How to make plastic flowers

A new batch of flowers has been made. Colour to decorate the garden. Easy to make if you want to have a go. Follow the instructions on the video, ask me questions if you like. 

For decorating borders or pots. 

This video took seven hours to load onto yoootooob, even after I altered the settings on the camera. I need to look into this. In the past it has taken between two and three hours. 

It's a bit dull today, a dog walk is planned for this afternoon. It's the last day of April on Saturday so check in day for the International Walking Group will be on Sunday. A third of the year has gone already, the target is 333 miles. Have you reached that. I look forward to hearing from you. 

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

Blue sky again today.

 Hello. A few pics from my walk today, I did eight miles. Beacons like this are dotted all over the country. This one hasn't been lit for a long time. 

Although it looks very sunny, it was very windy. I put a big jacket on. At times I was too warm, then the wind came and I was glad I had a furry hood to keep my head warm. 

One of my favourite spots, overlooking the river. The tide is out and the sandbanks are visible. 

There are a lot of yellow fields at the moment. 

This is a very strange house, it's very tall and narrow. It's a bit neglected, I'm not sure if anybody lives there, or if it is part of the house next to it. 

I took a photo of this pylon once before. It looks like there is a sun shining in the middle of it, but the sun is behind me. It's a metal plaque that the sun is bouncing off. 

You might remember me mentioning these cabins in a previous post. It's a day centre for children with learning difficulties. They have now got a garden, with a lawn, decking and seating area, and flowers in pots. 

This hare ran across the path in front of me and stopped in a field. A chance to see if I can zoom in and get a pic. It was a good distance away. I am liking this zoom lens. 

Another opportunity to play with the zoom. This is about half a mile away. A bit grainy but still quite a lot of detail. 

The video isn't ready yet, so that will appear tomorrow. It's taking a long time again, even though I have altered the settings on the camera. 

Thanks for popping in. Catch ya tomorrow.  Toodle pip.   ilona

Booking out.

 Hello. I paid a visit to the library van yesterday. This is a picture of the old van, Stan has a much newer version now. A table is outside on the pavement with plastic boxes on to deposit books returned. 

I like chatting with Stan, he has been doing this job for a long time, but I have decided that the system of someone else choosing my books for me, isn't working. A lady in the main library puts together bags of books based on which categories the reader has chosen. Stan tells me that she is overwhelmed with work. After quarantining the returns, she has to put them back on the shelves, then fill the bags up with other books to be put back on the van for collection. She must walk miles. She gets no help, it's a lot of work for one person to cover 300 readers. 

I have been getting books which I have had before, and books in which I have no interest at all. They have been placed in the bedroom for bedtime reading, or on the coffee table next to the easy chair. Most of the time I just glance at them, now I am not even getting them out of the bag. A quick peek inside is enough to tell me I won't like them. 

So I have said to Stan that I won't be needing any more books, until they change the system and I can choose them myself. At first I didn't mind this new way of doing things, it was fun to get a pick and mix bag. But now it's a chore, and not fun, and they just clutter the house. 

I said I will call round for a chin wag sometimes. We always have a great conversation, it would be sad to lose that. I missed him when he didn't come at all during the lockdown. Maybe it will get back to normal at some point. 

Thanks for popping in. Hopefully uploading a video this afternoon. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.  ilona

The non moving movie.

Hello. I made a video about plastic flowers. I didn't like it, so I dumped it. This is a still shot, it isn't moving.   

I re recorded the video. It looks alright. Not brilliant, but better. Now I have to get it onto yoootooob. Don't know when it will be ready. It will pop up here, sometime. 

It's a bit dull today. I am going to make a stew, then probably do a village walk. 

We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona

Crap sewing and crap pizza base.

Good morning. We have a sunny start to the day, here's hoping it will continue. I bought a cheapish smallish pizza from Aldi last week, or was it the week before. They don't have much topping on do they? I made my own. Mushrooms, pasta, shredded cabbage, and an egg. It was lovely. 

Not so lovely was the base. The birds had that, it was scattered on the garden. I can't see the attraction about pizzas, I got this one for a change. Next time I will put the topping on a slice of seeded bread. 

I made a pouch for my camera. it fits snugly inside a fleecy lining. The stitching is a bit crap, a lot crap actually. I got the measurements wrong, did some of it on the machine and some by hand. The flap fastens down with velcro, as does the strap around my waist. It does the job, it was free, and it's convenient to get the camera out while on a walk.  

Mayze has decided it's too hot in the window sill, a much better place is to lie on the plastic flowers I am working on. 

