn off to turn round, and, when I got back, there he was, a lovely little juvenile tawny owl, sitting right in the middle of the road. I got out, and we looked at each other for a bit. If I moved anywhere behind him, he swivelled his head and watched me more. He showed no sign of moving out of the road, I didn't know if he was injured. I could hear his mum, calling him, I knew I should avoid touching him, or his mum might not recognise his scent and reject him. Also, I thought he might bite me if I tried to touch him. But I was worried he might be injured and that a car might squash him.

A car came along, shortly followed by another. Fortunately, they were together, and the occupants were middle aged women. Hopefully it was too dark by then for them to notice my state of total wetness, and I had almost forgotten about that anyway. We were all at a bit of a loss, and concerned for the owl's welfare. Then, the idea of using a coat to flap the owl to the side of the road came up, and I did so, with my soaking fleece. He was not happy with this plan, and puffed out his wings to their full width - about 18ins. - and made alarming clacking noises with his beak. But, once at the side of the road, he stayed there. And, his wings did not look injured, and he could walk fine. He had probably just been stunned and was in shock with all the lights etc. We all left the area, gingerly. When I turned round further down the road, and came back up, there was no sign of him.

I may not go down to the beach tonight.

Title

2008-06-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

I have altered the title picture, but am not happy with it. it seems to involve a lot of fiddling about to get a photo sorted and the right size and with the wording in the right place and the right size as well! Oh well, I will tackle it soon.

the Other Blog

2008-06-11T06:49:00.000-07:00

I have been doing more posts on The Other Blog recenlty, www.michael-house.blogspot.com

a little bit of craft activity

2008-06-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

The butterflies are silver and move around onthe ends of bits of wire! it was a card for a 25th wedding anniversary.

Goldfinch on top of the echium

2008-06-05T09:27:00.001-07:00

OK, it's rather small, and could be any bird, but I know it is a goldfinch! They sit there a lot, bobbing up and down in the breeze.

One for Lovely

2008-06-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

This was taken at the Pencarrow, near Bodmin, Farmers day and country event. ALthough the weather this year was not great, it was a lot better than last year, when the only living things still outside were the llamas! I have only just noticed the clever play on the l in Lland! You could be Llovely's Llamas, or even your proper name with an extra l!

Jigsaw

2008-05-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

A jigsaw now appears at the bottom of this page, for the delight and entertainment of anyone who is reading this!

Bad blogger

2008-05-28T05:48:00.001-07:00

I am horrified to see how long it is since I did a post of any sort. I have all sorts of ideas on things to include, but ideas is all they have remained. They mostly involve taking or downloading photos, which takes time, and I am now busy with the guest house, so that has gone on the back burner.

One recurring thought however, is that I have posted very little about any craft activity for a long time. I entitled this Nessienora Craft Explorer for a reason, to explore crafts. I could better have called it Nessienora Plant Explorer, or Nessienora, Bird Explorer, Nessienora, Anthropomorphising Pet Explorer, or dare I say it, recently, Nessienora, Breast Explorer! But as for craft. Not a peep. I have been doing some watercolours, and a little felt making and have made some cards. But, my interest seems to be more directed to the painting of one sort or another and I do want to pursue the felt making. I will not change the name of the blog, that sounds complicated! I will post some pictures of stuff I have done, soon.

Mammogram

2008-05-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

About 6 weeks ago, I had my first routine mammogram. It was very quick and easy, local and carried out with minimum discomfort by radiographers on a mobile unit. I thought little of it, was surprised how minor the procedure was, and went home. Then, a few days later, I received a recall letter. Perhaps the picture was not clear, perhaps there was a benign lump, perhaps I had cancer.

The staff at the Mermaid Center at Treliske, Truro, were excellent. They were reassuring. There was something, probably a cyst. They took more pictures, then did an aspiration to remove whatever was there. Green, lovely. I felt reassured, that was the end of it. They did a last mammogram to make sure it had gone. It had not. So, then I was called back for a biopsy. This was about one week alter. It was not painful, and the staff were so attentive, that I thought I was definitely dying, although the radiologist had been very reassuring that the 'lump' (I have never been able to feel it) was probably nothing to worry about.

Today I returned for the result. I was very nervous, the outcome seemed so life altering. But, as I waited anxiously in the waiting room, I asked myself what I was most worried about. Not dying, not pain, but how it would affect my business, losing my hair, the general uncertainty and lack of ability to plan anything. And how it might affect me and Simon, whether I would be unbearably ratty.

I was called in, the consultation lasted about one minute, all is well, there is a fatty or calciferous lump, but nothing needing any treatment.

Gradually, the relief flooded in and is still with me. I can now get on with planning things, and return to worrying about all the little day to day niggles, how the tomatoes are growing, how rapidly the weeds are taking over, whether I have just been bitten by a cat flea and the like...

