It’s gotten awful cold round here.

We’ve got snow headed our way.  Parts of Scotland and north Yorkshire have already got it. The earliest snowfall for 17 years. 

I needed to run an errand this afternoon.  I wasn’t going far, just to the local shops.  I also needed the fresh air, so I wrapped up warm, grabbed my camera and went.

I stepped out of the car at the canal.  Every bird there made a beeline for me.  See up there on the water at the top of the picture, that’s ice!

This cheeky goose jumped out of the water and got up very close and personal. He must have been 8” away from my face.  He and his mates were expecting food.  They were disappointed though, I’m afraid I don’t feed the ducks and their friends.  I don’t like the mess they make all over the towpath.

So they didn’t hang around me too long.  Just turned their backs and toddled off.

TTFN,

Kathleen.

Wouldn’t it be nice?

A picture of me and my three little grandsons. Well, it would be nice for me.   I’d love one of those you see with everybody looking happy and looking at the camera.  All calm and controlled.  How do they do it?

Maybe I’ll get one of those one of these days.  But for now I’m more than happy with the more natural un-posed look.

TTFN,

Kathleen.

That photo of William…

…I posted the day before yesterday.

Well here it is again.  This time it’s the true version.  I had played about in Photoshop with the previous one and removed William’s moustache.  My two daughters didn’t notice.  Well Victoria didn’t, I’m not sure if Caroline has seen it yet, but what’s more surprising is I showed it to William himself and he didn’t even notice the moustache had gone.  I ask you! 

It was fun to do though.  In all the years I have known William I have never seen him without his moustache.  Once upon a time it used to be dark brown but now it’s turned mostly white and isn’t thick as it used to be. He refuses to shave it off, despite every one of us at some time or other suggesting he should. 

Although now I’ve seen him without it I think maybe he should keep it!

TTFN,

Kathleen.

A Touch of Blue..

..on a grey day.

I want a new picture in my bathroom so I’ve been looking through my summer pictures.  I’m going with this one.  It was taken above Burton Bradstock beach in September of this year.  I think it’ll brighten a dull winter’s day and bring back a few happy memories at the same time.

TTFN,

Kathleen.

Textures

I am obsessed at the moment with textures, photographic ones that is.

 

Here I’ve applied a couple of different ones to this picture of William.  These particular textures are free from a wonderful blog I’ve recently discovered.  I think they make a big difference to the whole feel of a photo and at the moment I’m loving it. 

The blog is http://sarahgardnerphotography.blogspot.com/

Kathleen.

A Work in Progress.

…This is my third attempt at knitting socks. 

Over the years I’ve done quite a bit of knitting but not for a long time and never with four needles at one time!  About 12 months ago I decided to have a bash at socks.  I kept seeing them on different blogs and thought I’d have a go.  I have to say it’s quite tricky at first to juggle four little needles all at the same time.  But very satisfying once you master the art.

 

Here’s the first pair I knitted.  I was so pleased with myself the first time I put them both on and they fitted!  

I know the stripes don’t match but the yarn I use is the self-striping variety and the knitter doesn’t have any control over the striping.  Well, this knitter doesn’t.  Maybe there is a way and I just don’t know about it.  It wouldn’t surprise me.

So there’s my simple pleasure for this week’s link up with Dayle over at A Collection of This and That.

TTFN,

Kathleen.

Holden Wood Antiques

Holden Wood Antiques over in Haslingden is housed in this beautiful former church. 

We have been here once or twice over the years but not for some time.  However, our lovely friends and neighbours, John and Lesley, mentioned it recently so today we toddled over there for a bit of a mooch through all the treasures on offer.

There’s a lot of my kind of stuff in this place.  China, glass, jewellery, old prints and mirrors, that kind of good stuff.  It’s not so much William’s cup of tea but he played along and didn’t rush me too much. 

He had a full stomach maybe that was why.  We had eaten in the conservatory tea room, a new addition since we were last there, and very nice it was too.  This was our view.  I think this area has been quite wealthy over the years.  Look at all those impressive headstones.  Now they don’t come cheap and never have.  It was an immaculately kept graveyard too.  I would have loved a walk around it.  William?  Not so much.  Maybe next time.

 

I lingered in this little corner for a while.  There was allsorts of stuff jumbled together.  It was the brass candlesticks that took my eye.  My mother had a pair, they were always on the mantelpiece.  She would get out the Duraglit and polish them regularly along with all her other brasses.  My sister, Maureen, who lives in America now has them and they look right at home sitting on her mantelpiece.

 

Moving on I spied the little bookshelf in this corner.  The books on it were all leather bound.  The spines were all faded but the back and front covers were still deep shades of purple and burgundy. Soft and supple to the touch.  There were titles by Thomas Hardy, Walter Scott, Andre Dumas.  I must have handled every one of them and then put every one of them back.  I wish I had bought a couple, they were only £2.50 each.  Maybe next time.

I didn’t come away empty handed though.  I purchased a pretty Carnival Glass dish with fluted edges. I haven’t taken a picture of it yet.  Maybe I’ll pop back tomorrow and insert it right here.

It was a good day today.

TTFN,

Kathleen.