Guest Post

I am handing this post over to my dear V, just this once sweetheart...
I give you my husband...V.

It bloody does look like two Aardvarks fighting over a carrot. I dread to think what the rest of the animal kingdom looks like to the designer! A sparrow most look like some kind of giant hawk and a hawk must look like a pterodactyl. I can see I'll have to watch out when next we are out in the MG that one of them doesn't swoop down and carry us off to feed its unspeakable offspring!
Of course the only logical explanations are, either she's living in "The lost world" Or the medication she's on is either way too strong, or not strong enough!
I rest my case. Now bring in the men in the white coats.

And there you have it. Do I or do I not deserve a medal? :D but, he bought me a convertible so I'll let it go this time.

Carrots and Aardvarks

My first ever quilt block.

It needs a press but I can't find my iron...
(I don't do ironing)

A close up

I am ridiculously pleased with their tails, a cluster of French knots. It has been about twelve years since I last did any embroidery and by golly it shows. I can see at least twenty errors here and the patchwork is wobbly. Still, I showed the finished patch to V, happy as a dog with two tails. He peered at it and said...

V: Oh that is nice. (long pause) Why are two aardvarks fighting over a carrot?
S: What!? They're rabbits!
V: Bloody huge rabbits.
S: And that's a heart!
V: Why are they fighting over a heart? That's gross.
S: He's giving her a heart 'cos he loves her.
V: Oh. (longer pause) I wonder what kind of nightmares that designer has...

at that point I gave up.
I am still happy with it because it is something new and I gave it a go. It is not important that it is not perfect because this little project is for me. I won't be giving up my spinning wheel though - this is a light flirtation, spinning is for life :)

In other news we went to get the new car yesterday and what a little beauty she is. It was a lovely drive up the Heads of the Valleys road, through the Cotswolds and on to Buckinghamshire. It was a sunny day and it was pure fun driving down with Dean and Thomas, laughing like drains at the crazy names that the English had for some of their villages. Anglo Saxon is a helluva language - Crumps Butts anyone? Of course butts were archery targets but honestly...
No pictures sorry, we only stopped twice. Both times in distinctly soulless service stations but the countryside we drove through was stunning. The sky is so open in that area we noticed, no mountains getting in the way of the horizon. Very beautiful for a visit, but there is no place home is there?

So we have brought the new baby home and there she sits, quite incongruously outside our tiny house. I took her down to Tescos this morning and I've never had such fun driving, I was grinning like a cheshire cat all the way there. It takes quite a bit of shopping in the boot too. I haven't tried getting the spinning wheel in there but failing that there is plenty of room in the front seat. Anyway, I am taking this baby (and a tent) up to Woolfest if it is the last thing I do. Can't wait 'til June! Roof down, CD blasting, stop for the night in the Lake District and then on to Cumbria for a weekend of fibery fun. I wonder if the boot will be big enough to carry my stash back. Plenty of time to worry about that though.

And I wanted to thank you for the lovely comments that you guys left on yesterdays post. I appreciate it, really I do.
x

Here I go again...

Reading Sheila Hancock's autobiography of her marriage to John Thaw "The Two of Us". A wonderful book but not the thing to read if you have a tendency to the ol' black dog.
They say one should never blog while drunk. Well, I am not drunk but my black furry chum is sitting right beside me right now. He'll be gone in the morning but it is pretty interesting for the moment.
Why on earth do I do this? It is right up there with listening to Joni Mitchell, what a daft cow I am at times. But the agony that flows from that woman's pen, the hopeless, ringing longing for her dead husband. I wept several times and that's not easy when reading a book is it? And memories of my losses just came rolling in like waves and, while I am nowhere near drowning, my ankles are quite soaked from all the paddling I have been doing this evening. Silly silly woman...

But listen, here is an extract from her diary that she inserts every so often in the chapters. This was shortly after John Thaw's death

...prowling around, looking for traces of him. I can still smell him but he has absolutely gone. Utter despair at his absence...I lie on the floor, crouch trying to stop the physical pain of it. I can't do anything without him, have a cup of tea, cook, it is all linked with him. I am talking to him as if he were there, but he is not, he's so not...

And then, you know, it is curious. I could keep this in drafts, I have had the catharsis of writing it down (plus a good deal more that I have deleted - be glad for that btw) but I am pretty sure I will post this. And why is that? Why do I want to tell you? Why are you reading? I read Robin Hobb's diatribe against blogging the other day and a nasty taste it left behind it I can tell you. Check it out if you like, but it is not cheerful reading. Come to think of it neither is this really?

