Well the floods have gone and poor old Tenbury is looking very drear. When the floods first happened it was all very surreal, and then when they went everyone seemed upbeat and energised about getting back to normal as quickly as possible. Two weeks later and more than 50% of the offices and shops are gutted, part of Market Street pavement has collapsed into the brook and people are looking fed up and a bit worn out. I shall be showing my support by doing as much shopping as I can in the town. This must be the scenario played out in several towns across the country.

On my way to and from work I often thank my lucky stars that my commute is so scenic. I thought I would share a few shots with you. The journey is 9 miles through agricultural countryside.



We went down my road this evening and Ian took these photos. This fine weather the last two days has caused the farmers to work madly trying to get hay and haylige cut. Ian loves taking photos of bales (?).





Most of the way the road is very narrow, and very bendy, with three narrow bridges, two woods, one hamlet and...



This gorgeous little church.



The road wends along its way, you can just see it on the right of this photo. At this point I am usually looking out for a large school bus coming down the hill in the morning.



On the crafting front very little has been done recently. Mum sent me loads of wool odds and ends so I have been knitting beanies for the Christmas Box appeal.

One thing I have discovered over the last week or so has been the number of 'green' blogs in blogland. This really interests me and I am looking at ways to 'simplify' my life so I shall post about them next I think. I used a rebatching soap recipe I found on one of them yesterday to make 8 bars of soap, they are on the drying rack now and they smell lovely - I used lavender oil.

Floods of 2007

Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire

21st July 2007

Teme Street (above photo)- 4ft deep. Third flood this summer. Extensive damage done to buildings in Market Street - Victorian (newly refurbished) toilet block swept away. Ancient bridge over the Teme River now has cracks in buttress. Similar stories throughout the UK.

A thank you from me

I was so touched that so many of you took the time comment on my last post and I do apologise for sounding quite sorry for myself! Anyway as I said I have already given myself a good talking to and those teddies will soon be finished! Thank you so much for your support.

To give myself a project I have signed up to Pay It Forward Exchange. Anna had said she was going to do it so I jumped at the chance of getting a present from her, she is a lovely lady and I love everything she makes. So here it is:-

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week... LOL... but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.


One of my favourite bloggers is Sue over at vintagetovictorian I have just bought some of the Perle Cotons she has available. I asked for 10 colours I could use for embroidering roses and look what she sent me! I was so pleased - they are perfect for what I had in mind. Thank you Sue! Here they are together with a couple of very pretty plates I got yesterday.

I had a bit of a scary time today, as I have said my daughter goes to school in Tenbury Wells and after more torrential rain at midday there was a flash flood. There was literally a river raging down one side road into the main street where there was about 3ft of water. I managed to park up and walk all the way round to get her, but there were fire engines rescuing people and police everywhere. The amazing thing was that in the 45 minutes it took me to get her the whole thing had receded, just leaving people standing in shock and bewilderment. I feel so dreadfully sorry for the shopkeepers who were flooded out a couple of weeks ago and were just getting back on their feet. I've just seen it on the 10 o'clock news.

When I got home the rain had stopped so I went into the garden for a breather and snapped my Lucifer which is in full bloom, my black Geum and my greengages growing bigger - just look at that sky!

I'm back and quilting

It's been a while since I have posted, I have been low and the last couple of posts were scrubbed rather than published and inflicted on you all. I think it is mainly due to a daughter leaving home for university in September (already dreading that), a crummy job, and others, old college friends, reminding me by their successes that I am puttering through life not realising my initial potential!! All my said puttering just seemed so pointless for a while there.

However I have 'got a grip' (again) and thought I would tell you about a couple of my favourite shops.

'The Treasury' in Kidderminster was the most fantastic craft shop for cardmaking and scrapbooking and was filled to choc-a-block with scrummy papers and glitters and stickers and embellishments. The couple who owned it were lovely always with a warm welcome. You had to go when you had plenty of time because they would demonstrate their latest stock and offer a cuppa - really terrific. It is appalling what has happened, the only blessing being that no one in the flats above were hurt. I heard that the building will be demolished now, but I hope they manage to reopen. So sad.

