A Moment in Time.

It's been a frustrating week where I seem to have worked hard yet achieved little that was on my list. New things cropped up and needed dealing with pushing other tasks to the back of the (long) queue. Never mind, it is Friday and I managed to capture this lone early morning surfer taking advantage of the easterly winds which bring waves to our south coastal shores.



The sun shone brightly and though Isabella and I were quite a long way from him there was such pleasure in watching the rise and fall of the waves, the manoeuvring of the board in sync with the movement of the tide.



All three of our sons surf to varying degrees with Tom being something of an expert while the girls have not yet been bitten by the bug. I however, despite being a north coast girl growing up in the land of surf, only achieve drowning duck status. Davey and I are much better suited to snorkeling or diving, but oh how I love to see the surfers at one with the sea.



Completely wrapped up in a world of his own.



A dancer of the waves



Oh for the ability to capture what we actually saw instead of these blurry images.



We finally tore ourselves away to get on with the day ahead



and as we left, a friend came to play.



Not the best of photos, but a peaceful moment in an otherwise busy week. I hope yours has been good?

Happy Friday x

The Continuing Tale of Headless Pip.

A mixed baggage of a post today with a little colour to start us off and make us feel that spring is out there somewhere, hidden in the grey clouds and intermittent drizzle, and ready to leap out at any given moment. Yes, a little optimistic, but it is nearly March after all and with that lovely thought in mind may I introduce the stunningly flamboyant flowers of the camellia 'Debbie' which is blooming right outside our kitchen window.



There are bright, fresh shoots appearing on the Rambling Rector rose, a present from my bestest friend for my birthday. I am having such fun planning on the best place to plant it, though I have almost settled on letting this manic rambler clamber through the hedge and up the old oak tree in wild abandon, showering the bed below with confetti petals and scenting summer evenings with its delicious scent.



And then there are the snowdrops still flowering for all they're worth. pretty scent if you get close to them you know.



So, having cheered you just a little I hope, I now intend to take it further with yet more comedy shots of the headless Pipany. Actually, the aim is really to show you my lovely new summer top knitted for me by the newly-ish taught and highly talented Mr Davey. Isn't it pretty?



I can't tell you how hard I find it taking pictures of myself. How does one pose? What look does one adopt? Grief, I so couldn't be Kate Moss...well, obviously that goes on so many levels!



Anyhow, enough of my preening. The top is really comfortable, much heavier than it looks so should be quite warm I think and has the prettiest hemline. I can see me wearing this on the beach a lot this year as long as we get some sun of course. Thank you Dave and for anyone interested, the wool (which is more like fabric ribbon) is called Sirdar Surfer and is on sale at Blacksheep Wools for £1.00 a ball - this top took 5 balls. Easy to knit with and very fast too. Oh, and that's me looking incredibly uncomfortable as my head is finally revealed.



This was the sky earlier this morning and it doesn't look set to change. A dirty sky full of glowering and forboding, a sky set to pour its cargo stright on my head whenever I step through the door.



I think it may be a day to snuggle down on the sofa with this...I wonder if Isabella will agree?



What are you up to today? x

A Chilly St Ives and a Fast Learner.

So, who's the latest to learn to knit in our houselhold?



Ahh, it's Elias. I taught him how to knit on Friday afternoon and he is now to be found curled up all over the place, knitting needles to hand and with a fast-growing garter stitch scarf falling from the needles. That's the eight person I have started on the knitting path now and the clacking of needles can be heard in almost every room!



The half term flew by all too quickly with a stroll through pretty St Ives to finish. Such a cold, dark day quite in contrast to the brighter days we have been experiencing here of late, though even the depressing drizzle didn't stop us from finding things worth looking at. Beautiful traditional crab pots being woven on the quayside...



by this man who chattered away as he worked.



Such wonderful work isn't it?



It was so very cold and needless to say, Isabella managed to wander in and out of the saltwater puddles formed in the sand gulleys, drenching her shoes and socks - her wellies were by the back door covered in mud from our gardening efforts earlier in the week. Lucy, Dave and I very sensibly stayed dry!



A jumble of boats sat in front of lichen-clothed houses



with brightly coloured fishing boats waiting for the tide's return.



Plenty to scavenge along the way.



And yet more boats propped along walkways.



Half term now over and a new week begun. Let's hope it's as good as the last.
Bye for now x

Half Term Holidays.

The half term holidays are turning into the loveliest of breaks: lazy mornings with coffee and knitting, brunches of pancakes, maple syrup and crispy bacon and walks to favourite places such as Coombe which I have blogged about a time or two before. Such pretty houses nestling by the river's edge.



Banks filled with snowdrops glistening with droplets from the spring-fine showers, the type that barely register yet leave you covered with a shimmering coating.



