A stitch...

...in time.

I said that I'd done some more crochet over the Easter weekend...

 ...isn't this yarn pretty. The green & lemon combination is perfect for the season.
The knitting needles got a fair bit of exercise too...

 ...with this yarn being more for the Autumn. Such a lovely 'Fall'  combo of shades...

...even when fuzzy photos are taken LOL.

I really wasn't going to buy any more yarn until I had used up more of my stash but these were a temptation I just couldn't resist...................................................

Easter...

...in true British weather style.

The weather forecast for the Easter weekend was not great and in parts of the UK there was even the promise of SNOW. However, in my neck of the woods the temps certainly dropped but we didn't get the terrible rain storms that we had been threatened with.

On the whole, the weather in the UK has been pretty good for the last few weeks but it has taken the day a little while to get going with mornings often dull & chilly.

The other end of the day has been quite muted too.

What warmth there has been during the day has caused many evenings to be hazy/misty...

 ...but this creates quite a lovely effect when looking at the Sun going down...

 ...through the shadow of the trees...

...and the colours of the sunset have been quite soft.

The biggest problem I have had this weekend has been trying to decide whether to risk making a start on some more of the outside painting. However, with the forecast for my area being so unfavourable I really didn't want to start on something that would have to be left mid-way. I did consider painting the front door as it is sheltered from the elements but who wants to have all their heating disappearing outside as the door would have needed to stay open whilst the paint dried.

So the Easter weekend has seen nothing in the way of outside décor and to be honest not much has gone on inside either - other than dipping into a few Christmas movies. Yep, you read that right - True Movies had a whole day (Easter Sunday) of Christmas movies...go figure.

No decorating achieved but I did get a lot of crochet done.............................................................

I did say...

...the fencing was looking a bit tired.

This is how the back gate looked....

 ...very shabby and scruffy where the previous coat of stain had faded & worn.
The two pots of pansies...

 ...dropped neatly into the two planters by the front door...

 ...and a drop of water soon had them looking perky.
However, here is the back gate after its coat of "Forest Green"...

...it certainly looks a lot tidier but it will probably need a second coat.

I have to say, I'm quite pleased with the new colour (despite my doubts) so it looks like I'm going to be busy for a while. Let's hope Mother Nature is kind and provides a few dry & bright weekends over the next few weeks. Good job Easter weekend is coming up soon.........................................................................

Shh, do you think....

...anyone will notice me?

I wonder what I can get up to.

I see that 'Mum' has a new mug for her breakfast coffee...

 ...but there doesn't seem to be a picture of me on there.
Okay, so the seeing out of the windscreen isn't a problem...

 ...but I'm not sure I can reach both the steering wheel and the pedals. Perhaps it's better if I sit here...

 ...then I can navigate.
Help!!!!...

 ...I'm being swallowed by mum's bag (I wonder what she does with all this stuff).
Phew, managed to get out of the bag...

 ...let's see what is on the 'web' today.
Oops...

...I didn't mean to drink it all - do you think she will notice?
I wonder what is in here...

 ...gosh it's dark!
Look who I found...

...looks like Sniffer wanted an adventure too. Perhaps if we both climb back into mum's bag we can have a snooze (and we can hide because it looks like she is coming this way).

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a fun Red Nose Day on Friday. Didn't they do well raising over £73million. They had a cake competition at work and then sold the cakes and I know some folk had children taking part in various things at school so it looks like everyone had a great time for a very worthy cause. Now I wonder where that monkey has got to as I was hoping to take some photos....................................................................................

"Spring is sprung...

...the grass is riz.

I wonders where the birdies is.
The birdies they is on the wing.
Now ain't that absurd?
I thought the wings was on the bird."

I learnt this rhyme when I was young and never knew where it came from. A quick search of the 'interweb' shows that there is some debate as to whether this is one rhyme or two that have become linked over time. The author(s) is another question that seems to cause debate.

All I know is that I learnt it as a child and thought it was fun.

 

The "Thurrock Blooming Marvels" have been hard at work getting the town planting ready for Spring...

...and this bed is already starting to catch the eye...

 ...the mini 'tete-a-tete' daffs are bobbing about in the breeze...

...and providing a lovely splash of colour.

Spring is one of those times when I wish I had a dash-cam in my car because the 'Blooming Marvels' have done a wonderful job around the area with masses of daffs of all sizes & shades on roundabouts and along the duel-carridgeways - if there was somewhere safe to stop I would take some photos but as this is the route in & out of the Gateway Port it is a 'Clearway' so no stopping.

So I can't share all the wonderful planting in the area with you but I can assure you, the 'Marvels' have done a fabulous job and it certainly makes me smile as I drive by these 'fields' of daffs.................................................................

