Upset tummy

 Not much to write today, I have done very little, even went back to bed for a while.

Spent quite a lot of time on the jigsaw so will show there has been some progress.

I have been on hot water today, hopefully get back to other drinks and some food!

On a different note the second cactus I bought a few weeks ago has flowered and it is very lovely.

Yew berry clearing and afternoon walk

 When I went to post a letter yesterday I noticed how bad the pavement was outside the church, littered with wet, crushed yew berries. I think they are more slippery than leaves. So this morning I went out and swept the pavement and the church steps. Took about an hour and I managed to get and break a blister on the inside of my index finger. Ouch! The rest of the morning I did general housework and a little jigsaw before lunch. This afternoon I walked into Dunkeld and looked round St Ninians garden to check for damage. Really only quite a few twigs but not too bad. These very large hostas are very dramatic now they are dying off.

Took a few photos on my way back.

Hard to believe this burn was almost dry a few weeks back.

I think Darren and I have spent about three to four hours on the jigsaw, you can see from our progress that it is going to be a long job!

The knitting pattern I got at The Nest is way too complicated, and actually trying to knit again made my wrists ache, so that project may be put on hold!

I messaged Moira, who runs the gardening volunteers to see if she could leave the shed unlocked form me in the morning so I can to a bit to the pollinator bed. She said she will before she goes out, so that is good as I have some bulbs to put in and can do a bit more clearing.

Blairgowrie and leaflet drop

 I went into Blairgowrie with Tina this morning, she had an appointment so I had an hour to go to The Nest craft shop and a general look around. I wanted to get a knitting pattern for a hat and some wool and needles, may as well try some knitting at Knit and Natter! I did find a patter and needles, but not much choice of wool, I did buy some but only because there was enough of it. We went a different route today avoiding very wooded areas and road closures. There have been a lot of trees down causing havoc. We went along some pretty tree lined roads and passed a famous beech hedge!

            

I probably took my most colourful autumn shot by a small park in the town.

We had a drink and then did the food shopping before coming back for a late lunch.

Tina had some fliers for an event she is holding and also some for another organisation so I helped her pair them up and then we went out to put them through doors. It started to rain as we left but we went anyway, it did stop quite quickly. We were out less that an hour but had been non stop and nearly every house had steps to the door and so many of them had those bruh lined letter boxes which are very difficult to post thin paper through. I wasn’t sorry we had used all the new we took out!

I have been achy today so not planning to do anything energetic this evening.

Slight change of plan

 I will start with things I said I would add pictures of. The jigsaw.

And the note book I made at the workshop on Saturday.

I had been going to make a chicken pie yesterday but the electricity went off and stayed off for five hours. I said I would make it today but I had the clubs and Tina had an early evening meeting. So I got up early and made the pastry, I had cooked the meat yesterday evening. We got rid of the large pie dish I had that had holes in to prevent soggy bottoms! As I was making the pie early I was worried about the bottom layer of pastry. We have an air fryer pizza dish which has never been used as it didn’t fit in our air fryer! It was shallow but I decided t make a ‘dome pie’. I did worry that it would end in disaster…….

I ended up cooking it this morning in case it ended up an exploded mess! But it cooked fine and we ate it this evening and I can still make okay pastry!

When I took some stuff out to the bins one of the garden bins had gone walkabout and I couldn’t shift it!

Moira, who leads the garden group texted to suggest I stayed at her me this morning as the weather didn’t look promising. So, I actually finished the embroidery! Much as I like it, I am glad to see the back of it!

I did walk into Dunkeld to the afternoon group as the ladies have been asking for a couple of weeks if the embroidery was finished. They have been interested in its progress and all really like the finished article. I didn’t stay long as I needed to get home to cook dinner.it was a damp day.

Masses of leaves at,the end of the bridge, I imagine they were swept as it is unlikely they blew into such an orderly pile.

This tree was uprooted, which is quite sad.

I had ordered some plug cowslip plants which arrived today in a very tiny box. They were probably the smallest plugs pants ever!

I have planted them in a couple of seed trays for now.

I have started finding the edge pieces of the next jigsaw. This one is a painting by a mouth painter and it is lovely. But I think as a jigsaw it will be a stinker, I haven’t got the edges together yet!

Probably time to do some exercises now!

Power cut fun!

 I did go for a walk this morning, it threatened to start raining again but it was very light. The river look peaceful from the bridge but going over it the wind was so strong that if I had been lighter I would have been blown over!

St Ninians, where I volunteer was festooned in leaves.

No branches on the bed I am working on which is good. There were tags and branches everywhere on the way to Dunkeld. 

When I got home I worked on the diamond art novelties for the witches hat.

Then finished it, as good as it’s going to get now!

The power went off at one and we were informed it could be off an until teatime tomorrow. We boiled a kettle for tea with the car battery, and later cooked tea from it in the air fryer. Tina had the car well charged just in case! She got the log burner gong, which was very efficient.

And we had plenty of candles and torches, even a large church candle!

The power came on at six which was a pleasant surprise, and is still on as I write. So fingers crossed it will  keep that way. Darren and I did finish the jigsaw by candle light, photo of that tomorrow. I have made headway with the embroidery so maybe a photo of that as well.

Photo shortage

 This morning the three of us had a walk into Dunkeld to stretch our legs before the rain arrived. We had a drink and then made our way back, the rain was just starting as we got home. I took one photo on the way back, still hoping to catch some colour before all the leaves have dropped, which after the wind won’t be long!

This afternoon Tina and I went to a workshop to make a small note book with traditional stitching and a book cloth spine. It was a three hour workshop and we had just about finished in time. Everything was provided and Marion, the instructor took us through every stage and demonstrated. We were so busy that we didn’t stop to take photos and there isn’t one of the finished article either as we had to put them straight under a weight while the glue dried. So picture tomorrow.

I pottered with the decoration for the witches hat before dinner and have just finished watchng Strictly, which was enjoyable.

The rain has been heavy with water running down the street and we had to come through a puddle to get indoors. I think it has eased off a bit now.

Bit of craft, bit of sorting

 I bought card to make a witches hat yesterday and some stuff to adorn it. The card wasn’t big enough to make the rim or the top with one piece, and search as I did I couldn’t find any so tried holding pieces together with sellotape. That didn’t work so then tried double sided tape. I still need glue which will arrive tomorrow!

So far so good. I made up a couple of the diamond are images.

I needed a couple of things from the shop, the clouds were very low today.

I decided to attach some cable ties to the bee house, Darren had some but they weren’t long enough but he showed me how to put two together. Good ide but they just kept sliding off the bucket, so I hooked one in the hole that the handle was in, and hooked the second one through the first one! Where there’s a will there’s a way!

The hunt for the glue made me frustrated and a bit depressed, so I have started another attempt to get my storage under control, so a bit more stuff jettisoned and a few more things have a home now!

Have just enjoyed The Traitors, last two episodes next week.😢