Hawthorns Scavenger Photo Hunt June

Well hello everyone ,super sets of photos last  time. Mine this time  again has been last  minute so shall we begin.
The  words this month are,
1.Yellow.
2.Starts with a T.
3.Lilac
4.Starts with a G
5.Silver
6.Own choice.

So Yellow , on my messy kitchen table  I have these sunflowers, placed alongside a fused glass pic of  sunflowers done by my other half.

Sorry I really should have  moved the bits  and bobs, Sunflowers are such a joy and  this time of year are just so "sunny".

2.Starts with a T.

Well it had to be our Tetra  Panex. Affectionately known as  T.Rex.  It is a tropical  plant  originally from  Taiwan. It  can  grow up to 7 metres.  It is rather large , but despite the snow  we had  earlier in the year it has come  through. It has been  described  as a Fatsia  Japonica on steroids.

 She or He is rather large.

3.Lilac

This  is the Petunia  Surfina,it  has a  really lovely scent  and hangs by the summer  house.

4.Starts  with a G.

Meet Gordon, the goose. My other half  made  him at a wire workshop. We named him  Gordon.

5.Silver.
Not  in  the garden this time , In 2012 the Olympic Sailing event was held here in Weymouth anda commemorative coin was made.  So here  is  the Sailing 2012 50  pence  piece.

6. Own Choice.

Another garden was my choice this time, I am on  page  3 of a flower a day stitch along.  Maybe when it is  finished I will share it again.
Hope you enjoyed the visit to my garden this time. I shall  be visiting  you all  very soon.  Thanks for  the comments  and to Kate  as always for  hosting  this , Take  care  all.

My goodness has it really been that long .

I have just looked at  my last blog post  and hanging my head in  shame  I found it was the  end of March,when snow was on the ground and we were wondering  if spring would ever come. Well of  course it did and now it is summer.So  what have I been up to. Various hospital and  gp visits,but not going to bore you with  that. I have celebrated my daughter in laws 50th birthday and my grandaughters 18th and in a couple of weeks it will be my son in laws 50th too.I have stitched  ,and will  be  showing pics  for you to see.  Martin  has  had eye laser treatment which has been a success . So now onto the photos. 

Sue and her mum on her birthday. What a photo of a mother and daughter.
We did not go  to  Ellas 18th as  it would have  meant  Martin  driving back in  the dark,at that point he had not  had his eye done  so he did   not want to drive that far and not be able to see properly. Here is  a pic of  my 2 grandaughters   on   the same day a  few days before the 18th

Ella on the left  and Caitlin who will  be  21  at the end of the year.They are off  to Ibiza with a couple of Ellas girlfriends in a week or so. 

My son Graeme and Caitlin , a story being told I think.

Catherine my daughter  with Sam  who wants to be a firefighter when he  has done his stint  at college  and having  cuddles  is Alfie who wants  to be  a footballer !
My son  in  law with Sues dad ,

In deep discussion. Only one grandchild  missing ,Jack who with his fiancee was  at the Southampton boat show.  So lovely times  and memories with family.

So now onto  the stitching and  reading  bit. Well quite a bit finished in the last couple of weeks and  some  wips too. Stash has been acquired  and books  too .However before the stitching here is what Martin erected a few weeks  ago.

My bookcase at  one side of the fire, Sorry about the cards Martin had his birthday at the beginning of the month.

His bookcase ,his side of the fire. We both love books and love  seeing them on display. The grandchildren cannot get over the amount of books  we have ,Jack and Katie came over for a curry and gin night last night and it  was the first time  Katie  had  seen  them, where did  they all come from she said ,we  have more in the lofts I said in  boxes. Oh dear no  hope and  I have 2 more  coming this  week.  I think  these days youngsters do not seem  to read as much ,technology has taken over and not for the better sometimes I fear. Oh I love  to lose myself  in a book.
One of the things I have been to  the hospital for is my eyes they are monitoring it every 3 months . I am terrified I will  lose my sight and my two great loves of stitching and reading  may be lost. Still  I cannot think of that now I am sure all will  be well. I still manage to  stitch over one with the help of my light and really good magnifier.I find  though  by the end  of the evening things are  beginning  to double  up. Talking  about over one , this is the latest  thing  I am doing . It  is  a design by Carolyn Manning , it  is  called A  flower  a day as  it was  a  stitch along  she  ran  a while  ago  ,she has lots of wonderful  designs and I do not think  it  will  be  the last  I do.  This is how far  I have got.

I am enjoying it, I stitch along with Lainey and Jean on a Tuesday. Lainey introduced  me to  Carolyns  designs. I am also doing the LHN farmhouse series. and last week finished the 4th in the series stitching with Sally and Sue.

This is Daisy Darlin'. Sunday nights stitching. On  Monday I am again with Sally and Sue stitching Lizzie Kates  designs. This one was finished last week and is  now hanging  on  the wall.

The one before this that I finished was this one.