For those interested, I have updated the Research page this morning. I think UK Column News will be back on the Toooob today, after their suspension. This afternoon is marked down for a doggie walk. Then it will be back on the flower making. I hope to do a video on this, when I have worked out the adjustments I need to make on the camera before filming. Thanks to a dear reader for advice. 

Tattybyes for now. Catch ya later. ilona

Quickie before breakfast.

Good morning, it's Sunday at just after 9am. Another walk yesterday, I am running out of new things to photograph. I walk past trees and think, done that one, done that one. Need to go further afield. I have reached the target miles for the end of the month, so anything else walked in the next week will get me ahead again. 

Loving the yellow fields at the moment. The fragrance of the flowers is divine. 

I am making some plastic flowers for the garden. There won't be many real ones this year, so I'll put some plastic splashes of colour in it. I'll show you when they are done. 

Now it's time for breakfast. I have mushrooms that need eating so it's looking like a cooked meal. I'm ready for it. 

Enjoy your Sunday, whatever you are doing. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Walk and talk.

Good morning. Another video which has taken ages to load. I need to look into this. I wonder if I need a faster broadband. I will ring the camera shop and ask if they can shed any light on the situation. 

In the meantime, I am practicing my walk and talk technique. Walking without a wobble and pointing the camera in the right direction. It will take a while to get it right, but half the fun of it is to see the little imperfections on playback. 

As you know I don't edit, I haven't got time to sit for hours cutting and splicing bits together. I don't aim for a professional video, I am not selling anything, I do it for fun only. 

I got all my new plants potted up yesterday, some in pots, some in the raised beds. Tidying the garden is an ongoing chore that must be done throughout the summer. One day it will be too much for me, but for now I can cope. There will be no major alterations, just some tweaking here and there to keep it respectfully tidy. 

The bottom end of the garden is mainly left to nature. When I trim the conifer hedges I leave the bits on the ground. I am sure there are lots of creepy crawlies living there. An hour or two when I feel like it will be all that's needed. I prefer to potter at the end of the day, only finishing when it becomes too dark to see. I like the extended daylight in the summer months. 

I got my dog walking wages yesterday from Carol, a bag of vegetables and fruit. No shopping will be needed this coming week. 

Time for breakfast now. Enjoy your weekend. Cheerio for now. ilona

Looking for new pictures

Good morning. I extended the walk yesterday to seven miles. It was such a glorious day, wall to wall sunshine so it was time to get the legs out of hibernation. I took a few pics, as I do. Loving this new camera. 

There is a bench opposite this cottage. I sometimes take a ten minute break there and watch the birds come to the feeder hanging below the umbrella tree. The wood pigeons tend to peck the seeds which have fallen down to the ground below it. 

The park was closed because it was after 5pm, but I liked this scene looking through the gates. 

I am starting to look further away from me, now I have a good zoom. I like the simplicity of the five trees standing in a row across the other side of a large field. They remind me of lollipop trees. 

Or should it be four trees? I like cropping to make a different picture. 

I made a video as well and will upload that while I do other things today. Plants need potting up, and there will be a dog walk this afternoon. This good weather is uplifting, I am making the most of it.

Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Going back in time.

Good morning. I took the day off yesterday and went back to my home town of Burton upon Trent. Arrived at my sisters house at 12.30pm. Took my own picnic, and sat in the garden. It was a bit chilly but I had put a single bed quilt in my car to drape over my legs. Then the sun came out and it was quite lovely. Her garden is on a corner plot and they have built decking into it with a seating area. It was lovely to spend time chatting. 

When I left there I went to see Aunty Pat, she is settled into her new home now. Her little bungalow is ideal for a single person. She was surprised to see me. I didn't warn her in advance because I knew she would be there. We sat outside her front door, she has a cast iron table and chairs in her little sun trap garden. When I left she said it was a lovely surprise visit. 

From there I went to Stretton Church where Uncle Stan is buried. Pat has not been able to get there for a long time so she was worried that the grave would be in a messy state. It wasn't too bad, the mower has been keeping the area tidy. I took shears with me and trimmed round the headstone. I exchanged some of the faded artificial flowers for some newer ones which freshened up the display. Then I photographed it and have sent it to Pat, to give her peace of mind that the grave is looking good. 

A few snaps of St Mary's Church, Stretton.

On my way out I drove down the street where I was brought up. A typical council estate. There were no cars then, we were able to run amok. I had a scooter, and a pair of roller skates, and later a bike. We had a big green area where we could play out all day. No worries about getting run over. I remember my mum standing at the front door bellowing down the street to come in for our dinner. Oh the embarrassment. 

