It's just a phase 🌘🌗🌕🌓🌒

I have, for some time, been having a case of the 'wanties' but was refusing myself as I suspected what I wanted was probably being made in some sweatshop.... So I fought off those 'wanties'.

A little later I saw an artist making tree decorations using the metal from a used tomato puree tube and it was like a light being switched on. Firstly I made some tiny decorations for my tree ..... 

Then I used and saved my next tube of tomato puree for - the waxing and waning of the moon.

Want to know how I made it? Oh go on - I'll tell you seeing how nicely you asked!!

What you need is:

1. metal tube of tomato puree (Aldi's is a lovely gold colour on the inside, don't know about other brands)
2. Wooden spoon
3. Scissors
4. art paint brush - I used the wooden end for all the mark making 
5. needle and thread
6. black paint - I used acrylic
7. Cork board/mat
8. kitchen towel or rag
9. something circular - I used a large reel to make the shape of the moons
10. A nice twiggy twig

• When using up your tomato puree, don't roll or scrunch the tube as you go along, try and keep it as flat and as undented as possible. Cut off the top and bottom and along one side.
• Open - CAREFULLY as now you have sharp metal edges
• Wash and dry and then with a wooden spoon, rub out any crease marks or kinks as gently as you can
• Using the back of the paintbrush, draw around your circular template - you need FOUR moons to complete this particular pattern.

• Cut out the circles CAREFULLY!!
• One circle remains whole - this is the full moon
• Cut the second directly in half
• The final two circles, cut a large C shape off leaving you with SEVEN moon phases.
• New, Waxing Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full, Waning Gibbous, Waning Quarter and Old.

• Using the back of your paintbrush and leaning on your cork board (a folded tea towel works too), dimple and pock mark your moon phases.
• When happy with the texture, use the side of your brush and gently curve down the edges to give more of a three dimension shape.
  

• Using the acrylic black paint, I painted the backs to hide the origins of the tin - fully dry.
• Splodge black on the front, allow to partially dry then remove the excess with kitchen towel, add extra paint if you feel you need more depth - allow to dry fully

• Carefully pierce the top of the moons with a needle and thread - making sure you have a mirror image of the segments. 
• Tie to a suitable piece of twiggage
• Hang up!

• Step back feel chuffty wuffty with yourself and go and make yourself a brew and wash the paint off your fingers! 

Post Script - trying not to huff too much when the moon phases gently twist round and settle back to front.....

Have you had the 'wanties' and realised that you can make/do/find what you wanted without breaking the bank?

Let me know if you have made something like this or you try this one out - but if you do - PLEASE WATCHOUT FOR SHARP EDGES (yes I was typing firmly😁🌓🌕🌗)

Bugged

It was ... - 9°C (15.8°F)  this morning when we got up - well I say we - Himself had to chisel his van out of the ice box it seemed to have acquired over night. He'd covered the windscreen and set up the van heater ready to switch on as soon as he was up.

Me? well, I was in bed still nursing a mug of steaming hot tea.... did I feel a tad guilty? Sort of.... 

...But not quite enough to do anything other than weakly offer some help which he (fortunately) turned down.

I don't work on a Thursday - so although I was home yesterday (Wednesday) it was still technically a work day so I cracked on with some paintings I am doing for the garden. When I initially took over the job, one of the first things I noticed - the lack of any insect or bird life. The walled garden (still very new then) had the occasional crow or pigeon visitor but on the whole - a very quiet and lonely place despite being situated in a park and surrounded by gardens.

So - as soon as I could I started to 'age' the garden, fill it with not just monoculture rows of vegetables but flowers and shrubs. Slowly but surely the insect population began to increase. I had an apprentice and a student the first summer and we did a 'non-scientific' but serious-to-us insect survey and found that in those few short months - we had more than I had hoped which confirmed my decisions. 

Since then we have pushed the garden to have many styles of planting - not just for interest for the visitor but to increase biodiversity and introduce the idea that vegetable gardening can be not just productive but ornamental as well as being pollinator friendly.

This summer we'll be adding these painted plaques (plus more which are being painted by an artistic volunteer) around the garden where the insects have been spotted. On the backs we are going to write their Latin and common names - hopefully it will spark interest and curiosity and encouragement.

The bird life has improved too - I am more than delighted. There is room for improvement but as far as things go - I am very pleased.

The insects are: Ground Beetle, Hairy Shield Bug, Garden Bumble Bee, European Bee (honey bee) and Rosemary Beetle.