I think it has been a useful experience, something and yet nothing. Simon has been fantastic, coming with me and hearing all my worries, yet holding back on his own anxieties and fears for the future. There may be many more tests of us to come I am sure, but I feel stronger to deal with them now that we have come through this one.

three beautiful things

2008-05-13T05:41:00.001-07:00

As I seem not to manage to do this, I think I will stop saying I will do it! It is a bit restrictive, and although potentially a good discipline, sometimes stops me doing a post at all if I can't think of any, let alone three beautiful things to write about! I may still do the odd 3BT post, as and when the mood takes me! Of course, today, it is easy to think of 3 beautiful things:

Echiums
The weather
A healthy Barney

message from Barney

2008-05-13T05:08:00.000-07:00

This is me in my special den. I love it in here, but you really didn't need to shut the zip, you don't usually. You didn't know it when you took this photo, but I was not very well. Apparently I ate something dodgy. I was feeling quite rubbish later on, and couldn't even eat, walk or get up. You took me to the hospital. I had to stay the night, after having some bag of stuff put into me. I felt a lot better the next day and came home. I am back to normal now, munching my way through everything I can find. I ate a few of the new degradable poo bags Vanessa had carefully put in a closed drawer for me.
You humans grumble about being in mixed sex wards when you go to hospital. when I was in the hospital, I was in a mixed species ward. Now, don't get em wrong, I like cats, but, when you are feeling weak and ill, you really need the company of your own kind.

view from just outside!

2008-05-13T04:57:00.001-07:00

This is my monthly picture of the view from just outside the window where I sit at the computer, a couple of days late. The echiums are out and the camelia is well and truly over. People tend to love or hate echiums. Clearly, I love them! they are majestic, they dance, they attract a myriad of bees. They are a talking point. And they love living here and we have loads of seedlings and plants we sell for a Zambian charity or the village hall.

Any concerns that bees are reducing in number is allayed by the buzzing coming from the blossoms. As the season develops, the flowers push higher and higher, but also outwards, until the leaves are almost completely obscured. The flowers also spiral around the stem and leaves.

Chaffinches

2008-05-09T06:24:00.001-07:00

This little fellow is making use of the dog's unwanted fur for it's nest. This is the dog bed, upturned to air, and the chaffinch made repeated visits to collect the fur. He will have a lovely little, doggie smelling nest!

Today, a fledgling chaffinch, I assume not from the same, now completed nest, as that was only a few days ago, got himself into the kitchen. Ted, the cat did not know anything of this, fortunately. I did not stop to get the camera, as I did not want to prolong his distress. I tried not to touch him, as that can put the adult off feeding I believe. I eventually got him outside, and he seemed to be reunited with at least one parent.

three beautiful things

2008-05-03T02:23:00.000-07:00

1 - A goldfinch sitting on top of an echium, swaying in the breeze. This is not my photo, this one is sitting atop a teazle, which is a popular choice. He, or she, was singing away for quite a time. Perhaps they have nested in the garden. Must keep Ted away.

2 - Seedlings peeping through the compost in the polytunnel, at last!

3 - Despite being a life labour voter, and a keen supporter othe GLC of years past, I am not entirely disappointed with the new mayor of London, he is such a character, and we should be in for some fun! Perhaps if I still lived in London, I might have a different view. Maybe Ken can now step forward for consideration for PM? - once he is reelected as an MP, of course! Perhaps including this in 3BT is a tad overstating my views, but there it is...

Veggieplaces

2008-04-27T15:28:00.000-07:00

I am very excited. Michael House Vegetarian Guest House has been made the 'Place of the Month' on http://www.veggieplaces.co.uk/, a listing site of vegetarian guest houses and restaurants. I am not one to blow my own trumpet, but this site relies on reviews, and I assume it is because of a recent, really nice one, that I got the accolade! Major (veggie of course, so not that major) London restaurants have been given it, so I feel really honoured. It came at just the right moment, when a few things have been going wrong recently. Thank you Lovely for reminding me to write here!

Three Beautiful Things

2008-04-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is my monthly picture of the view from where I sit at my computer, or just outside the window, taken on 11th April. The camelia is just hanging onto it's last flower. The echiums are growing apace, as is the grass.

Today, it is easy to think of three beautiful things, sometimes it is harder:

1 - Finding a lovely little place on the cliff top, surrounded by coconut smelling gorse, with a natural cushion and arm rest, to have a little rest

2 - getting loads on my list of to dos, done, bills, cards etc., now in the post

3 - getting further underway in the polytunnel, planting seeds, weeding. I always feel so positive that this year it will go well, even when I have had a disappointing year, such as we did last year.

3BT

2008-04-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Berri watching the tiger programme
The sunset this evening, but I am a bit alarmed at the speed with which the sun is moving across the sky towards it's mid summer zenith.
Playing Scrabble on Facebook with fun people

Berri-Biskit

2008-04-13T14:07:00.000-07:00

Berri-Biskit has just been enjoying watching a programme about tigers. He wanted to play with them. Luckily, he couldnt get into the TV, as they would have made a quick snack of him.

This is a picture of him when he was very young. He still thinks he is a few weeks old sometimes, even though he is a fully grown dog now.