We had ice cream vans selling their wares, and the rag and bone man came, yelling something which I could never understand. Running in to mum to ask for an armful of rags, and coming back with a goldfish in a plastic bag. They were happy times. 

The house where we used to live. It ain't half changed. 

An old photo, a bit crappy but it's the only one I have. Concrete posts with wire through marked the boundaries. Our privet hedge was very sparse compared to some of the others. A rickety gate falling off it's hinges. My dad was not a gardener, nor did he do any DIY. He had no interest in the house or garden whatsoever. We had a wilderness to run around in.

Straight back up the motorway arriving back home at 8.30pm. A nice day out.

looking like it's going to be a sunny day today. A walk I think is on the cards. 

Thanks for the comments still coming in to the recent Hope, not hopeless post, and thanks for the emails.  

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

blonde - ish

It hasn't lightened as much as I thought it would, but at least it's a nice golden colour all over, and it has improved the condition of it. I think the model in the picture on the box had a wig on. 

No need to cut it, I did that a few weeks ago. It was perhaps a bit too short then, but the raggedness of it is not so noticeable now it has grown a bit. This is the length I like. 

Maybe I'll use the metallic purple in the winter. So much easier to do this at home, I couldn't bare to sit in a hairdressers shop for an hour or so. I don't like someone else faffing around with my hair. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip. ilona

eenymeenymineymo

I bought the darker colour a few months ago, thinking I might be brave and have a change. Now I am not so sure. Maybe I should stick to the tried and tested blonde, after all it is more of a summer colour. Should I save the warm dark tones for winter? 

I think it will be a spur of the moment decision. They are both sitting on the window sill in the bathroom, The water is switched on and will be hot in an hour. Come back later to see which way it went.

Catch up soon. Toodle pip.  ilona

A treat for the garden

Another glorious day. I went to the garden centre again, to buy some more plants. The last lot I potted up are all doing well. Some of these will be for the beds. I still have some empty pots so I might use some of them. 

The garden centre is on the edge of Appleby village, I had a little bimble around there as well. It's a small village, with a very big church. The door was sadly locked so I couldn't look inside. I made a video, it was rubbish so I deleted it. There is more to this videoing lark that meets the eye, it is not easy. I need more practice.  

I am now going for a walk, Catch ya tomorrow. Toodle pip.   ilona

Sunny afternoon in the summerhouse.

Good morning peoples. Wasn't it a glorious day yesterday ? It was here, in North Lincolnshire. I am slowly adding bits and pieces to my garden to give it a summery appearance. 

I need a hanging basket. I have the flowers, artificial ones given to me, now what to use for a basket and some filling. I have a chip pan basket which I got out of a skip. I lined it with fine mesh fabric, and tried two kinds of cat litter. It was too fine and fell through the holes. I cut a circle from a plastic bag and put it in the bottom to stop that happening. Still not right. I could see dust falling from it for a long time. That's not going to work. 

It will have to be compost. So that's what I did. Used a small pair of nail scissors to cut tiny holes in the sides so I could poke the flower stalks through, and fill the top. I used old Christmas tree lights wire to hang it. 

I made a video after that. Another practice with the new camera. I'll get used to it, eventually, ha ha. I set it off uploading to yoootooob and went for a walk, expecting it to be finished by the time I got back. I don't know what is going on with yoootooob, but the numbers had hardly moved by the time I got back. It got to 10pm and still 40% left to do. I went to bed and left it running. 

I woke up later and checked the time, 1.30am. At last it had finished. I quickly published it and closed down the computer, and went back to bed. I think the length of time it takes, depends on how many others are uploading at the same time. Evenings must be a busy time. I normally do it in the afternoon, perhaps mornings would be better and not take so long. It also depends on the length of video, this one is shorter than my usual 20 minutes or so, I was surprised that it took as long as it did. . 

I was hoping to get this post on last night, so here I am at 9am the next morning, finishing it off. 

I think it is going to be another nice day today, so I think a walk is on the cards. 

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

Hope, not hopeless.

 I woke early this morning, the sun is shining. I like to prop myself up in bed with an extra pillow and give myself another half hour to gather the thoughts in my head, before I get up. There are so many thoughts to untangle and I need to make some sense of what I have been reading and watching. 

I think the Government are floundering in a swamp at the moment. They are realising that the tide is turning and the alternative way of thinking is gaining ground. They can no longer push the same old well worn narrative and have to think of new ways to deliver their suffocating messages. 

