Monday, 19 September 2011

What A Find.

A little background first. In times gone by the Greek people used to tip their rubbish over the mountainsides. Now today this is frowned upon  and is very unsightly, however it is still done. You can go along a country roads and find places where things have been fly tipped.  Usually this is builders rubble. Anyway we sometimes stop to see if anything of interest has been tipped. Something we could use like wood, marble, you know things like that. If your a follower of mine you will know that my cupboard above the bathroom door was made with  wood found dumped..

Anyway we went to the garden today to do some watering and on the way back we stopped at a dumping ground, just to have a look. There was some wood but not of any use, then something caught my eye buried in the rubble. We racked around a bit and found all these.

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We have 5 pairs and 5 odd ones. I have cleaned up 3 of these wood shoe forms. Bet you can pick them out.

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I think they have cleaned up well. I am sure we will find something useful to make with them. You never know what your gonna find and that’s why we keep looking. Does anyone have any ideas?

I also have another finish that I forgot to post the other day. This is my Baktus scarf that I knit to keep me warm in the winter it is graciously modelled by Lucky.

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As you can see she is a little bit camera shy. It is so soft, I know I am gonna love wearing it. Oh! and I got the wool from one of the animal charity bazaars.

Got to go as Lucky is patiently waiting for her afternoon walk. Think she deserves one.

  Cya,

Judith x

Saturday, 17 September 2011

Playtime and a finish Woo hoo!!!

Yes, I have been sat at my sewing machine again. It has been too long since I did any sewing. Anyway I thought I would have a play around and this is what I came up with. It’s  from Ricky Tims and is called convergence quilts.

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Not sure what I will do with them yet, but I enjoyed playing around. Might make them into cushion covers, we will see.

Also I have finished up my denim throw/blanket. It has taken me ages to clip all the seams so that it would fray in the washing machine. Just sitting clipping caused a big pile of threads.  It was about time that I got it done. When I had clipped all the seams I checked very patch to make sure it was done and I found 21 seams unclipped. It pays you to check very carefully. Oh! I have just thought I never took any photos of this part. Too late now!Then it went into the washing machine on a cold wash. Cor, you should have seen all the loose threads from the fraying process. I shook it in the courtyard and they went everywhere. Now you are supposed to dry it in the tumble dryer but, I don’t have a one, so onto the line it went.  I washed it twice and then the washing machine didn’t pump out the water. Mmmmmh!!! PANIC!!!!

After I drained all the water off I removed the filter and guess what?  Yes it was jammed packed solid with frayed threads. I gave it a quick clean out fitted it all back together and hey presto it worked (Thank Goodness or I would have been in trouble from the other half.) Still after two washes it is still casting. Might take the hoover to it so don’t look to close at the finished photo.

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So sorry but this is a terrible photo

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It is supposed to get frayed more every time you wash it. I am pleased with it too. This was very easy to make sewing wise, but the clipping took a long time and it was very messy and hard on the hands. It is also  heavyish.

That’s all for now.

Cya,

Judith. x

Wednesday, 7 September 2011

Who likes their comfort then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is Lucky's favorite way to relax. Yes it's a dogs life.

Friday, 19 August 2011

A Beautiful Pair

Good Morning!!!!!!!!!!

How are you all today?

Bright eyed and bushy tailed I hope.

Yesterday this was the veiw from my front gates at about 6.00 am.

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Today this was the veiw at 7.00 am.

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See the clouds we have had a lot of those just lately.

Anyway now for the beauties. For the last three times that this has flowered I have missed getting a picture, but today, I got them. Yay!

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They open and die in just a day.

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You can just see the cactus plant at the bottom of this picture. This plant puts a tremendous amount of energy in producing these large flowers and they are so delicate.

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They have  a very fine perfume which attracted this wasp. Think he enjoyed his visit. He looked like he was anyway.

Yesterday I went to the beach with Jude and we had a lovely time splashing about in the sea. The beach was crowded as it was a very hot day, but there was a nice cooling breeze. Wonder how many people overdid the sunbathing?

