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Sunday 14 April 2013

JOBS AROUND THE PLACE

This weekend was forecast to be warm and sunny. It isn't. It is mild, very windy and wet now and then. But it is a weekend for doing jobs.
This corner of the courtyard needed a spruce up.
Now that it is empty the pavers can come up and be relaid around to the right, in a curve, and the gap filled with soil and some more permanent garden bed made. The small wall will be curved around in a sweep so the soil level can be raised.
This climbing rose was trimmed rather than pruned and is in good shape but...
This one is a couple of years older and I was loath to remove growth. I so badly want it to grow, but I know that it will be better in the long run, for a thinning out now. I may snip a bit more out later.
Other peoples' flowers are doing well. These pink daffodils are pretty on the windowsill but I think I prefer the normal sunny yellow, specially when the weather is so dreary.
Today's dinner is a spice rubbed, slow roasted piece of lamb. I pretend to eschew Tesco, but the other day when I forgot not to go in they had half legs of lamb for half price. So I got a couple.This one is in the oven now and smells lovely. It came from a Nigel Slater recipe off the internet and was well reviewed.
While it is slow cooking I have finished off the string bag.
Also from a pattern off the internet.
From FaveCrafts.com. It's called a market bag but I suspect it will not hold much weighty stuff from my market. Still it was pleasing enough to start another one in blue. This is a 50/50  bamboo/cotton yarn and is very silky to knit with but with a smooth, shiny and regular finish to the fabric.
Visitors during the week got us out and about.

Walking the dunes at Seaton Carew so that we felt we deserved some fish and chips from "The Almighty Cod" and then some ice cream at "Archers"...again!
Two more pictures left the waiting wall and went off to a new home with G and D. More can now be varnished and hung to replace these.
And
It's lovely to know people want to put your paintings on their walls. It gives me the confidence to go and finish a couple more off that have been languishing half finished on the easels and varnish some more ready for framing. They always look so much better framed and Wilkos do great big frames for a few pounds.
Well the last job is the ironing. It always is but it has to be done and then I can have a sit down and a wine while the lamb goes on cooking.
Cheers Gillian

6 comments:

Mary Ann said...

Gillian, I love your paintings!

Lyn said...

You have been busy and yes you have got a talent there and well done! Xxx

Sue said...

Your paintings look great Gillian. Nice to see you are still knitting. The market bags look great. One thing I miss about my house is the garden. I used to prune my roses quite severely just above the new growth and they would grow in no time at all. It looks like yours needs a really good prune so it will fill out more. Hope your weather warms up for you. We are having rain and 15 today so it is a bit chilly.

love those cupcakes said...

I think lots of us have been braving the garden this weekend. Our borders seem to be overrun with twigs. Love your art work and am not at all surprised your friends wanted them. Am I right in thinking the one with the sheep is similar to a photograph you've posted on your blog previously?

carol said...

I can see you haven't fallen asleep! Colour and creativity business as usual. I really like your paintings.

Anonymous said...

You are so clever with your knitting! I'd love one of those market bags, hopefully you can teach me when we visit next. Gem xxx