Rattling On...

Brought to you by the colour green...

I drove out towards Matlock today and I was struck, as I often am, by just how beautiful it is where I live. Especially when the sun shines!

Every other vehicle was a tractor, bringing back this and that from the fields, or towing mowers. They are slow, it doesn't bother me at all; farmers are just doing a job and they keep our countryside looking as good as it does. Some people get very impatient on our winding roads, especially the motorbikes that are everywhere whenever the weather is dry.

You can hear them from early in the morning, roaring and screaming on the roads out of town. Them, or the ambulances that spend as much time scraping them up from the same roads. You'll see from this list that we have three of the top ten dangerous roads leading right to us. And I was travelling on number two in the list earlier today.

In other news: I cleaned the windows. This is an event so rare and unusual it really demands an entire post of its own. It's a bit like getting a new prescription at the opticians.

Should've gone to...

I went for a walk yesterday, through the allotments and down to the fields that lie beyond them. It was sunny and warm; the lambs were dozing, occasionally flicking an ear.

I'd noticed an older gentleman huffing along behind me and it seemed to me he was keeping a beady eye on me. As I walked back up the path I thought he had a confrontational look so I said 'I's ok, I'm not casing the joint.' 'I don't care what you're doing.' Was his grumpy reply.

Turned out he was near his allotment and was having a little stroll, made more difficult by a recent heart operation and the warm weather. We got to talking about this and that and then he asked me if I'd seen the limers over the wall.

Limers... I thought it was either a farming term I wasn't aware of or something to do with the local stone; limestone, which can be burned to make other products. Maybe it was an awful new industrial unit put there to blight the landscape. I fessed up and said I hadn't seen them.

'Well, I say them' he said, 'but there's only one now. The other died last week.' Curiouser and curiouser. We walked down the lane together discussing the price of potatoes and the recent hard winter. On reaching the gate he pointed into the field where I'd just been watching the sheep 'There's your limer...'

Hurly Burleigh...

It was tipping it down yesterday so it seemed a good time to jet off to The Potteries for a bit of pottery porn and possibly a purchase (or two). We started a Emma Bridgewater, partly as the food there is so good! So, lunch over and some pasta bowls to the good we headed off to Burgess and Leigh (aka Burleigh).

I had something in mind to buy but they didn't have any in stock. Never mind, pudding basins were on sale and proved irresistible.

To be honest I just like wandering around in here looking at the displays and imagining myself having walls lined with shelves and dressers full of chintzy china.

There was a sale on a lot of the stuff, 50% off RRP, so if you're passing it may be worth your while making a detour. It's not the easiest place to find, mind you, and some of the road layouts have changed recently which confused me.

I'm like a rat, I follow the same routes over and over, preferring to go the ways I know well. Which often ends up quicker in the end. I followed a short cut recently, recommended by M at work. It added over half an hour to my journey as I just ended up lost.

Burleigh now do textiles and other bits and bobs, very tempting but I was strong. Sometimes a good look and buying a cup and saucer is all it needs. I think it must be a great place to work, though. Not as good as Bridgewater's, the staff are all lovely and always chatty and helpful. They've also been there years, which tells you a lot.

The factory shops sell mainly seconds ware (Bridgewater's also has a 'proper' shop with perfects and other goodies) and as such you need to give the pots a good once-over.

I always check out the rims by running my finger over them; I don't buy pots with patches where the galze is thin or missing (unless it's the very base); I do the ping test to check for cracks; I don't mind tiny specks of firing dirt or tiny bumps- usually food covers these up and, this is a really important one, if the piece has a design on it check it's in good nick and doesn't have missing bits, blurring or overlaps (see the lilac teapot in the picture above). It's tempting to just grab the bargains, but inspecting them first can save you a lot of money and frustration.

More grotty weather today so maybe a bit of baking will be in order. Then we can eat it and mainline tea all day.

Here is the shipping forecast...