Anyway enjoy your day whatever you are doing and catch you all again soon.

Cya,

Judith x

Wednesday, 10 August 2011

20 Years, Well I never.

The veiw from my gate this morning

What a lovely day to be celebrating 20yrs of marraige. When we got together lots of people said it would never last so I am saying today, "Well it has."

I am sorry that I can't put a wedding photo on here but my pc won't let my printer work.
So the above will have to do for now. This was took at our leaving party in 2007 just before we moved to Crete.

Saturday, 6 August 2011

Our Potato Harvest.

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Over the last couple of days we have been digging our potatoes and what a fine crop it is.SV204016

These should keep us going for a while. We are still picking courgettes, tomatoes, cucumber and aubergines too. When we get the ground that the potatoes were in cleared we will be planting some beans and maybe beetroot we will see.

My voice is still missing too. It’s very quiet around here!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Never mind, anyway I have managed to do some knitting this morning and also make some tomato sauce to freeze. A woman’s work is never done even with no voice.

Enjoy your weekend everyone

Cya,

Judith x

Friday, 5 August 2011

Oh, Dear I’ve Lost IT.

Well I had it yesterday, but this morning I cannot find it. I’ve looked high and I’ve looked low. What ever am I going to do without it?

I am just not me without it, do you think I should offer a reward?????????????????

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A passion flower doing what it does best.

All I can say is that……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

I have lost my voice. If any of you out there in blogland happen to see it please contact me. I would love to have it back.

Thanks.

Judith x

Thursday, 4 August 2011

This Morning.


Yesterday and today we have clouds


It is slightly cooler up here and we have a bit of wind, which is nice.


Eventually the sun came up and reveilled a mist.

Tuesday, 2 August 2011

A New Month.

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This was the veiw from my front gate this morning, just after 6.00am. Now it is quite noisy with all the morning chorus. The cicada beetles are all screaming their heads off. They make an awful din. But you get used to it. ( just as-well ).

Yesterday I spent a lovely time swimming in a warm sea with Jude. We have not had a chance to do this much this last month. I caught a bit sun and my face has been a bit red looking. After our nice beach experience we took ourselves off to do some grocery shopping and managed to spend our money.

Last night I went down to Nikos with Geoff and Jude and we had a lovely meal together just catching up with all the gossip. I had a lovely day.

Well that’s the good stuff over now for the bad!

Sunday we had a burst. We had water running down our steps outside. Upon inspection we found that the tank on our solar panel was pouring out loads and loads of water. My  hubby turned off the water and had a look. He thought that it was coming from a gasket on the side, but with it been Sunday all the shops are closed so we had no hot water. I know its hot here right now but I do not relish the thought of having cold showers, cool showers yes, cold no. Anyway he got a gasket yesterday and it seems to be fixed, HURRAY!!!!!!

Now what else have I done this past month?

I made some more jam, this time plum and elderberry and it is so nice, you had better believe it,  it is so yummy. I am really pleased how it turned out.

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It looks rather black in the jars but it is a very deep red colour, like blackcurrant jam. This is not tart like the other one I made.

I did come across a recipe for elderberry chutney so might give it a go too. Elders are not that common here so I am keeping my source to myself.

I might also try and make some courgette and ginger jam as we have lots of courgettes coming from the garden now. I bought root ginger yesterday. I will have to sort out a recipe. I have a few to choose from.

On the crafting front, well nothing is getting done right now. I have something brewing in my mind. It is a challenge that I saw online and thought that I might have a go. We will see. Thing is I have loads and loads of UFO’s to finish. I am naughty not finishing up things, but hey I'll get there one day.

Do you have the same problem, too many projects on the go at one time and not getting any finished off?

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

Plums + Sugar = Jam

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I went to the garden Monday and while I was there I picked a few under-ripe plums. They are quite small like big cherries really and they don’t have that plummy taste that we are used to in England. There are loads of these trees around and most of the fruit just drops off and rots on the ground.

