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Summer Days

(11 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by brenda midgley
  • Latest reply from Helen Hawkins-Ainsley

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  1. brenda midgley
    Member

    Hello All,

    Gone very quiet on the forum - now let me guess - you are either in the garden or watching tennis! I'm not a tennis fan as such but even so may well tune in tomorrow to see how Andy Murray's getting on.

    As for today and yesterday - with such glorious sunshine - I have been in the garden. Despite all the rain we have had recently, the ground is now beginning to dry up again. This leads me to question - are you doing all you can to help the little creatures? I have a 'standing' bird bath and our little feathery friends don't 'arf have a splash once they get going. the wood pigeons get in and so do the magpies (not all at once you understand; I'd need something the size of a swimming pool for that!). Even the squirrels jump up for a drink from it. But what about the smaller creatures - the ones you perhaps don't notice? In the last couple of days I've rescued bees,spiders and beetles. They too need to drink but my bird bath is too deep for them. If they go in without wearing those blow up orangey arm band things they don't stand much chance of getting out again.

    So what I want you all to do - yes, just listen - this is aunty Brenda's request spot, please put out a nice big flat dish on the ground so's the 'tinies' can get to it. For all you know you may even have a hedgehog in the garden - I've seen them drink from my dish on the ground. They will all be grateful - and so will I.

    On to stitching - who's doing what? I'm currently on the last legs of Tudor Treasure and it's looking very pretty, so I'm happy with that. What I am not happy with, however, is a pair of trousers. My dearest other half - him wot's responsible for all my grey hair - have you ever met me? - you'll see I have a lot of grey hair - has given me a pair of trousers - 'Can you alter these' he said. 'They were all right when I tried them on in the shop, but they've now gone too long; so can you take them up a bit'. I've tried explaining to him that mending things or altering things is not in the same league as stitching things, but he can't seem to get his head round that.

    I know, my fellow stitching sisters, that you will know exactly what I mean - so thank God for the forum where I can reach out to you all for a bit of support and understanding. Brenda X

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. Barbara Stone
    Member

    I'm ahead of you Brenda, just finished the Tudor treasures by putting the felt on - I actually managed to sew it all together, while being driven up the M6 on my way to Scotland. And that was the only thing I managed to do while away - took all the stitching with me, and did nothing! I've also got to turn up a pair of trousers, but they are for me, not for him. He informed me, while I was climbing up a hill ahead of him, that i was treading on the hems of my trousers, and I should turn them up very soon before they got too bad! Sorry dear, I forgot to pack the sewing machine! So they're pinned up, and I'll sew them when I can. Meanwhile I'm watching the tennis, having a nervous breakdown over some Scots guy and just chilling out in the sunshine. Anybody for a Pimms?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. Auntie Beryl
    Member

    Me , Please , Barbara ! It might be a bit "flat" by the time it got to Gatley but I would force it down ! As you do !

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. Janet Nicholl
    Member

    Hi Barbara - I also took stitching to Scotland for the last week and barely touched it! I did end up starting the 10 year old daughter of our B & B host on a simple kit and she was progressing well. With competitions on each day except Mon & Wed when we went out to see the sights and meals in the pub with our group each evening I should have known not to bother to pack anything stitchy!! Usually if himself goes off with his camera I sit and stitch in the car until he returns but this time the places we visited were interesting to me too.
    Brenda - point taken re low level water. I have an old plastic tray on the paving slabs in front of my hives and Angus left an old kitchen sponge out there when he cleaned a bucket. The bees love the sponge for their water supply so it can't be "tidied" up! We do have other water sources in the garden too although the cat seems to prefer this dirty water to his nice fresh bowl in the kitchen......

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. Tina Lamborn
    Member

    We watch all the small birds first thing on two bird baths on our patio, I have been known to go out and refil with water whilst they wait in the bushes and come out for a second dip. Saucers are also a good source of water for our little folk, but will try the idea of adding a sponge.

    After reading all Jane's work in the house I decided to have a go early yesterday with a promise to finish today, no way, it will keep for a cooler day. So soon it will be time for that shady spot in the garden and my stitching to be started. I also have a long cold drink by my side.

