Add another border. Sewing project.

Here's a little something I knocked up. I didn't know what it was going to be when I started it. My Crafty Club friend gave me some fabric scraps and in the bag was some small hearts. They are printed onto plain fabric along with the background, not stuck or stitched on. 

I decided to put a pink border around one of them. That looks nice, I will add another border, blue would look nice. Might as well keep going, a pink patterned border, and a lighter pink plain border. It's growing. Still haven't decided what it is going to be. Maybe one of those small cross body bags. 

How about a white with blue stripes border. Yes, I like that. I have some plain red, maybe make the border a bit wider this time. Now I think I have to go back to blue again with a wider border to balance it out. Still not sure what it is going to be. What if I ironed on some stabiliser on the back, and embroidered the heart, and added some sequins. that would be nice. Looking good. 

I thought I might frame it so I had a look at my stock of frames to see if there was anything suitable. No not really, the frame I thought about would need painting and I can't be bothered with that. Then I came across a small canvas eight inches square. I remember buying it from Poundland in a sale, it was 50p. I didn't like the picture, I bought it to paint another picture on top of it. This is the result, pathetic. I gave up. But it's perfect for this. 

And there we have it. I stretched it tight fixing the blue fabric border at the back with drawing pins. Folding the corners neatly. 

Around the edge of the heart I have done a chain stitch with a blue French Knot in each link. 

I didn't have enough of the blue cotton fabric to cover the back, but I had a dark blue linen serviette which was a good match. I like to make a neat and tidy back. 

Nothing planned, it just happened. I'm pleased how it turned out. I used the cutting board grid to make the narrow borders 3cm wide. 

Now I need another project. 

Another lovely day today. Fantastic. Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona

An important message from Daniel

I have been following Daniel at Mossy Bottom for some time, he bought a plot of land in Ireland and lives on it turning it into a small holding, with the intention of being self sufficient. He has a wise head on young shoulders. For those of you who's life is not turning out as you would have liked, listen to Daniel. It's important. 

Sunny day again, I'll pop back later with a crafty project I have just finished. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

Summer is here. I set off just before 3pm yesterday on an extended walk. My normal five miles turned into eight. Spraying the crops. 

The hedgerows are gloriously white. 

The grass verges are full of greenery, covering up the fast food wrappings and empty cans tossed out of car windows. 

Time to take a layer off, it's hot. 

Which is the best format for this idyllic scene? Portrait or landscape? 

Always a pleasure to walk back along this route, whatever the weather. 

I made a stop at a friends house in the next village. We sat outside on her new cast iron and wooden patio furniture and drank orange juice. She told me the story behind the gorgeous chairs and small table. She was in a garden centre with her family, having a browse. Her garden is lovely, she enjoys buying new plants for it. It was a lightening decision as she sat on one of the chairs on the display. I'll buy this, she said, her daughter was surprised. It was delivered two days later, and fits perfectly in the setting she visualised it in. It is a refurbished masterpiece made by a local craftsman. It will last for years. 

I landed back home at 7.30pm so it was a hasty microwaved portion of the stew I made the day before. I slept well last night. 

I think today will be a garden day. Tidying needs to be done. Thanks for popping in, I hope your weekend is going well and you are able to spend time outdoors. Don't forget, Tuesday is check in day for the International Walking Group. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona

Last look at Goathland

Hello. It's Bank Holiday Saturday and the weather is looking good. I will be staying local. I got my shopping in last night so that chore is done. I might go for a walk, or I might play in the garden and summerhouse. I will make it up as I go along. 

This is the Mallyan Hotel on the main road going into Goathland. To the right of it is a gate leading to a path, which goes to the waterfall. Many many steps to go down, then come back up. 

I peered over the wall into the back garden. They have installed four pods for dining parties. Each one has table and chairs, and lights, for those who want to book one for a private party. 

Cottages in Goathland. 

Aidensfield Stores was not open, I think the frontage is just for show. As it was when Heartbeat was being filmed. 

The main shopping street. Nice and quiet when I was there, but I bet it is a lot busier on a sunny Bank Holiday. I made a video of Scripps Garage and the Hotel, but it was so wobbly I deleted it. 