WHAT A WASTE.

Anyway I found this nice recipe on www.cottagesmallholder.com

It comes under the title of wild plum jam and there are two recipes.

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When boiling the jam took on a lovely red tone.

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This is it in the jars. It looks lovely doesn’t it? If you like a slightly tart taste this is a one for you.

Sure to wake you up on your toast in the morning.

Cya,

Judith x

Saturday, 11 June 2011

My new cupboard (part 2)

We are a bit further on with my cupboard above the stairs.

 

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Just need some handles fitted now. Think they might be a bit rustic. I can’t wait to fill them up.

We have decided to paint the wood work, so that will be my job. Now what colour will I paint them, Mmmmmmm. Lets see. I can see paint charts will be in order.

Last night we went out with Jude and Geoff to a Taverna in Limnes. They were having live Greek music so we thought it would make a nice change.

I don’t know if you know it but the Greeks don’t go out very early and the Band still wasn’t playing at 10.00. Anyway we had a nice meal and a few drinks.

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We left at 12.00 and they were just getting going. Wonder if anyone got up to dance? When we got home we could still hear the music drifting up the mountain side.

Hope you all enjoy your weekend. I’m off to have some more strawberries. They are just lush, only thing is they are now getting to the end of the harvest. Going to plant more for next year.

Cya oxo

Judith

Sunday, 5 June 2011

My New Cupboard In The Bedroom.

I posted a while back about my stairs to our bedroom, well now we are getting a cupboard above the stairs as it is a wasted space.


The above two photos show the framework. The walls here are like dogs back legs so he was having a job to fit it.




We are now at the door making and fitting stage. Wonder what I can store in here?????????? Not sure how we are going to finish it. Varnish or paint???? We will see.

Last Thursday I went to the beach with Jude and we had a nice swim in the sea.

The water was, shall we say quite refreshing. We enjoyed it though.

Today, Sunday, I went along to the Gardening club and deposited with them a great pile of gardening magazines that I had. Having a bit of a sort out here. I really have far too much stuff but don't tell my hubby. Anyway guess what we had for afters today?????????





That's all for now folks, work is calling.

Cya,

Judith.x

Tuesday, 24 May 2011

Monday s Happenings.


Breakfast with our own homegrown strawberries. Don't they look lovely. I can also tell you that they smelt delicous and tasted fantastic too. Looks like we are going to get a good crop this year. Other gardening happenings are that my potatoes are all up and so are the onions that we planted. We have also planted some tomatoes and auberginnes.


Did I tell you that I go to a Camera club? Well that happens on a Monday morning. There are just a handful of us but we like it. We just want to take better pictures and learn to tweak them a little. The above image of a windmill was my entry into this weeks competition and the rose from my last post was last weeks entry. When I came out of the Camera club I saw Jude and Chris drinking coffee. They were off on a bike ride with there new scooters

And here they are going through our village. Jude is the one in the front.

Have a lovely Tuesday all!

Cya Judith.

Thursday, 19 May 2011

News roundup.

Hi All,
It's been a while since I last posted so I have little snippets of this and that to report. While I was away in England my Hubby won a pool contest and recieved a Champions trophy.

The garden is all turned over and weeded and the potatoes and onion sets all planted. The potatoes are now just pushing through.


This Aurm lily was ever so lovely so I took a photo and it came out this delightful shade of pink, funny that as it was white.

I took this one at 11.30 at night. Ian held a torch behind the bloom while I took the photo. What do you think?

Walking through the olive groves with Lucky, we came across this small church. I tried the door and it opened.
Most of them are decorated like this.

We have had some lovely sunny weather these last few days, but today the clouds rolled in and turned black and along with it came the thunder and lightening. Then came the torrential rain with a good measure of hailstones thrown in. The poor tourists so far this month have not had very good weather. One day the sun will come out and stay out for the summer, wish it would hurry up.

Catch you all again soon, I promise.

Cya Judith x

My Cretan Life