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Showing posts from July, 2009

Free gift and Jacobean embroidery.

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The above shows a parcel the postman brought today. A free gift from Cross Stitcher magazine. It is a subscription gift as I started a year's subscriptoin with them last month. So who's a lucky girl!!! Included were Madeira threads of every type, some for machine embroidery(something I haven't tackled before), pure silk embroidery thread, metallic threads, cotton, viscose and rayon threads with a pair of embroidery scissors. They are all so beautiful I can't wait to try them out. My usual threads are Anchor or DMC , it will be good to work with another make. Now I do have a little embroidery to do on a project but I can't disclose the work yet as it isn't finished. Later next month I will reveal all, you'll understand then the reason for the secrecy. Staying on the topic of sewing , earlier in the week I found a new embroidery blog which is dedicated to Jacobean embroidery and in particular , the creation of ' The Plimoth Jacket.' This is a vast em

Teaser Tuesdays

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Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 'It was as though that romanticized figure of her dreams had materialized; and in the flesh he was more charming than her dreams had fashioned him, for the simple reason that, before meeting him, she would not have believed so much that was charming and fascinating could be concentrated in one person. ''I am content ,' she said; and she spoke from the bottom of her heart.'' page 100 , 'A Health Unto His Majesty', by Jean Plaidy. There are more teasers here.

The Sunday Salon

This week has gone by in a blur. There has not been a great deal of reading time as we had a wonderful celebration at church for our parish priest's golden jubilee.Also during the week we have been visiting my father-in-law in hospital , therefore reading has been minimal. However,even when life is busy I still like to pick up a book for an odd minute here and there. So I have started another Jean Plaidy (I'm on a roll with her books, either as Jean Plaidy or Victoria Holt), this time it is 'A Health Unto His Majesty' a novel of the life of Charles II. Although only a few pages in it is proving very good. Maybe by next Sunday I will have a review written. Hope you all have a good week.

The Last Day of Shearing.

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Yes, today was the last day for shearing. My hardworking husband has sheared 500+ sheep, with my daughter and myself assisting in wrapping the fleeces. It has taken a few weeks to complete the task as we dodged the rain, but the work is finished. Gabriel Oak in 'Far from the Madding Crowd'(in photo) sheared by hand and if he had 500+ to complete , poor man would have been still working at Christmas!! So although it is very hard work , electric shears have made the job much easier. In the same movie when all their summer work was finished(including the harvest), a meal was organised with alcohol and singing. Well... the same will happen here tonight, we will raise our glasses to the last sheep shorn for another year!!! Then consider the hay and silage work. 'Gabriel Oak' photo courtesy of this site.

Soak up the Sun if you can...

Today is the first day of the school holidays in this area so although not very warm I'm indulging in Summer music. Do join me , float away on the melodic tones of Percy Faith. Wonderful! ps. that's me on the second lounger under the palm tree, if only!!!!

Priest's Jubilee

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This week we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our parish priest's ordination. In July 1959 he took his priestly vows, to mark this great occasion we had two celebrations. One was held on Sunday and one last night.Following the morning Mass on Sunday we all met to give our congratulations in a parish setting.Last night saw the celebration of a Traditional Latin Mass,as seen in the photo. It was a wonderful evening with champagne and a buffet after the service. Many people attended including some from his former parishes. A loved and respected priest. Congratulations Father!! If you click to enlarge the photo the full beauty of our church can be seen.

Teaser Tuesdays

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Now I know I'm a day late, but better late than never... Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My teaser is taken from a book I am about to start, 'A Health Unto His Majesty' by Jean Plaidy.page 164. 'Catherine was happier during these months than she had been since the days of her honeymoon. At last she was to bear a child; she saw in this child a new and wonderful happiness, a being who would compensate her for all she had suffered through her love for the King.' More teasers can be found here.

