Spring time!

We've had two days of sunshine. Two whole days and it's wonderful. I just hope this isn't our summer!

 My pretty Camellia is in flower, as are the daffs. Only in the polytunnel however. It's still too cold outside!  I've further down the valley and for some reason this means my plants always come out later than everyone else's BUT my planting summer goes on until October sometimes.

I've a little bear cub visiting soon so I'm going to try and finish this for her birthday in April. She will be 3! Can you believe how quickly this has gone?  And I'm still here!  Amazing (though some days are better than others!)  

I had some cotton yarn left over from the free workshops I gave so I've decided to make a load of washcloths.  When I'm tired I can just lie and crochet and not think too much.

I've done a few more paintings; still trying to work out the technique.  The long dark painting actually has lots of hues of lilac and green with some golden highlights.  It's for my daughter.  The photo is terrible but once it is varnished, those colours should shine through.  The colours were chosen to order so I'm pleased that I did at least get those right!

Once this one has cured I think I'm going to paint and embellish it for my granddaughter. Anyone else see the potential white pirate dog?  haha...  I still have a lot to learn but I rushed these.  I knew I should have waited until I felt better but did I wait?  No.  Sigh.

I've had a streak of creativity and have a new design which will be a freebie.  I will put the link to it in the next post.  Holmsey wanted to play in sunshine before it disappeared again!

Happy Stitching!

Death by Sheep

A whole week without creativity...unless you call getting 29 escaped sheep out of forestry creative!

Hubby and I have been looking after 32 sheep, 3 goats, hens, ducks and a turkey for neighbours. It's been great fun. Knackering but fun.

If you want to learn about animal husbandry, forget James Herriot, ignore the old 'Emmerdale Farm', and watch Shaun the Sheep! It's exactly what sheep are like!

It's been an informative week. 

I've learnt how to feed sheep without being trampled; how to treat minor foot complaints; when to call the vet; how to get sheep to follow you; how to steer them and most importantly, how not too (they weigh more than you do!); how to get stuck going through a barb wired fence with a herd of sheep on my heels; how to get unstuck whilst keeping hold of a bucket containing sheep food , as said herd overtake me (and not one of the buggers stopped to help me!); how to check for prolapses (because sometimes 'lamb beds' come away when ewes are heavily pregnant); how to rescue lambs who have climbed into their hay rack (only to find they didn't need rescuing after all because they could jump out); how sheep antibiotic spray turns your hands blue: how to calm a sheep when a vet shoves his hand up her bum; and just when you think you have had enough, how to scratch them behind their ears when they want you to make a fuss of them, nudging you if you stop making a fuss of them before they are ready, making your heart melt!

And we mustn't forget the turkey who loves cuddles or the hen who wants you to carry her around all day, with you stroking her like a criminal mastermind strokes a white furry cat rofl, or the goats who sulk if you forget their apple!

Animals are much more aware than we give them credit for!

It was tiring but my, so much fun.  I wish I could back to tell 7 year old me, busy playing with her Britain's Farm Animals, that one day she would get to do it for real!

It's at the end of a treatment cycle and I had an infection so when their real mummy and daddy came back, I'm afraid I was bed bound for a day or two.

Just before sheep duty took over however, I had another play with my acrylics. The photos are nowhere as vibrant as the real pictures but I LOVE this abstract art form!

Hopefully, after a couple more nights sleep and chemo on Thursday, I can do some more and actually do some stitching.  I've got a couple of things I want to get finished, including an embroidery piece I started when I visited the Irish Embroidery Guild.

Fingers crossed for some crafting!

Until then, I would like to leave you with some beautiful flowers my children surprised me with for Mothering Sunday.  I wasn't expecting a delivery so it was a real pick me up.  I also had lots of chocolates but they seem to have disappeared!

What more can a mother ask for?

TTFN xxxxx