Manchester Ship Canal

 At least a fortnight since I last posted and I cannot honestly say I’ve much to show for it – must try harder.

I’ve been out enjoying myself in the last couple of weeks.  First, there was a visit to see Pam Ayres in Southport.   She was really entertaining, I didn’t quite know what to expect but it was well worth going.     Last Friday, four of us went on a cruise along the Manchester Ship Canal.   We’d been saying we’d go for ages and finally booked.  What a beautiful day – we couldn’t have chosen better weather.   We started off at the Pier Head on the Mersey Ferry ‘Snowdrop’ and headed for Eastham Lock where we entered the ship canal.   From then on it was a very relaxing journey to Salford Quays.   It took six hours in all and Liz and I spent most of it leaning on the stern rail taking photographs while our husbands sat or stood as the fancy took them.   It was great to see the Mersey from a different perspective than usual – it’s amazing how the landmarks juxtaposed as we made progress up the estuary.    There was lots of bird life to see – herons by the dozen, grebes, cormorants, oyster catchers, swallows,  the odd buzzard, and lots of swans.    Needless to say Liz and I took hundreds of photos but I haven’t even looked at mine yet!  We got to Media City in Salford at about 4 ish and then spent a happy hour or two at the Lowry – as well as L.S. Lowry’s paintings and sketches there was an interesting exhibition of  portraits by Jonathan Yeo – I particularly liked his Michael Parkinson and the Duke of Edinburgh paintings.

The journey back to Liverpool was by coach and, by the time we got on, we were absolutely exhausted, I think I nodded off!   We had planned to stay in Liverpool for the Mersey River Festival activities but, after a meal, we decided, partly because it had begun to rain, to go home.   We all slept very well that night!.

Rain also put paid to another photography venture – we intended to visit the Appleby Horse Fair but, on the day, the weather was absolutely awful so we stayed home.   We were a bit luckier this week though, when members of the Maghull Photography Club went out for a portrait workshop.   Dave Worthington, a local photographer, was the instructor and one of the members had organised a friend to pose for us for the evening.   The hope was to take photos using only natural light and the evening was just right – fine and warm with not much cloud.   Dave is an inspirational teacher and the model (and her boyfriend) was amazing.   Again, I’m ashamed to say, I haven’t looked at my photos yet – it won’t matter if they all go in the bin, the evening was so enjoyable.  

I have, at last, printed my birds of prey photos and I’m really pleased with them – the weather was awful and so conditions were difficult.  Now, at last I’m starting on the Bruges photos – so I’m only about a month behind!

I’m still carding my sock of alpaca fleece when the weather and time allows so I have spent a pleasant afternoon in the garden with it today and hope to spin some this evening.   I’ve just finished one of the cot quilts I started a few weeks ago so I am making some progress on the craft side of things.   I need to crack on a bit so that I’ve lots of new things for the Summer Arts Market at St. George’s Hall on 19^th and 20^th July.   Can’t wait!

Landed

What with one, thing and another, I seem to have been buzzing about a lot but now, at last, I’ve landed.   

It’s a long way off but one of my little tasks has been to investigate costume and wig provision for Crosby G & S Operatic Society’s production of ‘The Mikado’ in March, 2015!    The producer and I visited Charades in St. Helens www.charadessthelens.co.uk and decided that their set of costumes will definitely fit the bill – they are lovely and we know that the owner, Betty, will do us proud, as she has on past occasions.

In the middle of the month, we had a few days visiting our daughter and her family, in Holland.   It’s a long journey because, as well as the short flight, there is a long train journey from Amsterdam across to the eastern border to the town where they live.    As usual, it was lovely to see them – the grandchildren, of course, grow so quickly between visits and, as the weather was lovely, we spent quite  lot of time outdoors – mostly playing football with the children.   

The Photography Club had its last formal meeting of the season on 19^th May – it was a competition night with an independent judge.   I was pleased that a portrait of mine won one of the categories – I don’t take too much credit, as the model (a members’ daughter) is so easy to photograph.   Although the Club’s season has ended, we will, as a group, go out together on some Monday evenings to take photos locally – let’s hope the weather’s kind to us.

The other photography group to which we belong went out into Ainsdale, a week or so ago and the weather was not very kind.   We were photographing motorbikes and had to dodge several quite heavy rain showers.   Luckily, motorbikes are meant to withstand the damp – cameras however, are not quite so resilient!

 









The usual Calidad Events Craft Fair www.facebook.com/CalidadEventsArtandCraftFairs  was held on 24^th May and despite the showery weather, was quite well attended.   We didn’t enjoy our packing up though – it poured on us.

On the making front, I have completed 2 quilts; they took quite a long time to quilt but I really enjoyed doing it and I’m pleased with the results.   I also made a felt glasses case for one of the other stallholders who we regularly see at Lark Lane and he seemed very pleased with it.   I think I forgot to photograph it – Oops!

pink and green quilt

detail

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Liz and I and our husbands have just had a few days in Bruges, a really quaint and pretty walled, mediaeval town.  We were very lucky with weather there, it never actually poured on us – drizzled a bit on a few occasions, so we were able to do lots of exploring on foot.   We also visited Ypres and saw the the remains of some of the WW1 trenches.   It certainly brings home, better than any history book or written account, how ill equipped the soldiers were for surviving the  indescribably dreadful conditions they endured.    

At long last, I’ve added a couple of items to my website – it takes me a long time as I am still not very confident doing it.    There are now some prints and cards of photos I took early in the year at the Pier Head for sale – they all figure reflections of, and in, some of the iconic buildings there.   I really must try to add items on a regular basis.