The science that the Government follows is all about modelling. They import a snippet of information from the experts they employ, then feed it into a computer programme to give them the numbers they are looking for. This is what they have been doing from the start. They have to have something, anything, to base their policies on. As time has gone on, they recall and tweak the numbers to push things forward in the direction that has been created for them. 

The push for PCR testing and now the Lateral Testing, are creating the so called Road Map which the Government say will get us back to normal. This is part of their psychology to control what we can and cannot be allowed to do. The tests are now known to not be accurate, but they keep using it. They need the case numbers to increase the control they have over us. 

As I see it science is not exact. It has to be continually challenged, and questioned. It is always evolving. Many other scientists have come forward, some of them more qualified than those employed by the Government, but their theories are brushed aside because they are not in line with the path the Government has chosen to follow. 

Independent scientists have no ulterior motive. Exact science is not about making things up, manipulating what bit of evidence you have to give the desired result, which fits the plan. It is about searching for the truth. On the other hand those who are working for the Government are part of a much bigger and wider network of businesses and organisations, who are working towards The Great Reset. 

So who is driving things? What is the driving force? For a start, it is money, but then you have to dig deeper to find out what the end goal is. People may think that this all started with a virus, but it began many years before. I will stop now because I am hungry, I need to eat, but there is a lot more to it than most people realise. This period in our lives will evolve. It seems to be going in one direction only, the outcome appears to be inevitable. I like to think there is hope to change that direction. There has to be hope. 

Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip.   ilona

Horsing around with the new camera.

A simple video to try out zooming. I hope they get better with more practice. I am holding the camera in my hand. Next time I will use the selfie stick to smooth out the bumps. 

It's a lovely day here. A dog walk this afternoon. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip. 

None of my business.

 I hope that the funeral goes goes well for the Royal Family today. I have avoided any news stories and gossip about them. Most of them were born into royalty so their future was mapped out. Harry has chosen to opt out. People may not have much regard for Meghan but he chose her for his wife. I respect anyone who makes changes to their life if they find themselves in the wrong place. They are human, with feelings, just like anyone else. I wish them well. 

The Duke of Edinburgh gave seventy years of his life to his wife, family, and his royal duties. I salute him for that. But I will not condemn younger royals for going in a different direction to what is expected of them. What goes on within the Royal family is none of my business.

C  U  L8TER  Toodle pip.   ilona

Zooming brilliant.

Hello. Nice day for a walk, chance to try out the new camera. First a couple of snaps inside my house. Well it had to be Mayze, didn't it. 

This is the new three legged alien, also known as a mini tripod and selfie stick. The legs can be wrapped around something, like a tree, if you want to set the camera up in an awkward place. 

Off down the hill to the woods. 

Leaving the track, through the gate into a field. 

There is a gentle breeze, the wind turbine blades are moving ever so slowly. 

Let's have a closer look. Smashing zoom. 

Now I don't have to creep up on any birds or animals, I can snap them from a distance. That black line is a hose pipe. They are watering the turf. 

Pointing up into the pine trees.

I think I am going to enjoy playing with this new toy.

I'm off to Aldi shortly so I had better say Toodle pip.  Catch ya tomorrow.  ilona

Spent some money.

Today was a very nice day out in the sunshine. I went to Lincoln and parked on the edge of the town, and walked in. There is free parking on Wragby Road, no restrictions. The Camera shop is on Silver Street, a 20 minute walk away. I have a very old street map.

I took a few snaps on the way. The Cathedral is splendid.  It was exciting to walk about in a different place. I should come here more often. 

Some interesting buildings. This one is part of the college. 

A busker was playing his guitar and singing. 

I did my business in the shop. A nice young man listened to me, brought out several cameras, and explained what they did. I made my choice, and coughed up four hundred quid. 

I came home a different way because I wanted to drop off a donation to Bransby Horses, near Saxilby. It's a charity I support. I was too late to have a look round. Not to worry, I have been here several times before. I posted the cheque into the mail box. Lousy picture, the sun was in the wrong place, and you can clearly see the haze made by the scratched lens. 

Had to stop when I saw this telephone box at a village called Upton. The artificial flower display is delightful. What a good idea. 

I got home at about 7pm. I need to go to Aldi but it will have to wait until tomorrow night. I will unpack my goodies in the morning. A new toy to play with. Excited. 

Now going to chill. Thanks for popping in. Catch you tomorrow. Toodle pip.