Outdoors

2008-04-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

The head gardener taking a well deserved rest in the polytunnel

The head gardener posing amongst the pots in the only section of the polytunnel deemed suitable for public display at present

What a lot of flowers on this primrose! they are everywhere now, and some have been out since January.

our new hellebore seems happy here, but time will tell!

The weather has been so varied these past few days, but there have been opportunities to make a start on the garden and polytunnel. It is such a haven to work in the polytunnel, with Ted helping and all the warmth concentrated. There are already calendular flowering. There is a lot of work to do out there, I want to get it looking good this year and being productive. Although we cannot guarantee the productivity of the outdoor garden, at least the polytunnel should give us some yummy food. We plan to use nematodes to tackle the slugs and snails this year.

swifty-martiny-swallowy affairs

2008-04-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

It is wonderful to be welcoming back these portents of summer. As I stood outside today, feeling chilly whilst the magic man from the AA mended the car, I was wondering if I could return indoors without appearing rude. I idly thought that it will be time to welcome the swifty-martiny-swallowy affairs back soon, and gazed absently around. Then I saw them. Swallows, I think. It moves me enormously when I see the first ones arrive, I just love to see them swooping around and hear them, or is that the swifts? Or martins?

Yesterday was the most stressful day at Michael House since and including arriving here. Today we have been able to have a relaxing day. We hope to have some of Simon's father's pictures printed, as guests have expressed interest in purchasing them, so we took a few to Stable Art in Bodmin and now have a plan for getting a few prepared. Of course, we had to have lunch out, and went to Bara, which is excellent.

That is my three beautiful things covered - swallows, Bara for lunch and starting the process of getting picutres printed.

I have been sent the following reqest via email. I thought I would include it here, as I have often seen other bloggers do similar things.

Four things about me that you may or may not know in no particular order.

A) Four jobs I have had in my life ......

1. taxi controller
2. Occupational therapist
3. Till operator and shelf filler in Tescos (hiss)
4. guest house proprietor

- in a very muddled order

B) Four movies I would watch over and over...

1. gregory's Girl
2. The satish kumar documentary recently - not really a film
3. ho hum, I'm not a huge film goer
4.

C) Four places I have lived ...

1. Balham
2. West Dulwich
3. Lymington
4. Grasmere
5. East Grinstead
6. Northampton
7. Cambridge
rules? what rules? who said 4?

D) Four TV Shows that I watch ...

1. Grand designs
2. Location, Location, Location
3. Scrabulous on Facebook, oh, that doesnt count, oh well, I do more of it than watching TV
4. about to see Poppy Shakespeare, no idea what it will be like

Four Places I have Been...

1. Zambia
2. Madagascar
3. Romania
4. West Penwith

F) People who e-mail me the most ....

1. L
2. P
3. J
4. D

G) Four of my favourite foods ..
1. chocolate
2. jacket potatoes, with loads of butter, cheese and coleslaw
3. Indian
4. chocolate, oh I said that. Chocolatey things
5. chocolate

H) Four places I would rather be right now...

1. Treknow, its fine here actually
2. The Lizard
3. Madagascar, to explore it properly, not just on a controlled, guided tour
4. New Zealand, left this in from D, would love to discover it, I know I would love it
5. Italy, I would also love to discover this

J) Four things I am looking forward to ...

1. a busy season, I hope
2. Getting my craft room properly functional and then making stuff
3. getting the garden started for the year - well, I'm not so much looking forward to starting it, but to reflecting upon having got it sorted!
4. having a bit of money as the season gets under way and not being skint all the time

K) Four things on your bedside table/chest of drawers

1. alarm clock
2. book by Prue Leith - Leaving Patrick, second hand find, very well written, enjoying it.
3. dust,
4. lamp

Nessienora craft explorer

Being creative

oh dear

hijacked no more!

Still vegan!

I am vegan

Being vegan

Vegan for a week

oh dear, oh dear, oh dear

Selling stuff

never put off...

Neglected blog

mi go, mi go, mi go

Gadsden purchase and other stamps

earth hour

title

three beautiful things

Less Ness

Dresser

Bad blogger

25 random things about me

visiting 5

visiting 4

visiting 3

visiting 2

visiting

oops, bit of a paws

what a waste of good snow

Starlings

Art and Craft Group

Forever Friends

Craft Magazines

3 Beautiful Things

Agility

One day!

A little observation

A spot of arty stuff

'Backwards Bush'

Trago Mill

word for 2009

The end of Christmas

Swarms

The butterfly in the porch

Resolutions proper

resolutions

Happy New Year

nessienoraCRAFTexplorer

Christmas at Michael House

Christmas butterfly

one present less to open

Limericks

X factor, pah

oh no, it's Leonard Cohen again!

The unshaded one

3BT

Getting creative

The Shaded One

The Patient

Berri-Biskit

3BT

Pavlov

Shopping in Truro

Searching for ancient woodlands

Pretty pictures from our holiday in Shropshire

Credit crunch - well there's nothing else to eat.

Leonard Cohen

delights of dog ownership

the garden

Sky

courgette

Dartmoor

Sennen

Previous post

Where to start?

Just for now

Rocky Valley

view from the back of the house

Robins

What an owler

Title