Post Script : It is a really chilly but beautiful day, think I might venture outside with a mug of tea and my camera and try to capture the magic of a sparkly ice encrusted twig or two, besides I need to feed the birds and top up their water. But first I think I need to put on a whole lot more clothing!! What are you doing today? Keeping warm I hope and enjoying the clear blue skies. 

Snow sun today🌨️☀️

A gentle well wrapped up walk was called for on Sunday afternoon - all morning had been limping along with dreary grey nothing weather and we'd felt the need to get out.

As we left the valley our village inhabits, the clouds made an effort to peel apart and let the weak winter sunlight through and it was most welcome.

Although the valley itself was still shaded, we, on the ridge were bathed in soft afternoon light as we followed a stone wall lined farm track. It still pleases me that we can tumble out of our house and within a few paces be out of the village and on farm tracks or pathways.

By the time we'd reached the community playing fields - the sun shone out and it was blindingly glorious.

Squinting as we walked, I could feel it's warmth on my face. The combination of that and the cuttingly fresh air was invigorating (and a little breath taking!) A little sunshine on a drab January day lifts not only the mood but elevates gentle winter colour to something a lot more fiery - terracottas, lime greens, silvery greys, russets.

Today is quite different - snow. Back to the soft dove greys, muted faded shades with an icy white covering. It has gently but determinedly snowed all morning so the light frosting we woke up to is now a little more mounded and wintery.

With that in mind, I am inside appreciating the woodburner, warm brews and the company of Youngest who is working from home today.

The cat is a little miffed that each time she ventures out she returns with a thick coating of wet snow on her back. She has taken to sitting in front of the woodburner to improve her mood!

Keep warm, stay warm and be more cat - find a woodburner to melt the snow off your fur.

Comments response:

Eileen H - hopefully you don't join the ranks of the anonnie mouses as it is rather annoying!🤔

gz - I remember you mentioning you've had issues like that before ❤️

Little Winter Ways  - I hope you and Jules are right, it is rather annoying when something so simple as trying to reply is thwarted by blogger

Lulu - thank you - I had not realised how much I was missing sketching until I got of the hurdle of 'I can't do this' and it has been like the flood gates being lifted! Enjoy your weekly sketch club 😊

Bag End Gardener - I often think of dear Daisy dog with the glorious ears, she and Moss will forever be 'Best dogs in the world' xxx🐾💚

Beth - lovely to 'see' you again :) Drat Blogger and it's fickle ways 😁

Post Script: Youngest has decided we need a lunch break walk - so call me sledge and a team of huskies, I might need them!🛷🌨️🌨️☃️

Hey it's me - the Anonnie mouse🐁

 For the last 15 - 18 months I'd read various blogs saying that thanks to blogger they were not able to sign in - now it is my turn. I have become anonymous even on my own blog - so please, my apologies, you are not being ignored it is blogger having a (not so) funny turn ....

It has been lovely reading your comments - been a good way to get back into blogging, so not being able to respond has been a bit of argh! moment.

Post Script - fellow annonie mouses - are you still anonymous? or if not, how long did you linger on bloggers naughty step?

Magic

 Having not sketched, painted or even doodled for some time, I felt it was time to tentatively dip my toe into the arty world again. However, I kept putting it off. So, when one of the volunteers at work mentioned she was also suffering from a need to draw but did not have the inspiration, I suggested that we started after the festive break and challenge each other to a subject each week. She jumped at the chance.

So, our first week back - the subject was 'Tree'. After the initial hesitation on my part, once I put pen to paper it was like the drought had been broken and I scribbled away happily.

The second challenge subject came from my friend and she suggested 'Gnome'. After scratching my head a little - I did not fancy cutesy so I decided on a slightly cranky gardening hedgerow Gnome - happy? Yup.

The sketch book goes into work tomorrow, so we can share and show each other and the next challenge will be issued!!

Post Script : we are hoping others will see what we are doing and join in. I think we all need a little magic in our lives and for me (and my volunteering friend - art is that magic). What is magic for you?

how I hug (hygge)

A chill wind is cutting through clothing outside today and despite the woodburner glowing warmly - I am cold. Bone Cold. If I put any more clothes on I shall not be able to bend.....

I know that being more active would certainly help however I have a few sit down/computer/book keeping tasks to tackle as well as a drawing challenge which I need to start. I am trying to get back in to sketching having stopped suddenly in October 2019. Yes, I can be that specific. Talk about going cold turkey.

Despite the sun, our house is quite dark, the angle it was built all those years ago (it is about 170ish years old) did not factor in the modern need and understanding for the requirement of natural light.