Back to yarny stuff tomorrow, today rather thanks to BST, we have lost an hour and it is rather later than I thought it might be. I can't afford another insomnia bout, I have an MG to pick up later. A good day ahead I think. And I will leave the talented Sheila Hancock for another evening. Love is a killing thing sometimes...but life's not worth a damn without it either.

ps
I didn't do the lights out thing, I was watching Beowulf and forgot.

Bits and Bobs

Earth hour tonight at 8 pm. Probably the smallest thing a person can do to be a bit green, hardly even green at all, light peppermint maybe. Check it out here There is a sturdy amount of info and at this hour in the morning I am not prepared to do more than link.

Also, my thanks to UL for this...

“Nice Matters Award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.”

I think I shall pass this on to my blogging buddies Dizzy, Pippa, Patois, Pilgrim, Greg, Jessica and Techno Doll. I love the fact that you drop by and your comments brighten my day. Thanks for that. xxx

I have finished the rabbit block and will post a pic later on today after I have finally managed to get some sleep. I hate I hate I hate insomnia.

I am off to bed now, to stare into the darkness and think.
Nos da fy cariad, hope you sleep well.

Comfort on a grey day

I love the colour of rhubarb, acid pink as Brighton rock

Jimany, the weather is foul. Spitting rain with hail at times. I loathe hail, so cruel and stingsome. So we have the fire going full tilt, Barbie and the magic of Pegasus* on the dvd and a beef casserole in the oven. Rhubarb, apple and stem ginger crumble for pudding. I love getting dinner under control so early in the day. I won't feel guilty for sitting and embroidering for the greater part of the afternoon now.

The rabbit square is coming on apace. I am still a bit nervy about cutting out the fabric strips for the surrounding frame. It is a pattern called "log cabin" and all my books assure me that it is very easy. I am sure it is if you can cut out, pin and sew accurately. Unfortunately, perfectionism and I gave up on each other a long time ago and I have a sneaking suspicion that quilters are perfectionists. Own up, you are aren't you?

Progress so far...

Still, this project has grabbed me a bit, even though I am sitting there sewing away and I am sooooo slow. I look at the clock and realise I could have spun a scarfs worth of wool in the time it has taken me to do the edging. It is obvious that embroidery must have been the skill of the upper classes, no one else had the time. All the peasants were busy spinning and knitting! When they weren't digging the lord's fields or being used as arrow fodder of course. I digress, I usually do. Anyway, I am enjoying this little project, who can resist a craft that calls the darling little fabric squares "fat quarters", isn't that cute?

my new fat quarters
:)

I like the word fat, it sounds well kept, well fed. Fat quarters...sounds hamsterish to me.

That reminds me of the time when we had a visiting Ghanaian (probably haven't spelt that correctly) preacher at our church. He complimented all the ladies in the congregation by telling them how fat they looked - in Ghana a plump woman is a sign that they are rich enough to eat well, it is a sign of status. Needless to say, some of that was lost in translation. I got it though. I agree, a bit of meat on the bones is a good thing I think.

I really am wittering now so I'll post some progress pics later.
Hope you are having a fat, snuggly day too.


*My girls have not yet been told the Bellerophon story - the stuff of nightmares in the hands of a gory story teller and I tend to lean that way when I get going on the monster tales. Wait until I tell them about Beowulf and Grendel. I'll save that until their teens I think. So for now, Pegasus is a pretty lilac glittery thing. Hmmn I am biding my time...

Well...

I went and got the stuff for the quilt...

To be honest I feel a bit daft, like I've set myself up for a fall. I mean, I know nothing about this and there is no class or anything around for me to run to. Just me and the ton of books I've borrowed from the library. Still I'll give it a go eh? You never know, it just might work.

Aside from that there is little news to give. Easter holidays are progressing along the usual lines - baking, painting, raiding the dressing up box and huge amounts of chocolate. (I am talking about the children now, not me!)
We went to the Gnoll park this morning and ran around in the bamboo. Making dens is the best. Too busy to take pictures, sorry. But it is a brilliant day. High fluffy clouds and bright blue sky. Time to mow the lawn I think, get the kids outside for the afternoon and then they will be too wrecked to hurtle around V when he gets back from work and I pop out to mine.

