what will April shower us with?

In April we must have a "spot shapes in clouds day",  and a "practise your evil laugh day" - I don't need to practise, I am an expert already,  there is a "leave a penny for someone to find day" and a "plant something and watch it grow day" - I hope to do lots of these days!

But mostly I hope to "be spontaneous and inspiring and happy and generally nice to be around".
So that's my plan for April, what's yours?

Marching by

oh March, how did you whizz past so fast? You were a blur of sequins, of wild winds, and grey days, of tiny hints of spring, and snuggling in blankets watching the rain lashing down and yet some days you were warm enough to lose a few layers and hands were warm enough in glove buddies (pattern here on the lovely Hawthorn Spellweaver's blog.) March you were filled with cake, and cheesy scones, and rockbuns, and more cake, including a very special one. More to follow on that one.....

march madness

hello March. I am liking you already, you are bright and sunny, although freezing and windy..... I am so looking forward to  "pancakes AGAIN day" and "ponder the universe day" I think that everyday should be "be at one with chocolate day" however, which probably goes well with "don't take no for an answer day"

I shall not however be having any more clean outs, or de-cluttering, I cleared out my clothes recently and am already regretting the de-cluttering of a linen skirt......... also if I cleared out my study I may not have had to hand purple sequins, really strong thread to mend a watch, and eyelets to mend the 2 day old pair of sneakers that the teenage boy attempted to destroy.............

March also contains Comic Relief, the excuse to do something silly for charity. Emma of Silverpebble has been a true superhero by editing a truly fantastic magazine called the Big Comic Relief Crafternoon - (search for their facebook page) with loads of amazing delights raising money for some incredible causes. Go get one from Sainsbury's if you're in the UK, download it on googleplay or itunes (search for crafternoon)  if you're not, and make yourself a guinea pig or a flock of birdies because everyone needs one, even my cats.

blue skies at the beach

blue sky

big sand

frothy waves

imposing castle

gorgeous reflections.

a perfect walk on the beach x

February

the February calendar informs me we must celebrate international do nothing day, create an air of mystery day, and crazy hair day. I am slightly concerned about this last one. I am quite capable of this being every day, and now wonder how I am going to limit my crazy hair to only one day of legitimacy......

mostly I am looking forward to pancakes. 

with syrup, or fruit, or lemon and sugar, but NEVER savoury. that's just wrong. 

mini mantra January

I normally have a family calendar that has a column for every person, and huge squares to write everything down, with a distinct pattern so I can see when Friday is coming. Which I forgot to buy........

So this year the kitchen calendar has tiny spaces,  in a long row. 

But it will be ok for it is filled with helpful and interesting tips to make the most of January. So far we've been advised to give in to legwarmers, pogo stick to work, try to do a press up and fail, and to break a resolution in spectacular style.

As well as the advise in the mini mantra we will on the upcoming days be sure to look on the bright side, start a trend, celebrate the banana, and have an experimental cooking day.

Here goes, I will notice the mini things and love you anew January.

do you have any tips for loving January that are better than these?

dales walk

I ate too much cake at the weekend, more on that another day, but for now perhaps I should get some exercise. Before I do come perhaps you'd like to come with me on a walk I went on before my weekend retreating.

Driving through the dales I follow the route of the tour de Yorkshire. I remember cycling this road many years ago, in that wonderful long summer time between O'levels (yes Miss K I can call them O'levels not GCSE's because that's what they were!) and A'levels.

Oh how it winds up hill and down dale, with twisty corners and sudden narrowing, and views to make you stop and catch your breath (as if the hills weren't enough....)

From Kettlewell I chose a 5 mile circular walk of two halves, a bridleway high on the valley sides, and then returning via the Dales way following the meandering of the river Wharfe.

The walk is described as challenging, beginning with a steep incline. It doesn't lie.  Leaving the village of Kettlewell (looking backwards you see where we started) I walk up the steep and rocky limestone studded path, and it leaves me breathless.

Looking onwards towards Starbotton, the spectacular glacial u-shaped valley lies below.

After a couple of miles it is time to come down the valleys sides, steeply, steeply, careful of your steps, finally the safety of the river bed is reached. Now we can return, following the flat route of the meandering river Wharfe. The name Wharfe, derives from the Old English "weorf" or the Old Norse "hverf" and means winding river. It is very apt.

Walking back to Kettlewell this easy path is busy, filled with walkers on the Dales way. It's nice to be by the river, and it's certainly less strenous, but I feel like all these walkers are missing out.
 Even though it's hard work to get up there, the views from above are spectacular.

oh September where did you go?

