Photo Hunt 26 November 2021 - Tradition

A bit of a struggle this week as we do very little that can be classed as Tradition.  I had a quick look to see that the word meant and found the following:

the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.

Hmmm, that was not very helpful so I'll be thinking outside the box on this one.  So what do Beloved and myself do that has become our own set of traditions?

Looking back to my childhood/early adulthood there was very little done of a tradition nature.  The only event I can recall is helping Mother prepare Christmas dinner for which the preparations were spread over weeks and in the few days beforehand, it was non-stop.  There were my parents. my two younger sisters and myself.  All that fuss for a meal......  so now, by non-tradition, I do not cook on Christmas Day!  I will happily re-roast a duck or goose but not a full blown cooking session.  That leaves us free to go out or whatever.  Besides, now we have our own tradition for Christmas Day - we pack up a picnic and drive to Ribblehead viaduct.  Cue photos!

Somewhat suitable photo for this time of the year.  There was even a train going over it.

We visit several times each year; a lovely, scenic drive and we park on the Ingleton Road

not at the bottom where most other people park.

Part of the tradition of going to Ribblehead is calling in at

Seasons Bakery and buying some goodies!

My dear quilting friend gifted me this card in November 2020 and of course we

had to take it to Ribblehead!

Years ago when we seemed to be always working up at the

fields, we would go up there on 1 January and have a small

snip of port to welcome in the forthcoming year's work

up there.  Until we got the shed finished we'd sit out

here.  We even had a table and chairs.

I make cheese and Marmite palmiers every year.  I made

some a few weeks ago and they freeze well.  Yipee!

Home-made mincemeat made into mince pies with 

home-made pastry.  Now I think about it I used to

help Mother make mincemeat and that is a tradition

I carry on.  It's so simple to make and I store it in a plastic

tub in the fridge.  It lasts for weeks and weeks.

Another memory from childhood is Mother and the Christmas tree.  She insisted

on having a live one and dressed it herself. Yes it look pretty but it was

a lot of work and then there were all the falling needles.

Also wherever I have lived since leaving home, there has been no where for a tree.

Roll on the years and I have an idea from all the yarn-bombing that was happening.

Without Beloved being aware I cut

a suitable ash tree branch and yarn-bombed

it!

It even has red lights.  It stands between the

2 long windows in the upstairs lounge and

is there all year.  Come December I remove

the non-Christmas dangly ornaments and

replace them with the Christmas ones, 

including chocolate Santas etc etc.

Well everyone, I'll be returning to Astrid's link-up page (click here) to see what traditions you have; I suspect they might be more traditional than mine!  

I hope the next set of words will be a bit easier on my brain!

Bye!

Photo Hunt 19 November 2021 - Something you see every day

Once again, it's time to scratch my head and think.  My problem is I see so many things every day so I've been strict with myself and will only show you a few photos.

I wake up and see this wall hanging I made in 

March 2011; I joined a workshop to try this

technique and happened to take some blue

fabrics with me.  When I finished the block

I was advised to make more!  I did as I was told.

Again I see this when I wake up.  I made it at

another day workshop in about December

2010.

On a quilting course I was attending, a lady was making a

colour-graded quilt. This reminded me about a framed postcard

I'd had hanging on my since 1990.  I took the postcard out of

the frame and was dismayed to see no details about this

quilt. Liking a challenge, I set to and made my own version.

Finished size is about 73"square.  It hangs near my computer

and I use my computer every day.

It took me from March to July 2010 to make it.

I even used a spreadsheet to help me plan it

as I don't have any quilt design software.

The upstairs lounge where I 'play'. I'm in there everyday
and love to see my quilts and crocheted blankets etc etc.

The view from one of the tall windows in the upstairs lounge.
I look out of these windows many times a day, counting the
sheep or looking for rabbits or whatever.

The view of the garden, especially my 2 new greenhouses.

Apologies if the above is a bit boring but it's been a busier week than usual!  Click here to return to Astrid's page.  

Bye!

Photo Hunt 12 November 2021 - Apple

In the past I have made toffee apples but that was before I had a digital camera - I think my first digital camera was in early 2004!  I've also no pictures of  anyone bobbing for apples....  so I'm going to be plain and simple today!

There are 2 apple trees in the garden.  The blossom

is a lovely sight in spring.

This year the tree furthest away from the house did not

have a single apple on it.  To be honest the apples were

not very good so once it has lost its leaves, it will

go.  A friend has expressed an interest in digging it up

and taking it back to join his 'orchard'.....

This is the other apple tree, near the house.  There are

still a few apples on it as I write.  I did harvest some.

I've still a few apples left.  They are quite nice.  I've no idea

what variety they are but I will keep the tree.  At least

the insects like the blossom in spring and if I get any

apples, well that is a bonus.

The apples are not very big but they are a

useful addition to my lunch!

Apple and blackberry crumble, oh so yummy with a

generous amount of single cream....

I do have apple green yarn and fabrics....   the saying 'the apple of my eye' has been buzzing around my brain for a few days now but I can't find a suitable photo to go with it; I have too many....  but here is a topical one.

Lately a Nuthatch has been visiting the seed feeder on the

veranda next to where I sit and have my brew.

Such a joy to see and I feel very lucky to have such

a visitor.  So, for now, it is the apple of my eye.

Once again I can rest my brain for a few days before I take on next week's word challenge.  Thanks Astrid for keeping my brain fit.  Click here to return to her link-up page.

Bye!

Photo Hunt 5 November 2021 - Bonfire

Aah, this was easy.  We like bonfires and have one several times a year (up at our fields) to burn personal papers etc and other stuff we can't recycle or that we don't wish to sent to landfill.  

Sometimes we use an old oil drum.

Then we have big ones!  A lot of tree trimmings and an old

wooden trough.

It never ceases to amaze me how much heat is generated.

Hmmm - once I inadvertently included an aerosol can.

I did hear a hissing noise and then there was a small

explosion and something flew past me!

Beloved soon appeared demanding to know

what I'd done; I took a photo of the naughty can.

After the bonfire now; you can see how large an area it was

originally.

This is all that is left of the 400 Roses lady's 2 hard drives

that she wanted destroying safely.  It almost

qualifies as a Henry Moore sculpture don't you think?

Beloved's aged aunt died and we had to clear the house;

nothing had really been thrown away since the house

was bought (about 1936).  We put what we could in the

bins, took loads to the tip and then anything that was broken, 

full of woodworm etc, we put on the bonfire. The above was 

orginally 2 separate bonfires but become one as there

was so much stuff.  We even had to build a third one.  

It was one, long nightmare of a job.

Finally the day was right and we burnt all three.

We don't have traditional 5 November bonfires but I know that we did attend an organised event in about 1982, prior to digital cameras.  Also a friend had a bonfire event to which we were invited but again prior to digital cameras.

Back in November 2007, we happened to have a huge pile

of stuff to burn.  So we had a small gathering, just 6 of us.

There was food to hand too, nothing fancy but I can't

remember the details.  The fire is well alight now.

There was a lot of heat so we had to sit well back!

I'd forgotten about this until I started to look through

my archives.

So another week has gone by!  Click here to return to Astrid's link-up page to see who else has joined in.

See you next week.

Bye!