Meet Lugh

We had a trip into one of our market towns today and look who I found in the charity shop:) First picture is courtesy of this website Lugh. Isn't this a stunning picture?  Wiki has lots of  info on Lugh http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugh

I didn't realise I wanted a representation of Lugh to come and live with us. Well you never do, do you?

 But look:)

 Found in charity shop for the princely sum of £15.

 I had to get him, he has a mane of fleece after all.

 He is quite heavy and has strapping inside. I suspect he may have been used at the local theatre possibly for their outdoor plays. But who knows?

He is not for wearing, he is currently sitting on top of my Ikea unit where some of  the fleece, yarn and craft stuff is. Mr Mog wasn't sure at first but says he is growing on him. I think he was horrified when I first saw the mask in the shop but said go for it.

He had been sitting there a while when he told me his name. At first I was thinking Pan, Herne or Sol. But assuredly it is Lugh. I am planning to just add a little gilding to his face and touch up his horns as they are showing white in places. I may add some dreadlocks and beads to his mane. What do you think?
His face is latex I think and moves when you touch it. He has been crafted around what feels like a hard hat.
So here is Lugh.

Small pleasures

It's been quite dark here most days and very wet. This does not help the creative juices to flow. Add in the virus that is going around and one feels even less incentive to go and play in the craft room. But ,bad nights and antibiotics not withstanding,  today I made the effort and I am glad I did.

Firstly I must show you the gift my friend has just dropped off when she returned some Charles de Lint books she had borrowed. It's plum leather rolls and my goodness what an intense flavour this produces. A tiny strip melting in the mouth is packed with plum flavour. 

 I had given my friend quite a lot of plums some weeks ago when we had several spare bags full. So glad I did now:)

It has been a long while since I made elementals, too long. I really enjoyed making the felted sprites the other day and it made me realise how much pleasure I get from seeing these fey creatures emerge.
So here we go a new water elemental , her name apparently is Violetta . She isn't quite finished she awaits her finishing touches. But I like her she has character.

Her sister arrived soon after. Her name I have yet to find out. She likes to dance this much I know.

And a picture of the two together.

Then last night a friend sent me a link to altered playing cards and it made me think of using them as individual canvasses that could then be fastened into my journals. I made a start on preparing them this afternoon following the tutorial  here Cards. A messy job but fun.

The last of Autumn's bounty

Today we harvested the last of our fruits. The tomatoes were already finished but we found these few last apples hidden on the tree. I will make a pie for Sunday I think as we probably have friends coming to visit and it's good to share Natures Bounty with friends.
It's been a weird week. Monday we had our flu injections. Tuesday I felt awful and after a very early disappointing morning visit to the consultant about the result of my knee resurfacing I spent the rest of the day cuddled up to a hot water bottle. Consultant wasn't much help. The knee resurfacing had a 50/50 chance of working and it was my choice to take it. Trouble is it has made the pain much worse and he wasn't really interested. The flu injection washed me out. Wednesday was no better and Mr Mog started then with same symptoms. So both of us felt sorry for ourselves. On ringing the doctors we were told that it usually only lasted 48 hours:(
Thursday I felt better and after a first podiatry appointment felt brighter. The appointment was only supposed to be an assessment then a decision as to if I could have treatment on the NHs. But the podiatrist was very nice and actually did the assessment then some work on my feet. They feel so much better.
We were supposed to be going to drop a first birthday present off in cumbria but got partway there and Mr Mog wasn't well so home we went. He had a bad day but today has thankfully been better for both of us. So a reason to thank the Goddess and celebrate in a small way.
I have been playing though

A needle felted mermaid made her appearance. She has joined the other occasional goddesses in my colour journal.

Oh colour I do love thee

Oh colour how I do love thee. You inspire me and you lift my spirits.

 You are a distraction from pain

You give me permission to play

Your colour enfolds me in its beauty

The aches fade as I play

While I await the return of the muse I have things to distract and bring me comfort

And that must be good

Mustn't it?

