Recent Reading
The "Guilty Ones" is book 4 in the Jackman and Evans series and it was brilliant and totally gripping.
This Shire book was excellent and a great read if, like me, you want to know more about timber framed buildings. I got the idea of visiting Leigh Court Barn from this book. Ideally I would prefer to have the "proper" book and if I see it anywhere I will buy it.
I think it was Caroline from the "Wild and Wonderful" blog who recommended this book and I think Rosie from "Corners of my Mind" has read it too. The author was awarded for this book The Women's Prize for fiction 2020. The book was inspired by Shakespeare's son Hamnet who gave his name to one of the playwright's plays. I found it poignant as Hamnet's twin sister goes down with the plague and Hamnet catches the disease too. I won't reveal any more but it is a good book.
I re-read Miss Read's books at bedtime when I am struggling to get a decent night's sleep. There is something quite comforting about them.
The next in the Mitchell and Markby series. I enjoy these books - set in the Cotswolds and the plots have lots of twists and turns.
I tend to knit if I watch tv and to be honest had got fed up with knitting hats and scarves - there are only so many you can wear and of course you have to store them!!! Years ago I used to make simple jumpers but I am ashamed to say I used to get my mother to finish the neck if you had to pick up stitches and to sew them up. Mom is no longer with us and for 10 years before she died she had alzheimer's and her eyesight was poor so sewing up my jumpers was not an option. Early this year I decided to have a go at a simple jumper even though I had to pick up the dreaded stitches. It took me over 3 months and here's the result which I am quite pleased with.
Garden Dragonflies
A Broad-bodied Chaser which is a garden "tick". A female I think.
Herefordshire
E's on holiday from work this week and wanted to visit the caravan for a few days and as there was a Jubilee Afternoon Tea Party at the site on Saturday afternoon we travelled Friday evening picking her up from work on the way and arriving just before 8.00.
On Saturday morning B and D fetched a Morrison's Click and Collect from Leominster and stopped off in the town centre. I wasn't with them so the photos are D's.
The caravan site used to have a yearly Summer barbecue which we have never been to as no events have been held due to the pandemic so the Jubilee Afternoon Tea party was the first event in several years. To be honest I was quite nervous especially as I haven't mixed socially with people since 2019!
People were asked to bring cakes or savouries so I bought some mini Afternoon Tea cakes and made a ginger traybake (like parkin). Emily in the week made a Strawberry and Lemonade Cake (a recipe in BBC Good Food Magazine) which we froze and then she decorated it on the Saturday morning.
There was a prize for the most patriotic caravan (we didn't win!) but B and D put some bunting and flags up on the Friday night. To be honest I would not call any of us royalists by any stretch of the imagination but I think the Queen is to be admired for her unstinting years of loyalty and duty.
The cakes we took - note we had already eaten a lot of the gingerbread!
The party took place in the walled garden, lasted for 3 hours, and the time went quick. The site owners had done a super job organising it all and there was a table tennis table where B and I played several games and a royal quiz. There was a lot of food. To be honest we didn't mingle much as most people were sat in groups with friends and family which for me was a relief especially as I don't hear that well these days.
I want one of these postboxes!!!!!
Before we leave the Jubilee a couple of photos of a postbox I saw in Solihull a few weeks ago with a crocheted topper.
Final photo - the Herefordshire Oak
On Sunday D and I went to Bromyard to see the Scarecrow Festival but I will leave that until the next post.
Photos taken by me with the Panasonic Bridge Lumix FZ330 bridge camera and photos marked *D taken by D with the Canon SX50HS bridge camera. (if anyone wishes to use any of my photos or my son's I would be grateful if you could email me first - thanks)
