Megsman's Diary

Making a new rug

2010-03-20T13:08:00.000Z

My first try at making a rug out of what my wife and her friend said was unspinnable

I have decided to make a peg rug on my home made loom

After an hour or so and actually filling the pegs [ I think thats what they call them]

twice, I did'nt know if it should be pushed down ro slide down.

But I had better spread the colours out more evenly.

There, that is the third batch I have four different types of wool to mix

Well that the fourth batch coming of the pegs , the wools I have used are

Ryland + Suffolk ,Mule ,Jacobs , and some Merino.

I have found quite a large amount even I can't use, it just seems to fall to piece .

Now I have not very much left so my only thought is if it too small

I can let Meg my dog use it . I know she likes sleeping on one made of the same

material when we go to stay at a friends house in Wales.

There we are the last of it , I think it may be o.k. for the dog

I shall get it off and have a look.

Wait a minute Ursula {my wife } has come with a little more . The next job is to

take all the pegs off and finish the job off leaving a little string to fasten

up as tassles .

Well Meg seems to like it anyway , so that one use for it .

January

2010-01-13T13:49:00.000Z

I took one or two pictures of the place I came across my little friends while it was cold.Whilst we were out with Meg my border Collie and my grandson. These two seemed to be enjoying it and it was keeping them quiet .I do not know what Meg had smelt when she just drove her head into the snow.

This I found looks like a little avenue and it leads up to the tree with the little peoples home in , I wonder if I could use it and stay out of sight next Spring .

After walking around quite close to the tree we heard Lewis my grandson say I saw someone in there and suddenly stopped. I asked him in where and he took us back to this tree . I got my camera ready and sqatted down ,thinking I may be to near . It was'nt until he started talking again I had this photograph to take .

Lewis had gone home , I went back myself and this is all I could get , so what was it ,who was it I do'nt know . I wonder if it was the childs soft voice ? I will take him over ther next time .

My Art

2009-12-13T15:53:00.000Z

This was my first try on pastels , I was lucky finding a mount and black frame for it and I want to try this again as I like doing it but it is rather messy when you like the chalky type.

This is acrylic which is very fast at drying .

This also is acrylic , but I like sunset and I like painting water still or moving.

My only sketch with pencil was this one of the late Pope John Paul .It is the only time I have been satisfied with a face so I left it at that.

The stall at Grassington with my D.W. stood behind . The woodwork seen is what I make and paint and the slates are for peoples door numbers to be added and then varnished to make rainproof.

A closer look at the poppy collection , all that is missing is the large poppy clock which has been sold.

The two new clocks, 6 inch and 10 inch neither painted before . Heard once or twice from people at the stall flowers are lovely colours, or about the butterfly.

These are the two best selling birds and the poppy is easily the best flower . I find it hard to believe sometimes how many people really like or collect things with poppies or owls on .

My painting in oils , I put it away in my folder and forgot about it . This was one of the first I ever did . I got it out to show a friend one day , and they said it has depth , the falling tree draws the eye in. It somehow looks as though there is distance .

This the other oil painting trying to do the same thing , get distance . Trying to do the job with the path disappearing into the woods. They are both now framed and on the wall in the front room .

Anyway I now have somewhere to go and do my paintings I could call my studio except for one thing it is up in the attic so I just call it up there. It has been used by DW as her workroom for the past 16 years but she doesn't use it as much these days and there is room for both of us up there .

Little Folk Part2

2009-11-16T16:47:00.000Z

After nothing was to be found for a long time , checking around that same place seemed to be a habit each time I went out across the field , but nothing was to be there.Until a few weeks ago although it was wet the leaves had been moved and that enabled me to see what was a back passage .The back passage ran around the tree just inside the bark of the tree.

Was this a little escape route,a way upstairs or could there be a back room I do not know and I'm not for trying to find out. I do'nt know why but Meg came running down the path, squirrels may be as usual , when I went after her I caught her up and turned around , well the the first thing I noticed was a canopy.

The canopy was over what I thought was the back door , but it really looked smarter than the other , so was it the front door? So my first idea was to go back and have another look . I slowly went around to see .

The only thing I cannot understand is when I got there the door was actually closed , so someone was around , and had heard me . I thought the best thing I can do is go home.So I stayed away for quite a while.

We even got sorted out for Christmas and even put our little friends decorations up around their quarters.After Christmas I think they were still around as far as I knew although you never saw them through the day.

I then went back to see if anything was going on over the field , and to my surprise all the leaves had been cleared and what was this ? I found their little home was being re furnished , were they moving back or were another family moving in.

Meg's Little expedition

2009-10-31T14:36:00.009Z

I thought I would take Meg out for a little run around on the back field , she is the right type for a run about each day. Well after crossing the railway and getting on the park as we call it ,I let her off her lead . We have been doing this for a while but with a ball , and she seems to expect me having this ball every time , so I am getting her used to no ball , it is easier than I thought . She has though taken an interest in grey squirrels. Now ,as soon as I let her go she is off towards the trees looking for them. The same route every time, but every tree , at least she can't come to any harm. The best part of this is she gets a lot of exercise while I just walk along keeping an eye on her.
Here it could be another dog if one has been around here, it could be a fox because they do come around at night, but I know the squirrels are around . Squirrels are the most likely as she doesn't usually pay much attention to other dogs.

