Five On Friday

I am, once again, linking with Amy at Love Made My Home to bring you my Five On Friday post.


It has been half term this week but unfortunately the weather has been more like February than end of May/beginning of June. Apart from a day out on Saturday before the weather turned decidedly chilly I haven't really been anywhere apart from a trip into town (more of that later) so have been busy crocheting - I really have the bug at the moment and have far too many ideas in my head that I want to transfer to my hook!


Anyway, here I go with my five this week:-


One
On Saturday we motored to Crofton on the Kennet and Avon Canal, the main reason was to see Flying Scotsman again, but this time at speed rather than stationary as it had been in Salisbury the week before. I tagged along as well as I enjoy walking along the canal and it was a good opportunity to get some steps in. When we arrived we saw that Crofton pumping station was in operation and as we had never been inside before we decided to add that to the day's activities. I cannot begin to understand all the technicalities of what the beam engines do but basically the pumping station was used to raise the water by steam up to the summit of the canal at nearby Bruce tunnel to maintain the water in the canal after boats have passed through the locks. Since 1959 this all happens by electricity apart from the occasional break down where the steam engines come into operation again. However they still hold occasional open days at Crofton where they demonstrate how the beam engines work.

Two
We took a footpath from the canal past Crofton Water through the meadows up to the village of Wilton. There was a profusion of wild flowers growing in the meadows, it certainly seems to be a bumper year for flowers everywhere which is so lovely to see.

Red Campion

Ox-eye Daisies

complete with insects!!!

White lilac

Vetch plus ants!!!

Besides the above there were masses of cow parsley, buttercups and speedwells. We thoroughly enjoyed this walk and I am sure we will be repeating it one day very soon


Three
I mentioned above that it has been a busy crochet week and I was pleased to complete another charity blanket, this time a ripple blanket. I love making these, it is something I can do without really thinking about it and ideal to pick up when I have been watching the tennis at Roland Garros (when it hasn't been rained off) and makes a change from projects where I have to concentrate a bit more.

This was a interlocking colour sequence blanket and is complete with a butterfly which is the symbol of the Sunshine International Blankets of Love. I am tempted to start another one of these but really must finish some other projects first.


Four
Yet another Sunshine blanket has been in production this week, I only have three more squares to complete before the joining and edging can begin. Hopefully I will be back with another completed blanket to show you soon.

Five
And yes, I have already started another blanket, what am I like! This one is a V-stitch blanket, I haven't made one of these before but again, it is one that I can do while watching TV (well that is my excuse for starting this one before finishing the previous one).

I still have to work my squares for the Last Dance On The Beach CAL this week, hopefully will get to those over the weekend.


I mentioned above having to make a trip into town - I suddenly realised early on Wednesday morning that my wedding and eternity rings were missing from my finger. They have been loose for sometime (a downside to losing weight) and I really should have done something about it before now but hate not wearing them. Anyway, after a three hour search (missed crochet time) turning out the freezer, kitchen bin, wool boxes and just about everything else I did eventually find them thank goodness. Having found them I decided to take the action I should have done months ago and they are now safely in the jewellers being resized (down three whole sizes) and I have also taken the opportunity to get my engagement ring repaired, I haven't worn that for ages as I lost a stone out of it a few years back. Hopefully I will get them back in a couple of weeks time.


Well that is it for this week, please do go and visit Amy's blog where you can link to other 'Five' posts. Have a great weekend.

Five On Friday

It is time to join Amy at Love Made My Home for another Five On Friday post. I know I say this every week but I just don't know where the days are going to at the moment, it is frightening that Friday comes around so quickly and I haven't achieved as much as I had planned to do in the week. I don't seem to have much time to blog at the moment or visit other blogs but I am determined if nothing else I will do a weekly round-up for Five On Friday. Please forgive me if I haven't replied to some of your blog posts, I will endeavour to try harder in future!


Well, what have I been up to this week - really it boils down to the same as most weeks - work, walking, crochet with a couple of other bits and pieces thrown in.


1.  On Saturday we ventured to Salisbury to see Flying Scotsman, arguably the most famous steam train in the world. As my regular readers will know my DH and DS1 are big steam fanatics and this day had been eagerly awaited when this locomotive made a return trip to this part of the country. I decided to accompany them, mainly I have to say, because it was a miserable day but I still wanted to get some steps in. My goodness, did we get some steps - rather than motor to Salisbury we decided to go by train and it is a fair distance from home to the station, plus walking around Salisbury and then the return walk home (in torrential rain) all added up to well exceeding my target. Salisbury was absolutely packed with lots of mad steam lovers as was every bridge and vantage point on route. I would love to travel on one of these excursions and have a meal in the Pullman carriages but at £200+ I don't think that is ever going to happen!

2. I didn't have to work on Monday so we took advantage of a beautiful afternoon to walk the Forton Loop in Longparish. This walk is interesting as it takes you through varying landscape (from village street, meadow land, common land, agricultural land to woodland). It seems to be an excellent year for wildflowers which are growing in profusion at the moment.

3. Tuesday and Wednesday are working days for me but I did manage to do some crochet - progress was made on my interlocking ripple blanket and a couple of this week's pattern release squares have been completed on the Last Dance On The Beach CAL which you can see displayed on my blocking board.

4.  I am enjoying my garden but am waging a war against slugs and snails attacking my lovely Marguerite plant. As soon as the flowers appear they are being eaten. Just before taking this photo I have had to cut off several flowers that have been damaged beyond repair. They have also taken to nibbling at my Ice plant leaves as well but seem to leave everything else alone. Any advice as to how to deal with this pests will be welcome! 

5. I work on a Thursday every other week but this week was a 2 day week for me so another walk beckoned. This time we started off in the village of St. Mary Bourne, I have shown you many photos from here in the past but this time we covered new territory for us (although I walked these paths many years ago with my Dad). The walk took us from the village up to Cold Harbour Farm and then on through the fields eventually arriving at the tiny hamlet of Wadwick before heading back to SMB. We are so enjoying our walks in our glorious countryside and spotting the changes as the weeks go by - long may we continue to be able to do this.

Well that is it for this week. I hope you all have a lovely long Bank Holiday weekend (UK) and that the weather stays kind. See you next week for another Five!