I walked through the park yesterday on the way to meet a friend and, well first of all I must eat my own words regarding the weather. It has been a glorious weekend; sunny and breezy and just lovely.

Anyway, as I passed the 'boating lake', that hasn't seen a rowing boat for maybe twenty five years, lo and behold there are boats scooting around. A group of modellers was out putting their creations through their paces. The schooner was particularly good, unlike my camera- I only took the tiddly one as I wasn't expecting to see anything interesting. But there you go, and I was a Girl Guide so should know better.

The operators were all gentlemen of a certain age, with plenty of people watching. The ducks and swans were impassive and swam alongside the boats, maybe they come every week and I've just not been out early enough?

When I was in the 6th Form and summers seemed to be better, the boys would row us round the lake for what seemed like hours on end. Or we'd go to a small cafe in town and commandeer the back end, drinking endless cups of tea and talking, talking. The lady owner liked us as we always cleared up and took the trays back to the counter.

When the lake was remodelled some years ago a little dock was put in, to make it easier to get into boats, instead of having to half-leap from the shore. But the boats never came back, such a shame.

More recently a slightly hysterical girl decided to end it all by leaping into the lake, followed by a few would-be rescuers. She was mortified to find it's not much more than thigh deep, and had to wade back to the dock and drip all the way back to school. She did, however, get her fifteen minutes of fame and that seemed to do the trick.

A 17th Century day out...

I have been busy, very busy this past week. Which is the reason (excuse?) for the dearth of blogging. I also dropped and broke my phone. The one where everything from phone numbers and passwords to appointments is carefully stored. A right royal, fur lined, ocean going pain in the unmentionables. Oh and I went on a course, to Rotherham.

But first... Last weekend (I told you I'd been busy) we went to Eyam Hall, not far from home and somewhere we've been several times before. But now it's being run by the National Trust and entry is free to members, so we thought we'd go and see if anything had changed.

The house was lived in until very recently and it's a strange conglomeration of very old and very new, you can sit in the fitted kitchen the family used!

The floors are sloping and incredibly creaky upstairs.

Thw walls are hung with tapestries and the wood is dark without being gloomy

I love windows in old houses, and this was built in 1671- the windows don't disappoint, they even have 18th century graffiti scratched on them

 

The National Trust have started work on the garden, it looks like it may be a cross between formal and cottage, bits of each. The espaliered apple trees against the old, old walls were possibly my favourite things there. I can't get enough of old walls and I love the way nature can be trained a little to give pleasing form to a garden. The French have this down to a fine art in public spaces as well as gardens.

Tomorrow I'll show you the plague cottages and the graveyard. I know how to live it up...

Twilight time...

Twilight, dusk, sunset, the gloaming. Whatever, I think it's probably my favourite time to go out walking. A little bit of light for dramatic contrast and some impressive shadows.

I have been out walking at night in the past but it's probably not sensible on your own. Not in case someone jumps out, more in case of an accident. You're far less likely to encounter a passer by. It's not unusual to hear the search and rescue helicopter out at night though.

The word twilight always makes me think of when I was small and my Mother worked the twilight shift. My Dad used to let us watch the Waltons before bed!

Curly wurly...

I'm trying to walk as much as possible, I don't walk enough these days. You get to see much better things as well as hopefully some health benefits. And by health I mean the calorie burning potential of a good stride out.

When the weather gets a bit better I shall be getting the bike out and quite possibly riding it to work. Just got to find a suitable parking spot for it.

On a completely different tack, does anyone know the name of this?

It looks like a little fir tree that's growing as a bush, it's not been cut down from anything, and is maybe a foot high. Looks like it's spreading. Anyway, I want me some of it but need to know what it is first!

Blue horizon...

I drove over to Leek for the flea market on Saturday. It was nice to be getting out for a change.

The weather was bitterly cold with a biting wind. I stopped on the moors to take a few photos. This horse was trotting along on the horizon, just after this picture he kicked up his heels and disappeared from view. A heron also flew right over his head. Timing, eh?!