The nuts around this tree make it obvious to me there are squirrels around here.Oh no ! where is she going this is someones private garden. I think I got a bit stuck what to do , reached in my pocket for a whistle I have to call her back and a man who was passing turned to me and said , in voice just like a policeman would sound . "Is this your dog ". She was stood behind me. I could have killed her.

But after taking back to the centre of the park I let her off again, when she is squirrel hunting at least she is getting her exercise

Then at the very end of our little walk , here we have '' I've seen one '' One thing for sure at least I know she will never catch one.

2009-10-14T19:29:00.007+01:00

One day while taking Meg for a walk,I found what I thought was a little clutch of something growing in a little alcove . The alcove was made by the roots of tree. It was only a couple of weeks later I went back to see what this something under a tree was. It had actually grown , and luckily I was without Meg. As I approached I could hear rustling and movement of some sort, but when I squatted down to see , there was nothing just this. Then after a couple of days I couldn't stay away ,but whoever or whatever I had heard had gone and all there was is an empty little space.
Well that was it I had frightened them off , but they sure must have been small to sit in there
A fortnight or so later when I let out last thing at night I noticed something at the bottom of the garden, so I put Meg back indoors and went to have a look. There was an avenue of lights of some sort ,but I didn't want to go too near. My first move was for my camera, but be careful I thought, so I did all the work from the other side of the garden. Going by the sound of things it was the same as I had heard in the park under that tree. There was a quiet whisper and what were those lights .

Well after a while I got to where I had to go and find out, so I knew it would be the wrong thing to do but I switched on my flash and took a photograph .

The funny part of all this is each time I do something that I would expect to have frightened them off they come a little closer to me, so I have put a little door in Ursula's hearth for them to come and go as they please.

2009-10-06T19:12:00.008+01:00

These are some of my products I knit for Ursula to put on her stall when out doing her work.I decided I liked doing Fair Isle so these seem to be the right thing for me , I also like doing small items for some reason.
The pattern on this one I made up myself and called it Jack Frost. the reason for that was there are snowmen around it and a snowflake in the middle.
I think the one below is my favourite , but as a tam. I think I like it both for colour and pattern.

It was this one I knit for someone who was only bothered about the colours and not the pattern . She also wanted it as a tam.I suppose any of them can be sold as a beanie or a tam .

This is Ursulas favourite it is pity it is to big for her although it was knit for her stall . The idea is to sell it .

2009-10-03T14:19:00.004+01:00

One day it decided it was going to stay fine , so we took Meg ( the dog ) for a walk and a run around on the field and also took a basket with us as we had noticed some berries. Sloe berries. While I kept Meg occupied playing ball Ursula collected a few of the berries, these are what we usually missed out on , as we have , at this time of the year normally been up in Cumbria doing craft fairs .
This is Ursula sorting out and weighing her fruit, so to go for any more sugar needed and the right number of bottles of gin.
After stirring the suger until it's all mixed in these type of bottles can be put away and forgot about until Christmas.

Old Vehicles

2009-09-06T19:39:00.008+01:00

Some of my favourite old vehicles to do a painting of.The paintings I will do will actually be on circular pieces of different woods. Wood turned and routed around the edge by a man I know in Kirkham . I then do the painting on them and route a piece out to fit the motor in and when the numbers are fitted they are made into clocks.I do the same with any photograph I get.

The two old fords I think I like because they were two of my fathers first ,and they bring back memories.
I do not think any of the vehicles these days are half as good for drawing or painting.

The only thing I can remember about cars of this age is they were all black. I still say they are the best for art. I am now going to start work on some canvas as well as the usual wood.

This is my favourite , I have done a few on wood already and made them into clocks they have sold . The only other thing I like drawing or painting as much as cars are horses .

My new remote control

2009-07-30T15:23:00.006+01:00

Here I tried my new remote control for my camera , I could not get it to work in the garden . Do I have to be at the same level as it, or am I to far away from it , it will not work.Frustrated , I stand at the other end of the kitchen trying to think what to do next. Should I press the button harder or give up?
I will try it from here , it is only half the distance, I still can not hear it working ,what do I have to do.
Never mind , I give up . As you can see, it must have been taking photographs all the time . Luckily I heard it when I got as close as the shot below.

Devon

2009-07-01T13:52:00.009+01:00

This is a blog about our holiday in Devon

My favourite place to sit and wait . I found this more relaxing just listening to it as my DW did some shopping .We attended a craft fair at Bovey Tracey , which I must say was fantastic . It seemed a big change being on the other side of the stall.My DW had a go at knitting with needles the size of brush handles and I was shown how to spin wool the way they did it with adrop spindle.
Her we were invited to a knitting group meeting , and they did ask us before we travelled down there to take some of our goods. Wool dyed and spun by my DW and my sock blockers ,here you can see her doing buisness around the back of the car.

