Day 6 Advent Challenge ''Visions of Yesterday"

That was the title of a book I bought when I was at Lancaster University reading history. The author was Jeffrey Richards and it was all about the history of film, as his course was the only one at the time doing the history of the cinema in the UK. Since those days it has become more popular.  Anyway, I digress because this posting is to show you some of the wonderful photos I took yesterday when we took Bella up Latrigg which is over to the left of this first photo. It is a small mountain not as big as the one you see in the middle distance which is Blencathra.  Anyway, the route goes via the old single track railway which was closed in 1971 by Beeching.  I actually must have been one of the last few people to make that journey that year because our DD had been born in the Spring and I took her in her carry cot on the train to stay with my DH's family. He took the car loaded with stuff and I had to get the train as there was no room left for us.  It has to be one of the most beautiful sections of line ever engineered and the railway ran from Penrith through to Keswick and beyond to Cockermouth. This is one of the bridges which crossed the River Greta and it is now just a lovely narrow footpath. There is a society who hope to restore it all as a railway track again and they raise some money, but I think it is a forlorn hope as it would cost millions to re open as the M6 motorway goes right through it......Best to keep it as a super walk for the folks in Keswick.

The day was very cold but the sun did manage to come out for a couple of hours and created lovely long shadows on the ground because it was so low in the sky. We passed a few folks on the way to the top and then we stopped to put on our crampons because we intended to come down a very steep section and knew it would be icy.

I was busy taking some photos of Bella because she had some ice on her chin and when I looked at them later discovered she was doing the very famous 'Border Terrier Nose Lick' on one of them. Did you know there is a site on the internet which is dedicated to the BT nose lick?  People are invited to submit photos of their terriers performing it.... Well done Bella, it's a good one.......

After this DH picked her up for another couple of photos and then decided to drop her back onto the snow. I was still snapping away and I found this photo when I got home, it's Bella about to get that sinking feeling..... I could not have taken this shot if I had tried to set it up, what superb colours and action.......



After this we walked back down into town because it was the Keswick Christmas Fair and we wanted to mooch about the stalls and take in the atmosphere.  But before we ended up in town we took a short cut across the park near the cricket pavilion and the mist had come down over the pitch. It was really pretty with this lovely white cloud of mist hugging the ground. DH took this shot of our local Museum in the background with Clough Head right behind it snug in it's snowy glory.



Well it is hard to believe that this is day 6, until tomorrow then.............

Day 5 Advent Challenge better late than never...........................

Just made it today I hope. I have had another full on day with plenty to do. Tomorrow I am having a stair carpet fitted so this morning I had to clear the landing.  You see we have a desk and computer on the landing which is very convenient for us because there is a superb natural niche up there.  It allows us the luxury of a computer each and the landing one also serves as the music centre because it has good speakers and they kind of give a better sound around the house from up there. So the music is softer than blaring out from mine down here. Then in the afternoon we went up Latrigg for a doggie walk in the snow again and although it's only a small mountain (1000') it has some steep bits going down and also going up ha  ha......

Anyway, now you know why I am a touch late with the challenge....... So today's piccies then. This is the back of the bag which is showing how I attached rings to the side expansion straps. This is a glitzy bag with silver in the fabric so I used silver thread to attach 1" black rings underneath the handles.

This shot shows how I attached the same rings to the front but added swivel thingies (like on a dog lead) so I can un clip them and make the sides of the bag bigger; useful when in the supermarket not all the food fits into your bags. Also good when out shopping or taking the mail down to the post office :-) for DH.

And finally, the rest of the bag.   This is a back view....I stitched on a simple fastening tab which does up on a magnetic catch.  I top stitched the tab with silver thread to match the rings and also decided to top stitch all around the tape I used on the edge of the bag. Result, I am pleased with it and I can't wait to go shopping with it. I am beginning to enjoy designing and making my own bags and without the wonderful fabric from Guleser Textiles in Turkey I don't know how I would manage. Loads of their fabrics can be purchased in Keswick at this Aladdin's cave of a shop Textures it is bursting with goodies........... I am thinking new curtains for the kitchen for Christmas already......................

Day 4 Advent Challenge snow fun

Today has been full of fun.  I finished my bag this morning and this afternoon we went up Walla Crag for a little doggie walk in thick snow....yum.  Bella loves a walk but this snow has produced a dashing spring in her step.  The only exception to her enjoyment  seems to be when its snowing heavily and she has to go out in it for a wee like last night, then she displays a tendancy to dither at the open door before dashing for the covered way........

So we took the camera and there were certainly some stunning shots like this one of our lovely lake Derwentwater.

You can see Keswick too in all it's wintry raiment, it just looks like a fairytale city nestling under Skiddaw the oldest mountain range in the Lake District. The snow was quite deep in parts and of course DH wanted to go up an adventurous way, rather than the footpath, so up we went by a little known way and saw tracks. I think the first set were a hare and then another set which had to be a fox. Nothing else though had passed that way and there was no sign of any walkers because they all stick to the tourist tracks which are the boring ones. We went up in snow which nearly came to my knees but we were both wearing big boots and of course crampons only he had on his new shiny ones of course.....

