Crying that River ....

It has been a tough week, a really, really rough week.
N has been away in Washington with work, I started with a cold but the worse, by far, the worse, was L being rushed to hospital on Monday night while I was out ( how guilty do I feel and how very grateful to have such wonderful parents, who took charge ) surgery was needed on an infected cyst on his neck.
He is home and on the mend, N flys in this afternoon.

So, now the dust is settling, I can tell you where I was on Monday night,how much fun I had, so much fun, some heart fluttering, I lie, lots of heart fluttering, dancing and yes, even some screaming ... plenty of screaming, that would be me and around 15,000 other women.

Not my filming but from my night with the God, that is Mr Michael Buble.

Keeping Little Toes Warm

One of O's Mama-Made birthday treats, elf slippers, perfect for keeping little toes warm this Winter.

Another wonderful pattern found for free on Ravelry, what a great resource that is.

Details here - http://www.ravelry.com/projects/nocton4/elf-shoes

Knitted up in an amazing car boot bargain buy yarn, brand new from retiring dealer of Icelandic Lopi pure wools, thought I was buying 1 very full box of different colours for a reasonable price, only to discover I was buying 8 boxes, 156 balls for a stupidly cheap, giveaway price !

The Start ...

The lovely blogger Tonya over at http://plainandjoyfulliving.blogspot.com/ is hosting Handmade Holiday 2010, sharing posts from readers and their own wonderful family creations, to encourage and inspire us all to use our skills to make gifts this year, rather than our bank balance.
I was completley taken with the idea of creating a toy tree house for O, after seeing this http://transitantenna.com/?p=1906 amazing post but having very little woodwork knowledge, thought it really wasn't an option, then a chat with a friend changed all that.
So sharing childcare and learning from his skills, we are creating not 1 but 2 surprise tree houses for O and M's daughter R.

Making full use of wood we already have, has seen 2 shelves and a bedhead cut to shape.

Sanding down is a job for this weekend.

Have you started making plans ?

Autumn Blessings to All xx

Our seasons table, celebrating the turning of the wheel, the coming of Autumn.

Such a delight.

3

Back from an unplanned blog break.

Lots of living going on here, changes and transitions, growing and learning, herbal medicine walks and workshops, library visits ( to avoid those fines ! ) friends to play, concerts and most importantly a third birthday to celebrate.

Yes, my little O is 3.

We partied at the beach with special friends and lovely Grandparents, we danced in the waves and bbq'ed sausages and burgers for tea, ate Thomas the Tank Engine cake and knew deep in our hearts how very lucky we are.

Windmill Day

An afternoon of just afew of us, seems to be the way of things, the older 2 hitting the bright lights of London with Grandparents and God-parents, 1 to see Muse at Wembley and 1 to shop and visit family.

We headed for a relaxing afternoon of sun-light,

Flames and cheese covered dough.

And fields, filled with characters straight out of Thomas the Tank Engine, O was delighted.

Hats for New Heads

It always brings joy to this Mama's heart to hear of the safe arrival of new babes.
Yes, afew tears are shed and I'd be a liar if I didn't admit to some heartache being felt but my whole being is filled with relief and thankfulness that another Mama is holding her babe, that a family is born or added to, that brothers and sisters are seeing something of themselves as new borns, witnessing the wonder of a new sibling.
We celebrate each and everyone here, I share the wonderful news with N of people he has never met ( some I haven't either ) and we both smile and hug.

It is of course a wonderful excuse for the knitting needles to come out ( do they ever go away ! ) and lovely tiny knits to come into being.
I adore the Pilot Cap pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pilot-cap and have warmed so many heads with it.

Then another favourite pattern, knitted over and over ... The Pebble http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pebble-henrys-manly-cobblestone-inspired-baby-vest

Always a joy.

This one used up some more of my hand dyed yarn, love the way it turned out.

In celebration of a new baby boy for my friends in Ireland .. welcome R and Hello to Hermione, who's lovely Mama blogs herehttp://wheretheresawills.blogspot.com/

Packages on the way to you both, each stitch knitted with love, care and wishes of a bright, happy and healthy future.

Wonderful Weekending

A wonderful weekend of saying Goodbye to Summer and Hello, Welcome to Autumn.
A celebration of the Seasons.

Firstly, Saturday afternoon bought some much longed for new additions, years of N not being keen to add to the family,in the form of some feathered friends, ended with a small " For Sale " sign a couple of weekends ago at a local fete.
The sign turned out to have been placed by people we know, selling lock, stock and barrel ... the girls.

4 chickens .. now known as Yoko, Linda, Patty and Barbara, wives and girlfriends of The Beatles, inspired by L, my Beatle mad boy.

I have wanted chickens for as long as I can remember, so this really has been a dream come true.

O welcomed "the girls" by reading them all of his books that have chickens in, they seemed to appreciate it.

Sunday morning, up and out early, to Wragby Gala.

A day of country fare, plenty of farm animals for O, dream cars .. see above, Morris 1000 Traveller ( I'm working on it ! ) and sunshine.

Home for a cup of tea, pick up another picnic and to add some extra layers of clothes.

Then, off to a lovely Country Hotel for a Proms evening in the grounds with Cleethorpes Brass Band.

Fantastic setting and amazing music, loved the James Bond medley.

A rather dark and dramatic end to a fabulous evening and amazing weekend.

Lovely Jolly Pops .... as my 2 yo would say.

This moment, a Friday tradition, a time to cherish, to remember, to honour its importance.To stop and give thanks, a time to feel blessed.

Inspired by SouleMama http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/

Late Summer Shawl

A wonderful easy Summer knit using Noro sock yarn, light, delicate and oh so pretty.

Great rainbow colours, alternating garter and stocking stitch, relaxing, evening knitting, I love it.

Pattern details here -
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/nocton4/simple-yet-effective-shawl-fingering-weight

L is home with not so much washing but a hunger that has yet to be met, a fry up, cooked by Grandad at 1.30am ( he was dropped off at their house ) was the start of the mammoth eating session that has seen boxes of cereal disappear in ( nearly ) one sitting, loaves of bread made into several rounds of toast ( spread thickly with jam & cream cheese ) and then sandwiches to keep him going !

Last night about an hour after tea ( Lancashire Hot Pot followed by yoghurt and fruit ) a top-up of cheese and biscuits was needed with more fruit and yoghurt.

Shopping today I think !

Thank you all so much for your lovely kind comments on my last post, all so thoughtful and very much appreciated.

As a surprise I decided to host a little giveaway,using your lovely comments, number 8 was chosen by the random number generator ... so Jacqui over at http://www.theinterruptedgardener.com/ a package of love will be heading your way.