Thanks for Guessing

This is the picture I showed you in my last post. Thanks to everyone who tried to guess where it is. No-one got it right! This is Stornoway. We visited here very near the end of our holiday. Unfortunately I still haven't got the holiday photos sorted out to let you see them. We've had people staying. That's my excuse!

Anyway, what about a spot of crochet? Before I went on holiday I finished a cardigan for myself. It is worked from the bottom up, fronts and back all at the same time. When the armholes are reached you crochet the sleeves. Then the cardigan is finished by crocheting the sleeves into the main body and continuing to the neck, decreasing as you go. The pattern is from my Crochet Noro book.

I'm really pleased with it. Not least because it fits me (unlike the dreaded Aran coat which I have yet to un-knit). Do you see how the beech hedge has produced gorgeous new leaves?

Here's a close-up of the pattern. Three rows of trebles (UK) - or double crochet for US readers - followed by a row of V-stitches. Very simple but effective. The yarn is Stylecraft Senses Lace. I've used it before for a little shrug I made last year.

A couple of evenings ago I started trying out some of the patterns from the Boho Crochet book. There are lots of very beautiful items in this book! Very tempting indeed.

The Annie blanket looked simple so I tried a small sample. Then I realised it would make a lovely cosy for my one-person cafetiere. What do you think? Isn't it cute?

It's just some leftover scraps of yarn; all 100% acrylic. A mix of Stylecraft Special and Robin yarns. I used some blue buttons to keep it on.

Finally, here is our amaryllis about to flower. It first flowered shortly after the New Year of 2014. Then it flowered again after a couple of weeks of the first flower dying. Nothing more until now.

When it is in full bloom I'll let you see it again.

At last I've remembered! I keep meaning to tell you something but when I'm writing my posts I forget. Remember I told you about roasting rhubarb? Well, have you ever tried spreading roast rhubarb on toast? Or on a pancake? Or on a scone? Like you would use jam? It's delicious! Go on, give it a try. And talking of rhubarb, that reminds me that there's still lots more out there waiting to be roasted.

All the best for now.

Garden Art

Hello and welcome back again. I thought I'd let you see some more of the garden. Spring is the time of year when things change so quickly. It's hard to keep up with it!

We bought some plants from the market in Banbridge. Here is a selection of purple ones planted in an old Belfast sink.

We still have lots of daffodils and other Spring bulbs flowering. 

The hyacinths smell delicious.

The rhubarb is really coming on well. I've already pulled the stalks that were forced, roasted and eaten them! They were so tender and sweet.

 More flowers ...

The tulips are starting to bloom now as well.

The flowering currant looks well - this is its best year so far.

The forsythia is one of my favourites at this time of year.

This is a birch tree that has tiny catkins on it. I thought it looked lovely.

Remember our silver birch saplings. There is amazing growth on them.

The husband decided to indulge in some garden art and built this stone structure among the saplings. Eventually it will hardly be visible, when the trees have grown bigger.

I think it looks a bit like an old-fashioned bee-hive. Built entirely from granite stones found in our garden!

The conifers we bought from the market are still in our 'nursery' section to get a bit bigger before planting out.

Here are a few more flowers to finish with.

I hope you are all enjoying Spring - or Autumn - wherever you are. All the seasons have their good points, don't they? All the best for now.