Su + 2: November 2015

Thursday 26 November 2015

Cooking and a Curly Leaf

As last weekend was so cold I spent it washing (or rather the machine did) cooking and drawing. I love my slow cooker; I batch cooked Caribbean pepper pot stew, beef bourguignon and chicken curry. There are two meals for two in each batch so these will be our ready meals when we are home late. I also did a delicious roast (the Engineer's words, not mine) and used up the remaining butternut squash from the pepper pot stew, roasting it with the potatoes - yummy. With enough of everything left over for my lunch at work and for another chicken based meal for two at home later in the week, it all worked out rather well.

I have been doing a leaf in pen and ink and am quite enjoying it. Although I know it’s a curly leaf, I’m not sure anyone else looking at it would see that.

We also took the Teen into town to get a new mobile phone and new contract. Luckily I was able to slip away to the library for a little bit as the choices are diverse. Happily the Teen is quite sensible at times and we told her how much things were costing - how can she know the value of money if she doesn’t know what the costs of things are? She now has a new phone and a reasonable contract for a phone with an i in front of it so she is extra happy! Oh, the power of the media.

We had our first proper frost this week too; I had to scrape the car before venturing on the roads. Out came the hat gloves and scarf - finally a touch of winter.

Sunday 8 November 2015

Remembering.

Today was another damp and grey day, but very mild. I am glad it didn't rain this morning as the Teen was taking part in the Remembrance Day parade as part of the Girl Guides. For two minutes around the local war memorial people of all ages were silent, some remembering friends and loved ones and some thinking about what they had seen on the news or learnt in history lessons. But hopefully everyone was thinking of the same thing at the same time. I thought of my dad for whom remembrance Sunday was very important; he saw active service in Korea and lost friends. He never talked about his experiences but they helped to shape who he was. He was a large gentle man who loved his family and friends and would help anyone who needed it. His faith remained very strong throughout his life and he always said it was the prayers of his father that helped sustain him when he was fighting.

Picture from Wikipedia

In the garden at home it is so mild at the moment that I have flowers on my broad beans (in November) as well as some very persistent slugs that have taken a liking to my broccoli.

Broad beans

Indoors, I have finished the scarf I have been crocheting. It has turned out well and it's warm but light and I have enjoyed the rhythm of making it.

One of the few times we've lit the fire recently

Ta-da!

I'm not sure what my next crochet project will be, maybe another scarf but in a silk or cotton yarn, as although this wool is soft, its still a bit scratchy next to the skin.

Sunday 1 November 2015

Pen and Ink workshop

I have had a very nice weekend. I spent two days at a pen and ink drawing workshop in Bosham. I have never used pen and ink before so it was all new and very exciting.
There were some beautiful dried things to choose from as subjects and I went for a poppy seed head.

Not a good photo, but you get the idea

One day, before lunch, the "chef" had just chopped the onions when there was a power cut that lasted about an hour and a half so the chef went out and got fish and chips and very nice they were too, along with pickled onions and gherkins.

We were supplied with plenty of biscuits and a slice of black forest gateaux to keep our energy levels up; In fact at one stage you could have heard a pin drop we were all concentrating so hard, very unusual.

The final image is my completed piece.

It was, as usual, a very good workshop with excellent teaching and food. The only thing I found frustrating was I didn't feel I could get as much detail in as I would have liked so next time I do some pen and ink I will use a finer nib.