Photo from Kidderminster Shuttle

'Totally Patched' in Bewdley is just gorgeous. Not big, but on a couple of floors in a lovely higgledy piggledy building. Last Saturday the smashing owners had their '18 month of trading celebration' with 25% off fabric!! That was enough for me and daughter to go, but when we got there we found a quilt exhibition as well - staged on the third floor and roof terrace, together with cakes and coffee. I had asked Ian to take a photo - I didn't realise till we got home that he had snapped us as well!

Ian wasn't bored while we browsed, he took lots of photos, here is one of the Severn in Bewdley, not in flood anymore!

I bought material for a quilt - my first attempt, daughter bought some green material to back a patchwork Christmas cloth she did last year.

I have also bought this material - I have no idea what to do with it - I just wanted it!

I also have a growing pile of smelly teddies to stuff, I'm afraid they are lying in piles all around the house at the moment.

I went with friends to Ludlow last night for a Thai meal - really lovely! We were a little late though because one of our friends we were picking up lives on the other side of a ford, with yesterdays rain it was once again too dodgy to cross - which meant a detour and delay.

Rain, we've had enough for now.

Rain

My hubby and younger daughter are doing a paper round at the moment - in torrential rain! and my eldest daughter has gone on a post A level camping trip with friends - probably in torrential rain. I cannot make up my mind whether this is stoic undefeated spirit - or just a tad stupid! I meanwhile am in the warm, at the computer with a cup of ovaltine - nice!

The last week has been dreadful. We are very fortunate to be free of flood risk at home, however I work and daughter goes to school in Tenbury Wells which was very badly hit and constantly on the TV along with the poor folks in Yorkshire. What utterly amazed me was the speed at which small, teeny tiny streams became raging torrents. We could not get into town and the school was closed and used as a refuge centre.

The atmosphere in the town was a bit surreal afterwards, people cleaning up after the waters had gone were all pulling together and jolly, but it was a bit quiet as well, like a morning after a really heavy night. The bridge was closed until it could be assessed so there was hardly any traffic, so the only noise was from the fire engines pumping out all the cellars in the high street.

And now there is torrential rain yet again.

In a small sunny break in the weather this week I went next door and harvested the lavender. The house is empty and the owner is ok about it but I still felt a bit 'naughty'. The bunches are now hanging in the conservatory and drying nicely.

Two of the shops to be stranded in the flood were my charity shops! The Sue Ryder is closed but the Hospice fared slightly better and was open for business yesterday - well I had to buy something didn't I? To show my support. A lovely bit of lace, two egg cups, a book, a pair of shoes and this little chap.

I must now get on with some housework so that this afternoon I can sit and sew - some faces I think are badly needed around here!

Another Collection

I am sure I am not the only one whose foray into blogging has made them more aware of their surroundings. I am often looking at thinks now from a 'I could blog about that' perspective. It has also made me notice that I have collected things without even realising that that is what I am doing.

I have two daughters, and looking around my house I have realised I have collected 'two girl' ornaments and pictures, here are one or two;

This was a cross stitch which took me two summer holidays to do, at a time when my eldest would take her teddy with her everywhere, I often used to dread the thought of losing it. At 18 it stays under her pillow! but is still there when she needs him, minus one arm rubbed off!

I love this rather large print in our living room. We used to take holidays in a chalet near Minehead and walk on the beach every day. My eldest was very feminine, with skinny legs and a penchant for hats. My youngest was a tomboy who couldn't be bothered with dressing up and had a robust appetite! At 14 she has become as lanky as her sister though. As for mother, well I often have that far away slightly bewildered look in my eye - and my hair is always a mess! Can you tell why I love this picture?