So must get on...I want to cut the square out and get the embroidery design down so I can make a start on it this evening in work. Work, hah! Can't really call it work can I?

Hope you are having a bright sunshiny day.

A Plug

That's not a plug, it's a cow!

If you like puns, particularly of a bovine nature, then you could go and check out Life is Mootiful. Drawn by Matt the Designer, who has given up blogging to concentrate on...er...cows and Jon the Freelance Theologian who should be working but blogs instead.

My particular favourite is Winnie the Moo, though Dr Moo is pretty darn good also. Go and see for yourself as they tread the finest of copyright lines...

New Project?

lifted from Lynette Anderson Design

Is this the next distraction? I know I keep on about it but it is taking me a helluva long time to recuperate from this 'flu thing that I had. I am just not up to dyeing fibre or painting yarn which was my next intended dabble project. I need something that will occupy me peacefully without boring me but not be so challenging so as to fry my poor brain...

Just a day or two ago I stumbled across Kate Quilts in Australia. I know nothing about quilting, the design and colour sense needed to quilt just does my head in, but she has a pretty blog with some very cheerful Celtic/folk music on a little widget. And while wandering around I found a link to a Noah's Ark Quilt which really caught my eye...
I have been thinking about it since then. I used to be pretty good at embroidery when I was younger though it has been a long time since I did anything of note. But these little rabbits are speaking to me and they are saying "Go on...give it a go..."
Watch this space...

The New Baby!

Take a look. This is our new car!!!!
It is an MG F, convertible baby.
I am quite pleased*

*face is pressed into a pillow to muffle the screams of excitement and joy.

That's not our house by the way...it's the blokes we are buying the car from.

This made me laugh

How to grow a beard through sheer will power...




Update 5.15 pm: This made me laugh too...

Man, you would not believe how much time I have wasted on the 'puter today...

One Single Impression - Spring

Spring is a harsh mistress:
calls forth life from winter earth,
then she turns her back.


but soon she softens
and dances to the tune of May
herald of Summer

The picture is Winter Aconite, possibly the first of the Spring flowers, beating even snowdrops to break the back of Winter.

and last weeks prompt Circle, because it took me this long to think of one! (The picture is that of my louet spinning wheel.)

That which is missing weights the wheel.
I am incomplete without you.
The wheel turns on.

Easter Saturday

I love Easter. I think I like it more than Christmas, probably because it remains largely uncommercialised and a specifically Christian festival. Though the pagans have their ostara which is a pretty funky festival all of their own and similar in its way.

I love the brilliant hope that Easter carries, the injustice faced and overborne and amazing power that God displayed for us. And if I am completely honest, it is a pretty time too, Spring and sunshine, eggs, chicks, new life burgeoning everywhere and Nature flushed with green. My parents married on an Easter Saturday 52 years ago. My mum carried freesias and the scent of them still carries her back to that day.

These however, are my favourites:

I wish you joy this day and fresh life in whatever life you have chosen

...and cup cakes, I wish you cup cakes

The Ladybird and other stuff...

All done and I'm pretty happy with it actually. That doesn't happen very often, normally I am hard to please, but I think this little bug's ridiculousness makes me smile.

The weather doesn't know what it wants to do here and the sea born wind is bringing us everything from snow to rain to bright golden sunshine. I think it was bordering on gales last night and it is certainly very brisk out there now. My bin was last seen making a bid for the next county I think. I'll probably find it at the bottom of the hill tomorrow unless one of the neighbours wrangles it back home.

It is weird not having V here. I found it hard to sleep last night. Just lay there listening to the wind whistling through the wires, sleeping children scattered around me like dead bumblebees and I felt almost vulnerable without my man in the house. Maybe I need a big dog. I can imagine V's face if he was greeted by a dobermann on his return. Maybe not.

The girls are making hells own mess upstairs I just know it. They are already glittered out from card making this morning. Baking this afternoon and then I shall just bide my time until they zonk out tonight and I shall get to watch Beowulf I think or maybe 300 if it is in the video store. I like a chick flick as much as the next girl but Leonidas makes a chick flick all on his own. Which reminds me I need more chocolate :) Happy day.

Hope you are having a happy day too.

