Magical Misty Morning

This was yesterday morning as I set out to walk the dogs. Today it rained heavily. But yesterday was MAGICAL. You wouldn't believe that the above is the same set of trees pictures before as autumn colours would you? They're in a faraway land, misty and magical , dreamy and peaceful.

At 7 am in our garden it was just beginning to become light and the birdsong was spectacular!

Again the same here at 8.45 in Cuttlebrook: there was this little robin in one of these trees and his song was just beautiful, lyrical, wonderful. A joy to the ears.

The sun is trying it's best to shine through the mist. Skies are blue, oooh so very very BLUE.

Above the mist that is.

I'll say no more: imagine a stillness except for joyous birdsong and enjoy the dreaminess of the morning.

Lucy bounding over the wet grass.

Lucy galloping back to me: her re-call is amazing.

Shhhhhhhh.

All is quiet, all is still. The stream is like a mirror.

Until a yellow labrador goes swimming in it! Lucy watches entranced but not tempted to join in.

Ripples further downstream, labrador ripples.....

BOO! You can wake up now, there's drawing to be done: aren't these branches striking?! The greens, the striping, the shadows, all of it. Drawing to be done....

News of an exciting trip tomorrow and I have the fingerless gloved pattern written up at long last!!!

Happy dreaming/ crocheting/drawing!!!

Colourful inspiration from nature

Bunting AGAIN! This time it's turned RED! Just a quick foretaste of what is yet to come...
This same bush / tree/growth was seen as all green bunting, leafy glorious bunting on.26 October 2009, here.

Monday and Tuesday this week was foggy, but I kind of liked it as it gave the walk a mysterious and adventurous mood.

Lots of mud too. Many towels have now been re-allocated to the doglets for rubbing down and rubbing most of the mud and wetness off. Lucy thinks it's a game and attacks the towel with vigour, tearing it -almost- every time.

Teasels: pretty to see but a right p.i.t.a.( insert words as appropriate) to pull out of doggy-furry-coats! Pips especially has a knack of collecting them onto the back of her front paws.

Me - thinks there be a drawing in there somewhere though! Funny how dark it seems too, this was at 9 am in the morning!

There you are, the light is back again. I just HAD to capture these reflections- for later drawing again- and it took a great few takes too, the first 3 were black! Had to turn the flash OFF.

No blue skies today, all grey but it's sunny in my heart and my soul is singing, because I'm going to do ''arty'' things all day!

Yellow berries. Never seen a tree like it? Felt like I was in Provence?

And then, and THEN: I spied the BUNTING TREE!!! WOW what GLORIOUS COLOURS!!!

So here is a small selection of what I photographed....Sorry if it's too much? I just LOVED it so very much , you see? Makes your heart and soul soar and sing!

So many colours and so many tones and shades and combinations of green,red,orange,yellow and browns.

Here we're at the yellowing end with a tiny bit of green still remaining.

Red to red-orange!

Bye bye ''bunting bush/tree''. I have to go look up what you are actually called: you know, botanically speaking.

At home I spent the day drawing, playing the piano ( lesson today) and finishing the hat and scarf for the Christmas box: I'll show and tell tomorrow?

Banana cupcakes and another dewy morning

Good morning, well it's morning for me and for now it's all good....
Isn't it magnificent? I took this on my cameraphone which I have not uploaded like this before and am just a little chuffed with it. This is 23 September very early when there was dew and mistiness everywhere. The cobwebs were just ENTRANCING and that's from one who is terrified of spiders! I do admire their lacy handiwork however!

Still catching up a bit as up to today I was sole driver for the past 10 days or so. JJ is recovering well but still quite shaken by the whole ''car crash'' experience. And then we've had the plumber in to replace a shower unit as it was leaking...Oh no what a nightmare! We've been using the girl's bathroom for over 3 months now and finally the happy ''Plumber Week'' arrives only to find that the cursed BQ installed ensuite of only 4 years ago was soooo badly botched that we have to have the ENTIRE ensuite redone. Oh. NO! It was mahem and hugely noisy yesterday with Thumps and Bumps going on all day so I'm glad it's quiet and peaceful again now. We are awaiting supplies as we hadn't ordered enough to redo EVERYTHING.

So : aren't misty mornings lovely? Full of mystery and promise. The last few days have been wet and ''white'' so it's nice to be revisiting this day in September when it started so misty and became so HOT and SUNNY!

There is an even better web here but the leaves are masking it's beauty.

Beginning to lift and the sun trying to shine through. Made this last night: like it? It's very warm and Miss E likes it so I'll be off soon to finish the pair. It's my own pattern and I 'll put it on Ravelry as soon as I figure out how to do that!

Funny isn't it how you can be feeling exhausted- I was ready for bed in my PY's- and you start playing with a hook and some yarn and then WHAM you're wide awake and happily crocheting away, getting all excited and time just rushes by unnoticed?

On a stitchery note: I made this for Miss E too and she loves it and wears it to school every day.

( biggest compliment ever if it can go to school...) I understand and also hope it will be in the next issue ( issue 5) of Inside Crochet magazine...!!!

Here are my Banana cupcakes: as promised! They are totally GOOD for you as I have tweaked an elderly ( from 1994) WW recipe.

YOU WILL NEED:

2 large bananas- ripe is best

2 table sp sunflower oil

3 table sp runny honey

300 ml skimmed milk

1 table sp cinnamon

1 teasp vanilla esence

220 g self raising flour

2 huge heaped spoons of reddy brek

0.5 teasp bicarb of soda

Topping ( OPTIONAL)

Icing sugar or Honey with a slice of banana or sweet topping or sauce of choice.

Or pieces of dried banana for decoration with some honey.

muffin tin and 12 paper muffin cases

( the big ones as sold in Asda)

Preheat oven at 200 degrees Celsius

In a medium bowl mash the bananas and add the rest of the ''green'' ingredients. Mix well and whisk if desired.

In a large bowl : sift the flour and mix with the purple ingredients.

Gently blend the contents of the ''greens'' bowl into the dry ingredients , mix well.

Then spoon the mixture into the muffin cases sitting in the tin, they take about 4-5 spoonfuls per case . Bake in a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes until well risen and golden.

Leave to cool in the tin or remove to cool on a wire rack.

They can be frozen once cooled and eaten once thawed : warm in oven for a few minutes or in the microwave for a few seconds.

To be honest: our 12 barely last 3 days! There's been no call to freeze them yet! Ideal for lunchboxes!!!!

Miss Y eats hers plain, but Miss E ( She has a sweet tooth) adds a little chocolate sauce, icing sugar or honey on top as it's not quite sweet enough for her.

I hope you enjoy these, see you soon!

PS : I realise these are rather plain as they are meant as a healthy option for school, but they can of course be decorated in any which way!