Tiny orchards of gnarled trees and picturesque gateways such as these.



Laneside stalls where you least expect them, tucked away and almost hidden on barely used tracks.



The next one saw us purchase two pretty pots full of snowdrops for the princely sum of 75p per pot! If only there had been more.



All so lovely.



Then down the lane toward the river once more



to look at the boats moored along the banks



and watch the sprinkling of raindrops playing on the water as we took shelter under the twisted branches of Kea plum trees which dip into the river when the tide is high and scratch at your hair as you wander the pathway when the tide is low.



Once home we put the snowdrops on the ledge by the front door where we could smell their delicate perfume every time we come up the steps. I will plant them in the green once they have finished flowering - I love the fun of choosing where to place things and think these would be pretty under the hedge by the courtyard where they can spread to their hearts content and we can appreciate them as we sit wrapped up with mugs of tea in chilly hands.



The weather is slowly improving here with a real warmth in the air today. I am hoping the blue skies last as I need to work in the sewing room in a mo - yes, I am still running a business, just not so moved to chat about it at the moment. This of course is because I am working on designs and as ever am struggling with the actuality of getting things exactly as I want them, but there will be more on this soon as I am nearly there.



Later today I will take the children out into the garden and start the clearing away of winter debris to allow spring to burst forth. The children can collect the eggs, though if I don't get baking soon we will run out of bowls to put them in!



More walks are also planned though whether beaches, rivers or woodlands feature only time will tell.



Most likely a mix of all if we can manage it.



Bound to be more photos like these I imagine.



Somehow boats always pop up in my blogs don't they? Hard not to be taken by their beauty when you are pretty much surrounded by them.



Well, after that mammoth post I will leave you with a picture to make you smile: moving on from the headless model of yesteryear we now have the strangely positioned model of today. Pipany shows you the boucle jumper which despite unpromising beginnings is now being worn almost constantly. Warm enough to require little beneath (ooh, squire!!!), light enough to be comfy not bulky and just peachy with skirts or jeans. A success then. Shame about the model!



Have fun x

We Have Mostly Been...

Grief, i don't appear to have blogged for ages. Where has the time gone I wonder? Ah well, it may have flown, but plenty of good things have happened along the journey: a day of chat, knitting, teas, coffees, wine (!), food and laughter took place last Friday as Diana and I had one of our meet ups. Such a lovely, perfect day as I knew it would be. We always find so much to say and the day honestly just flows, this time ending with a very late meal of Thai green curry which interrupted the frantic knitting taking place - Dave, me and Diana all clicking away for all we were worth.



We also managed a brief walk on Gyllynvase Beach where the ever-sociable Walter payed with new pals.



Other good things? Well knitting is still featuring fairly high on the list, so let's see where we are at (and apologies if this is deadly boring for some of you, but take heart as it could all turn to gardening or dressmaking at any moment knowing the way my butterfly mind works). Dave having finished his gorgeous jumper for Isabella has decided he wants to knit a summery top for me. I would like to point out at this point that I will neither look like the lithe blonde lady in the following picture, nor will I be seen modelling said garment with one thumb casually hooked over my bikini bottoms despite the cackling from Dave and Diana at the thought!



The 'wool' - Sirdar Surfer - is actually more like strips of fabric with an amazing stretchiness to it. Having been started on Friday night, the front is already almost complete. Very fast and very lovely. I am quite taken with this.



My boucle type charcoal horror is finally finished and now just needs me to sew it up, a job I will hopefully get to later today. Despite my moans about this wool - Sirdar Nomad - I must say I have fallen in love with the lightness of the finished pieces and can see it would make a very warm, soft jumper, but the jury is still out on whether I will actually like it once completed. Very hard to tell for some reason, but pictures to follow soon.




A trip into town saw the children once more sitting on the floor of the wool shop like all well trained dogs...er, children should do. I had intended to choose my next project in order to spur me on with the charcoal one, but Mr Davey spotted a hooded sweater he fancied and before I knew it I had agreed to knit it for him - fourteen blasted balls of wool worth! Yes, 14!!! Oh, but it is such gorgeous wool that I could hardly refuse could I?



Apart from knitting we have...cooked plenty of meals. I think this picture sums up life here with the girls helping to cook, glasses of Cava for me and Dave, and a plate of empty oyster sheels lurking nearby. Not a bad life really.



More walks are planned to take advantage of the beautiful sunshine which keeps appearing, warming the courtyard and even suggesting a sit down without coats could be possible.



No doubt the beach will feature.



And hopefully gardening will also take place with the breaking of buds and the wonderful early spring light shining through new growth.



What have you planned for the week ahead?



Bye for now x