Post-Burwell Post

Well here it is, very very late. I just could not get my thoughts together to write this post. Also I haven't been able to lay my hands on many of the other photographs I know were taken so there are fewer than last year. Starting from the top - the new Melodeon Class Tutor, Andy Cutting, taken at stupid o'clock in the morning, by the lovely CAroline Creasey, whistle player and One Night Stand Band Leader. Thanks for the photo, Caroline.I had a great time learning melodeon, instead of fiddle tunes. I think we brought so much away from the workshops it will take time to sort out just what little nuggets of gold, as well as the tunes, we were given. We were all chuffed to hear from Stephen that the melodeon class is back next year and "Mr Cutting has it in his diary" !

Of course, it was strange not being in the fiddle class - and I did get some "good natured " flack from Jock and Tola (above) . Fortunately Stephen had allocated me to Jock's Mixed Band so I did get to spend time being tutored -after a fashion- by the lovely Mr Tyldsley. The photo below is our Mixed Band about to perform, the night of the Tutors' Concert.

On Monday, coffee break saw the presentation of a lovely cake by the Burwell Staff for Emily's 21st birthday, and here we are, after Gina (Emily's mum) gave her the bag I had made as an 'extra' birthday present. When Gina commissioned this I was a bit worried as you never really know how things will be received unless they have chosen it themselves, but Em seemed very pleased, so PHEW all round!

On Tuesday we had Games Night, which began out in the garden with silly games like rolling a tennis ball down very long plastic piping. Sadly the Blindfolded Sheepherding was not on the agenda this year - poor new students, al 21 of them, have missed a treat! When it got dark, Games Night moved indoors and the  Team Ceilidhs began. Below is one team, with the obligatory photo of "Clive Dancing" (There has to be one each year, along with one of "Stephen Sleeping".

Another obligatory shot is one of Ellie and Dave. This year I have relented and not published the "Sleazy Shot" to save their blushes. (It wasn't really, honestly, Burwell isn't like that.)

Another theme this year was the logo tee-shirts. Here is Nicky demonstrating his feminist streak - and good for him!

Dom, AKA "Rear of the Year" displaying his personal mantra on his manly chest.

"Seldom......" Ah now, you had to be there. Andy is here giving his Maiden Speech, or actually, giving his tutor's critique of Clive's One Night Stand Band. He began with the word "Seldom...." and paused. It had been a side-splitting performance, and really, that pause said it all. He then launched into a brilliant spiel which had us all nearly in tears of laughter.

Brian Finnegan pausing before launching into his Mixed Band performance. It was a very special Burwell this year, Brian's 20th, and we celebrated in style, and a wonderful video show created by Ellie, depicting 20 years worth of Brian photographs and accomplishments. It is true to say that without Brian's ongoing efforts and support, Burwell Bash would not be happening today. It was a wonderful and emotional evening, which later included the Tutors' concert.

I have to explain this photograph, Jock and I are NOT the worse for wear, honestly. We are preparing to play for our Team Ceilidh, and the photographer caught one of those split seconds when your face is all over the place! Our team took as the theme of the dance The Commonwealth Games - which were running concurrently. We had  barn dancing in the style of synchronised swimming, dancing  in the style of discus throwing, in the style of tandem bike racing, and probably others which I have forgotten. I know Jock and I played The Oyster Girl on repeat for about eight minutes. It was gloriously funny, and Stephen did say it was the best ceilidh he had ever seen. Ironic? Stephen? Anyway, great fun.

The next few photos are of our One Night Stand Band. We played the 'given tune' to our own arrangement, then Blanche led us with a new version of the Kinks' song Lola - now renamed - TOLA.

Impossible to play melodeon throughout the entire song so I abandoned my box and took up the shaky eggs, channeling the spirit of my lovely Burwell friend Debs who couldn't join us this year. Debs is an expert eggs shaker, and I hope I did her justice!

Below, Tola as the realisation struck him. The audience, needless to say, were well ahead of him, and it was priceless watching his face as we swung into T..o..l..a  TOLA!