I have not realised just how much   I have finished since last  I wrote. This is  sheep in the  meadow  ,filled  with Lavender.

The same week this was finished I also finished this. Spring whimsies.

I also finished Boughs of Holly which had been sitting in  my need  to finish basket for far  too long.

Also I made a bookmark out of the gifted  kit  from Julie , it  now sits on  the bookcase.

Another finish last  week was on sheep night with Sally , here  is Winter  friends  by snowflower diaries .

Really pleased  with this  one. Now I have a question  for you,what do you do with all  your finished  work. I  had a message from  my ex boss asking that question ,so now I am  asking  you  if you are  still  with  me.
I  think  by now you are really fed up with seeing all these  photos ,but I know you will be too polite to say so.

Martin has just gone to get  his mum as she is  coming for  Sunday lunch.  I hope there are not too many mistakes  in this ,just needed to get  a post done today . Hope you are all  well  and stitching away furiously . I am  stitching on Grandmas  Quilt tonight another in the farmhouse series. No time to show stash but maybe next time .  Will  try to be  soon ,as  Hilda Baker used to say. Now I can hear you saying WHO.
Take care  my friends and give me a nudge  if I leave it too long next time. Photo hunt the end of this week argh !!! must take  photos.
Much love
Barb.x

Hawthorns Scavenger Photo Hunt.May.

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Hello everyone before I start on Mays assortment please can  I thank everyone for their comments  on Aprils  post.
I did have to find  my thinking head for this months photos,but find them I did  and here they are.

1.Cool.

This one had me wondering ,but thought I would go for the alternative meaning.

This was taken at Pallington lakes ,the lakes are cool,but I thought the words in  the water  were rather "cool"too.A beautiful day to wander round and see  all  the sculptures .No dogs allowed  though and no  children. 

2. Disaster.
Another one  that made me think.
Last year this was  a bit of a disaster.

My cooker,minus a door,,I hit it with my head one morning ,hubby heard a crash and found me on the floor surrounded by glass, an ambulance was  called and I  had  staples put in my head. Lots of tests  to find  out why I had blacked out,but no  real  reason.  I did find  I have got  a brain  though as they did scans LOL.

3.Movement.
Gosh these were hard.

Where  there is water there has to be a retriever  in  it.Our dog  Ollie in Colley brook near Tavistock ,thought swimming  was  a movement.

4.Fence  /Fencing.

Not your usual fence  ,taken at West Bay looking towards  the cliffs.

5. Spiky.
This was taken  in  the garden yesterday ,  a rather prickly rose stem.A rather safe choice.

6. Own Choice.
Well this happened  a couple  of days ago  and just had to share.  The mud magnet which is Effie .

She found a bait diggers  hole and wallowed.  She was pretty pleased  with herself ,we had to laugh at her.
So that is my motley assortment of photos for May. Now off to see what you made of this months list.
Hugs Barbara.

Hawthorns Scavenger Photo Hunt.

Well here we are  and I was thinking it was earlier  than it  is hence the late  posting  of  photos.So how is  April treating you ,we had  Spring on a couple of days since last I wrote  ,but back to  doom gloom and  flippin rain.
I will  not dwell on  that subject  so here are my photos for this months challenge. Thanks Kate  once again for allowing me to join in.
The words  this month.
1.Swirl
2.Rock
3..Wood
4.Letter
5.Balance
6.Own  Choice.


1.Swirl.

This is the end paper  of a Charles Dickens  novel Oliver Twist. You do not  find  many books  with these marbled end papers these days. It  reminds me of the beach and the way the sea makes  swirling patterns on  the sand.

2.Rock.

It is not very sharp I am  afraid, but this is my Rock ,my other half with, our old dog we lost last year.Taken sitting on the Rocks at Portland in  Dorset. I spent my childhood clambering over these rocks . Simple  joys then and no fear, out from morning until dusk .
,
3. Wood.

 

The Bluebell Wood, at Pamphill  Wimborne Dorset. I just love this sea  of blue with just the hint of maybe sunshine through the trees.
4,Letter.

Carved letters  on a memorial bench we  saw on  our travels, 

5.Balance.

This had  me  wondering what on earth I could do for this one. Then I remembered these I stitched for Halloween a couple of years ago ,I love getting  these out every year.

6 Own Choice .

The Orchids on  my Kitchen windowsill,  The large white one has been in flower  for 4  years non stop, we were given  it by my son and daughter in law on their Silver Wedding Anniversary and last weekend they celebrated 29 years together. 
It has been rather a hasty put together this time , will endeavor to try harder  next time. Meanwhile I shall go and have a look  at the others ,you can  too ,by going to I live,I love I craft ,which is Kates blog there you can click on the links  to see what everyone else has chosen to post. Take care all , and  I will see you in May for another Scavenger Photo Hunt. However a normal blog post  is being  planned for soon.
Barbara.