I resort to candles and lights to fill the dark corners with light and warmth, I love the flickering light against the walls.

On a whim (well sort of a whim - an idea has been rattling around my head for a while) I bought a mirror ball. In the optimistic hope that small shards of light could be captured from the sun and light up the room and it did for a brief time when for about 20 minutes the sun shone obliquely across the village and into our window. The lounge was filled with sparkles and twinkles and made my heart sing. Just need to find it the perfect sun basking spot🌞

So, that and the thought of the hyacinth bulbs filling the room with their glorious scent make me rather happy.

Post script : what do you do to bring a little light in to your life? 

Swirling mists and glorious skies

 You know that feeling - that shrill brittle metallic air on a crisp winter's day. One that sends icy chills through gaps in clothing and makes your breath catch as you inhale.

Well, after what feels to have been weeks of dreary pathetic grey days, a sharp blue sky cut through the driech - oh what joy! To see the sky - to actually see that endless blue from horizon to horizon made my heart sing.

We are weather watchers - Himself and I, me coz of my work and him coz he just loves the intricacies and unpredictability of a maritime climate - so we knew that Saturday was going to be a gem of a day. It surpassed our expectations. It was utterly sublime. 

We parked near Leighton Moss, our plan was to do a circular walk to culminate with the starlings returning to the reedbeds for the night. We love watching the murmurations, listening to the woosh of the wings and marvelling at the choreography of the swirling birds. 

Everywhere was still very waterlogged, huge puddles drenching fields, paths squelching under foot and rivers full and bubbling. 

Through the reedbeds, where the birds roost overnight, a long straight causeway gives access across the moss. However even that was submerged, transforming the usual stony route to a watery canal where only those visitors with wellie boots could traverse. 

We walked as far as we could and remained on the edge of the last raised bit of the track and watched the few starlings that flew over head. Disappointingly few - we discussed whether it was because we were on the outer edge of the reedbeds or were there definitely fewer birds than ever.

However were were captivated by the silvery mist which swirled around the walkers who managed to quietly splash along the causeway. Carefully lifting booted feet so not to create too big a splash or sound to startle any birds or wet any other pedestrians. 

As the sun slid down behind the reeds, most folk wandered off however we lingered and were rewarded by a reasonably large swarm of starlings swirling overhead. 

Then, when it was almost fully dark, we tore ourselves away and returned to the van reluctant to finish the day.

Post Script : hope you managed to enjoy the much better weather this weekend and topped up your battery levels - I have found the dreary grey stuff quite draining.

The delight of a warm cat after a rainy day

My last day before returning to work saw Eldest, his lovely girl and I saw us splash and bump our way over the wild and windy moor road to Hebden Bridge. I swear the pot holes and uneven tar has worsened over the last few weeks making it a very bumpy ride.

Storm Henk was doing his worst further south however we were still on the receiving end of blustery and wet weather when we landed. Carefully walking down the steep cobbled steps into the town is an adventure in it's own right when the cobbles are dry, however when they are glistening wet with rivulets of water streaming alongside, even more so! Definitely not a flight of stairs to do on an icy day.

Town was a lot quieter that I thought it would be, probably due to the less than delightful weather. We visited a few of our favourite haunts - We love 'Spirals' and 'Earth Spirit' and often come away with something we have fallen in love with. This time for me, it was a book which I am devouring happily. 

Dashing between shops to try and keep as dry as possible took us to Jules - an absolute gem of a place. Filled with quirky hand thrown pottery from Portugal and unusual pieces of kitchenware - it is somewhere I have been taking the boys since they were small and what pleases me is that they now take their lovely girls and friends. Spreading the joy.

We eventually had to give up - the weather was just not letting up and we were succumbing to the cold and the damp - besides, at home the kettle and woodburner were calling as were these two. Eldest's two kittlings (not young enough to be cats and certainly not kittens any more) lovingly known as 'the boys'.

Who, despite appearing angelic and snoozy in these pictures, can be whirlwind mischief makers at the drop of a hat! They have gone home now and the house is a whole lot quieter without their exuberance and enthusiasm and generosity of purr. 

 

Post Script: the boys are seasoned travellers already - they love their car crate and will jump in as soon as they see it and when they arrive at their destination they make themselves at home within seconds. These lads are amazing little cats.

New start

 

The new year started simply - a damp and grey sky with a sliver of sunlight, but dry enough to do the planned walk. Both our boys and their lovely girls were with us and with a borrowed dog, we sploshed and splashed our way around a local walk.

And for a brief couple of hours we had blue blue skies - something I have sorely missed.

And it felt good.