Busy day

 This morning I went along to the Evergreen gardening group. I have been once before but it is quite spasmodic as the lady who runs it has numerous responsibilities in her job. Today we cleared out a raised trough bed and replanted it with bulbs and winter bedding.

Very enjoyable and I will walk round that way now and again to see how it is looking. I also made an origami seed packet, which was easy and fun. They were a small group but friendly and they were amused by my Birnam hill escapade.

As soon as I got home the three of us set off to Falkland to got in the palace. We had lunch when we got there before going into the palace. A really interesting place and plenty of steps! We started at the top of one of the towers and what an amazing bedroom. The four poster bed was very grand with wonderful carving and even the inside of the canopy was decorated.

The en suite was pretty impressive too!

We moved on.

The chapel was lovely and there is still a service there every Sunday. The chairs are quite small, the owner at the time they were bought got them from a school as that would be cheaper that pews!

This next photo is World War Two trench art, by Polish prisoners of war, and is in a league of its own.

This cap was not only pretty but the description is interesting.

This is the ceiling of a study.

We then had a wander in the grounds.

A nice drive home and a quiet evening now.

Group day

 I wasn’t sure about going to both groups today but set off for the garden volunteer group and thought I would decide later. Spent over an hour clearing up leaves off gravel, quite a challenge not to fill the bin with stones! I finished off after the tea break and was offered a lift home which was good. Had some lunch and got changed and decided I would go to knit and natter. Almost turned back as the hip was playing up, but I had left early so had a drink in Corbenic. They have an interesting counter, probably made at the community’s workshops.

They had some fabulous wrapping paper which I would put on the all. I will buy some another day.

On the home the sun was catching the water and I really like this photo.

I forgot to add the photo of a poem written by a man who loves the St Ninian’s garden and appreciates the volunteers that keep it looking nice. He wrote it before I arrived on the scene!

The plaque is in the garden.

My hip was really sore when I was getting dinner, so feet up and only moving when absolutely essential!

Jigsaw and stamping

 I had been going to weed the bonsai pots today, but the by the time I was planning to go outside the heavens had opened and didn’t stop that long ago. Finished the jigsaw with Darren this morning, chatted with Anya and got veg ready tor a stew in the slow cooker.

The vacuum cleaner was making a funny noise and when I looked underneath there was a cord and a lot of threads round the brush! Took me quite a while to remove it, but can’t really complain as I do the sewing.

This afternoon I got some stamps out and used the new sketch pad paper. That meant I had to use coloured pencils not paints to colour them.

It was interesting colouring the squirrel as the are not really red, or orange, and none of the colours and I have quite a lot and none are right. I tried to blend what I do have,

We had dinner late, but sitting with my feet up now.

Workshop nd Strictly

 Did a bit more jigsaw with Darren before going off to the workshop. A longer one today with a lunch break. It was a mixed media workshop with a nature theme. A good tutor who did demonstrations as we progressed. We could pick a photo to use for colour ideas, not to copy, when I had painted mine she suggested making a couple of areas darker, which I did.

Then we had to draw ideas of where we wanted to add collage pieces, there was a variety of papers to select from. After that we could draw or use pastels or pens to finish off. Really interesting but limited by the choice of papers as there wasn’t a great amount of greens.

It was enjoyable and a nice crowd and friendly instructor.

Luckily the hip was a bit easier today which was a bonus. When we were having the family call the doorbell went, Darren nd Tina went to the door and took in my package, they had to be 18 because it was deemed a ‘bladed article’! You would definitely have a task on your hands to stab anybody with it!

Better get a cupboard with a lock on it!

Have just watched Strictly, a two and a half hour marathon. Some good dancing but not warming to the presenters yet.

Resting the hip

 A quiet day today as the hip is still not happy. I usespd to just top up the water after a few day when I got nice flowers, but the last time couple of times I hve done what is suggested nd taken them all out, changed the water and trimmed the stalks, it does stop them getting so slimy and keeps them fresh for longer. I only had to bin a few and they still look lovely.

I went grocery shopping with Tina and got a pack of three small sketchbooks cheaply, we shopped on 

Aldi. They are A5 and quite thin.

I did a bit on the jigsaw this afternoon, still cheating we have sorted the pieces into C and D boxes!

I have done a quick sketch in one of the books, they will be pen sketches mostly without colour as they are not watercolour paper.

Still taking it easy, want to be okay for the workshop tomorrow,

Gardening and a shorter walk than planned.

 This morning I went out to clear the boarded bed and put plants and bulbs. That bed had been full,of old and woody herbs but just garden plants now.

I have some ceramic poppy heads that I put on pruned sticks, I was amazed today that two of them have sprouted. Definitely made my day so I am leaving them I smile every time I think of them.

I did get some bulbs planted but the bending today was making my hip really hurt so didn’t get as much done as I had hoped

The Virginia creeper is getting redder, hopefully by next autumn it will be all over the wall.

The jigsaw is now half done, the pieces are marked on the back, A,B,C and D and we resorted to finding all the C pieces to finish the bottom quarter!

Although my hip was really painful I decided that a walk might help as the bending certainly didn’t. But sadly the hip just got worse so I had a drink in Dunkeld and walked back very slowly and painfully and have just rested since getting home. It is a little easier so fingers crossed it is going to settle. 

I will finish with some pictures I took while I was out.