Whoopee – today we’ve been informed that we have been accepted to have a stall at the Summer Arts Market at the beautiful St. George’s Hall, on 19^th and 20^th July.   It’s always an exciting event with lots and lots of different crafts represented.   I need to get going and make lots of new bits and pieces.

May Already!

What happened to April, where did it go?  

At the end of the disappearing month we went to our usual Calidad Gift and Craft Fair  at the Old Police Station, Lark Lane.   There’s always a lovely atmosphere and we enjoy meeting old friends both among the other stallholders and the visitors.    

On 27^th April we went to a great concert at the lovely Palm House, Sefton Park, by Maghull Wind Orchestra (www.maghullwindorchestra.co.uk)  – they get better each time we hear them.   It was lovely to see our grandson playing with them again – he was home on holiday from his music college in Manchester so he joined his mum and dad in the ‘band’.    I got some great photos of him!

The tidying up still continues but at last I’ve one little piece to show for it – a strip patchwork hanging wiwth some additional hand embroidery that I’m rather pleased with – I think I’ll have to put it on the website and see if anyone wants to buy it.   The other quilt tops are still waiting to be backed and quilted but at least I’ve been and bought some wadding now – so there’s no excuses.

On Bank Holiday we went to Scorton Bikes and Barrows Festival – another favourite venue of ours – Joanne and Nick look after us very well.   It was very busy and a good day was had by all.

We were supposed to be going to a craft fair at the lovely Alston Hall on 1^st June but, unfortunately,  it’s had to be cancelled because of building works that are still going on.   We’re really disappointed but we’re hoping that our application for the Summer Arts Market at St. George’s Hall, Liverpool, will be successful and then we’ll have that to look forward to.

Easter Holidays

I hope everyone has had a lovely Easter holiday – the weather here was beautiful on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.   In fact, on Friday, I spent a few hours in the garden carding some more alpaca fleece.   It takes ages – I will still be doing it this time next year.

 

As well as finishing a silk cushion and a bag for a mini ipad, I made a quirky bag for a friend to give as a gift – I was really pleased with it and so was she, she hasn’t delivered it to the recipient yet but I’m hoping she’ll be pleased too.   

Apart from the photography club’s Annual Award Evening and a concert at Chethams College of Music I haven’t really been anywhere exciting.   I’ve been trying to make progress with the tidying up I started weeks ago – that too is a very slow process.   It’s going to take months!   I have, so far, made 5 baby quilt fronts so I must have used up some of it but the pile doesn’t seem to have reduced at all.   How does that happen?  I’ve run out of wadding so I’ll have to go and buy some in the next week or so and get them backed, quilted and bound – watch this space.

I spent quite a lot of time, last week, arranging church flowers for the Easter Services.   It’s quite a big job and I’m a slow and very messy worker!   However, the results were quite pleasing and they still looked nice and fresh on Easter Sunday – I always worry that by the time they’re done and in place they’ll have wilted – it’s a toss up between having everything still in bud or past their best!  

Catching up3

It seems something has gone wrong with the first copy of this post - which has disappeared into the ether.   So, apologies if this is a copy of one you got on 8th April, but if you did get it, you were one of a very select little band!

That was a long break – I’ve been away on holiday (only for a week) but it takes me a long time to catch up with myself again – mountains of washing and ironing etc. as well as everything else.   So here goes………….

We had a lovely week in Fuerteventura – lovely and warm, although rather windy and, at times cloudy (even a bit of rain).   However, no complaints.   It was a lot warmer than here and we caught some sun as well as treating ourselves to some lovely food and lots of beer.

The day after we went away, was the first  Calidad  Art and Craft Fair of the season  so Liz took charge, ably helped by her husband.    Apparently, it was really busy and a good time was had by all.

The day after we came home, Liz and I went on a printing workshop run by Mike McNamee – it was great but we needed to really concentrate to take everything in.   Since then, there's been a camera club competition night in which I did reasonably well and won 2 categories. 
 

my old tatty ipad case

I’ve continued trying to organise my ‘stash’  but progress is a bit slow.   I did spend  some time making a case for a friend’s ipad mini – I was really pleased with it and took a photo to post.  However, something went wrong with one of my memory cards – I think I deleted all the pictures – so I can’t post it but it was similar to the one I made ages ago for my ipad – it’s taken lots of punishment so it is quite tatty now.

On Sunday, Liz and I and half a dozen other members of our club went to photograph owls and birds of prey.   A brilliant day, run by John Fairclough, a professional photographer,    www.fotographicimages.co.uk,  and Gareth from Hawksrus www.hawksrus.webs.com.   We spent the whole day outdoors – sometimes it was dry and cloudy and other times it was very wet and cloudy.   However, we were so engrossed it didn’t matter that we were getting wet – we’d all gone prepared for anything the weather could throw at us anyway.  We mostly photographed the birds perched on fence posts, branches etc. but we did also have a chance to photograph a couple of birds in flight – I knew it would be difficult but, for me, it proved nearly impossible, you don’t have much time to focus and they move very fast – I think I need more practice – so it’s a good excuse to go back again.  I've posted the two best photos but they leave a lot to be desired!

kestrel

kestrel

 










Since I last posted,  I’ve completed a small grey needle/wet felted purse, the patchwork strip hanging, a cream hanging with buttons, and another silk cushion - cream this time (picture to follow).   I’m also posting a picture of the red, hand-woven shrug I completed a couple of weeks ago too.

I might be conspicuous by my absence again for a couple of weeks – as well as the Club’s Annual Presentation Evening for which I need to do a lot of preparation – cups to be engraved, certificates to be printed etc., I will be making all the flower arrangements for my church’s Easter Celebrations so I won’t have as much time for ‘playing’ as usual.  Throw in a couple of concerts and one thing and another and it’s going to be another busy month.