A Small Confession or two - and Poppies

#1 - I do not like my windows, would much prefer diamond panes to look out onto the world through. They are much too big and modern. I have therefore let my virginia creeper drape itself down over them, but should I cut it back a bit? - or am I just too lazy?

#2 - I was going to do this hexagon blanket to single bed size - but I have got tired of it, and anyway the colours are much more suitable for a baby blanket, don't you think? that is how I justified doing a small border around it and saying 'enough'. It shall be washed and stored away for when a grandchild comes along

#3 - Ian got up early on Sunday and went photographing things - like barley fields and poppies. My confession here is that I did not want him to because we were having company for lunch and I was busy and needed some help. When I saw the photos though I could understand his point. They may have been nicer with blue skies but this was early with the mistiness just burning off. Don't you just love poppies? With more set-a-side and fallow around here they are becoming a familiar sight once again - along with the White Campion in the second photo. Enjoy:-

Blogosphere is missing something

Smell! If only I could show you how good these smell. Old old roses from years ago, planted by the first owner of this house. Every year I think I will replace them - they are in the way and quite ugly much of the year - but come June and I remember why I don't. The scent is pure heaven.

On the other hand though, as far as smelli-blogs go, I would not inflict the smell of my comfrey tea on anyone! I keep chopping them down and they keep growing, just to make an evil brew which the tomatoes love

Pooo - what a whiff!

I was up early taking photos of the garden this morning, it is all so blowsy, the rain has produced abundant growth but has also spoilt many of the blooms. As well as smell I would like blogi-sound also, the hum of the bees in this bed was quite mezmerising this morning.

I posted some time ago that I was going to give up the struggle with the vegetable beds, well I am going to go more 'natural' , like my woodlandy bit at the bottom. However, I spy a nettle in the middle of this which is a little too natural methinks! I have quite enough of those at the back of my compost bins thank you very much! The fairy in quiet repose was one of a few given to me by my 'gang' on my 40th, I like to keep moving them around so they don't get bored!

I do not know if Ian is completely comfortable with the whole 'natural' look though, he came face to toe with one of the residents yesterday and got a slight shock. I think the Slow Worm was possibly less scared and slithered off discretely into a woodland geranium.

http://www.naturephoto-cz.com

More Treasures

It's been a really busy week and I haven't had time to keep up with everyone, but I will endeavour to have a good read tonight. In the meantime thank you to those who commented on my last post, yes I am perfectly recovered, as for watching my op I do have a strong stomach - not alot can make me queasy thankfully.

No matter how busy I still find time for charity shops, these were my finds this week. The china brooches and necklace will be used for crafting, I won't copy but loved the photo frame that Niki showed recently. The little vase will be for WI 'flower of the month' and I couldn't resist the cross stitch hankies.

This adorable picture came from the Cats Protection League for £2! You can't tell here but it is really quite big.

A fortnight ago Ian took me to Worcester as a birthday treat i.e. an amble down the antique/junk shop street and lunch at a lovely little organic cafe. I did not spend all my birthday money but I did buy this - isn't it gorgeous?

The cloth I am using as a backcloth is my first ever cross stitch, done 21 years ago in my first year of marriage. Hubby being in the military was away alot in the first year, and I was a long way from home, so this kept my sanity. It has a heavy crocheted border too which I did during my lunch hours at work.

Now I was tidying up the garden, but the predicted Bank Holiday weather stopped me, I must get rid of the rubbish before a yellow patch appears on the lawn. I commented a couple of weeks ago that my Wisteria has never flowered - well it has now, a few feeble small blooms - lets hope it's better next year. Being rained off I shall try to spend some time this weekend clothing my rather naked ladies! Hope you are having an enjoyable/exciting/relaxing/content weekend, whichever is needed. I may hit the Ludlow Antique Fair tomorrow, or the Burgage Car Boot on Monday choices choices!

I've been tagged

Gill tagged me the other day for 7 weird things about myself. I have had a hard think and these are all I can come up with!

