Boered, RIP Freddy

Tonight i have added another link to my blog. My Boering Life. I watched the story of Freddy until the end. We all cried. Boered loves her goats more than anything and 'my boering life' is a lovey diary of a gal living in Indiana looking after a bunch of real lucky goats. Check it out.

Peahead's birthday weekend

Monday was Peahead's birthday, but we celebrated early and made the most of the weekend. On Saturday we took a trip to the big city to buy a present. He picked this lovely Wilco print from the Richard Goodall Gallery.





















We had lunch at Oklahoma, a cool veggie cafe, gallery, gift shop, where all the fixtures and fittings are recycled or second hand including all the cups, plates, knives and forks, salt and pepper - it's ace! (whose birthday was this?).





















Peahead's mum on the swing

Sunday, peahead's family came to visit on mass. What a house full! We sat ouside in the sun for a while then went over to our favouite pub the Cross Gaits for tea. Mr B loved the swing and slide, so did everyone else! A helicopter landing made things interesting too.

Darren and Nicky

As if to mark the occassion, the first seed to pop it's head up was a pea.















Other things this week.....

The tulips have finally started to open. I bought white ones, but I swear these look yellow to me.
























I took the day off today to catch up with course work, but we went to the supermarket for supplies first. Bert loves to come shopping in the car, even if it means having to sit on a bag of compost.
















Dolly has started catching mice again. She has never caught a bird, but perhaps she needs to be a little more inconspicuous.

Seeds, wine and company

It might still be cold out, but it's warm in the greenhouse. Finally got around to planting some seeds at the weekend. Peas, tomatoes and broad beans. Still loads to do, but we (Peahead, Spike and I) got distracted by a bottle of wine.

Sun at last

This week started with a trip to Birmingham, Leicester and Manchester for work. Being in a mini bus with a Landscape Architect and 10 Asian business men listening to The Archers was a surreal experience! Snake pass was beautiful, but I was too scared of the cliff edges to take any pictures. The only other thing that really caught my eye was this power station I saw from the motorway in Birmingham.

The Visitor Centre Garden is coming on nicely. Most of the building work is finished and the plants have started to go in. Another couple of weeks and we'll be ready for the launch party.

They finally finished demolishing the lovely shops in town. A sad day for architecture, but even worse will be when building work starts on a modern monstrosity.

Peahead bought me a new clock to go with my little collection. I really love these old enamel timers. The Smiths one on the left is the new one from Hebden Bridge flea market. The middle one I have had for years and was from Anchor Supplies in Ripley. The other Smiths on the right was from Clitheroe car boot sale a few years ago.

Kitty as been a little under the weather lately - just age I think. The sun was out today though and the fresh air seemed to do wonders.

I'm really enjoying the Easter weekend so far. Friday I bought a few plants in flower to brighten up the garden, which is still looking wintry and dull. The tulips are coming on though.

Today I took time to visit my favourite charity shop and picked up some beautiful old pillow cases (old but actually never used!), some amazing knitting needles with a tortoise shell effect, a new larger embroidery ring for a project I'm planning, a lovely old tin to keep my cottons in and best find of all a bag full of old glass and jet buttons.

I figured out a way to add videos to my blog. Here is a quick movie of Spike giving me a kiss. I've added a MY VIDEOS category on the side bar. Keep an eye out for others.

To top the day off, the new series of Doctor Who started tonight. Brilliant.

Still alive!

Mum called today to check I hadn't actually killed peahead, since I haven't posted for a few weeks! We'll we are both still here and my camera is working, so here is what we've been up to.

Work has been hectic but fun as we have Groundwork in transforming the Visitor Centre concrete car park into a lovely new garden. Should be ready in a couple more weeks - I might try and contact Monty and see if he'll come an open it for us.

Another assignment handed in at Uni and another on the way. I have also started research for my dissertation. I'm looking at blots on the landscape and how colour can be used to reduce their impact. Inspired by an industrial building painted bright blue and yellow across the valley from my house.




Definately not a blot on the landscape - Cliviger windfarm on the way back from Hebden

Darren, Nicky and Mr B came up for a visit. The weather wasn't great, but we had a nice time anyway. Mr B is such a cutie, and even more captivating now that he is walking and talking. We went to see the Asian art exhibition in Blackburn and called in for lunch at the Visitor Centre. We also introduced them to the delights of Hebden Bridge, including one of the nice little organic cafes in the hope of persuading Darren that our lifestyle is a worthy choice. Unfortunately although he seemed genuinely surprised at Hebden, I feel his conclusions were still that people who don't live or haven't lived in London don't have a clue.

For family only (use my password to sign in), pictures of Mr B enjoying the Lancashire life on Flickr.


Managed to go home for mothers day to see everyone (except Grandad, next time). The fish are massive and the pond is full of frogs.

Again more pictures for family only on Flickr.


Dad in his shed.


Not had chance for much knitting, except for Kitty's new cardigan, inspired by Amelia Raitte. I just have the arms to do now, but I have run out of wool.

The old veg plot has had plastic on it all winter to try and get rid of some of the weeds. I've been wanting to get it dug and planted, but the weather is still so wet and cold. It even snowed a little today.
Maybe I'll just have to do it in the rain and get wet. Bert seems to like getting wet.


To keep me happy in the mean time, I was hoping to joining in with Monty's 'Tulipwatch' - a climate change experiment, but I realised I didn't plant the right kind. I'm gonna keep track of them anyway and see how they do compared to others around the county. Mine seem way behind.

A pheasant has decided to live with us. He eats the bits of food the goats leave and the seed we put out for the little birds. He is quite stupid, I'm sure he will either get run over or eaten by cats. I am worried about him getting bird flu too. Perhaps I should knit him a scarf or something!





















Other animal news.....Bosies feet are much better now, the hair is growing back well and he is running around like a new spring kid.

Oscar is casting some sort of fluff from under his hair. There is loads of it. I have started wondering whether I could spin some knitting wool if I collect enough. Guess that's Christmas sorted then...smelly goat socks for everyone!

Finally (phew it's been a long one), this weekends baking project was poppy seed bread. Didn't rise as much as I hoped, but looks reasonably respectable. Going to go and have some for supper now. Bye.x