The Shivering Sands

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The Shivering Sands by Victoria Holt. Roma and Caroline Brandon's parents were both archeologists. Their parents were keen for their children to follow in the footsteps but only one decided on this course. Roma became well known in the field of archeology and in particular excavating Roman remains. Caroline chose a more 'sedate' lifestyle; she became a concert pianist and although not one of the worlds greatest pianists herself, she married a famous musician. Her married life was far from bliss but when her husband Pietro unexpectedly dies her world is shattered and she is consoled by her sister. On the south coast Roma was excavating a Roman village near Lovat Stacy ,a fine country house. After Caroline's departure Roma disappears. In need of employment Caroline finds a position in the country house as a piano teacher. Here she hopes to solve the mystery of her sister's disappearance .The members of the Stacy family prove to be a complicated and suspicious bunch ,

A mixed bag ...

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Amixed bag indeed for this post. The bookmark is one I started a few weeks ago, it is worked in crossstitch and the embellishments are added later. The little beads were free with Crossstitcher magazine a couple of months ago. I think the whole design is pretty , it's a little present for my oldest daughter. As you probably know my father in law is in hospital following a stroke so most days we have been visiting and although we'll be going again tomorrow on Sunday we are invited to our parish priest's golden jubilee celebration (one of two celebrations). Therefore Sunday , after the party is going to be spent at home and we are planning to watch 'Young Victoria' then and relax. Hope you have a good weekend.

Teaser Tuesdays

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Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Here are my teasing lines. 'We should be told we might amuse ourselves there with the implication that we had been given the entry into some holy place. I remember walking on the sacred stones and pausing, my nose pressed against cold glass, to examine weapons, pottery and jewellery.' page 8, 'The Shivering Sands' by Victoria Holt. More teasers can be found here.

The Sunday Salon

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As I mentioned in an earlier post this has been a very busy week. My husband is recovering from a chest infection (thankyou to all who sent good wishes) and my father-in-law is in hospital following a stroke. Most of our time has been doing farm work and hospital visiting. However I did manage to finish a fantastic book, 'Kirkland Revels' by Victoria Holt. If you are looking for a gothic romance this book's for you. I loved it , although I had read it about 30 yrs. ago I'd forgotten the story . A real page turner. So my next book is going to be from the same author, soon I'll be starting 'Shivering Sands' , another read from 30 yrs ago , I'm sure it will still captivate me. Hope you all have a good week.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

Kirkland Revels

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'Kirkland Revels' by Victoria Holt. This novel describes life in a dark and eerie house on the Yorkshire Moors, 'Kirkland Revels'. Steeped in history this house becomes the home of newly married Catherine Corder and her husband Gabriel Rockwell. Catherine is fascinated by her new home and her husband's family. Straight out of school Catherine is a vulnerable girl, bored with her own life , Gabriel's proposal seems an ideal way to find excitement.However after a sudden death in the family Catherine is plagued by would-be ghosts and sinister family members show their dark side. Once pregnant she realises that her life is in danger and although traumatised by 'supernatural' events sets out to find the reason for her persecution. A wonderful tale of 'medieval' monks , village pagaents and a dark , mysterious abbey in ruins. A gothic romance that made me sit on the edge of my seat! Highly recommended.

Teaser Tuesdays

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Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Here are my teasers, 'It was because of what I saw at the foot of my bed... something which moved yet was not of this world. It was figure in a black cloak and cowl -- a monk; over the face was a mask such as those worn by torturers in the chambers of the Inquisition; there were slits in the mask for the eyes to look through, but it was not possible to see those eyes though I believed they watched me intently.' 'Kirkland Revels' by Victoria Holt, page 122. More teasers can be found here.

Busy Days.

The last few days have been so busy. My husband is recovering from a chest infection and his father has been admitted to hospital with a stroke. So blogging has taken a back seat as we've been visiting hospital and other close relatives. If time allows I'll post for the Sunday Salon later, but if not I take this opportunity to wish you all a good week and please say a prayer for my father-in-law's recovery.

On the farm in July.

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July on the farm means hay or silage baling. The above photos show hay being baled. We need good sunny weather for hay as the grass needs to be thoroughly wilted. Silage is made when the grass is not so dry and therefore brilliant sunshine is not necessary although it can't be baled in wet conditions. The photos were taken last year and apologies if you have already seen them. As June's main task was shearing we still have the Swaledales to shear. They are a hardy breed and are not usually ready to be sheared till the end of June or beginning of July. As the weather is so good at the moment(and long may it last) we will finish the shearing and then start baling. Hope you all have a good month with plenty of sunshine, especially for the Wimbledon finals.