RIP, Bonnie Ann.

Very sad that Bonnie Ann Burnett has died.

She came to the UK for a visit, reached out to online friends for recommendations , advice, suggestions for  meetups.

This landmass touched her heart 

particularly the St David's area of Wales.

She went back to the USA, published a book of her fabulous photographs from her Welsh visit , rejuvenated her career as a noted potter, and then, moved back to her family farm and embarked on a Permaculture journey to bring her land back to life.

While in the UK she visited us for breakfast and lunch on her last day in the UK, She cuddled Algy the Serama Cockerel and he adored her. And she, him. 

We were planning a collaboration where I would visit her in the US of A, and we would host courses on her farm.

Then Covid struck. So we couldn't do what we had planned

In all her posts she explored her ancestral land and saw joy in every moment of her life. 

The last few months have been brutal for her, and her family. Much love to them all

Farewell, friend Bonnie Ann.

Obituary

Celestine and the Hare needlefelting workshop at blue ginger gallery, Cradley

@andtheHare

Totally utterly fabulous day last Saturday at blue-ginger gallery in Cradley attending a needle felting workshop with the very lovely and oh so wonderful Karin of  Celestine and the Hare. Karin took 11 of us through the process of turning woolly stuff into fabulous needle felted creatures using sharp pointy bits of metal :)

Having a fabulous time at felting workshop with Karin and a group of Norty Chokliteers.

We went from this

 Taking shape ...

I took Harriet Bear along to meet her sister Emily :) Harriet, Tiger Tim, Victoria Weasel and Betty Sloth Bear were all made by Karin :) As was Hector Weasel, but he stayed at home with Compostman

  

 Karin showing us how to make a tomten  and telling us stories while needle felting at the same time!

 

Part made creature - still no idea what it will be ...

I wonder what I am making?

Lunch break :) The food at blue ginger is excellent, as were the cakes

This is one of Karin's creations :) How fabulous ! A sheepdog :)

 

 Meet Cyril Squizzer :) I made him, I did!

Tiger Tim, Victoria Weasel, Betty Sloth Bear and Harriet hug their newest friend.

We all made such lovely creatures at this workshop

 
Here are our results after less than 6 hours of work

(whispers -we would have done them faster, but we had to chat to each other and laugh a lot and eat delicious food made by Sue and the lovely people at blue ginger gallery  and chat and giggle and eat choklit - did I mention I had the most enormous fun day with lovely Karin and the other people attending? )

If you get the chance to go on one of Karin's workshops or to see her demonstrate her art, do go. She is wonderful, as are her creations. And if you have not yet joined us at the most marvellous Tribe of Celestiner Chokliteers  go and have a look at her Facebook page  :)







and the Hare insisted and so we were not allowed to spend all the time needle felting. ell you, cruel! )

Scottish road trip

I had such a fabulous time in Scotland :) Walking, canoeing, drinking wine, chatting, laughing, singing, some Forest School CPD, drinking wine, chatting, eating choklit, laughing some more ...you get the idea!

 I am also SO pleased about the fact that I managed to go away to see my friends (who I have not seen for ages) and eat sociable meals with them even though they were not gluten or lactose intolerant so we had to make some alterations to meals ( thank you friends :) ) , drink some wine (well quite a lot of wine, actually!) and eat 100% chocolate ( I introduced them to it!) and feel in control and healthy AND come back having reduced a bit more of my weight! And do a heck of a lot of driving around in my fab new-to-me car without being TOO physically wrecked by it.

My friends were all intrigued and interested in my weight loss and my way of eating and I have lent several of the group copies of various Harcombe Diet books and pointed them to the website.  They are not overweight but were interested to investigate THD.

They all saw what I was like a year or more ago so knew of my health and weight difficulties and were astonished and delighted at how much healthier and fitter I was.

A year ago I would NEVER have been able to do a hike into the mountains for hours over rough terrain in rather adverse weather conditions  (did you see the weather forecast for the Highlands last weekend?)

Trust me, it was very wet and very windy and very cold. We had sleet/snow where I was and that is quite unusual for the Argyll and Bute region as it is temperate rainforest ( yes really!)

A year ago I would NEVER have been able to do a 4 hour sea canoe expedition in very challenging weather conditions. We were well looked after by  Ian from Argyll Voyageur Canoes who was really great and very knowledgeable of the local area, having been born and raised there.

We had a camp out at the half way stage where collectively we Forest School Leaders managed to get a basha up and a Kelly Kettle lit and a brew up made in what I can only describe as really, REALLY very challenging conditions! Horizontal hail and vertical rain and a nearly gale and 2 C with a wind chill added to that!  But IT WAS FUN :) We sang to the seals :)

This time last year  I would just not have even contemplated doing this because I knew I would have been a hindrance and not capable of doing it as it would have been dangerous for me to join in, for all concerned.