Heading home across Dartmoor , this little creature came into view . We had to stop to photograph it , I don't think it was very old. But it's mother turned her back.

The veiw over the river Exe at sunset I had to photograph as I do intend either painting or doing in pastel . Any sunset or even a picture with reflection looking across water still or moving I really do like.

Coming home on the M5 is this man. I think he is called the Straw Man .I had camera out ready to take photo of a large creature in the trees near to him , but found you can only see it when travelling south.

Strawberries and steam

2009-05-31T13:35:00.011+01:00

My strawberries are ready , so they shall be eaten . Even if we leave them until tomorrow they are safe from slugs up in the air.

How many of you can actually remember the AA and RAC on this sort of vehicle . I can remember him where he did salute if he saw a badge on the front of your car , I think so anyway I was only a child then . (honest)

These are the wooden clocks I paint they are hand turned and hand painted . They have vehicles and animals on , the slates are for door numbers.

We went to a steam gathering last week where my DW had booked a stall , I went for a walk ,for a break and the vehicles on there were great . I like the old vehicles especially for drawing and painting. This old tractor and others like it are favourites for painting on wooden clocks . They seem to be the sort well remembered .

Knitting to pass time

2009-05-19T12:40:00.007+01:00

I first started knitting when about 10. As soon as I was able to do a knit and a purl I was wanting to knit something but a pullover for myself seemed a big thing then , luckily the lady next door was expecting a little one so the easiest item for me would be baby clothes . Anyway that was a long time ago . Now after such a long time I have got round to making myself an Aran cardigan. I also have tried tri colour , OK it took me a while to do and it turned out to be fairly thick and is very warm.One thing I can say about both Aran and Fair Isle it seems to pass time a lot better than plain knitting as I don't get bored doing the same thing over and over again.

Once I had completed the two items for myself and realised leaving knitting alone for the 27 years I was able to work, I could still do it I wanted to try all sorts . I could see my wife knitting socks so I had a go at that . The ones below were my second attempt and for myself of course,they and they are on some sock blockers . Laal Bear my DW has a business and they are for her stall , they are sold with a little painting on of sheep usually.

Next ,once I knew how to knit socks I had to have a go at something else . I can't do the same thing over and over again as I said before , so at Preston Stitch and Bitch I saw someone knitting a Tam and thought I would try and find a book on the subject , well that was easier than I thought it would . The book was simply called Tams .

The one below was a pattern printed for me but I had to put the colour in myself .

I've got a few more projects lined up to keep me busy.

My Mate

2009-05-17T15:39:00.006+01:00

This post is about Meg our Border Collie ,she means so much to me . There are times like when I'm not very well she even lays down beside me and my DW Laal Bear says stay there until I'm O.K.
I think that is why this is my favourite picture of Meg , she is laying down either talking to or feeling sorry for a tup which was not very well on a farm we stay on up Cumbria .

Playing ball back home ,I think she would carry on for ever no matter where we are, in the field or at home in the garden . We can go down what we call the 55 it is a cycle path to Preston 4.5 mile round trip and she still wants to play when we get home .

Here she is trying to get back in after being let out . I think she has worked out where the handle is but can't quite pull it down . If I don't get to the door in a few seconds all she usually does is go to the gate and watch the world go by , until I call her .

They say a dog is a man's best friend and she's certainly mine .

Nearly Done

2009-05-14T08:40:00.004+01:00

The stones in the garden had a lot of soil in and needed clearing of it with a riddle, I can remember my Granddad using a riddle to get the stones out of the soil , but I was to get the soil out the stones.The pile of soil I have got out needs spreading out or whats below will never get through , it also seems to invite cats. I have spread some on the seed bed as it will be easier for seeds to get through.
I got to the last couple of feet and it started raining.

I stupidly was trying to get finished before dinner time ,as it was suppose to rain according to the forecast . Rushing things and getting tired is what I am told not to do , as tiredness greatly affects my epilepsy . I ended up not feeling so good and went to bed .
Today I must take it easy and have a lay down at dinner time as I intend going out tonight to Prestons Stitch and Bitch knitting.

Very First Post

2009-05-11T19:26:00.007+01:00

This is going to be a blog about my gardening, knitting , other things I get up to .T his post is about my fruit and vegetable garden .

Above are Blackcurrant and Gooseberry bushes with a row of Strawberries around. The tower has Strawberries in to come over the sides and not lay on the floor.
Tomatoes and lettuce in the greenhouse.

My onion patch half red and half white.

Potatoes and at the other end Cabbage and Cauliflower.

A close up of the Strawberry tower a week later than the first pic.
This is my first attempt at having a decent size vegetable garden and I am looking forward to eating the results. As there is nothing like home grown tomatoes.