I think I blinked and September passed me by. 

School started, the sun shone, I sewed, and enjoyed the blue skies. 

Now October is here and the rain is falling. Big heavy raindrops.  Mesmerizing.

June Mosaic

June. 

Always associated for me with roses and birthdays.

 I remember as a child constantly asking my mum when my birthday was, and she always said "when the roses flower".

So my mosaic for June contains birthday cakes and roses.  

I was tempted just to include those, but I resisted.

birthday cake (mine), rose, pink juice

embroidered alliums, Alnmouth Arts Festival, birthday cake (hubby's)

sunrise on the moonwalk, evening sun glimmers, moon like solar lanterns in the flower beds.

June you are my favourite month.

recipe for my perfect day

the recipe for my perfect day includes,

a day off work for myself and Mr Driftwood,

blue blue skies with fluffy white clouds

a well built path up a big hill, 

astonishing views in all directions

including down..... eek, I don't like being too close to the edge....

and then a slice of cake. it was quite a steep hill, I think we earned it.

Edinburgh Moonwalk 2014

After an afternoon and early evening of very heavy rain it was such a relief when the storm passed to leave a clear dry evening. I have no decent photos from the first half of the night, I was either too busy chatting, battling with the mud, looking at all the Edinburgh buildings lit up pink, but not stopping long enough to work out the camera settings to capture them, and admiring the views from Arthur's Seat.  

At the 13 mile point however there comes a sight that makes getting the camera out a complete necessity, as you turn the corner and you see the sea and the light on the water and are astonished at how light it is. This is 3.30am, an hour before sunrise, and look at that sky. 

Gorgeous. 

Just under 4 miles later, at 4.29am the first glimpse of the sun can be seen.

By mile 20 it is a gloriously sunny early morning.

 Now the city it is waking up, and people are starting their day as we are finishing our night. Volunteers are at every corner, helping us cross the road safely, passing on words of encouragement, sweets and hugs if required. This event is so incredibly friendly and the support from the volunteers is truly what makes it special. A sign about a supporter of the event who lost her battle with cancer since last years event and the sight of her son on his own this year, with his own sign that read "Thank you from Mum"  brings tears to my eyes, and I am grateful for my superhero eye mask so that no-one can tell.  

Finally we cross the line, total time this year 8 hours 12 minutes, but if you take away the time  stopping for taking photos, and queueing for the toilets the total walking time was about 7 hours 20 minutes. 

Dottycookie's little fishy was very well behaved, and I made sure he didn't eat too many jellybabies.

Last but not least we got presented with a wonderful medal,

and I treated myself to a finisher's t-shirt. 

After all who wants to be a superhero for just one night?

final preparations

final preparation for the moonwalk

costume is finished.

 (black leggings will replace jeans)

bumbag is being stuffed with essential things. 

(tissues, plasters, camera, oat cakes, jelly babies)

a little crochet fish from Dottycookie last year will be coming too, 

he's been tied to my bumbagand has done all the training.

20 mile training walk done.

with very few photos.

but truly beautiful beaches.

ending with a very welcome paddle .

I just need to work on my rain dance though now, to drive away the storms that are forecast for the weekend, I'm thinking perhaps a aquaman costume with a wet suit would have been a better choice of superhero.

patchwork May

May - flowers and walking.

A perfect combination. 

cowparsley embroidery, cow parsley, apple blossom,

lilac, alliums, pedestrian escort,

map, lion, a welcome paddle in the sea. 

fancy a walk?

With less than 2 weeks to go until this years Moonwalk Scotland I realise I haven't taken you on many walks this year. 

So lace up your trainers, and lets go, first we'll go down to the river and then through the garlic scented woods,

admiring the castle as walk past, and then glimpse back at the clouds and tell them to Go Away.

Look there is a patch of blue sky, high up above the lion on the bridge.

Where now? The beach I think, let's take one of the estate walks, 

the red route follows the old railway line

so if you want you can pretend to be a train. choo choo. 

crossing over the viaduct. oh my we are high up,

don't look down if you get vertigo, we are higher than the tree tops.

Now we leave the flat even railway path, and climb out up out of the railway cutting, 

before joining the sustrans cycle network briefly and dropping down the hill

and we can glimpse the picture perfect coloured houses of Alnmouth across the tidal estuary,

until finally we reach the sea. 

fancy a paddle anyone?

(15 miles round trip in case you think you deserve an ice cream?)