1. I have hairy toes! Wow I can't believe I am telling this. Yes proper hairy they are - or should I say would be if I didn't attend to them. Ian calls them my hobbit feet!

2. Every weekday I travel down a windy NARROW country road and always meet at least one tractor and a great big school bus coming in t'other direction. And everytime I squeal like a loon.

3. I find it impossible I tell you to spy a magpie and not say 'good day to you Mr Magpie', it's something to do with old superstitions.

4. I like gardening, I think I am quite good at gardening, so why do I kill every houseplant that enters this home? Particularly bad when mother-in-law gives me so many!

5. I clog dance - nuf said.

6. I cry when I am angry, which totally gives off the wrong signals. When my ex-boss ripped me off I cried. He said "I am sorry that I have upset you" to which I replied "I am not upset - I am **%$*"** FURIOUS" (at which point he bolted for the door, and later that day I told the company what they could do with my job). This is connected to the final point

7. I had half a lung removed on the 25th May 2005. This was due to a really really rare tumour (10 per 60 million), and no folks, I have never smoked! Best bit is that the surgeon gave me a DVD of the op (taken from the inside of my chest cavity) which I sat and watched with a huge bowl of strawberries and cream.

To go with this post is one more little 'strange' thing. As I said previously I love gardening. Well our house is built on an old 'inhedge'. This was an enclosure where the drovers penned their flocks when halting overnight. Whenever I dig I always find bits and shards of clay pipes which I HAVE to collect, wash and save (don't ask me why?). I like to imagine the chaps in their rustic clothing, checking their stock before turning in for the night, perhaps breaking a pipe and throwing it to the ground, for me to pick up again a couple of hundred of years later.

Precious Bane and Shropshire

Now I am not the most eloquent soul though I wish that I were because then I could fully express my love of Shropshire. This largest inland county has a quality to it all of its own, with plains, hills and valleys so beautiful it can make your heart crack. To the north is the Shropshire Plain with meres and vistas quite different to the south. My passion though is for South Shropshire. I was brought up here, my father was a true countryman who worked all his life in the woods and was only truly at home outside amongst nature. As a child I went with him and roamed about absorbing the spirit of the woods and valleys.

A woman who really knew how to write was Mary Webb, and she also had a great love of this area.

Her most famous work is 'Gone to Earth' which was made into a film in the early 50's with Jennifer Jones playing the lead role. It was filmed on location and my sister in law had many relatives who were extras. A few years ago they showed the film in Pontesbury Village Hall and she was amazed to see her now elderly (and in a few cases deceased) relatives from before she was born!

My favourite Mary Webb has to be 'Precious Bane'. Briefly it tells the story of Prue Sarn who has a hare lip and by country supersition is cursed and 'hare shotten'. If I can persuade one person to read this book then I will be delighted. It has the most beautiful ending of any book I have ever read and the narrative is in the old Shropshire dialect.

'Tabor on, owd nag!' says Kester, and we were going at a canter towards the blue and purple mountains. 'But no! I said. 'It mun be frommet, Kester. You mun marry a girl like a lily. See, I be hare-shotten!'

The hills were she set her masterpieces are my hills, Callow, Stiperstones, Linley, Rhadley, Corndon. Here they are.

Looking from the left is Bent Hill, Rhadley, Linley and Corndon.

Corndon from the Devils Chair, Stiperstones.

Bent Hill. The little blob (you can click and enlarge) on the left is a small circular wood, planted by my father to commemorate his employers wedding anniversery one year, it's called 'Clares Ring'. Dad passed away 11 years ago, his ashes were buried in the woods in the valley below, amongst his beloved oaks.

Me - walking down from the Devils Chair, deep in memories, shedding a tear for dad, not knowing Ian was taking my photo.

I live further south now, which is very very pretty and a gentler landscape, but my heart is here and always will be.


If anyone is interested here is a link to Mary Webb country.