Apologies for the mixed up formatting. Blogger is playing silly beggars again. All suggestions for a new blog platform gratefully received

Gifts

I received a beautiful present yesterday from an online friend of ours . We have met in person once I think but Sara sent us these as a belated birthday gift. The first is one of those "saw this and thought of you" scenarios and isn't it perfect? It's a tile she found on her travels. Mr Mogs logo when he makes things is a black cat and of course the other "may" mean me;)

 I love it, the simplicity of design but perfect.
Sara also makes things and knew of my love for magpies.
Simply delightful:)

Thank you for all your lovely comments. They are much appreciated. It's good to be back. 

I passed on all the comments about my blanket to the maker. Her name is Sue and she used to blog at WyeSue knits   But can now be found primarily on Ravelry as WyeSue. If you are on there I urge you to go and see her stunning knitting and crochet.

We have come up to spend a couple of days with Sue,her husband and this:-

 This is Boris and he is a sweetie. He loves Mr Mog sitting next to him on the sofa . Last night Mr Mog spent quite a while saying "no Boris" when he kept lifting his head and gazing at Mr M saying "stroke me"

Sometimes

sometimes things can overwhelm
Pain, happenings around us
All serve to distract
The key I think is colour
Bright makes me smile
Rainbows lift the spirit
Natures hues most of all

The blanket was made by a good friend as a joint birthday present. Isn't it stunning?

Autumn

I bet you didn't think I'd blog again so soon:)
Today we went to a Greenwood fair, mainly to see a new artist who I had recently found. She has a definite affinity with hares. Her etsy shop is Wilderness Felt. We had purchased this a little while ago and I was entranced.

Isn't she gorgeous? so naturally when I found out Wilderness Felt would be at the fair we had to go along. There was quite a lot going on especially fun if you had children -lots of fun things to try. We had a little mooch of the stalls and spent a long time with the raptor charity who had brought a few birds along, all rescued some in absolutely heartbreaking circumstances. They had a little owl who couldn't perch properly as it had been found living in a hamster cage:( I spent some time communing with and stroking, a barn owl. he was beautiful.
Mr Mog purchased this felt picture

my photo doesn't really show the hare at its best, its actually more defined in real life. We didn't spend long there so decided to call in garden centre on way home for a bite to eat. there were more colours to be seen today

I sat in the cafe trying to find pieces of paper to write on, i didn't have my note book with me. I ended up picking up a couple of receipts off the tray that had been left on our table. I knew I had to write while the words were bubbling out. I was watching crows over the trees outside, hundreds of them. this is what I wrote.

 A murder of crows or is it a massacre when so many?

Trees of gold and red, russet glowing in Autumn sunlight.

The smell of earth and mold.

Of Winters chill not far away.

But still joy to be found in Lady Autumn's beauty.

Her coat of many colours rustling as she passes

We give thanks for Her bounty.

Sloes and brambles staining fingers as we risk the thorns to grasp them

Sweet chestnuts - again in hedgehog spines.The horse chestnuts drop conkers on my head as I try to pick the fallen ones.

The apples now are ripe and drop gently into an outstretched palm at a flick of the wrist.

 our nasturtiums have had a second flush and are so vivid around Mr Mogs railway

Did you miss me? very long post

its been a long while since I blogged, too long I think. I've just been reading 2 blogs ,blogs that I have followed for many moons.
 Both had inspired me to start my own. This was a time when blogging was very new and not many people wrote them. I collected a reading list as time went on and some (a few) are still here but the rest have long gone sadly. As Antoinette says, we have an instant world now, Pinterest Twitter facebook all snippets and sound bites but no substance to it. I wasn't sure I would ever blog again time seemed to pass and I did other things, read other things. Got on with life stuff.
But I miss musing on paper, or what passes for paper. So let's see how it goes.
How about a small snapshot of what has been going on since we last spoke ? No particular order on the pictures as I am being lazy;) So here goes

 Autumn now. And a trip to a local garden centre for lunch gave me chance to capture pictures of these glorious acers at their best.