    As for trousers, I got so fed up with being asked "haven't you turned those trousers up yet"? (why are short labelled ones too short and medium too long??) that I rolled them up and put a safety pin in both! However, have now had the machine out and done the job properly!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. brenda midgley
    Member

    Janet - never thought of putting out a soggy sponge - what a brilliant idea! I also laughed at the moggie who prefers the dirty outside water to the clean stuff inside. The moral is: never try to tell a moggie what to do, they have their own agenda and you fit in with them, not the other way round. I'm sure, however, you've learned that by now!

    Barbara - Great stuff girl - up to the felting bit already with Tudor Treasure, well done. As for husband noticing your trouser hems as he climbed the hill behind you, mine would've been looking at my bum. What is it about men and bums? - we'll discuss that another time.

    As for Beryl and drinkies - I'm catching the next train to Gatley and will join you in the garden (such a l-o-n-g way from the station to your house though so the drink will have to be a big one).

    All fingers crossed for Andy Murray this afteroon!Love Brenda

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. Barbara Stone
    Member

    Didn't the boy do well, but I nearly had a nervous breakdown watching it. However, I'd had a dream he was going to win, so I'm glad it came true.
    I put bird drinking bowls everywhere - our poor little feathered friends have a really hard time at this time of year, so at home and on the allotment, you'll find bowls of water. However, my cats would both much rather have drunk from a dirty bucket than their nice clean bowls. They both lived to be over 17 years old, so it obviously didn't do them much harm.
    I've just realised that I don't even know what Pimms tastes like, so what an opportunity to increase my knowledge!! I can forsee a tasting session taking place at Leicester - are you on for it Brenda?
    I'm off up into my belfry (aka the loft) to use the sewing machine to sew up the trouser hems. See you at the bar!! (Purely educational you understand)

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. Janet Nicholl
    Member

    Pimms - Hmmm I seem to remember from when I was at Catering College:
    Great Western British Railway the fifth for the Pimms flavours in the days when there was more than Pimms No 1 so Gin, Whisky, Brandy Rum and Vodka....
    Pimms no 1 must be a Gin base....
    I am teetotal so I have no idea if it is right :-)

    Bees still enjoying the water tray and sponge. Cat still drinking dirty water!

    We returned from our week in Scotland to loads and loads of strawberries so the girls must have been doing their work!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. Jean Strange
    Member

    Pimms is a lovely summer drink with lots of ice and other things like cucumber, mint, lemon, orange and strawberries. I just looked at my bottle Janet and it says made from a secret recipe but I can tell you there is no gin in it as I can smell gin in anything as at one time I hated it!! Now will occasionaly have a weak gin and tonic. Will be enjoying a jug of Pimms with Jeff and Mum at the New Forest Show at the end of the month!!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. Jean Strange
    Member

    Forgot one of most important ingredients LEMONADE!! need more lemonade than Pimms!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. Helen Hawkins-Ainsley
    Member

    Hi All
    Went to Germany with the bike last week for a long weekend, so missed all the tennis.
    Last I saw was Wednesday night on the ferry & he was losing. Then we get back on Monday to find out he's won.
    I've had Pimms several time & find it is a very aquired taste that I can't quite get the hang of. Much prefer the pear ciders!!
    Flowery Mead went to Germany & stayed in the bag. If fact it is permanently packed in the weekend bike & camping bag, but doesn't come out a lot - it will be very well travelled by the time it's done.
    Going to Fleetwood this weekend and Driffield the following one - get to go to all the best places don't I?

    Brenda, totally agree with you about all the birds & other creatures - we have bits of water & shade all over the place. Watching wood pigeons trying to wash in a standard bird bath is funny. The cat that decided to live with us never drank the clean water in the house, so he must have prefered puddles!

    I have ideas for Tudor Treasure, but they need a bit of thinking about - maybe I'll have something to show those of you at Leicester

    Must do some of the work I get paid for now

    Helen

    Posted 11 years ago #

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