I was walking along the Rail Trail when I came across this row of cottages at Esk Valley. At the far end of it is the railway line. 

Sadler House, a lovely spot not far from the railway. 

I was tempted to level this photo, I don't like wonky skylines, but this is how it was, on a slope. As you can see I was lucky with the weather. 

Heading down through the woods towards the Spout. A carpet of blue. The path was atrocious, a deep gully full of rocks. 

A wonky tree. I am drawn to things which aren't quite perfect. 

And to finish, three coloured lines on the map for three walks totalling 22 miles. The camp site is bottom right where three colours meet. 

Where shall I go next. I will check the maps and find another farm camp site somewhere out of the way off the beaten track. 

Now it's time for lunch. I have some stew I made yesterday. Thanks for popping in, enjoy your weekend. Toodle pip.   ilona

Waiting for a train to appear.

Good morning. Yet more Yorkshire memories. The last walk of a three day camping trip. I am waiting on a bridge at Darnholm hoping that a train is going to appear. 

And it does, brilliant. 

I still have a few more pics from the trip. Huge stepping stones to cross the water.

Walking on the Rail Trail close to the railway line. There used to be a train track on this trail, this is the point where the bridge crossed West Beck. The stumps in the water show the angle of the old bridge. There is a wooden footbridge over it now. 

Another footbridge close to Beck Hole. 

An iron sculpture on the Rail Trail at Beck Hole. 

Old chap standing in a telephone box at Beck Hole. Can someone please let him out, other people want to use that phone  ;o)

I think that's enough for this post, there are more, groan, ha ha. Can't you tell I am having fun with my new camera. 

I had a lovely walk yesterday in the sun, back on my local stomping ground. We are getting close to the end of the month so I am keeping an eye on my miles. Looking good so far. 5 x 84 = 420 target. I have gone past that so anything more I can do before Monday and I will be sailing towards the half way mark. 

Sewing today, dog walk this afternoon. To enlarge the pictures click on one and it will open up into a slide show. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip. 

Steamy Yorkshire Mini Break with Andrew.

I had a nice surprise when I opened yoootooob tonight. A video from Andrew Ditton, the camper and caravan man, and he went to Yorkshire the week before I did. Howzabout that for a coincidence. He stayed in a hotel near Pickering and went on the train to Whitby. Dougal his doggy friend went as well. I spotted the same steam engine in his video that I saw at Grosmont. If you want a double dose of steam take a look at Andrew's video. 

Thanks for popping in. I will put more Yorkshire pics up tomorrow. Toodle pip.  ilona

Scrappy patchwork bag

A friend from Crafty Club offered me a pile of small cotton fabric pieces left over from her sewing projects. They have been sitting in a plastic box on my table for ages. I keep going back to them. It passes half an hour or so to do a bit of stitching. 

A lot of them are a similar width, so I have been sewing them into strips by hand. 

Join four strips together and make a patchwork bag. Sew the sides together with blanket stitch. The lining and strap is the excess from a curtain which I cut down to fit the kitchen window. A narrow strip of velcro holds the top together. 

Another handy little pocket to wear under or over a jacket. 

Still lots of small scrappy pieces left. it is never ending. Looking like a nice day today. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.  ilona 

Sad news from Sweden

I have been following Stefan for a while, a kind and gentle man who has a lot of compassion for his fellow human beings. This morning he shared the sad news about his brother. 

When people were dying of the virus it was splashed all over the main stream media because it served a purpose. It helped to bolster the fear projected onto everyone, which ultimately made people desperate to get a needle in their arm.

The Government is keeping a record of adverse reactions after being jabbed, it is the information taken from the yellow card system. People are talking about their reactions on social media but they are being dismissed as just one of those things. Every reaction should be reported, no matter how small. 

The page on the Government web site is difficult to read, so UK Colum News have transferred all that data onto a simpler version which makes it easier to understand.

Now that numbers are being collated about the serious side effects and even death from the jab, they are not being given the same prominence in the media as those who died from Covid. Maybe those numbers are being hidden for a reason. 

Catch ya later. ilona 

Trains at Grosmont Station.