He did look smart with matching gaiters and new red and black jacket too. He does not like to look shabby on the hills as so many people seem to do, no he is very much the Mountain Leader and dresses accordingly.

I have a reasonable 'turn out' too I might add and today I was sporting my new black Hagloff jacket to keep the cold winter chill at bay and I had on my trusty cap to keep the top of my head warm which is essential.

Well I am off, until tomorrow that is.

Day 3 Advent Challenge and breaking the rules guidelines

Well today was supposed to be a day out on the hills but we had enough trouble last Saturday getting the car up the country lane to Seathwaite, (4 guys had to push us) so when we saw how the temperature was due to plummet to -10% c overnight with more snow coming in from the West this time across the Irish Sea, we decided to stay at home. It's sometimes not worth the hassle and it looks like being a much better day on Sunday, so we have pencilled it in instead. I am baking bread and have plenty to do, mind I am hovering about trying to photograph a robin on the bird table and it's not easy. This is for you dear reader, coz I am doing this challenge thingy I thought Advent must have a robin in it somewhere......I am really trying to look after a few wee birds at the mo which are coming down to feed by one of my 3 big apple trees. I am so lucky to have mature apple trees in my garden; you can't have a garden without an apple tree can you?

Just a tick he's back, camera time again. Damn, missed him.

Anyway, yesterday's White Stuff purchase, well you didn't really expect me to not buy something did you? It went very well, in fact, it was splendid. I used to have a favourite skirt which was a simple black little number but looked gorgeous, like they do.  However, it had one drawback, an elasticated waistband, now you know what that means, never buy a skirt with an elasticated waistband or you will expand............So always break rules like that and you will be happier. This skirt is called Diamonds.....who could resist it and cheaper than the real ones.

Not too short as it just floats on my knee and it has even got a lining....very simple style but this type really suits me.

Oh no, a huge wood pigeon has landed on the bird table and its stuffing itself.......

Day 2 Advent Challenge and the nature of jealousy

Well the few photos of the George Hotel - Tennis Club Dinner were fairly blurred... must have been the plonk and it was not even my fault as the camera was passed onto others too......So they can't go on the blog as I do have some standards to keep up.  Which leaves me with a slight dilemma, however, this afternoon will be the usual doggie walk for Bella and I might just pop into White Stuff for a sniff about as they have offered me wine and nibbles and 20% off for one day only.

I am quite a regular customer since I discovered about 5 years ago that some of their things a) fit me and b) seem to suit me and as I was driving back from Booths Supermarket this morning after posting DD's parcel off I saw at least 2 ladies of a similar age to myself trudging up through the snow with a White Stuff carrier clutched in their grubby paws.......jealousy set in....You know before I saw them with their carrier bags I had managed to convince myself that going into White Stuff for a third time this week might be seen as obsessive behaviour by the shop assistants. But once I saw the carrier bags I changed my mind and also my neighbour's daughter works in there so why not... I will let you know later how this irresistible pull of gravity towards White Stuff was overcome or indeed succumbed to. But the photo below shows the purchase I just had to make earlier in the week and they are lovely and warm when worn over the top of my silk gloves which I usually use inside my outer gloves when I am out hiking on the hills. These little mitteny thingys are just for shopping trips and things like walking Bella in the park I wouldn't dream of wearing them to go up Scafell Pike.....

Why do I hear you ask? Well other Mountain Leaders might think I am turning into a softy and after all I am married to one too so he might make disparaging remarks. No these little 'girly' pleasures have to be kept off the hills. We are going out tomorrow and he has bought himself another set of crampons, yes I know that now makes three sets he owns.

Done in time for the post to California

Phew, its been a bit of a rush as usual but this was the scene on my desk this afternoon, yes I have done it; all the parcels wrapped and just the labels to apply and then they can wend their merry way to DD in Palm Springs. I love doing up pressies nearly as much as I like undoing them  :-) So to be finishing with time to spare before the last post was astounding for me who is always a last minute person and I mean last minute.
I put it down to the unseasonal lovely snowy weather which has focused me on Christmas for once. Normally I put off even mentioning the C word until at least the first week in December, but not this year the snow has made me very happy and ready to embrace the season of goodwill.

Just as well really because tonight is the Tennis Club Christmas Dinner at the George Hotel Keswick and I expect they will have put crackers on the table and decorated the place already. The dining room has a good menu nowadays (it has had it's ups and downs) and the place has to be my all time favourite pub. I must have been going in The George ever since I first met my husband to be and set foot in Keswick when I was 19..... The 'old coaching inn' used to have open fires then and it still had the whips and hunting horn used by John Greenbank on the mail coaches above the fireplace in the bar. It still has the horn but the whips went long ago. For atmosphere it has to rate as the best pub in Keswick and it is still fairly untouched so the decor remains much as it was when I first saw it. Tonight we are trying the special Christmas menu and I have been starving myself all week so that I can possibly enjoy some turkey. I must admit I have been fancying some ever since DD said it was Thanksgiving last week in her neck of the woods. sigh I wish I could have had some......

Well this is all today but I will take along the camera and see what transpires for the blog, Gina over at Fan My Flame has posted a challenge to do a sort of advent blog where you do a post everyday up until Christmas day and all sorts of mad fools have said they are going to join in.......perhaps I will join them....