Bella's new toy

It was the dreaded strip out day today for Bella; if you don't understand then I'll explain. Border Terriers have two coats of fur, a fine coat near their skin and a thicker coat of guard hair. This coat of thicker hair grows so long every 6 months that it has to be stripped out, also the fur dies so it looks untidy. So today was the chosen day to do it and I use the greenhouse because of the mess it makes.....

Anyway, Bella is fairly patient because it does take a couple of hours to do. So today she was good when I stripped out around her head and neck and front but not too happy when I was nearer her tail........ Oh well, tomorrow is another day and I am sure to be able to tidy her rear end up a bit more. Meanwhile, a photo seemed a good idea and I gave her a new Monkey toy for being so good. Here she is after pulling the monkey out of the plastic ball which had some treats to eat in the bottom. Maybe, I will see her in an hour when she tires of it!

A big thank you! Over 4500 of you too!

Wow over 4500 visitors from all around the globe have been popping by to read my blog this last year. So I want to thank you all so much, it really makes me feel wanted. My clustrmap which records all of you as little red dots has just been archived which means they wipe you all off and start again with another year. So I hope you all return and put the dots back................

I can't buy you all a cake, so you will have to feast your eyes on this one instead.

Remember to put the red dots back.........bye

Book Find in Keswick

I was passing the Congregational Church on Saturday with DH and there was a sign saying book sale free entry. Well he always wants to go and peruse.........
This time though we had just been walking Bella and I did not have any money on me so he was quite surprised when I found a book......I think it was a bargain and we knocked the seller down by .50p

Anyway, I had read about Amy a few years ago and so when I saw this on the shelves I knew it was going to be interesting. I have not read it all through yet but my intention is not to follow completely in her footsteps (as if anyone could ever be as good) but to derive an essence of her work and incorporate it into something I make. Not sure what it will be yet.

Dreading the needle

Not sewing so much as prodding around in my hand.... I was out on the fells on Monday in terrible weather guiding up on Helvellyn and as I came down a rock step put my right hand out to steady myself straight onto a really vicious plant with small spines. Anyway, some of them are still in my hand and they are minute, like 1mm long and fine as a hair, but they still hurt and part of my hand is sore and swollen and red. I have extracted 3 with a fine quilting needle.. but I know another 2 are still in there. So I am going to have to ask DH if he can help because I can't get them out. I know I am not going to enjoy this....I have never liked splinters since I was little but these things you can hardly see and they seem to have gone in vertically. I am having a glass or 2 of wine to steady the nerves  ;-)

Steaming ahead

But not with the quilt, oh no, this was real steam, as in steam locomotive railway engines.

Bella and I took a ride on the railway used for filming 'The Railway Children' film last Sunday deep in Yorkshire Bronte country. This was our transport arriving at the station.

The next shot is our destination, Oakworth Station which was the station used in the film. So if you want a similar experience then go here for information provided by wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keighley_and_Worth_Valley_Railway

Bella and I went for a 5 mile walk around the area once we disembarked from the train, I cannot say it was a wonderful walk because Yorkshire is not the Lake District but it was muddy and scenic..... with the frequent noise of the trains trundling along in the valley below us. However, we were glad to make it up a real Scottish hill later in the week when we went to Spean Bridge near Fort William and then drove up Loch Arkaig to remote and lonely Glen Dessary, a really wild spot. See my other blog for details. http://keswickrambles.blogspot.com/

We did go on another train later in the week and it was the famous 'Jacobite' from Fort William to Mallaig; now this is one of the best train journeys in the world. Here is the 'Black 5' waiting at the platform in Fort William ready to begin the 84 mile return journey to Mallaig.

This journey was made even more famous because it was included in a Harry Potter film (Philosopher's Stone?) where a steam train goes over a wonderful viaduct with 21 arches, it is called The Glenfinnan Viaduct and is a superb example of railway engineering by Sir Robert McAlpine.

Anyway, it is not to be missed, so if you find yourself on holiday in Scotland and can fit it in, go to Fort William and take the train to Mallaig, you will not regret it. Better still keep it for a special day and book a First Class seat where you will receive complimentary tea and scones for two.

This journey is a classic and comes highly recommended by Bella as it is dog friendly, all the staff are wonderful and you even get to stop at Glenfinnan for half an hour on the way.

A photo of the current project

I finally tracked down the problem of the 90deg turn to the new camera, but don't know yet why its happening, however, it does not seem to be a Blogger problem after all. Anyway, this photo is not turned sideways (which was really irritating). I have more to do yet on this project and its coming together quite fast now. I am piecing using my little Brother Innovis Anniversary edition with a quarter inch foot which works really well. I can't fault this lightweight machine and am really impressed with Brother.

I noted today that another blogger likes Brother machines too http://marmaladekiss.blogspot.com/2010/10/he-is-heavy-hes-my-brother.html seems the thing to own is an industrial machine, ok if you have the room but I don't so I'll stick with my portable for now.