Tour De Fleece Day 9

Well, poor old Andy Murray, he must be suffering a bit of Tennis elbow!  I am suffering 'Spinners Kneecap'!  Nah, not really, I am not suffering at all but today I spun my little heart out.  Rumpelstiltskin himself would be proud of me!  I was at my parents spinning away while the Tennis was on.  I just don't get tennis, I was amazed Henry seems to understand it!  Apparently he still owes the school £4.00 for three tennis balls that got stuck on the school roof!
            The Bluefaced Leicester fibre seemed to go on for miles and miles.  It is a lovely fleece to spin with though and I would definitely like to spin more of it.

I do think Bluefaced Leicester's are particularly handsome sheep.  They are rather strong and noble looking sheep, don't you think?  They are lovely and the fleece is lovely too.  I really should have been a farmers wife. . . or maybe just a farmer.
           I chose to Navajo ply / chain ply this yarn as I wanted to keep the blocks of colour for when I crochet 'Jupiter'.  If I plied two bobbins together of variegated yarns the colours would be blended, marled or resemble a Barbers Pole!  I am not keen on the Barbers Pole effect.  Plying a single thread enables you to keep some blocks of solid colour.   Navajo plying is plying from a single thread, you make a large/ long slip knot and ply it together with the thread, catching and making chain stitches/slip knots as you go.  It is hard to explain but there are videos on Youtube.  That is how I learned to Navajo ply. . .yeah for Youtube!  The resulting yarn is three ply, as in three strands twisted together.   If I want a finer yarn I spin two bobbins and ply the two threads together.   I spin clockwise and ply anti - clockwise.  The correct terms are 'S' twist and 'Z' twist but my little brain gets into a muddle and I get all muxed up as to which one is which way...I generally spin 'towards the door' and 'away from the door', I can cope with that because that is the kind of girl I am.  I still cannot say 'Ah right I will spin a nice fine yarn'.  I just get what I get, with all it's irregularities and uniqueness.  I am yet to be anything other than delighted with whatever I spin.  I don't know what I am going to spin tomorrow but I will have to hurry up and think about it.  Oh yes probably 'Mars'.  I am still troubled by one thing and it makes me snigger like a naughty school kid (which I was).  What colour is Uranus?  

A bit of this and a bit of that. . .

The swans on the local pond have had two cygnets.  They are very cute and fuzzy.  When I drop Euan off at school they are usually close to the car park about 200 metres from the pond.  The Daddy swan has a bit of a thing about the cars and waddles right up to them and he continually pecks at the wing mirrors!  I took this photograph in the pouring rain and it was as close as I was prepared to get to adult swans that are feeling mighty protective of their young.

I was not prepared to get beaten up by an angry swan, not even for a Blog scoop!  The Mom is already eyeing me up look!

The Dad knew I was there too and he looked ready to rumble if you ask me.  I have, as all good mothers should, passed on a healthy fear of swans to Euan, he was stood well back and ready to run as I gathered photographs to support my bloggy journalism!
             In the afternoon we went to his school Summer Fete, which was a terrible washout and organised chaos.  Euan won a bottle of Bubble bath, bought a book and two dubious looking cup cakes, (buttercream and humidity have never gone well together) then he wanted to leave.  It was very busy and crowded so I was more than happy to oblige.
             We did not go swimming this week as we have quite frankly seen enough water.  The roads have been pretty bad and some of them closed due to flooding.  When we do see sunshine or have a dry couple of hours the kids all rush out to play.  Some Summer so far, but I am not giving up hope.
              It is Day Eight of 'The Tour De Fleece' and I have plied my bright yellow yarn.  I am waiting for a warm day so I can wash the skeins and hang them to dry to set the twist.

                 I have struggled a bit on the Weight Watcher front this week.  Yesterday I could have gnawed my own legs off!  I ate too much during the day and had to make sure I ate a really healthy evening meal.

I have been Grilling Kebabs on wooden skewers, I have tried Vegetable Kebabs, Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs, Prawn and Vegetable Kebabs and these were 'Swordfish, King Prawn and Vegetable Kebabs, with a Hot and Spicy Guava Dipping Sauce.  These were a healthy hit with the boys!

