Shall we take a stroll

down to the water and then we can ,"Linger and gaze on a first return to the sea".

WooHoo, another Happy Dance, wonder if Sally has her dancing shoes on too. I am so pleased with this, it goes so well with At Home both being quotes from Jane Austen. I do have to have a bit of a problem, as the At Home is in a frame I had a picture in and try as I might I cannot find one to match. As I want to put them side by side I think I will have to talk to my tame framer and see what he can do for me. I do have the CHS one for him to do as well, and another couple looming for the birdie wall.
I am so pleased to hear you enjoyed our ramble last week Jan,and so pleased no one had blisters lol.
I keep hearing the !I am not a gardener - neither am I really,I have to rely on the man that does ,that sounds as if I have lots of menservants ,I wish, no only the one and he's my Mr Wonderful ,(got a bucket handy)the tame framer is a friend who has framed my needlework since ,well way back when,-back to the garden, it all looks rather sad and sorry now,but some things to show you are:-

This is a sedum just breaking into bloom , the bees love it , common name is Ice Plant. We also have some red leaf ones but I am not as keen on those.
In the nursery are these pixie lupins.

The only other thing in the garden to show you is the Triffid, it has now crawled next door and is marching steadily across their lawn to their house.If it was tall it could audition for Jack and the beanstalk.

Lots of leaf growth but no sign of a pumpkin makes flowers but no fruit. Perhaps the next door neighbours will have the pumpkin !!!
whilst I am on the subject of gardens- in reply to Jules the lily smells d-i-v-i-n-e!
Hazel, a big garden is ok if you keep it ok but ours needs a lot of t.l.c and no matter how we (that is the royal we) try it always seems to get away from us.
Christine - I keep hoping that if the gladi don't flower this ,perhaps they will next year - I can but hope!!
Julie I think a lot of plants are poisonous ,but we dont tend to eat them lol.I suppose its not worth risking it, Mr Moe and Midge are very special.

Jack says thanks for sympathies about his bike accident,he is much better apparently,he has been working hard and hasn't had time to come over.Graeme, Sue ,an
Ella popped in on Monday,they had been to see mil as it was 3 years since fil died.They were a little surprised to find me with a ceased up back. I felt something 'go'when I reached to put some plates away after Sunday lunch. I did not take any notice really and we got in the car and went off to Abbotsbury.
We arrived here

an old village school ,which is now hired out for exhibitions etc. So here we were for an embroidery exhibition,there was a lot of wonderful inspiring work there,but I knew I had done something to the back and only took a few pics for you.
However just for Heidi as she has worn out so many slippers with me.All those Happy Dances.Wonder which pair you would choose?

Aren't these just so sweet though, fairy slippers. I fell in love with them I must admit.
Next along these seahorses caught my eye.

There was this lovely cushion ,think it was candlewicking.

Last but not least was this gorgeous piece of stumpwork, and I voted this best in my opinion, as I know just how much work goes into something like this.

All those should be clickable to make them easier for you to inspect!!
Martin had parked the car a little way off,so he went to collect it while MIL and I waited, we thought we would take her to Abbotsbury Tropical Gardens for a treat,I was very fidgety by now ,trying to get comfortable so we decided we vould just go in the plant centre for her to have a look see before taking me home. Oh they had some really nice bits and bobs there,but we could hear this wonderful mellow band sound coming from around a corner and this is what it was.

It was a really lovely 10 mins or so before they finished. They played tunes from the 60s and we were really pleased we got there before the end. Martin bought me a willow trug for my needlework bits,and a hamper containing a tea service for a teddy bears picnic for mil, the china bits and bobs had bears on. So that made her cry all over us. Martin (thinking of his tummy) bought this.

Managed to get back to car and although every pot hole and bump on the way home was felt ,it was worth it.
So that is how I was in pain when G,S,and E arrived on Monday. After resting for a couple of days it does feel a lot easier.
G S and E are on their way to Turkey as I speak ,it is between 38and 43 degrees where they are going ,rather them than me , I would be a little (or rather a large grease spot).
Oh another bit of news I won a RAK from Michelle who is in Turkey at the moment, she has taken something to stitch and when she gets back she will finish it and post it to me, so I will get Turkish Delight lol. Will let you know what I receive excitement here can you tell !!
So we have covered the garden and the family so now onto the family tree and the famous person ,well you may remember that James who was baptised in Fleet (last post) married Sarah, so her father is my great great grandfather and is also this persons great great grandfather too , Work that one out ,I think its cousin 3 times removed, I couldn't download pic off the internet of her, copyright, ,so I took a pic of a dvd I have .

Sarahs maiden name was Dench ,yep you got it I am related, albeit distantly ,to Dame Judy Dench. I was amazed myself when an ad appeared a couple of years ago, from a genealogist researching for Judy Dench, and wanting to know if there were any persons that were related to anyone named Dench. Martin phoned him and he confirmed that yes we were related. So that is my claim to fame lol.
Have you a claim to fame.
No more done on the F.Tree this week.
I do have a few starts to show you on the stitching front ,but no finishes. First is

Ida Mae Crow by The Goode Huswife. This will go on the birdie wall ,I also have Ira Ray to do too.
Then there is

Blackbird Designs for my summer SAL which i have neglected ,bad girl.
Just a little something

Well I did say a little something, shall I say the famous words ,'Can you see what it is yet? Will give you a little at a time with this one.hee hee .
This is stitched on The frosted cafe from Sassys,by the way Jane if you have some of her fabby and want to offer it for sale of trade please e mail me with colour etc.As you said you did not like it.
My stash this week is not a lot , but these yummy colours to do a sort of Halloweeny type design

Well my friends not such a long ramble this time ,thought I would give you chance to give your feet a rest! How about coming for tea, remember the magazine from last time -this recipe was in it and before and after pics.


Rather yummy, fry onion and bacon in a little olive oil , I did the bacon first, to get it crispy used streaky, cut marrow in half lengthwise,and scoop out seeds. Mix a tin of drained chopped tomatoes,chopped mushrooms, fresh thyme and parsley salt and pepper together with the bacon and onion. Pack into the marrow, Mix breadcrumbs with cheese and press on top ,adding little extra cheese I you want (I did). Then cook (I covered with foil for the first 40 mins, for 1hr 15 mins in a gas mark 4 centre of the oven.Voila!!! Hope that made sense.
Enjoy!!
Speak soon
Hugs n stuff
Barb.