Update: 4:30 pm
It is always the same, whenever V bogs off somewhere I get just too bored and start surfing the yarn stores. Okay I surf yarn stores daily but when he is away I order stuff because he is not sitting with me making me feel guilty that I am spending his hard earned cash on stuff that I have an attic full of anyway. Not that he ever says anything but you know how it is when you are a yarn addict (hiding the yarn/fibre stash in black bags in the bottom of the wardrobe - I can't be the only person to do that surely?).
That said, and indeed I said it to myself just before I clicked on the "place order" button - I have a job of my own now, why not blow some of my money on yarn?... and a pom-pom kit for Rose and a 4 mm bamboo crochet needle (I don't have one remember and I want to make another baby blanket for Faith who is about to sprog any day now). Oh gosh yes, I bought some Debbie Bliss cashmerino for that little project. I ask you, how can anyone resist a baby yarn in cashmere and finest wool that is both washable and tumbleable and is called Pixie? I couldn't
And talking of irresistible, how about this?


Freedom Spirit 100% wool in Fire from Dragon Yarns. Isn't it stunning? All my favourite colours. I did not buy it because of Project Spectrum, but what a beautiful expression of the element. I have a pattern all set and waiting for this, a beautiful swingy, shawl collared cardigan from the best of Interweave Knits.

Right I cannot, absolutely cannot go to amazon from here. I will go and bake some cup cakes for tomorrow. Easter means pastel butter cream icing and plenty of little chocolate eggs. Then, as I could not get Leonidas :( I went for James Macavoy in Atonement. I love the way that man acts, still haven't forgotten him in Becoming Jane, so intense. Lovely.
So... have a great evening. I'm off to the kitchen while the twins are asleep.
ttfn!

Back to Winter

Yuk, winter has returned and is throwing grey from the sea all the way up the valley. I can't see the opposite mountain and the poor birds who were so busy yesterday building nests in the sunshine are now sitting under the eaves in a damp bewildered heap wondering where Spring went. They are not the only ones.

Rose has taken the fact that I am rather better as an opportunity to come down with another bout of tonsilitis and V has left for a guys weekend at Ffald y Brenin. He wasn't fussed on going, love him, leaving his womenfolk in varying stages of unwellness but there we are. We will be fine and he will enjoy himself I know. We will be having a very quiet Easter I think. Thank goodness for the Tweenies...

As soon as I can find the camera I will post up the ladybug who now has a head and ten spots. The spots are yet to be sewn on, but that is a project for tonight in work.

So, the fire is belting it out and I might do some baking later but for now I have just got to get moving on some humdrum housework. Laundry yet again... but at least it is sweet smelling and satisfactory in its own way.
Hope you have a snug, warm and fragrant day.

A Lovely Day

It has been a day for the queen today, full of nice treats. From the Baileys latte and warm raspberry and white chocolate muffin that I had in my favourite cafe this morning, to the posh face cream that I bought with my easter money that Daddy gave me (36 and still calling my father Daddy, there is no hope for some people). Sitting there in my cafe, dreaming my usual dreams when I am on my own and it was most peculiar - I suddenly felt lonely. I am frequently on my own and am very happy to be so but it was the weirdest thing, I just wanted company: good company that you can have a giggle with but be challenged too by good conversation... Very strange, maybe it was the fact that Dizzy leaves me for the US today for a fortnight...
And then I remembered a happy thing: that I was soon to have company that afternoon in the shape of the lovely Pippa up for a visit all the way from Bristol. And we did indeed have a lovely time together, the girls were overjoyed to see her. Tea, a long chat and a nice meal, the best kind of day spent with a friend. Thanks Pippa.

Sooo... I have lit the fire and done the dinner dishes. I think I will have another glass of wine and sneak some chocolate while the girls are playing upstairs and then I'll start on the black spots for the ladybug. Progress shots soon.
Hope you have had a lovely day too
Nos da cariad

On the Needle Today

When one is unwell but getting better and wanting something to play with but have very little focus ie not enough for spinning :( then that is where a little mindless crochet comes in very handy. Just round and round and round, only stopping when you run out of wool.
This is a baby blanket in progress. I am planning on turning it into a ladybird, black spots and all. It is destined for quite a young mum who at nineteen probably would not appreciate the usual pastel offerings. I thought a ladybug would be fun. It will at least be warm, I am using a commercial yarn Patons fairytale 100 % superwash wool in DK. It is a bit splitty but that could be because I am using a metal hook. I usually work with wood or bamboo but I don't have one at 4mm. Must get one next time I am ordering from Winghams...or perhaps I will wait to get one in Wonderwool Wales - more on that closer to the date. I am saving hard and looking forward to the local wool festival. Excited!
Anyway I have another busy day ahead of me. Have at it...
Hope you have a good one too

Favourite Things

It has been a busy day helping at Rose's school with a felting project that they are working on. It was quite tiring. So I rewarded myself with a huge amount of goodies in the shopping basket this week.
There can't be anything much better in this world than bringing home bags of comfort food. Ginger tea, cream cake, jammy dodgers, sweet smelling bath goodies and Country Living magazine, oh and Green and Blacks Chocolate. Happy day.
I'm off for a hot bubble bath now with a scalding cup of ginger tea and a good nose through the CL special on huts and tree houses.
Hope your evening is as delightful as mine is going to be...

