Indoor football

The 'indoor' football (soft, small, and to be dribbled NOT kicked) is finally starting to disintegrate (it was originally acquired as a freebie from a petrol station during the last World Cup, so it's not done badly). Realising that, realistically, DS can not be expected to watch the World Cup without a ball to hand (to foot?) I spent yesterday afternoon stitching up a replacement. I'm well pleased with how it turned out, and so are both children :-)

Black Purl socks

Socks for DH in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, 'Black Purl' colourway.

The first of the season

These poppies originally came from a packet of seeds given to us as a wedding present. They self-seeded prolifically around the old garden, and travelled with us to the new house to continue their bid for garden domination. I adore them, although have learned to be ruthless about pulling them up where they're not wanted!

And in the garden today...

Poppies (well, almost), geraniums, daisies and honeysuckle.

If you go down to the woods today...

In December 1994, DH and I helped to plant a wood, down by the old railway. On a freezing day in horizontal sleet we stuck 12" bare sticks with a few roots into the mud. They looked unpromising, to say the least.

The following summer was very dry, and we feared the worse. But in retrospect it was a blessing in disguise - the little trees didn't put on much growth that summer, but their roots went deep in search of water, and that's made them strong.

Now most of the trees are twice or even three times my height - even the slow-growing oaks are half my height above me already. The place is alive with warblers and other birds. Muntjac deer live there.

It's a place of beauty, and walking through it fills me with a feeling of having done something good :-)

Going green

I love this time of year, when everything inthe garden and the countryside suddenly starts to go green and lush. May and June are just the most beautiful months of the year here in England, and every year I marvel at how green everything is. Now we have new growth on the ferns, and apple blossom, and yesterday I saw my first swift of the year - a sign that summer is really on its way. After the long cold haul we had over this winter, I'm more than ready for it.

Second socks

After seeing my first pair of socks, DD decided she wanted a pair too, but thicker, to wear under her riding boots. After much deliberation she chose Regia 6-ply 'Passion' as her yarn of choice, and I got started.

These are not a complete success, truth be told. DD is delighted with them (insisting on wearing them with sandals as well as under her riding boots), which is, I suppose, what really matters. The problem for me is that I tried short row heels for the first time, and they just didn't work. Oh yes, the heels function as heels should, and the socks are perfectly fit for their purpose, but there are unsightly holes along the sides of the heels, and for me that's not good enough. I'm obviously doing something wrong.

I also didn't really care for knitting socks in 6-ply, truth be told. I prefer my nice thin DPNs and skinny 4-ply.

Next on the needles is some gorgeous Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock wool, colour 'Black Purl', being knitted up into a pair of socks for DH. Absolutely beautiful colours, I'm loving it.