So, a very different Burwell this year, 21 new students, and some 'old stalwarts' who couldn't join us this year which was sad, a new instrument class and new tutor ..... but the Burwell Bash is bigger than the sum of its parts, and, as I say every year, this was the best Burwell Bash ever! I know there are lots more photos out there, but I simply couldn't put all of mine on and there are some I haven't even seen yet. Oh, and a few excellent unofficial videos happened this year too. One of which is on Jock's phone ...... allegedly .......

I know it's late .......

I know! I've done it again.... so sorry, 'stuff' just gets in the way, and believe me, you non-bloggers, once you get out of the daily habit of checking out the blogs and thinking about your own, the days pass amazingly quickly with nothing written, no photos taken, and people saying 'where is your latest blog post??' Which is very nice in one respect, but then it's a mad dash to put something together if you haven't got something planned. Which I do, sometimes, honest!

So......   right, here are some tiny blooms in the pot next to the back door; and here are some larger ones neath the beech tree .....

NOT my favourite flowers AT ALL, those awful massive great leaves floppin' about all over the place, but Jim likes them so, hey, he does the gardening.

And on the subject of flowers, here are the lovely daffs - I don't know why but I want to call them Jonquils - but then I know nothing about flowers really. They just look beautiful in my Siennese jug, and they come as usual, from Victoria: many thanks Victoria.

Not a great day to be taking photographs but the splash of colour is welcome, isn't it? (Oooops, have just noticed the bedraggled basil plant dying gracefully on the right there .... sorry about that!)

What else have I been doing? Quite a bit of music playing as it happens. I am in a frenzy of learning a new and somewhat difficult tune, so lots of teeth gritting and a few mild expletives when it doesn't sound right, also getting some tunes together to send to Stephen who organises the Burwell Bash each year . HURRAH!!! Have just booked my place and this year I will be in the new MELODEON class so it is bye-bye to the fiddle group and 'HELLO ANDY CUTTING!' Yessssss! There is a smidgeon of mild hysteria going about at the moment on that score but I'm sure we will all settle down soon and start behaving like adults. We need some tunes which melodeon players like to play, so the fiddles and guitars will be ok with them, the flutes and whistles might find some of them a bit awkward. But it is give and take - a lot of whistle tunes will be impossible for the DG melodeons, wrong key.But this is just in the evening sessions, and they are always a bit of a free-for-all. So I am having a bit of a re-cap on tunes I should really already know, but have slipped off the playing agenda of late.

I have been kept up to the mark in the stitching department, as I need to have more completed items for May's Open Studios and time passes quickly. Here is what I've been working on the last couple of weeks.

The wool throw is becoming more appliqué- filled, though it has a long way to go yet.

And this cushion cover is nearly there .....

Apart from pincushions and bangles, I don't enjoy making more than one or two of anything, but this cushion "One Bird Upon a Hill Beneath a Star" is quite popular, I have sold three, and funnily enough I do love stitching it. I make tiny changes each time I make it so actually they are not identical.

I promise to have a one or maybe two posts at the end of the weekend, very textile related, so I hope to get back in your good books!

And speaking of books, how are you getting on with your A Year in Books book? I have read two and need another to get me to the end of the month when I can begin March's book. I must say, it is never a hardship finding time to read. I hope the week is going right for you all and the weather is as kind as we can expect it to be in Winter.

November Colour

                                                   View from the Front Door this morning.

After a very cold night last night, the full moon hanging hugely in the clear sky, I was expecting a heavy frost this morning. However, though it is cold, there's no frost here, just damp and wet, and very, very sunny. We have been so fortunate where we live, to have escaped the devastating floods elsewhere in the country. I do hope none of you have experienced the heartbreak and chaos we've been seeing on our televisions the past week.

At the weekend, a friend and I took a calculated risk and drove down to Evesham in Worcestershire for some more music making. We checked with the Premier Inn we were booked into, that they were flood free, as the online videos of some caravans bobbing about in several feet of water had made us think twice!!  Our journey was uneventful and we spent a great day in the barn at The Fleece Inn, and the evening at a session in the pub itself. GREAT music, and lovely to put faces to the names we knew only from the melodeon on-line forum.

                                                               Deep Concentration!

                                               Lester's Melodeon Maintainance Spot.

The next morning we left after breakfast, no rain, brilliant sunshine. We later learned that the proposed lunch-time appearance by the local dance side had been cancelled as the road to the village flooded and no-one could get through! We left in  the nick of time!