Music to Spin to

Still not spinning, blah. But found this and loved it so I thought I would pass it on. A lovely song, sung as only Enya can, full of blessings and loving thoughts.
Have a happy day cariad.



May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home

Mornie utúlië (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantië (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

May it be the shadows call
Will fly away
May it be you journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun

Mornie utúlië (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantië (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

A promise lives within you now

Sunday Scribblings - Bedtime Story

There was once a giant's daughter.
Her hair was spun candlelight,
Her voice was soft rainfall.
The giant feared her loss
and bound her to him
with chains made from the roots of mountains.
She did not weep
neither did she curse him.
She thought for a while.
She made her a gown from the tissue of mist
She snipped a girdle from the Northern Lights
She bound the North Star to her brow,
took hold of her chains
made from roots of mountains
and died.
The giant found her thus.
We turn away from his grief
which was like a black wave.
He endured, though much about him was destroyed.
Time passed...
But the Giant's daughter
who had clung with the grip of winter to her chains
made from roots of mountains
climbed hand over hand across the chasm
back to the home that waited for her.
The chains, swung and rattled as she climbed
but they did not fail her.
Like the kiss of sunrise
on the face of a cloud
so life returned to her shell.
She stretched, she smiled.
She turned to her father
and looked at the chains he had made her.
Her warm breath
crumbled them to dust.

This week I am mostly reading...

Fitted Knits by Stephanie Japel

The simple pleasures are the finest aren't they? And to my mind there are few finer pleasures than a vanilla latte, an apricot muffin and the company of a friend in Borders book store, unless it is all of the above and knitting too.
Curled up in the comfy brown velvet chairs, sipping hot, sweet coffee, laughing nineteen to the dozen and debating which delicious book to add to the library. And I settled on this one. I bought it ages ago, but it is impossible to review something when one is frothing with excitement about which project must be done first. So I go from that to paralysis - I can't decide therefore I do nothing- and then it all settles down a bit, I pick a yarn and away to go.
There are twenty five projects in this book and they come under the headings of: tubes, tanks and tees; shrugs, cardigans and wraps; sweaters, vests and coats; and dress up clothes.
Only the last category holds stuff that I would not want in my wardrobe, that is because I cannot see the merit in a knitted dress, but that's me. The other examples are by and large sheer gorgeousness. I have a weakness for shrugs, so ballet, so elegant and so easy to knit but there are some cute little jumpers too, fitted naturally and some have those cute little peplums that says sexy librarian to me. Its a good look if you can carry it off.
There is nothing in here for the chaps or the children by the way, this is just for the girls. I don't mind that so much as my man is deeply uninterested in hand knitted sweaters (just too man at C&A for him to hack, old eighties dude that he is) and my kids won't wear anything that's not pink and I'm allergic to pastels so that is that out.
There is nothing in this book that I would not feel equal to having a bash at even though knitting and I are still to really yet to knatch. This is because the directions are free from gobbledegook even though there are no charts and it is written in a warm but authoritative tone that is quite encouraging without being smarmy.
It is hard to know what an experienced knitter would make of this book: there are one or two challenging pieces in there (an i cord sounds no fun whatsoever to knit) and there is a smattering of lace too but largely I would say that this is a good book for a confident beginner who wants to push the boundaries somewhat and produce something beautiful without too much hassle. And that too is another one of life's little pleasures.

Music to Spin to

I had a tiny go at some mulberry silk last night and didn't realise how much focus spinning needed! I can spin in the dark, I can spin while watching TV but apparently I need a little more time to recuperate before I have a go at a fibre as soft and slippery as that. What a mess!

Anyway, after ending up in a proper cats cradle I am reluctant to paddle in the dyes, which was what I thought I might do today. Another day off I think, perhaps a little undemanding crochet in front of the fire, tea, biccies and Stardust on the dvd. Happy day.

