Glow worm time

Should have some good photos on the next post of the Medallion Quilt day on wednesday and the willow weaving day on Thursday.
I don't have much to show for the last month - I have finished sewing my kneeler but I haven't finished stretching it into shape to fit over the block.  In fact, everyone was quite amused last week when they asked what I was doing - I had a damp tea towel and was pushing  it down onto the tapestry and explained that that was what the instructions said.  They looked at me so I quoted the instructions "press into shape with a damp cloth".  Well - I didn't think it was that funny, it should have said "press into shape with an iron over a damp cloth" if that was what was expected.
Anyway, I'm still pressing.
In the meantime it's glow worm season so I've been out trying to photograph them - and not very successfully.  If I use a flash I get this:

No - I can't see it either.

And without a flash I get this:

or this:

Neither of which are very effective.  If you want to know what they look like, this is one we brought in (and obviously put out again afterwards).

It's the females who shine their lights to attract the males who are flying around.  They are very bright - the first time I saw one I was driving home and as I turned into the drive thought the bright green light was a piece of glass reflecting my headlights, but as I drove past it continued to shine so I stopped and went to investigate.  I was very excited and look out for them every year now.  Very pleased to see them on our front lawn this year.

Unexpected Distinguished visitor

Medallion Quilt Day today and some of the quilts are looking so beautiful.  Here is June's, made almost entirely of recycled fabrics:

June will be celebrating her 85th birthday tomorrow and describes herself as a dressmaker rather than a quilter (I believe this is her first quilt), but I think this makes her officially a quilter.
Then here is Sheila's which we layered ready for quilting at Pitch and Stitch yesterday:

Sheila was pleased to catch the Caravan Club Inspector doing his annual visit today - she told him exactly what she thought of our CL and hopefully it was all positive!  Sheila's quilt is completely handsewn.
Finally Cath's:

Really beautiful.
Meanwhile, on the farm, we have been getting out the flags and bunting for the Jubilee weekend!  East Garston has risen to the occasion and everywhere you look bunting is blowing in the breeze.

We went to quite a lot of trouble, so imagine how surprised and pleased we were to receive a rather distinguished guest in the workshop:

Marvellous!

Quilting and sweet things!

Well, the Jubilee is fast approaching and I'm getting very excited.  As well as the children being home, we'll also have some French guests from the Hungerford Twinning Association, so the house will be very crowded.  I have great plans which involve a lot of bunting.  Unfortunately the bunting isn't getting made because I am working on the celebratory kneeler Dawn passed on for me to do.  Dawn has finished hers,

- I can hardly believe that this is the same lady who told me she can't do crafts - anyway, mine isn't quite ready to be photographed yet.

Pam, who came on the Log Cabin Cabin workshop in early spring and is currently on the Beginner's Sampler course, brought along her completed quilt for us to see:

Very, very beautiful!












Then, last saturday, Helene came and taught foundation piecing.  We had, to quote Mina in her note to me 'a fab day' and everyone (including Sue and Joan from Devon and Helene from Wales) was really pleased with the blocks they made.  They were all so keen that they had set up and started by 9.50 - now that doesn't happen very often!  Here are the blocks they made at the workshop, though Sue and Joan came to pitch and stitch the following Tuesday and made even more:

They really were brilliant!












Oh - and here's something sweet that Mina brought along:
...even less left by the end of the day!

And here's something sweet that is down our garden (and I don't mean Jonathan) - she was premature and is so tiny, Jonathan has been bottle feeding her three times a day:

Isn't it amazing that I've had to come in now because it's too hot to stay in the garden (I'm getting all my annuals out of the greenhouse) and yet just a week ago we were out in hats and coats!

And here are some sweet little things that hatched

this morning.  Mum and 5 chicks doing very well!

Freedom!

Had a really good Beginner's Crochet class with Amanda Bond yesterday - a real mother and daughter affair.  Clare and Marion all the way from Suffolk - they were staying in their camper on the CL -

and Clare and her mum Marion (the look on her face in this picture probably sums up her feelings on crochet!).  Lots of samples were made and some beautiful flowers.

Meanwhile, back on the farm, it was playtime for the cattle.  Even though it's still not as nice weather as we would like, it's time to turn out the cattle after their winter in the barn.  It's always hilarious when they are first let out - they go charging through the gates and then check out every corner of the field:

Then they settle down a bit:

Now all we need is a bit of sunshine!

Three Little Pigs

So, two great big pigs went to market (as breeding sows, and they wouldn't have gone if they hadn't done the terrible thing they did........) and

THREE LITTLE PIGS CAME HOME!!!

April



Two of the six Beginners and their blocks.

 We had the second workshop of the New Style Sampler Quilt course this week and Sandra and I were amazed at how hard everyone has worked.  They had all done lots of stitchery blocks, and quite a few were personalised, which was amazing since there were only three weeks between the last workshop and this one, and  we had Easter in between.  Anyway, Sandra taught them lots of Applique techniques, so hopefully there will be lots more blocks by next month.





Meanwhile, on the farm, this April weather has been making life difficult with it being very warm one minute and then freezing the next.  We are having to bring lambs in to warm them up:


Mattie keeps guard

Feeling a bit better so having a look around





Let's hope it soon warms up properly.

Lambs popping out all over the place!

It's that time again!

Jonathan and George have been working all hours since we started lambing last Friday.  So far, touch wood, we haven't had to bring any indoors

sweet!