              I have a had a funny couple of days of nothingness really, you know when you get those sort of days?  I just give in to them really, another day in Paradise and all that!  I picked some raspberries today in between the rain and I had a chicken friend jump on my back and have a piggy back for the duration.  I knew it was 'Rosie' even though I couldn't see her, she is the only chicken peculiar enough to do that!  She climbed right up my back and chatted to me while she pecked at my hair!  Them chickens do make me chuckle.  I have given their coop a thorough clean so they are all nice and tidy for bed tonight, all three came to help and cluck their orders and approval.  They help to the point of me tripping over them!  They are like toddlers or puppies.

               I can't believe somebody has only three more sleeps until they are eight years old, he is very excited.  Then Henry is sixteen five days later.  Two Birthday Boys in one week.  

              I hope you have managed to keep up with my very random blog post today. . . you will need to go and have a lie down after reading this!  

Love Lucy X

Jupiter As Seen From Voyager 1

I am still spinning away for the Tour De Fleece 2012.  I am now working on 'Jupiter'.

I had this 'Acid Dyed, Blue Face Leicester fibre in my stash already.  I bought it at a Guild sale.  I think it is perfect for 'Jupiter'.

It may have something to do with a sudden craving for a juicy ripe peach too.  I am now in need of a shower, it was a real juice down your chin, wrists and elbows moment...my T shirt needs a wash too, it was a delicious peach though!
At Weight Watchers today I have hit my 10% Goal, I have now lost 10% of my total body weight.  I must keep going though, I still have a long way to go.  Juicy peaches are acceptable.  I have been baking for Euan's School Summer Fete tomorrow, Cherry Flapjacks and Iced Buns.  I managed to resist all but a small nibble of the Cherry Flapjacks but the Iced Buns proved too much temptation.

I nearly forgot to photograph them to show you, I took the flapjacks this morning and forgot to photograph those.

Euan provided a quality control service after school and the Iced Buns got the thumbs up.  Thursdays are busy days for him, he has a school Swimming lesson, then after school he enjoys 'Dodgeball Club'.  He does look hot and bothered in this picture.  He should have had his Annual Sports Day on Monday (which he hates), he was delighted it was cancelled due to the torrential rain, however. . . they say be careful what you wish for. . . it has been rescheduled for his birthday on Tuesday.  XXX

'Sunshine Spinning' Day 4 Tour De Fleece

Naughty Blogger!  I tried to post my Sunshine spinning yesterday but Blogger did not let me!  I have forgot what real sunshine looks like!  :) x

Tour De Fleece Day 3 - This is Planet Earth

This is Planet Earth. . . next for the Sun.  I have to make my own this year!  It is official it was been the wettest and dullest June for over a Century here in the UK.  My tomatoes will never ripen in this.  More wet weather today. . .the chickens are beginning to think they are ducks.  xxx

Random Raspberries and Other Stories . . .

What a lovely 1st of July.  Not only did we have the excitement of the Olympic Torch.  I have had the excitement of picking the first of this years raspberries from the garden.  Yum.  Three Little Red Hens cluck enthusiastically for their share.  They love raspberries and for the next few weeks they will provide a daily treat.  I try to put the raspberries to good use, making jam and Homemade Raspberry Liqueurs.  Tonight I made a scrummy and speedy pud using ready made Meringue Nests, Homemade soft cheese and homegrown raspberries.  Very pleased with myself I was too.

I just filled the Meringue Nests with the Soft Cheese and popped the raspberries on top.  Delicious.  The raspberries grow in the 'Chickens half of the garden'.  I had until today assumed the majority of the fruit was safe as although a hungry chicken can do a fairly high standing jump most of the berries are to high to reach.  Now this evening I have discovered there has been some cunning going on.  I found three chickens pecking all the berries off this fallen raspberry cane.

I did not see the deed but I suspect the three worked together and jumped on the cane until it fell!  I hope they are not going to make a habit of it.

Innocent until proven guilty. . . unless you are a chicken.  You can see they have been playing 'Foghorn Leghorn' with corn on the cobs. . . they love that too.  Good job I love them.  The cheeky girls!
Finally. . . Oh yes. . .

Pinch Punch First of The Month!   xxx