I didn't buy anything from the market. Which isn't to say I wasn't tempted, there was lots of good stuff. It's more that I try all the time now to just admire it and move on. I really want to stop the randomness of my collecting habit and just concentrate on a couple of areas that really do it for me.

It's hard, as committed magpies will empathise with. I wasn't always this bad and I'm not sure what happened to change things. I suspect available space has a lot to do with it.

Out of interest, what can't you walk past?

Cafe society...

This is our favourite cafe in town, we went there on Sunday to cheer ourselves up a bit in the cold and dismal weather. It was just after three o'clock and almost dark. Which made the fire, the tea lights on the tables and the decorations even more welcoming.

The staff here are lovely. In the summer, after the carnival we went for some late lunch. I had a bad back and one of the waitresses came up to me with a heat pack, she'd noticed me trying to slide into my seat. How nice is that?

It looks empty, but I always wait 'til there aren't any people in the photo if at all possible. I'm funny like that.

This is the other room. All the lights are on because, while changing a lightbulb in a wall light, one of the staff blew the circuit breaker. To the right, round a corner, was a table full of well-dressed women who'd obviously been there a while and had been taking full advantage of the cafe's licence.

I heard them ordering cakes, two each. And then one caught sight of herself in the mirror...'Bloody hell, look at my face. It's like a beetroot.' Much laughter, much cake. A good afternoon out. We were very conservative in comparison. Note to self...

Spinning classes...

So, yesterday was the spinning workshop when I attempted to turn one of the above into something useable! Two friends and I toddled off here in the mist and ice to spend the day crafting. Two of us did spinning and one (and another woman) did loom weaving.

It was a cold day, -4C when we drove there, and I'm glad I took my wellies and plenty of layers. We went out to meet the 'ladies' and I certainly wasn't overdressed. There was one gent in the field, who is just finishing his annual duties, he was very polite and well-behaved.

Back inside, we carded fleece before wrangling with the spinning wheels. My worst nightmares of tension and co-ordination were all realised. The treadling bit was easy, as was adding new bits of fleece, but I found getting any consistency very difficult.

But I suppose that's the point of practise, and like anything it would all get better with time. I suppose. I managed to fill two bobbins before 'plying' one of them with a contrasting yarn. A bit of a flirt with the niddy noddy and a skein was mine.

I have an idea of something to make with it, of a rustic nature as befits its rather artisan appearance.

I had a quick shufty on ebay for spinning wheels and almost dropped bow-legged when I saw how much they cost. I'm not sure my talents warrant that sort of outlay...

Cake swap

I signed up to do Emily's 3rd Blog Birthday Swap and sent off my envelopes a while ago. One of my swap partners is Julie (no blog) and I already knew she had a lot of commitments in October so hers may have to be a little late. Not so, it arrived last week.

She'd included a recipe card for this lovely lemon cake (which is after Jane Brocket from the Gentle Art of Domesticity) which I had to make almost at once. It tastes lovely, I know this as I had to have a slice almost at once as well. This was a logistical move as the loaf-shaped cake wouldn't go in the tin without removing one end.

She's also includud a sewing pattern which I will try very hard to make up soon. Thankfully it's not too difficult as my sewing skills aren't legendary. I also sent her a recipe and a crochet pattern and we both had to include a picture of something we loved or found beautiful, mine was of birds which ticked both those boxes. Thanks, Julie for three great things in your swap.

In other news: Last night No2 and I went to see Skyfall. There isn't a cinema here so we went to Macclesfield and arrived quite early. Which turned out to be fortunate as there was a queue out onto the pavement and then another with clever people who'd pre-booked (note to self...).

For some reason known best to themselves a lot of people had taken very small children with them. A two and a half hour, noisy and violent film maybe isn't the best place? Just mentioning, especially to the woman who took the small girl to the toilet three bloody times.

