chasing my tail

The two weeks since my last post have passed very quickly.     

The session in the green gym turned into a four day marathon.    The glorious weather made the task a delight.   Pruning back shrubs, weeding borders, edging the lawn (a task the head gardener manages to avoid).      Lastly clearing the (long) drive of weeds and old leaves.   It all looks fantastic now.   That was only the front garden.  I'll get to the back garden eventually.  It's looking lush with all the April showers we are having.

a mass of forget-me-nots and lillies of the valley

a mixture of daisy type plants, happy in an old sink

and the veg plot cleared for planting

I planted chard in the autumn the plants didn't

do too well but I love the red stems

An Unexpected Delight

In our lovely light lounge the previous owners decided a brick wall would enhance the room.  It is horrible, especially in the winter.   Dark and gloomy.   For years I have been been trying to persuade my man that it had to go.    Now it has!    HURRAH.

Fred called round last Wednesday to have a look.    No problem he said.    Skip delivered on Saturday.   Work started on Monday morning, not knowing how it was constructed we were

in for one or two surprises.

Mid morning and half of The Wall has gone.   We thought we might discover breeze blocks, but, no, the wall is plastered, the coving and ceiling pattern intact.  The lower section gave up a couple of secrets.    A call from Fred to turn of the electrics.   Wires in one socket had not been sealed properly all could have been 'live' behind there.   Scary.    A empty packet of crisps with a competition, closing date, 26th January 1982, which just happens to be my youngest son's birthday.

Tuesday the plaster was rendered.   Job done by 2pm.

Lovely shaft of evening sunlight!

I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to gain order out of chaos.    This is upstairs, and we have an open pine stair case.  Major dust incident.  Furniture dragged back into position.

Dust sheets (cream muslin curtains) and other dusty textiles off to the washing machine.

The huge piles of books and boxes of stuff recovered with clean cloth. Windows washed,

goodness me!   Carpet Dysoned.   Repeat procedure downstairs.   Shower, hair wash and clean clothes closely followed by a gin and tonic, to clear the dust you understand.

To look at this now wonderful wall filled me with delight this morning.   There is, of course, the decorating to consider amongst other things.    We brought back two bed covers from India, white on white reverse applique.   These will be the new curtains, the old might just be recycled via the dye pots.

Heaven knows when we will get round to sorting this lot out. I can live with it for a while.

It was the first of my Summer Workshops on Saturday - great time had by all, including me

Will and Ben arrived for the weekend and left on Monday morning, but not before Ben 'helped' Fred throwing a few bricks into the skip.   What a noise!

So, all is quiet for a while.  I am preparing for the Dorset Quilters' day on 10th May, followed by a talk to the Marlborough Embroiderers' group the following Monday. At both events my Indian Shop will make an appearance.  Dyeing up a load of threads today and tomorrow it will be fabric.

The good thing about the upheaval in the house, I can ignore total housework for a while!

If you are in the Wimborne (Dorset) area on Wednesday 7th May, A Talent for Textiles event is taking place at Deans Court, Wimborne (BH21 1QF)   Lots of traders, antique textiles,

linen, lace etc. 10-5.   Apart from gorgeous textiles, you can wander around the lovely garden.     I'm taking the morning off - see you there!

shibori

there are a couple of places left on the Shibori/Procion workshop Saturday 26 April

if shibori is not for you, you, come along and do your own thing

busy days

The workshops went well.   Fabulous students, who worked very hard!     No photos, far too  busy 'doing'.

Workshop 1 - Indian Applique

folded square for a warm up

Workshop No. 2 Indian Mirror work

the basic stitch, then we went on to

explore different methods of attaching

mirrors, including thick machine cut mirrors

Well done to all my lovely students!

on Saturday morning I woke up early and witnessed the

most incredible sunrise, it was raspberry coloured

by the time I found my camera the colour had faded

a little, much not that much

isn't that amazing?

the old saying 'red sky in the morning shepherds warning

a sure sign of rain, but not that day

Back home again on Saturday evening and a quick meal before setting of for London.   Will was running in the Marathon and we were taking Ben up to watch some of it, then ending up in The Mall for the finish.

the view from Hungerford Bridge across to Waterloo Bridge

(you wait for ages for one bus, then loads suddenly appear)

we walked to Trafalgar Square and had a picnic    Ben had a good run around

and loved the fountains, but not having his photo taken

I loved the blue cockerel on the fourth plinth

the blob of blue on the right

my camera battery died

I'll just have to return

and so to The Mall

Daddy did it!  

Home again, and relax, that is after putting all my workshop stuff away.

Ignoring all else, the sun is shining and I am now going to visit the green gym.

all boxes ticked

Thirty five kits to go for two workshops at the end of the week.    Paperwork gathered.   All ready to go.   Who knew it would take so long?!!