Hawthorns Photoscraphunt Challenge

Gosh here we are and a quarter of the  year gone,I  am looking  forward to  seeing all the  photos you have chosen  for  the  challenge.Thankyou Kate  once again.

1.Hole.
2.Making
3.Reading now
4.Black and White
5.Starts with an  H.
6.Own Choice.

1.My other half is an amateur archaeologist and one  of his trenches  has filled  with water with all the rain we  have had this winter.   So this  is a whole in the shape  of a heart ,could be H as  well lol.  There is a hole under the water.

2 Making.

I have  started this Flower a day SAL ,design by Carolyn  Manning  not sure what I will  make  it  into yet.


3.Reading now.

I am enjoying this ,but I have  quite a pile to  get through ,just happened to be this one that I am  reading.

4.Black and White.
Just had to share this one as we do not get snow often here and these poor blackbirds were  trying to find food  under the bird  feeders.

5. Starts with an H.

Hellibores at Kingston Lacey ,just  so like  paper petals.
6. Own Choice.

An Effie trying to work out what the funny white stuff was.
Thanks  for looking and  hope you like  my choice I shall pop along and see yours. See you in April.
Hugs  Barb.

A catch up from my little corner of Dorset.

So almost at  the end of March and a  little catch up is  called for.  I hope  to be  doing the  Photo scrap hunt at the end of the week so I must try not to duplicate things.Not once but twice we have  had  snow this month which for us is most unusual. The first time we had freezing  rain too which was interesting to say the least.A thing I  have  never  experienced  and as the rain landed it froze  ,it  made for  crunchy snow   and  a slip slidy surface.  Effie did not  like it  at all.  She did a great Bambi impression.  It only lasted a  day and when we looked out the following morning  it was gone. The next snowfall we had  was  more like snow   and the grandchildren had a snow day from school  and had great fun building  snowmen.
A few pics  of  snow.
Himself feeding the birds at the start of our first snow fall.Just a sprinkling.

Then the icy snow which Effie did not like at all.

Then we had this.

My poor tropical plants , I think some may have been lost we will see.It was a little deeper too this time.

However a certain little lady thought this better to play in.

My poor Camilla was not sure.

We decided to walk in the fields before it all melted . However look how dark the sky and sea look.

A certain little lady went for her daily dip ,brrr silly girl. I am not sure if the next photo shows the patterns that were made on Chesil Beach,but I will give it a go.

No  that did not work ,oh well.   So that was  our snow  , we will probably be snow free for  years now  .So onto stitching   news.

Is this  not the cutest thing, a  new design from Madame  Chantilly ,I am  really looking forward  to stitching this. Then you all  know of Lizzie Kates  retirement , Sally my stitching  friend has  just finished this and I really liked it.She had borrowed it from someone so I thought should I . Asking himself he said  to go  for  it.Not  wanting  to be  told  twice I managed  to get it.  The three little parts of a Little Mystery and the buttons beads  etc.

So  that is my purchases stitching  wise, we did pick up  this when we went shopping, I had  wanted to go to the cinema to see it but no one wanted to see it. So of course when  I saw  it ,yep I had to have it.

The other one  was a book,  well  I expect  you have already guessed.  I have just started to read this one.

 

 My wips for last week.First my Flower a Day design by Carolyn Manning, I am  stitching this on Tuesday nights  with Lainey.  I do a few flowers usually but not  one a day.

I stitch Lizzie  Kate with Sally ,so I will not show you that till next time as I may just have a finish. The  Prairie Schooler Santa  is  almost  done so again a finish is planned for next time. On Sundays I sal  with Sally and Sue on the Farmhouse series LHN and here is where I am with Horsin' Around.

I started a band sampler by Shepherds Bush in the Parlour at Needlecraft Haven last Wednesday I cannot show that as I have not shown the ladies there yet ,so again another next time. The Christmas List is  growing and I am almost two thirds done. 
I have got another new addition  .Our cooker of 20 years gave up the ghost and so the insurance company replaced it under the conditions of the contract.  Here is my new cooker.

Despite all the snow and cold these little flowers have shown their faces, not sure what they are I planted little bulbs about November time.

They are in blue ,purple ,white and pink.Very pretty,
We did have a bit of a fright this morning I was in  the shower just before 8,when I heard  the front door open,  Martin had  taken Effie for her morning walk so I was a bit bothered as to what had  happened . Only to find it was Martin back  with her , she had suffered a slight seizure in the fields. Oh no not Ollie all over again as  he had Epilepsy. So Martin took her to the vet as I was still  dripping. He did give her a full examination and took bloods.  She has not been herself all day and not wanting to eat.  The vet phoned with the info there was nothing remarkable in her blood results so we wait and see. Keep your fingers crossed for her.I am now off to play Lizzie Kate. Take care and  thankyou so much for your comments.I do read  them and am really thankful for them. Have a good week and I shall be back hopefully with the scrap challenge.
Love and hugs
Barb.