Nonetheless, it was really good. It has humour, or at least I found bits funny- but you never know, it has a sort of 60s vibe and it is Union Jacktastic. New characters, including Q, a mere child who, as it happens, went to school with the woman sitting next to me. She told me so, and what's more I have no reason to disbelieve her.

And Daniel Craggy of course. Boff boff.

Mooching...

I was in Baslow at the weekend, buying my Annie Sloan paint (so I don't need to do any rubbing down) and, as I always do, went for a mooch around the churchyard.

The church itself has some interesting features, such as a sanctuary knocker on the door, from the Middle Ages. Also a clock face that was added to commemorate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee.

I always like a good look at the gravestones, and there are some very interesting ones...

The Wrench plot, where there were several graves, had particularly well decorated stones- the backs being better than the fronts. I decided to Google Edward Mason Wrench as he had letters after his name...

He served as a surgeon in the Crimean War and in Madras during the Indian mutiny. He came back to Blighty and married his cousin (maybe he didn't have the time to look further afield), becoming as he did surgeon to the Duke of Devonshire and a magistrate. He died while cycling in Buxton, at the age of 79. Not a dull life.

Going rusty...

Autumn, that brief period before winter sets in. At least it's usually brief around here. Weather-wise there's little difference from summer this year, it rained then and it continues to rain.

The colours now are lovely though, rich and mellow.  The skies glower and menace. Occasionally the sun breaks through the gloom.

Time for boots and woolly tights, jumpers and (hooray) scarves. I love scarves, and boots, and coats, and...winter clothes in general. All those layers...

Allotments...

I go to look at the local allotments quite often, toying with the idea of having one. Which is a stupid idea when the garden is already a challenge. I think maybe it's the feeling of being able to plan an allotment, to be able to start from scratch.

I don't like to take plants out of the garden, even weeds if they're attractive. I feel as though, if they have been tenacious enough to survive all the weather we have here, the snails and the slugs, then I should just allow them to exist in peace. It makes for a slightly eclectic, some may say ramshackle, overall effect. I like it.

Last weekend, when I took these pictures, there were lots of small bonfires, the smell was pleasant and autumnal. A few dogs running round enjoying the freedom of the relative safety, lots of people toting garden tools from the cars parked at the end of the lane. Nice and communal.

They didn't have an open day this year. I found this out when I emailed the chairman to ask when it was. I received a very cryptic reply referring to difficulties and differences of opinion. It all happens on the allotments.

Last of the summer outings...

Yesterday saw us off to Bronte country and the Parsonage museum in Haworth. we've been before some years ago but the girls wanted to go again and I'd seen that at the moment the costumes from the latest Jane Eyre film are on display. Unfortunately indoor pictures aren't allowed.

It was putting down a deluge when we left home, the roads were flooding and it was really cold. We found it better when we arrived but it's obviously been bad there as the church was closed due to the roof leaking and the graveyard was very muddy as a lot of the soil had washed onto the paths. Which is not a problem compared to what has happened in the past...

'Pollution' caused the water in Howarth to be undrinkable. Just think... or don't!

The place is, of course, a pilgrimage for Bronte fans and there is a fair bit to see that actually belonged to them. Most of it rather poignant and some of it creepy even.

We walked down to the village and had some lunch, then went into Rose and Co to soak in the vintage fittings, lovely smells and sample some potions.

Then the thunder started, the rain followed and our peace was shattered as every Japanese tourist there also came into the shop, and there were lots. The only word we understood was 'kawaii', which was squealed often and loudly as all the teenage girls spied the cupcake soaps, lipbalms in tins and dinky boxes of Yorkshire tea. Really, they buy tea as a souvenir... they were charming. The girls, not the boxes of tea.

A horrible, traffic-jammed drive back saw it drier at home for a while. However, our old Victorian skylight has given up the ghost and needs to be replaced as water has run in. Over a hundred years of service, but this 'summer' has proved too much. Man coming next Saturday.

Later a knock at the door. Next door neighbour to say they have pigeons nesting in the loft, which means... Man coming on Monday.