Continuing with the Yorkshire photo's. On the second day I walked the Rail Trail from Goathland to Grosmont. It's an old railway track now converted for walkers. This is the sight that greets you as you approach Grosmont. There is a bench there to take a short break and read the information board and enjoy the scenery.

Grosmont is a junction where three railway lines meet so there is more going on there as the engines shunt around swapping carriages. This attracts more people to view the action. People waiting for trains and rail enthusiasts taking photo's.   

The gates have to be opened stopping the traffic while all this activity goes on. 

There were too many people on the platform for my liking, so I found another spot to get some photo's. The pub car park next door was a good place. 

Positioning myself for a close up. 

Even closer. He didn't know I was taking this. 

Well chuffed with these photo's. 

Just up the road is this row of dinky cottages. Reminded me of Last of the Summer Wine. 

After I got the photo's I was soon on my way. Not hanging around. I'll post some more in the next few days. There's another video as well. 

Raining again today. Looking like a day indoors. 

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona

How are your choppers?

 A news item came up which is a bit disconcerting, one in three dentists are planning to ditch NHS patients. It goes on to say they are planning to go fully private which will threaten the future of NHS tooth care. Others aim to cut back on NHS work or quit the profession altogether. Some patients already face a three year wait for appointments. 

Read the full article here. 

Hannah Woolnough of the British Dental Association spoke to Talk Radio yesterday outlining why this is happening. The Government are starving dental clinics of cash, cutting back and diverting money elsewhere. I'll put a link to the interview here, it's on her Twitter account. I'm not sure if non tweeters can access it. 

I think we can expect a lot more people with wonky teeth, unable to afford private care. Take a look at the poor countries, look at the mouths of people who have no dental care, is that where we are heading? 

I have stepped up my mouth cleaning regime. I don't brush as vigorously as I used to, but I brush more often. I brush after eating or drinking anything which may stain my teeth. After every coffee I brush and rinse. Usually only one coffee per day. I stopped drinking red wine. Too much brushing can be detrimental, so I methodically make sure I reach all parts of my mouth with gentle brushing. 

I don't bite into hard food any more, there are a lot of things I have given up altogether. I am mindful when I eat. I cut food up into smaller pieces and take my time with gentle chewing using my tongue and saliva to move it around my mouth, which breaks it down before I swallow it.  

It's all I can do at the moment, I just hope that my teeth hold out. They are not perfect, and as long as they do not pain me, I am hoping they last a bit longer. What is happening with the dentists in your area? 

I will post more Yorkshire pics tomorrow, and there is another video to come. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona

Mallyan Spout Waterfall.

It was later in the day after a full days walking, that I decided to take a look at Mallyan Spout Waterfall. A slight detour off the Rail Trail, I followed the signposts. There was a lot of steps, up and down, as I followed the sound of the running water alongside West Beck. 

I met a walker coming towards me, he asked if I was going to see the waterfall. I said yes, and he said there wasn't much to see. I was already thinking do I have time for this, and was it worth the bother. He showed me a photograph that he had taken on his ipad, it was fast running water over rocks. I said it looked ok. I carried on thinking I am half way there now, might as well go and have a look. I will curse myself if I miss something because I hadn't made the effort. 

Up ahead I saw two people clambering over rocks. The woman looked like she was having some difficulty. I stopped for a minute to let them get ahead. I was almost ready to give up feeling quite tired by then. I sat down and took these photo's. 

I lost sight of them for a few seconds as they went round a corner. Then the man's head popped out he was beckoning me to keep coming. This is what I saw just around the bend. . 

The man with the ipad had stopped before he got there and turned round. He missed it. I'm glad the man up ahead waved me on. 

From there it was a matter of backtracking to the junction where I had seen a signpost back to Goathland. I was relieved when the track took me straight into the field where I was camping. Twelve miles that day, I slept well after that. 

More about the Yorkshire trip to follow. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

Wake up call.

Your ten minute wake up call. Boogie Woogie often pops up while I am browsing videos and I feel compelled to click on one of them for my daily dose. Today is Jorg Hegemann. I love the way he uses his whole body to show his love for playing the piano. The look of joy on his face puts a big grin on my face. A good start to my day.

I challenge you to sit still while you watch and listen. Impossible. 

Catch ya later. ilona

Village boot sale.