So, finding THD and sorting myself out I now have back something else I used to love to do - hiking and outdoor activities 

I loved seeing all my friends and I really had a great long weekend, even if the journey up and back down the M6 was a bit of a nightmare.

Day out with friends

Today Compostgirl and I had a lovely day out with friends Maria and her two children.  Compostman stayed at home and did ...stuff ( I don't know what he did, but he says he enjoyed himself)

We went out to lunch at a local pub ( The Bunch of Carrots) which I have mentioned before and which does an amazing carvery. I had roasted meats and loads of veg (cabbage/cauli/green beans) and roast parsnips. When I went to order and started to ask about gluten free options the waiter immediately offered me "naked" cauli (the cauli on offer was in a cheese sauce with wheat in) and the offer of gf gravy and a gf Yorkshire pud! I declined the Yorkshire pud but it was so nice to be asked rather than having to quiz the staff about it :) .

Compostgirl and the other two children were intrigued by the concept of a Dessert Trolley and had pudding while M and I had excellent coffee.

After that we went into Hereford and had a bit of a shopping trip - the children went off together to mooch around the new Old Market shopping complex while M and I looked in M & S and various other shops.

We ended up with a short trip to Sainsburys where I stocked up with stuff we had run out of.

Got home at 7 pm after a very enjoyable day. Compostman had very kindly had put the hens to bed and made a fresh pot of tea :)

I have spent the rest of the evening crocheting and sewing and am off to bed now. We need to be up early tomorrow for Archery !

Half term fun

So, the end of another month and what strange weather we have had. Climate Change deniers must be finding it harder and harder to justify their position!

Compostgirl had a good half term, she went to the stables on four separate days, one of which was with her friend who we gave a "Pony for a day" session as our birthday present to her. She really enjoyed it and the pair of them got into the spirit of the Halloween theme by making themselves Vampire costumes.

Compostgirl really enjoys riding and has made lots of friends at the stables and as they are only a mile away it is nice and local to us.

I had fun buying up art last weekend at blue-ginger gallery. Betty Sloth Bear is now being introduced to the various other wildlife.

The half term ended on a high note with us all taking part in the Lugg Valley Archers Halloween shoot at Mordiford on Sunday. Weather was a bit damp and variable but I took along a gazebo and we hid from the occasional downpour while drinking coffee and chatting.

Costumes were required- I wore my long black velvet cloak and a bat mask, Compostgirl reprised her Vampire costume and Compostman hung garlic and a crucifix arond his neck and went as a vampire hunter - wielding a pointed stake at any vampires who got too close :)

A fun end to a good week

Tour of Wales Day 2

 Up early and after a shower and a very good cooked breakfast I was off out into the sunshine.

Solva harbour is very pretty and I had a wander around and looked in some of the shops. I then got in the car and headed along the coast to St David's as I wanted to look around the Cathedral.

I really enjoyed my visit to the Cathedral and also to the Art  Gallery there. After some lunch in St David's I set off to Solva Woollen Mill driving along the coast road and then turning inland a few miles.

 

Such a very pretty setting :)

 

Solva is a working Woolen Mill and has been weaving beautiful cloth for over 100 years.

Then it was time for Jackie Morris and Karin from Celestine and the Hare to weave their magic with wool and needle and paint and brush.

Jackie planned to paint and Karin was going to needlefelt a bear,  like her Mary and Emily bears. The norty weasels and other small felt creatures were also going to make an appearance at some point.

 

After a chat and some coffee Jackie took a few of us outside and we were privileged to hear her read to us a new story she has written. Not yet published and utterly magical to listen to her re tell it.

I then spent a little while looking around the Mill.

The Mill also has two lovely cats :) here is one of them.

Fabulous views and such a beautiful day :)

Back inside I met a new friend ( hello Diane) and we chatted and drank more coffee. Someone came with books for Jackie to sign and she had the most beautiful black cat with her, on a lead. This gorgeous cat liked Jackie. Very much indeed. You can tell Jackie loves cats as well. Her cats have their own blog and calender and books written about them :)

If you are familiar with Karen's work you will know there are norty weasels who create mayhem in her studio, usually with lots of chocolate stealing involved.  The weasles were lurking around the gallery and yes, causing mayhem, especially later 0n near the chocolate.

Jackie and Karin, working. Cake was involved!

At the end of the afternoon Karin had made a beautiful bear and Jackie had painted a beautiful bear. I had drunk excellent coffee, chatted to friends old and new and bought lots of lovely things, including some books to add to my Jackie Morris collection, all signed by Jackie. I also had some lovely memories of a great afternoon spent in the company of two very lovely and very talented artists, one with fibre and animation, the other with words and paint and camera. I also got to cuddle Tiger, Emily and Mary and have my photo taken with Mary

Solva Woollen Mill is hosting the launch of Jackie's new book in September and I hope to be able to go to that event as well.