More photos...

...from our walk on the beach.

You might want to grab a cuppa as this is quite photo heavy.

Considering we had downpours all morning, when we went to the beach...

 ...the sun was glorious and the skies beautifully blue.
Camber Sands is known for its drifting sands as it tends to be very windy...

 ...so I'm not sure I'd want to have a property right on the beach like these ones.
Although Rene had her hat on she was still struggling with the wind blowing her hair all over the place...

 ...but that blue sky was not to be missed.
Alison was trying to get some shots of the horses...

 ...not easy to do when you are facing into the sun (see her shadow).
Despite the wind, it was so lovely being down on the beach...

...but the photos of the horses were pretty much a case of 'point & shoot' and keep your fingers crossed. I didn't quite get my timing right with Alison & the horse...

 ...but this one was much better even though it was the result of more luck than judgement.
We were all having fun trying to get photos of shadows...

 ...some came out better than others...

 ...especially as the sun had started to come and go as the wind blew more clouds in land.
Here was one of the better results of pointing the camera towards the horses...

 ...and just hoping that they would be in frame.
Rene & Chris looking a bit worse for the blustery wind...

 ...but still enjoying the bracing sea air.
Folk in the UK may remember that there were a few serious accidents at Camber Sands last Summer...

...one of the problems is that folk don't keep an eye on the tide as it starts to come in. There are gullies that fill behind sand banks and if you don't stay alert you can get cut-off by the tide.
Some more shadows...

 ...this time in the reflection of the sand pools.
As you can see here...

 ...the tide was starting to work its way in land.
Another shadow on the water...

 ...and more...

 ...this was about the best I could manage...

 ...of a shadow showing all five of us.
The beach ahead of us was gradually being covered by the tide...

 ...and the gully in front of us was starting to get quite deep so we started to make our way off the beach.
Just a short distance from the beach we came across this...

 ...it looks a bit like something out of the Hobbit...

 ...I wonder if anyone ever sits there?

The clouds were certainly starting to roll in and we timed it really well because it was just starting to spit with rain as we arrived back at the house. Within a short space of time the rain was chucking it down.

No more venturing out for us. A phone order to the Indian take-away and we were settled in for the night..................................................

Blowing the cobwebs away...

...with a stroll on the beach.

The sun was glorious...

 ...but as you can see, we were well wrapped up.
Views along the beach showed the surface of the sand moving in the wind...

 ...and it certainly looked like the owners of these properties would be clearing sand away from their walls yet again. The surface of the sand may look a little hazy here...

...but that was because it was moving and blowing across the ground.
This chap didn't seem to mind...

 ...he was out for a bit of fun dashing about on the beach.
The water was pretty choppy...

 ...but folk were enjoying a stroll along the waterline.
There were others enjoying the water's edge...

...this was a horse and rider doing a sharp turn.
Rene was trying to get a few shots of the horses without the sun's glare...

 ...but it was very difficult taking photos with the strong winds. I didn't event know whether I had caught anything with these next two shots...

 ...I couldn't see anything in the viewfinder...

...and had to wait until I found some shade until I could see what was actually in the shot.

I'll share some more beach shots another day.......................................................

This time last week...

...I was on my way to Excel by the Thames.

No, I wasn't lucky enough to be heading off to some craft show or a concert - I was heading to a management conference for work. It wasn't even in the Excel Centre. It was tucked round the back by the Royal Victoria Docks at a placed called "Centered at Excel".

The day started very foggy and even by the time I was walking to the venue, London was just a hazy vision in the distance...

 ...and things looked just as dull & gloomy...

 ...looking out into the old dock area...

...the Spiller's building is currently being gutted to remove asbestos but the shell is listed and has a protection order on it. Planning permission has been granted to create a business enterprise site...

 ...it is hoped that re-development of the area will breath new life into it...

...there are certainly some strange buildings dotted around.

Later in the day, the sun did break through and there seemed to be a bit more life on the water...

 ...and the skyline was a bit clearer...

 ...but although there were small boats to be seen...

...the busiest thing in the area is the London City Airport - we were right under the flightpath and boy was it noisy. Lots of building work going on...

 ...and as I said earlier - some strange shaped buildings...

...a very different sight to that which my maternal grandfather would have been used to. His father worked in the London dock area and my grandfather would often play at the waters edge or even go swimming with his friends in the warm water from the outflows of the factories in the area (it is anyone's guess what was in that water as there were no H&S regulations back then).

The day never fully brightened up and the area is very run down compared to Canary Wharf where I visited earlier in the year but it was interesting seeing a different part of London as it is being re-developed..........................................................