I feel I ought to be putting some textiley bits on here at last! So here are a couple of shots relating to 'patches'.

The patchwork top waiting to be layered up and quilted! Well, at least I now have the wadding!

And the silk and velvet patchwork cushion on the cane chair. This has been sat on so much the patches are beginning to shred, I need to repair it...possibly over-patch it, that would be fitting, wouldn't it? Yes, I think that's what I shall do.

Some of you commented about those lovely ceramic spoons I bought in Bury the other week. This is why I immediately knew they would fit well into our kitchen. You'll notice (again) that I don't go in for the minimalist look!

And more colour in the Big Bowl, I'm so glad Jim prompted me to buy this , we use it all the time.

Coriander looking a trifle woebegone! Most of it ended up in the Moroccan Meatball Sauce I made earlier this week, after watching Ottolenghi. Be still my beating heart - I am smitten by Tunisia!

Well, that's your lot. Just remains to say a HUGE thankyou to all those lovely people who rushed to my aid with advice and 'virtual hand holding' when I panicked over my photo storage trauma! You saw me through it; don't despise us technophobes, you clever people, we obviously have other - just as useful - talents! Many thanks to you all. I love Blogland.

Lino prints and feeling felty.

Tapping away at my lap-top in rhythm to the pattering of the rain on the conservatory roof. Actually, I have a sneaking feeling of comfort and cosyness, despite the awful weather; I don't have to go out again today, Jim's away so no big meal to cook, chores done this morning so rest of the day to myself. Off to Norwich with friend Sue K tomorrow- we have booked lunch at Jamie Oliver's new (ish) restaurant, and we will be having a wander round the shops, no doubt. Then on to my melodeon lesson, always a high spot in the week. Thursday again, a take-it-easy kinda day , Friday quick whizz round the shops for mum then back home to pack...I am off for a weekend at Witney, Oxfordshire with a load of other melodeonistas for 2 days of workshops! Yay! And guess who is one of the tutors....yessssss! ANDY CUTTING! Phew, calm down Lynne. Anyway, I wil fill you in about that when I get back...blogging will be a little behind I'm afraid. I am thoroughly enjoying my low-key, kicking-back, sybaritic week.

A photo of the finished wool/felt cushion, I rather like the little 'tongues' round the edge, don't you?

And this is just a glimpse of a felty heart which has been winging its way to a bloggy friend.

And this is a glimpse of the dining room table which is going to stay like this for the next couple of days -  but I will tidy up before I go, promise!

Now though these next photos are not textile related, I want to talk about them for a couple of reasons. The first is that I love graphic prints, and these lino cuts are brilliant. And secondly I love to give a heads up to local Norfolk artists and crafters.

 I adore the work of  Angie Lewin, and pore over her book Plants and Places often; and a book by printmaker Mark Hearld is hopefully going to find its way into my Christmas stocking. I noticed these lovely lino cuts on Pinterest - sorry I can't remember whose - and clicked on through to read all about Amanda Colville, and immediately remembered reading about her as a winner in Country Living's Kitchen Table Talent Awards 2012 - the September issue. Amanda did a printmaking course at the College of West Anglia and went on to create these fabulous lino prints, using of all things, an old mangle! She has a blog  mangleprints.blogspot.co.uk and a website. Her prints are available on-line and at some interesting shops around the UK.....our nearest is at  Dalegate Market, Burnham Deepdale on the north Norfolk coast. A really good excuse for a trip out if you ask me!

I have contacted Amanda and have her permission to include her photos here. My post-header is of course one of her prints, too. I'd just like to wish her luck in her enterprise and hope she gets lots of lovely orders for Christmas!


Well that's it for now folks, just like to say I was a trifle overwhelmed by the response to my '50 shades of gery' hair colour! I hope you will be as fulsome in your praise for Amanda's work. See you after the weekend, I'm now going to settle down to more stitching whilst listening to Michael Jayston reading aloud to me from a PD James thriller - what's not to love?