So, while I cannot spin yet I found this little treasure while surfing last night. Do have a listen, it is just perfect. Sit back, relax and drift away...

Have a perfect day fy cariad.

Birthday Giveaway

To celebrate my birthday now that I am somewhat in the land of the living, I am having a little giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post and I'll put your name in a hat for the chance to win a small goodie bag. One of my lovely young assistants will draw it next week. Contents of said goodie bag have not yet been decided but I will have fun picking out some nice things.

One Single Impression - Kindness

The thoughts that haunt me worse than most are the kindnesses I thought of but did not do. However, sometimes I remember and thereby make a friend.

We did not get on

'til I found that dragon fruit
and gave it to you.

Surprise I said and
handed it over - a little thing,
but it meant a lot.

For other kind haiku check out OSI here

36

I have decided to draft the last few posts. Being unwell is boring, but thank you for the kind comments and good wishes. I appreciate them.

I am taking the next few days off and I'll see you all when I am truly better.
Nos da cariad, ttfn and all that jazz.
x

Post!

How much do I love shopping online? Lovely, lovely stuff from amazon and fibrecrafts. Two books, silk laceweight yarn and acid dyes. I so wanted to get right in on that yarn but I am forcing myself to read the book first so I don't make a hash of it...or if I do make a hash of it at least it won't be for the lack of information.
So I am resting the old foot which is playing up again as I spun a little bit yesterday and now is bugging me no end with this dull constant background ache. Not anything agonising which would warrant a trip to the doc's or even a physio but this nagging blahsomeness.
Never mind, I have stuff to read and then stuff to do.

Hope you are having a colourful, busy day...

Mars and Venus

Why is it that ones husband can make what they think to be some perfectly innocuous remark and the wifebrain translates it as something completely awful?
Poor V left today with the fattest of fleas in his ear merely because he said that it might be better for me to go visit a friend rather than and I quote "Sit around on the computer all morning."
He was meaning "It'll be nice for you to go and visit"
I heard "You sit around on your fat butt all day and don't do anything around here."
I had the queen of hissy fits and threw myself with martyred venom into a whirl of housework and didn't go to Ann's so there!

I feel quite insane sometimes. But honestly MEN! You'd think after nineteen years together, seventeen of those spent under the same roof, that he would get the idea that he just needs to shutthehellup at certain times of the month. Sheesh!
Poor bewildered V. I must make some choccie brownies before I leave for work to say sorry.

On a more beautiful note. Look!


Cerise merino and peacock silk! I have no idea what to make with it but just had to spin it up in defiance of a bad foot.
Hope your day is sunny and hormonally balanced :D

Dying update

Remember the camel down and tussah silk that I dyed? Well here it is all washed, dried and sweet smelling. It is quite chunky and I can't wait to start work with it. I have a few things to finish before then though. But I am hoping to have this made up by the end of the month.

More Welsh Ladies

Off to the Eisteddfod

Today is the first school day after St Davids Day so most of the schools in Wales have some kind of St Davids Day celebration where they all dress up and sing songs and the like.
Our village school has a full blown competitive Eisteddfod with singing, art and recitation categories. I could not really call it fun, it takes a long time, but I am glad we do it and there is something satisfying about hearing the children singing the old songs and reciting daft poems.

One Single Impression - Change

An appropriate prompt for the new haiku site - One Single Impression
Generally, I find change uncomfortable, even when it is desperately needed and I fight hard against it even though I know that sometimes it is for the best. So this is mine.

Change
So hard to grasp,
like sand through fingers,
like water, like flame.

Thank you to Sandy and Andree for stepping forward and accepting change even while keeping some things the same. Well done you guys

Welsh Ladies

Eden and Lily in Welsh national dress

Eden demonstrating that Wales is indeed The Land of Song

David Who?

Patron saint of Wales boyo! Today we all dress up in silly hats and dragon stuff, eat cawl, wave leeks and wear daffodils on our coats. Then we all pop down the pub, get tiddly and sing Sospan Fach, possibly the weirdest song ever written. Only the Welsh would get drunk to a song about boiling saucepans and a cat scramming little Jonny...
Here is how it is done.



The great thing about this is that it was done in a Celtic Festival in Chicago, which for some reason, makes me smile.

And an excellent recipe for cawl can be found here.

Have a really great day. I'm off to my Mums to do almost all of the above.