November 5th is fast approaching, so it's time to get the sheep glammed up before introducing them to our five rams.

Feet are trimmed and cleaned, and their wool is tidied up.

 

Of course, when you're trimming their feet, you have to be careful that the ewe doesn't kick out, and send the trimmers flying up in the air, only for them to come flying back down and impale themselves into your arm.  Which is what Jonathan did, which is why we are now back and forth to the surgery, collecting dressings and antibiotics.

Still, they've managed to sort out about 125 of the ewes in two days, even with the interruptions, and the rams are showing a lot of interest in the ewes, if only from the other side of the fence.

I had quite a nice surprise this morning - I couldn't bare to look at the pumpkin patch since I discovered that my lovely big pumpkin had been hit by the one-off frost we had a couple of weeks ago, and had completely rotted.

Well, yesterday a couple of ladies and I were looking at my Cosmos, which is refusing to die this year

and I really thought I should go and sort out the dreaded pumpkin patch.

Well, all the little ones were completely fine, and I think they are really pretty.  Jonathan asked what I was going to do with them and obviously I'm going to make a lovely Hallowe'en arrangement with them - or at least put a few out on the bench with the big one from Tesco's!

However warm it is, we really are in the middle of Autumn, and I've had some lovely walks with the dogs this week, in wind and rain, and Millie has loved sniffing through all the fallen leaves.

A Pink Sun was the Least of It!

What a fortnight - I've been running round here, there and everywhere - work, trips, bulging workshops - and then to top it off the world went pink on Monday.  Whatever next?

First the trip - we went off for the day to beautiful Bath, and after a leisurely coffee went to the Bath Museum of Fashion.  It was fascinating to see the clothes through the ages, and read how they evolved.  Really, the clothes in my lifetime have been very boring in comparison - I was born to wear a bonnet

 

We stumbled upon this dressing up area, and I was transported to my childhood days and my beloved 'dressing up' box.  I used to wear three long dresses at a time, and pretend I was going on a wagon trail by sitting under the dining room table.  We had an absolute ball, making the visiting party of school children wait until we'd had enough.

Then we took the shuttle up to the American Museum and after a delicious lunch looking out on this glorious view

we looked around their exhibition of Flapper dresses.  Again, they were stunning, but not so great a dressing up experience.  I did, however, buy a beautiful Christmas tapestry that I plan to finish by NEXT Christmas.

Last Saturday we went to the Knitting and Stitching show at the Ally Pally.  I didn't buy much, just a few bits and pieces (including silk cocoons) for my sister's birthday - oh yes, and yarn and a pattern for my next crocheted blanket - Mystical Lanterns from Janie Crow.  I do love the Ally Pally though, and think I enjoy the drive up through Muswell Hill and then looking at the stunning view across London from outside as much as actually going round the exhibition.

Meanwhile the bulging workshops - so many happy crafters and so much going on.  At the Lynne Johnson workshop Denise showed us her beautiful quilt

And then this is what was happening last Tuesday:

Crochet

 Doll making

 

Quilt making

 

 

 

including Jackie's brilliant Duck quilt

 

 

 bag making

and I've finally started quilting my Medallion

So all very busy.

With the much anticipated knitting workshop coming up in two weeks' time, a group of us visited Purlescence on Saturday to buy skeins of yarn especially

which Ros then showed us how to make into more user-friendly balls

 

So there you are - what a whirl of activity!

Ten Years!

Wow - so it was 10 years ago this month that Sandra and I started our workshops here at Lorne Hill Farm.

We felt we should mark it somehow, and after lots of discussion decided to do this:

LORNE HILL FARM WORKSHOPS

WE HELD OUR FIRST WORKSHOP IN OCTOBER 2007, AND WE ARE STILL GOING STRONG 10 YEARS ON, SO TO CELEBRATE WE HAVE PLANNED

A FUN DAY OUT on THURSDAY 19^TH OCTOBER!

WE WILL MEET AT EAST GARSTON VILLAGE HALL CAR PARK

AND AT 9.30 A COACH WILL WHISK US AWAY TO

THE BRAMBLE PATCH

BRITAIN’S PREMIER DESTINATION FOR PATCHWORK, QUILTING AND FABRIC ARTS

IN WEEDON, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

WE THEN MOVE ON FOR A LEISURELY LUNCH (under £10 for a main) AT THE FAMILY RUN

BELL PLANTATION GARDEN CENTRE

AT TOWCESTER

WE WOULD EXPECT TO BE BACK IN EAST GARSTON AT 4.30

WE DO HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US – WE HAVE MADE SO MANY FRIENDS OVER THE YEARS AND IT WILL BE GREAT TO SEE FAMILIAR FACES!

DEPENDING ON NUMBERS, THE COACH COST WILL BE FROM £12 TO £27 PER PERSON – BOOKING CLOSES THIS SUNDAY 8^TH OCTOBER, WHEN WE WILL FINALISE THE COST AND ASK FOR PAYMENT.

RSVP lornehillquilts@yahoo.co.uk

  

Should be fun.

If no-one signs up for it I'll just drive over in my car!!