We managed to get four hours of dry weather this morning for the village boot sale. At 1pm it went dark and chucked it down. By lunch time visitors had already started dropping off. Most prefer to come early. Some were walking, some came in cars. There were 40+ stalls so to get round them all a car would have been the best option. 

I sold the pet beds, some shopping bags, and other items. I also gave things away from my de cluttering sessions. A bit of cash made for Goodheart Animal Sanctuary. I had an hour in the garden after my dinner tonight. Trying to keep on top of the weeding and hedge trimming. 

I've just been for a late walk but it's raining again so I cut it short. 

Having a glass of wine before bed time. More Yorkshire pics tomorrow. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Steam train at Goathland Station.

I walked alongside and crossed over the railway track several times while I was in North Yorkshire. Hearing a train approach, waiting in anticipation to see it, then when it came into view, was a real treat. 

A view of Goathland Station. I didn't walk onto the platform, there were people about and you had to do the track and trace thing, and I don't want to do that. Luckily the camera allows me to get some decent photo's with the zoom facility. 

I shouted across to an attendant to ask if there was a train due. He said yes, any time, it's late. I parked myself in a position to get a good view as it arrived. 

A few minutes later and I could hear it, and there it was. Excuse spots on the video, I forgot to clean the lens. 

I have had notification from yoootoooob that they will be putting adverts onto all videos soon. There is nothing I can do about that. I will not get any revenue from it. 

Now I'm off to walk Billy. He was so excited when I turned up on Thursday. 

Have a good weekend. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona

Plumb crazy.

 My plumber came yesterday. Michael lives in the village, I have known him for nigh on 30 years, he was a lorry driver we worked at the same place. He retrained to get his plumbing and gas certificates, now he is very much sort after, he has lots of customers. Sometimes he is difficult to pin down, due to his work load, which is a good thing. A plumber with not very much to do can't be very good at his job. Michael serviced my central heating system and freed up a stuck outside water tap. He did a good job. 

I asked him about the Governments plans to stop fitting gas boilers into new homes, and to wean all houses off the gas and onto hydrogen for their heating. It seems to me that the deadlines that the Government have set out are unachievable. He said it is not going to happen overnight. All current modern gas boilers are already set up to use hydrogen. At first it will be a mix of both natural gas and hydrogen going through the system. Plumbers will not have to be retrained, and by the time it all comes together he will be retired. He has 17 years left to do. 

A big stumbling block will be the storage of hydrogen. It has to be stored close to where it is needed, which means lots of new plants all over the place. I think the Government are fear mongering again. Pushing forward the agenda to cut carbon emissions. 

This article gives some more information. I don't think we need to panic. Our gas boilers will not be switched off, we won't have to shell out for more equipment. I for one hate cooking with electricity, I want to keep my gas cooking and heating. 

More pics from Yorkshire to come. Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Sheep . . . . . .

There are a lot of sheep in them there hills, and in the villages as well. Great for keeping the grass verges neatly trimmed, but beware when walking about, don't step into the little brown pellets they leave everywhere. They have been know to wander into people's gardens, if they find a gate left open. 

There are warning signs everywhere to drive carefully, sheep have the right of way. If they want to wander about in the road, they will, but they are clever enough not to try crossing a cattle grid. This is the end of the line for these sheep, they can go no further, so they turn round and go back. 

They have masses of space on the lush green hills. As I walk by the baa baa ing becomes louder as they warn each other of a stranger passing. 

The zoom means I can photograph them from a distance, without disturbing them. They are often quite nervous and run away when approached. 

The rocks are a playground for them, the trees make a cool shelter from the sun. 

Strolling around seems a pleasurable pastime. 

There are a few cows about as well. This group came over to have a look at me, then decided not to come closer because the grass was more appealing, so they stopped for lunch. 

I sat on a bench high up above Grosmont. I wondered if the zoom would pick up the cows in the valley in the distance. 

When I walked past a farm I immediately attracted a posse of hens. Oh dear, I have nothing to offer them in the way of tasty treats. I felt guilty. 

What an idyllic way of life. I like to see animals moving around freely. 

More pictures to come of my camping trip to Goathland in North Yorkshire. 

Thanks for popping in. we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona