Roses To Jam

This has got to be the quickest, least messy and yummiest jam ever.  The rose above is a lovely fragrant climber.  I made my first batch from a dark red rugosa which produced a gorgeous coloured jam.  They are both delicious - sweet (of course, with all that sugar), fragrant and delicate. 

Norma from Now Norma Knits introduced me to this recipe and has provided a wonderful tutorial on its preparation.  Thanks Norma!

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This is the rose I planted when my mum died almost 13 years ago.  It is called Perdita, a lovely name.  The one we planted at my dad's house is equally beautiful and is called Juliette (my name - I'm not at all self-centred - ahem).  I don't have a photo of Juliette but she continues to thrive in spite of being dug up from her original plot and moved into a pot on a patio.

Earthly Delights (and some knitting)

 Our summer is finally here after a long wet spring, which I really didn't mind at all.  I don't handle the heat well and raining outside means knitting inside.  The garden is incredibly lush due to no effort on my part at all.  The roses are especially gorgeous this year.

All the hydrangeas in my garden are from clippings that my mother started for me.  The lace-caps are a bit later than the macros so aren't out yet.  The white one is from a clipping she got from the garden of her mother's childhood home in Deal, UK.  She somehow smuggled it back to Victoria in her luggage and got it to root.  When it got to a good size she snipped off a piece for me and it is now (about 15 years later) a fine specimen and a lovely reminder of my mum (and her thieving ways :OD)

~~On the knitting side of life ~~

I finished Slanting Gretel Tee by Petra Manis
in S.R. Kertzer Down To Earth Cotton
 

 

and these for my daughter Spring Socks by Eveli Kaur in Noro Kureyon Sock:

And two hats for my nieces in England.  They love them and so does their mother who says she may "borrow" them sometimes:


Freyja 

Fleur

Happy Summer!

 

Only a Mother Could Love These Faces

A pair of robins recently nested in one of our clematis vines.  They were right at face level so we could easily look in.  We resisted prying until we saw the parents flying in with worms and insects so we knew the babies had hatched.  Robins don't seem to be too bright when it comes to choosing nesting places.  We have had them in the crook of the drain pipe right outside our front door as well as in the beams right outside a sliding side door.  If there is too much activity human-wise they will abandon the nest, sometimes before it is completed but sometimes after the eggs have been laid.  This was a successful batch of three in spite of the clematis being in the middle of the lawn.  They have survived a few mowings of the grass as well as a few days of the grandkids roaring around.  A water balloon fight didn't even seem to faze them.  They are gone from the nest now, into the big wide world.

 

It's June?

You would never know by our weather that we are almost into summertime.  The weather people keep telling us this wetness and coldness isn't unusual.  Whatever.  Just quit it, alright?

Three years ago today my beautiful girl got married and the weather couldn't have been more perfect.

Happy Anniversary kids!

It is also my auntie's 75th birthday today.  I made her this ~

I hope she likes it!  It is the Fern Lace Scarf by Knitting Pixie , knit in Fiddlesticks Knitting Zephyr lace weight .    Happy Birthday, Aunt B!

Is That Liesl?

I had lunch today with my aunt and cousin.  We met at Longwood Brew Pub.

While I was waiting for my companions a young waitress came up to me and said "Is that Liesl?"  I was wearing this:

w

which, of course, is Liesl.

I love it when that happens!

Perfect Curls on a Perfect Little Boy

Some backyard bubble fun ~ 

Chilling with Great-Grandpapa ~

                            ~~what a wonderful long weekend we had~~

England & Wales XOX

Just got back from a wonderful holiday in the UK.  The volcano provided a little excitement on our return journey, causing a two hour wait on the runway then a detour around the top of Scotland and Ireland which added another 45 minutes to the journey.  Those little TV's in the seat backs of the plane are a godsend for passing time. 

Some photos:

Our day in London - iKnits and Liberty House were the highlights.  Also the London Eye, riding the tube, Oxford and Regent Streets.  Definitely need to go back; there is so much to see.

This is the church where we were married, January 3, 1976, Maidenhead.

I travelled off to Wales on my own, by train, and was met by my wonderful hosts (cousin and partner) who greeted me with champagne, cooked delicious meals (lamb, of course, for one), toured me around and were great company.  What more could a girl ask for.

   

I absolutely love Wales.  There are sheep everywhere (4 sheep:1 human) and little groups of (not very) wild ponies.

Dylan Thomas' house in Swansea.












Ancient castles ~

Wildflowers ~ primroses, violets, cowslips, campions, lady's mantles, yellow iris ~

spectacular beaches ~

  

and more sheep ~

                        ~~I will definitely be going back to Wales~~