Thank you!

It would be very remiss of me not to forget to thank Em over at Pearlesyarn for the lovely parcel of donated yarn she sent me in the week.  I am sure I can make ‘greyt’ use of it in producing some items to sell for fund raising for greyhounds. I have just now got to think what to make with it – Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated. 

If you have a spare moment, why not visit Em over at Pealesyarn, where she describes herself as a hen keeping, veggie growing, knitter who likes to cook and take pictures.

Greyhounds Galore again!

I have been busy making greyhounds for fund raising again.  Two life sized ones in crochet and some small knitted pups.   Raven our new foster was very interested but Tillie has seen them come and go before..

I have finished another large greyhound but it just needs putting together and I have already started another one, a commission this time in rainbow colours.

New Foster Raven

Sorry for the infrequency of postings lately, but I just haven’t felt up to being bright and chatty after losing Ali (thank you for all your kind words) and then last weekend I was hit by a nasty cold bug.  Sore throat followed by 2 days of a very, very wet nose and constant sneezing, luckily now I am feeling better although I still have a fuggy head.  It must have been bad as at the weekend when I had ample time to indulge and sit around just knitting or crocheting revelling in my germs guilt free I didn’t even feel like doing that – what a waste!

Anyway on to other news.  A couple of weeks ago after only 4 days had elapsed after Rocky’s departure we welcomed Raven into our home.  He is about 2, black with a slight white muzzle, white chest and little white on his feet.  He was in a bad way, very thin, open wounds, broken tail, and with loads of pressure sores after lying on concrete.  I can’t say too much way about where he his from at the moment as it looks likely that a cruelty & neglect case may follow.  Even in this miserable state and being denied care and companionship he is such a gorgeous, friendly & trusting boy.  Over the few days we have had him he has emerged from his ordeal a very lively, puppyish, inquisitive and very loving dog.  He is trying to cram over 2 years of being unloved into the last 2 weeks as he loves to sit on your lap – at 32kgs no mean feat!  All his open wounds have healed, his coat is beginning to grow back even with a shine and he sits for treats & his dinner.

The first two pictures are on the day we got him and the third picture is with Nigel who he idolizes after being with us a few days.

Sweet Dreams Ali

It is with a very heavy heart this evening that I tell you that our lovely black and white puss Ali passed away this afternoon.  He had been slowly going down hill for a few weeks and really looking his age which we estimate to be around 20.  He came into our lives around about 1991 when I kept seeing him skulking around the garden but would never come near us.   Eventually we were able to gain his trust and he made his home with us, Rocky our dog at that time and another puss called Jess.  Sam who was nearly 3 by then wanted to name him Annie but it soon became apparent that Annie needed a more masculine name so sounding like Annie we chose Ali – Ali Cat.  He was a really loving cat and in his younger days would go for a walk with us into the village, only going so far and then on our journey back would leap out at us unsuspecting to greet us with many miaows and then journey home with us.  The last couple of years he lost his hearing and with this he became more vocal and as he couldn’t hear himself he thought neither could we so he upped his volume.  We should have realised that his days were nearing an end as he became much quieter vocally in the last couple of weeks.  We were home for lunch as usual today whereupon Ali was wandering around when he suddenly collapsed in the hall unable to get up.  With a very leaden heart we took him to the vets where cuddling him close the vet quietly eased his passing.

He now lies in the garden under some trees where he used to love to lie in the dappled sunlight, close to his old friend Jess.  Sweet dreams Ali Puss, we shall miss you xxxxx

Snow again!

Last weekend on Saturday we woke up to some snow again.  It has mostly gone now but is still hanging about in the cooler more sheltered parts of the garden.

Nigel’s boat is frozen in and stuck in it’s shed again so no rowing to work for him until the ice melts.  The hut in the tree is Sam’s old tree house which I now use to store all my bee-keeping equipment in.

Sorry for the poor quality picture of the heron but we did take it through the kitchen window.  The poor thing was stalking about trying to fish but to no avail.  He had got his eye on the bird feeders but was too shy to have a go.  I did throw some bread out to him but the gulls came down and stole it before he could get to it.