July saw me going back into hospital, this time to resurface the kneecap on the same knee that was replaced last year. the consultant  told me that it was a 50/50 chance of removing pain but a chance I had to take. Sadly it hasn't worked and the pain is worse if anything. Ah well there were some consolations.

lots of flowers came to greet my return from hospital 

Going into hospital a friend insisted I borrowed her tiny drop spindle. "You need to spin in hospital "she said.

so I did and I knit socks

One of the things on my bucket list has always been to ride the Settle to Carlisle railway line
I anticipated just being able to do that but a very dear friend arranged a birthday surprise for me (us)

A return trip from Lancaster to Carlisle on the Fellsman steam train Not only that but first class with breakfast and dinner silver service. a trip of a lifetime and we both loved it:) The journey encompasses the Settle Carlisle section and we travelled through some stunning countryside.Everywhere you looked there were people at the side of the line taking pictures or just waving to us.

Mr Mog goes to a railway club a couple of times a week and the enthusiasts there kept on about a Black 5 steam engine and hoping he would be lucky enough to travel on a train pulled by this engine. as you can see he was:)

Everywhere you looked there were people at the side of the line taking pictures or just waving to us.

 At Appleby there were vintage buses waiting to take people for a cruise on Ullswater. they would meet us on the way back.

 these flowers were on every table in first class and we were requested to take them home at the end of the journey.

 I think the engine driver was enjoying himself.

 Carlisle looked quite magnificent in the August sunshine

 I love this reflection

 Taking on water

 All these pictures were taken with my little fuji camera from a moving train so I am very pleased with how they turned out.

 these remind me of gravestones, I wonder if they are too help keep back the snow from the railway line in winter?

 set up for dinner on the return journey

 so many people enjoying the trains journey

 the wagon driver stopping to take a photograph.

 even a solitary cameraman

So the birthdays. Mr Mogs birthday celebrations lasted a week. It was a milestone and needed to be celebrated:) So the week started with open house on Sunday  for family and friends. 

This was the first cake:) purchased from supermarket last minute as it was a sudden thought of mine to have a cake. decorations from Mr Mogs collection;)

many many cards and gifts arrived on the actual day .

This was the second cake, made by eldest grandson for the actual day. it was very tasty also:)

Cake the third was made by a friend of ours for the following weekend when we attended a wool event in Cheshire and more friends and family came to help him celebrate:)

It has a bicycle as Mr Mog has been a lifelong cyclist, bells because, as those who know him can recall, he always has bells on the bottom of his trousers. started when grandsons were young as a joke but has continued. At least I always know where he is;) Cats for obvious reasons and knitting as our friend couldn't find a spinning wheel:) The cake went very quickly.
Week after was my birthday and Mr Mog surprised me with a cake made by the same friend and first cake I have had since my wedding.

Again lots of elements that reflect me.

my cards:) 

There has been creativity

and storing the tastes of summer and autumn. Lots of strawberry gin and vodka, blackberry gin and vodka, raspberry gin and vodka. also plum brandy, damson gin on the go as i couldn't find sloes. there are blackberries and damsons awaiting turning into wine. first time I will have made wine in over 15 years I think. Hope it turns out ok. watch this space. this picture shows just a small taste of whats stored.

There always has to be shawl knitting of course:) This one I spun the yarn and knit the shawl. Fibre was BFL and Silk from Freyalyns fibre on easy Colourway is silver skies.

And always socks, hospital knitting continues apace and I have found a new love for socks. look at this fabulous yarn. Doesn't it lift the spirits ? Mr Mog loves wearing these. The yarn is Regia  Fluormania,  colour way is rainbow in case you hadn't guessed.

More socks.

Current knitting also bright. a shawl in Solstice yarns changeling

Colourway Dream of India and I am afraid I don't know the purple colour ways name.

So current stuff? Mr Mogs PSA is up a little so he has ct and bone scans booked for Monday, hopefully no bad news. He continues to amaze me  with his positivity and long may that continue.
Phew going to try and get back into the rhythm of blog writing. I do enjoy it. Hope you are all well.
Thanks Antoinette for rekindling the flame:)