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Sunday 25 April 2010

Days out


I've had a couple of lovely days out this past week. The first was to meet up with a couple of friends in Salisbury. We were blessed with a fabulous day of sunshine and Salisbury looked at its best. We had a coffee sitting out in the sunshine at Fisherton Mill before wandering on to the Cathedral where we had lunch in the Refectory there.


This is the Close in front of the cathedral where many people were taking advantage of the sunshine.

The Cloisters - so peaceful


Noticed this plaque on the wall in the cloisters and thought "That's obviously where I've gone wrong"! Since I am neither quiet nor confident! I suspect my chattering is simply to cover my lack of confidence.

As we strolled towards the river after lunch we were assailed by a fabulous perfume and on turning a corner we came upon this bed of hyacinths!

We sat for a bit enjoying the perfume and watching some ducks with one tiny duckling.


It was a lovely day out and we wandered slowly back to the station, after having a cup of tea sitting in the sunshine outside a pretty cafe, for our separate trains which left within 2 minutes of each other - how well organised was that!


Then on Friday I went to the Stitching and Creative Crafts exhibition at the Bath and West Showground at Shepton Mallet. As I drove along through stunning scenery with Classic fm playing on the radio I felt my heart sing (sounds naff but it's true). I obviously couldn't take any pictures for you as I was driving! But the countryside was England at its green and pleasant best. The distant views were delicately veiled in a faint blue mist which foretold of a beautiful day to come and the hedgerows were all soft green leaves and buds with here and there white blossom like so much washing spread out to dry! The banks had carpets of primroses and clumps of cowslips and the odd bluebell too. How I wished I could write poetry or paint or something as I so badly wanted to capture it all. If only it were possible to press Pause and to stop for a while right in this moment of springtime before it all rushes headlong into summer!

The show was a bit of a disappointment unless one was keen on card making - but I did enjoy my day out - I did a short workshop on machine embroidery - see my efforts above!


and learned how to make this little gift package which came with a couple of chocolates - I wonder where they went?!



And what I was most interested to discover was how to print digital images on fabric so I had booked a workshop where I produced this chap. It worked well and I have since washed the sample and find it is in fact colourfast so I am well pleased as for some years I have been wanting to incorporate my photos into my textile work but didn't like the horrible rubbery T-shirt transfer method and when I tried printing directly onto the fabric it wasn't washfast. Only problem now is that I need a printer which uses pigment inks rather than dye inks and needless to say our printer is the latter! New printer on my birthday list perhaps?!


As I said above I go on too much don't I and must print out that plaque and remind myself that less is more if I want to become strong!!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
PS Have just discovered how to straighten up photos since the spire in the first photo was somewhat leaning (it isn't actually perfectly perpendiucular but the lean I had made it look as if I had had too much to drink!) The photo of the clock tower by the river is also slightly askew but I won't bother with it as I find Blogger a bit of a B****er when you alter anything it throws everything out of correct spacing!

14 comments:

  1. We are, as we are Jane. Acceptance is the key.

    It sounds like a perfect day, spent with friends. I love churches and cathedrals......I think they are good for soul.

    I could not agree more, our countryside is some of the best in the world. UK may be small, but that brings it close. I count my blessing each day.....living in the countryside, for me, is a dream come true.

    Have a good week, and celebrate the person you are......

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  2. Jane,
    You're doing yourself a disservice. Your strengths far outweigh any weaknesses you may think you have. Why would we all follow your travels and projects every week if we didn't think so! Lovely photos. It's a grey and drizzly day in Pembrokeshire and I'm already missing the sunshine from last week. Hope you enjoy the week ahead half as much. Lesley x

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  3. You are both very kind - that's one of the lovely things about bloggers isn't it that they are so supportive. Thanks to you both.

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  4. Lovely to see Salisbury looking its best - I lived there when I had my first job, then husband had a job about 6 miles away, then we both lived in a school about 4 miles out (with gaps of several years between the three), so it's a place we know well. It can be absolutely freezing on a bad day with a sharp wind though!

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  5. Jee

    Thanks for your comment - I too lived there many years ago so I know it can be chilly and dismal also lived at Downton for a while too.

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  6. What great photo's and it's great to get out and about isn't it? Since becoming NT members we have discovered so many little gems on our travels. Our countryside is wonderful and all too often we run it down rather than appreciate it. Salisbury is on our long list of places to visit!

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  7. A lovely chatty post - please don't stop! Some fabulous photos of the countryside and a wonderful description!

    I love the rooster, how wonderful to be able to print on fabric!

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  8. I've never been to Salisbury but it looks very pretty. Those properties down on the river and by the Cathedral look gorgeous!

    Love your printing onto fabric, I'm looking forward to see what else you come up with.

    Kate x

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  9. A lovely newsy, mixed post. Two good days out by the looks of it. The fabric print looks good. Hope you get your printer!

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  10. Jane, you captured the drive through the countryside perfectly, the weather this week does make your heart sing everything seems especially beautiful this year. I even enjoyed listening to the rain this morning, it didn't put the birds off singing. How do you know your printer has pigment or dye inks I wonder, I'd love to print on fabric.
    A lovely set of photographs too.
    Jill

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  11. I love being able to go for a walk with blogger friends, through their beautiful photographs, so much fun!

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  12. I bet the bed of hyacinths was intoxicating - I only like the smell of the pink ones.

    Love your makey stuff.

    Nina x

    ps. 'yep' looks good in a tea cosy too! Nxx

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  13. Salisbury is so lovely - I'm coveting those houses by the river - wonderful! Fisherton Mill looks interesting and definitely my kind of place.

    I was thinking about hyacinths and how I would like to plant a whole swathe of them in the garden instead of the odd one popping up here and there. I love their heady perfume!

    Hope you have a good week Jane - I'm missing the sunshine of last week but wouldn't say no to a nice spring shower or too in between.

    Jeanne
    x

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  14. Lovely photos, what a wonderful day out you must have had. The flowers look amazing! Love the little flowers and heart, interested to know what they will be.
    Have a lovely day.

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