Trip to Ireland

                                                    View from the Back Door.
Hello! Hello! Yes, I haven't dropped off the edge of the Planet - though it does indeed feel like it! The header photo is of the field next door, with the silage all baled and ready for what is probably going to be a long and wet Autumn/Winter. I rather like this, I think it should go in the Country File Calendar. Do you have the same groan going on in your household everytime John Craven says '...and now here are the entries for this years competition!'...not that we don't enjoy the photographs, but my poor husband just can't bear the whole rigmarole every week in the lead up. I, in turn, can't bear him making the same remark every week...............

 We had a lovely week in Ireland with friends Lesley and Mike. We stayed a few days in their beautiful house just outside a tiny village called Drinagh, in West Cork, then we moved to a hotel in Clonmel while the chaps did fishing related stuff and Lesley and I did.....a lotta chillin'! We swam, I was seen, briefly, on a treadmill, we had some FABULOUS pampering, we sat around and read and nattered and drank coffee and nattered some more. We did not feel in the LEAST guilty as we felt we deserved the rest. I maxed out on as many versions of seafood chowder as I could find....the best? Well, an even draw between Dinty's pub in Union Hall and a hotel in Kenmare, but they were all good, it has to be said.

I was very remiss and didn't make notes of the place names when I took photos so you'll have to excuse the lack of information, just enjoy the photos!

                     Lesley and Mike's house which they've extended and modernised beautifully.

               Conservatory view across to Drinagh..wooded stone circle in the mid-ground.

                                                        Mist on the Hills.

                             Across to Drinagh - a little further than it looks on this zoom shot.

                                                          The Square at Skibereen.

                         Heron on the river at Skibereen. So close to us, he just walked right past!

                        The bay at Union Hall, taken before we went for our meal.

                      Lesley, Mike and Jim  heading into Dinty's Bar for some lovely grub!

                                                       Approaching Bantry Bay.

                                                               Fellow travellers.

    Very orange hotel in Glengarriff - we spotted several houses within a 25 mile radius which had      obviously come out of the same pot!

                                             Buildings in Kenmare - I think!

                         A tiny pub where we stopped off on the way home from Kenmare, for a cuppa.

        City sight-seeing at Waterford. Amazed at the beautiful crystal we couldn't afford!

Well, I think I managed to remember most of the names. Lesley you'll have to fill me in if I made a mistake. I took no photos in Clonmel so that's your lot! We saw some beautiful scenery, met some lovely people. I had a great conversation with a guy in a music shop in Kenmare about various systems of accordians/ melodeons, I could have stayed all day! But I was not tempted! Oh, we did pop into a music shop in Waterford but they were more into guitars, though I did have a little go on a BC melodeon....ooooooh VERY different to my DG one! We will definitely be going back to West Cork, lots more to see, and of course, there's the rest of the whole of Ireland!

Too much sitting in 4x4's though, have really done for my back and the following week wasn't very comfortable. However, almost sorted now. There were so many things I'd intended doing last week, too, but feeling under par, and then having a flat tyre many miles from home, loads of catching up stuff for mum......where did the days go? So sorry I haven't been reading blogs and keeping in touch, but hopefully all back to normal now.

I did have some great postcards printed of some of my textiles and journal pages, so impressed I shall be across to see The Man to have some more done soon! And some greetings cards too. Here are the proofs:

                                 I'll put some pics of the actual cards up next time.

Before we popped up to Dersingham to collect them Jim and I went to market. This is what my money went on this week:

Good, eh? Most - or certainly much -  of this little lot is destined for my new juicer. The rest will be side dishes or luverlee soups. I made one the other day....it does look a bit brown and yuk but it was delicious.....lentil dahl. mmmmmmmmmmm!

I do want to talk about juicers, had a few enquiries after the earlier post. No, we aren't going vegan or fruitarian, just having a little re-jig of the way we eat. More next time!

Oooh and I should really change my profile photo too....I decided to go au naturel, hair wise, and it took me a while to get used to it, I can tell you! Jim prefers it. I call my new shade "Fifty Shades of Grey" (well what did you expect????? and no, I am holding out and intend being the last woman on earth to read the damned thing. Several people whose views I respect have told me the writing is execrable, and I really didn't like what I saw of the author when she was interviewed. Just my opinion.)

Sooooooo, looking forward to having a few chats, and catching up with all your blogs too. See you next time!