Red sky in the MORNING ...

It's 7.15 am here in the UK and I've just taken this photograph of the dawn sky, amazing. The photograph doesn't do the colour justice, it's a really red sky. Mind you, it doesn't bode well for the rest of the day. The old saying "Red sky at night, shepherd's delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning" really does seem to hold true. I forgot to bring the washing in last night, so any drying that might have happened yesterday will have been completely wasted! So I'd better get going and bring it in before it gets even wetter.

I've just finished this little Christmas cushion. I used Lynette Anderson's 'Christmas Morning' pattern that I won in here give-away earlier this year. I didn't have the same buttons that she had used, but found some others that do very nicely.

I hope this makes you smile

I don't know where this originated, but I hope it makes you smile.

WHAT PETS WRITE IN THEIR DIARIES.....

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary......

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk Bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!
Excerpts from a Cat 's Daily Diary...

Day 983 of my captivity...

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.

Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength..

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet.. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bastards.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

Cards

The weather forecaster told us we were going to have showers and sunshine. Well, we've got the sunshine every now and then, but interspersed with what I'd call downpours rather than showers. And it's turned chilly. Autumn is definitely here now. So it's a good time to get stuck into making cards and sewing. I've just finished making our Christmas cards for this year - these are two of the designs, but the third didn't photograph well, so I'll have another go.

I've also made a birthday card and a new home card. I always enjoy papercrafting when I get down to it, but it entails getting so much stuff out that I don't do it as often as I'd like.

As to sewing, well I've not been doing much machining, but I have been doing lots of hand sewing, catching up on BOMs and starting on making a Christmas cushion using a pattern I won from Lynette Anderson.

This is the fabric I bought the other day, all very bright and modern looking, rather different from my usual purchases, but it all just jumped out at me and said 'buy me', so I'm sure there's a plan for it hidden somewhere in the depths of my brain, I just need to dig deep and find it.

A Christmas witch?

Yes, yes, I know it's Hallowe'en, but this really is intended for Christmas. I saw one of these dolls in my local quilt shop and thought it would make a lovely Christmas present for my nine year old niece. It came as a panel and I finished making it up yesterday, just in time for a final October flourish.

And I have to admit that I fell off the wagon yesterday. Do you have the same problem as me? I often go into a quilt shop thinking 'I'll treat myself to some fabric' and then find that I'm overwhelmed by the choice and end up with nothing. Well, yesterday I popped over to Midsomer Quilting with no intention of buying anything, just to check up on things since I'm stewarding at their Quilt Show this afternoon. And there were a load of new £5 a metre rolls in; and I loved the bright, bold colours; and they clicked in my head; and I thought I might have the germ of an idea; and so I bought a whole load! I'll try and show you a picture tomorrow. I'll also try and take some photographs at the Quilt Show this afternoon.

If you're into that sort of thing - happy Hallowe'en. And if you're not, then best wishes for All Saints' Day on Sunday, and for All Souls' Day on Monday.

A popular tree

When we first moved here, in the spring, this tree became a magnet for all the little birds in our garden once we had hung some bird feeders on it. During the summer it received few visitors, but this morning I had a real treat. As well as a robin and a dunnock, there were blue tits, great tits, long-tailed tits and coal tits. I only wish my camera was good enough to keep up with their swift movements and take some photographs of them.

I'm looking forward to our winter visitors.

The American Museum In Britain

... to give it its full title. We enjoyed our visit to the museum yesterday. There's a very good, well laid out exhibit charting the history of America which both adults and children seem to enjoy. Then there are a series of period rooms, showing what American houses might have looked like at intervals of 50 years. These rooms use original walls, floors, ceilings, panelling etc from houses that have been demolished or updated, together with contemporary furniture and furnishings.

There is also of course an exhibition of American quilts, which I very much enjoyed looking at, and rugs, which were less interesting. What particularly fascinated me about the quilts was both the large size of many of the pieces that were used in, for instance the Baltimore quilts and a spectacular Bethlehem Star quilt, and the uneven-ness of many of the pieces. Quite encouraging. Less encouraging was the minute stitches in much of the quilting, I don't think I could ever make stitches that small and still get through all the layers.

They also have a series of temporary exhibitions, and this time there was a display of American Folk Art.

From October 2009

This tea towel shows part of a wonderful redwork quilt which gives a glimpse into life at the time. I particularly love the block third from the bottom on the right hand side, which shows a man pushing a woman with a parasol in a wheelbarrow!

Next year is going to be wonderful for quilt lovers, as there is to be a special exhibition of classic American quilts in Bath, together with an exhibition of historical British quilts at the Victoria and Albert museum in London.

A busy few days

Well, it's been a busy few days. The weekend was most uncomfortable, as I wasn't able to sit down because my back was so painful, so I either had to stand or lay down. By Monday it was improving, and by yesterday, when I went to the chiropractor, it had improved further. It seems that I strained a ligament in my lower back, so the only real cure is time. But the chiropractor did some work on my back which eased things a lot.

So, thank you to everyone who has been so kind as to send me their wishes for a speedy recovery.

Number One Son came to visit on Monday, and to stay for a couple of days. We haven't done a lot, because he was very tired after his first half term's experience of full time teaching. Last night we went to the Theatre Royal in Bath (thank goodness I was able to sit down for long enough by then!) to see Mrs Warren's Profession, by George Bernard Shaw. Felicity Kendal (you may remember her from The Good Life) played Mrs Warren. It was a very good production, and we enjoyed watching a straight play. It was also very thought provoking, and we had plenty to talk about for the half hour it took us to drive home afterwards.

Today we are going to visit The American Museum, again in Bath, before Number One Son drives home. It's a while since we visited and I'm looking forward to seeing it again, particularly the quilts.

I haven't any pertinent photographs today, but here's one of a naughty Rosie sitting on my finished table runner (luckily I'd left it folded with the backing out). She never, ever sits on the stairs so I though it would be safe, but she found it and decided to break the habit of a life time. Doesn't she look guilty?