After this weekend, I am looking forward to having time to 'play'.    Summer workshops start at the end of the month, they are always fun.   The garden is in need of attention!   Plants are growing like mad with the 'April showers'.   Lots of ideas scribbled down in my notebook, it will be good to revisit and put thoughts into action.

but look

today I did some stitching and it felt good!

a patchwork bag to hold a iPad 

the photo was taken outside in the sunshine

which was a bit of a bonus

so, where am I now?

Or rather, what have I been doing over the last three weeks?

It's been hectic.    Two workshops at the beginning of the month.   Shed loads of paperwork and admin to deal with.    Prep for my summer workshops, and gathering all the bits and pieces for the two workshops I am taking at the Quilters' Guild AGM in two weeks time.

basket of bags - part of the student's pack

and I cannot possibly say what is inside!

a surprise package from the postman

a package from Australia

way back in November I was asked to submit

an article on shisha for the World of Quilts - India.

which is included  with the Down Under Quilts magazine

 thank you!

Not a lot of stitching going on, one or two pieces sort of on the go when I have a spare minute or two!   The dye pots are busy dyeing yarn, cotton and felt.   It's heads down for

the next week, and then I will resurface and serious get stitching again.

lastly, I just have to post this

I love travelling on Indian Rail.   Overnight trips are great - interesting fellow passengers, or not.   In the morning you are woken to cries of chai, chai, or coffee, coffee.   The country side whizzes by.  If you are getting off at the end of the line no problem, if not, keep your eyes peeled lest you miss your station.

This time we travelled to Mumbai from Ahmedabad, no stopping train for us, but the Duronto Express.   We left just before midnight and arrived at our destination by 6.00am

The coach attendant handed out the Laundry Bag to passengers.  Crisply ironed sheets and pillow case (or 'face towel')  together with a bottle of mineral water.  Bed made up with a cosy blanket on top made for a perfect night's sleep.

Thank you for following my Indian adventures.   Some might have found them tedious!   Since we now seem to find ourselves out in the wilds far away from Internet access, and it takes some time when I get home to sort out the blog, I am thinking I might just set up another blog  just for my travels.

Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary

Up early and ready to go, except after our little night excursion, we found three punctures in one tyre, which only took an hour to mend!

We could see the large lake in the distance, a few more miles through winding country lanes and we were there.

breakfast time

village taxi

Down to the lake, where our 'country' boat awaited.   I was not too sure about that, but it would have been ridiculous to sit on the bank.  Luckily a slightly larger vessel appeared.  How to describe it?!!!   Well, think fibreglass structure, very low in the water, and propelled by punting.   Fortunately the waters of Nalsarover Lake are shallow.  We arranged ourselves

on plastic matting placed on the deck, and off we went.  Not quite Venice, but lovely.

the crew

fishermen unloading and sorting their catch

lunch - and they were delicious

lake temple

and so we just glided along  it was a beautiful experience

so quiet and peaceful 

there were thousands of flamingoes

these are getting restless, they have seen us!

I got a bit carried away taking photos of reflections of reeds

it was mesmerising, watching the shapes change as we passed by

reeds being gathered for cattle food

doing the laundry

Back on dry land again after a dreamy hour on the lake.

Fish for lunch, of course.   Packing to do, we leave for Mumbai tonight.

The Little Rann

North of Dhrangadhra lies a land of salt farms, heat mirages, flamingos and other migrating birds, plus the Khur or Asiatic wild ass.    I visited here with my sister Aly in 2009, can it be that long ago!    (see blog post 16.02.09)

I had to take Keith to see the Asiatic wild ass, and whatever else that might be there.  

a boat

which is a strange thing to see in the middle of no where

there are loads of grass covered islands, know as bets, which, during the

monsoon season really do become islands again    when the waters rise

fishermen take boats out and go fishing for shrimps

So that was just a taster.  Next visit we must go stay in the Koba huts again!

Well, all that salty air means a chai stop on the way home

local village warrior stones

In the evening Mr. Singh took us out on a night safari.   I thought it was around the grounds, but it turned out to be his farm, not so far away.  So off we set, with torches, stumbling through the undergrowth, lots of scuffles and strange noises!  We were looking for night jars or hares.  Think they might have gone to bed.  Then there was great excitement,

two porcupines, never seen here before.   Very ghostly looking.  A frog and a nilgli (also know as a Blue Bull) made an appearance as we walked through a field of fodder, which smelt sweet and delicious.  

A stroll around the gardens of OBGH, we could hear a Little Spotted Owl.  

But, enough, time for bed.   We are going on a boat trip tomorrow.