Small Collection of Good Things

These candlesticks were a Christmas present from my Dad. He turns them on his lathe. I love them. They make me think of the three kings. 

 They are made of oak from beams in a church in Staplehurst where my aunt and uncle live. They were the beams holding up the bells but were replaced some time ago. Dad got hold of most of the beams. In the same way I hoard wool, fabric, paper, buttons etc, my Dad hoards wood. He gradually makes things from it. He worked out that this wood must be about five hundred years old-the age of mature oaks plus the time the beams hung in the church. A little piece of history on our table!

 Cheesy scrambled eggs with cherry tomatoes on a buttered muffin. Frothy coffee. A delicious breakfast I made myself at some point over the holidays. The little box it is on was made for me by my brother a long time ago. It is battered and simple and makes just the right size little coffee table. He is also very clever at making wooden things. The butterfly tin holds all my cottons.

 What was left of our garden on the left after the builders had pulled out the jasmine bush. It was already dying as our neighbour had cut through the root. It was a pain of a bush but I was a bit sad. I was upset to find that my fuchsia had also been pulled out. It was given to me by my sister in law when we still lived in our old flat. I dug it up in January and replanted it in icy ground. It survived fine. I popped it back in the ground and hope that it can repeat its success.

 About two weeks ago I saw a woman wearing a lovely grey coat-fake fur leopard print on the top half which looked like a jacket, and the bottom half was plain grey. She had a lovely cowl type scarf on in white, grey, bright pink and pale pink. It was in horizontal stripes and the stripes seemed to overlap. I remembered seeing about a stitch (spike stitch) where the colours overlap as you crochet into one or two rows below. A quick bit of research and a you tube video later, and I was ready to start my version of the scarf. I am only about half way through as the rows are very long but I hope I like it when it is finished!

 I noticed this sign and at first thought, 'How lovely, a blackbird on a sign.' Then I realised that the sign meant 'Don't feed the birds'. It was on a tiny and sad patch of grass that would have been improved by a few happy birds eating. This is the one thing that is not  a good thing!

 Pelham puppet girl picked up for £3 (reduced from £15) in the charity shop. She is missing a hand but still looks happy. I was quite pleased with my little painting of her.

Lovely Lily under her little blanket. Andy started the tradition of making the cats who are on the bed a little nest. Our bedroom is quite cold and they seem to like it. We usually tuck a dressing gown or jumper in a little ark around their backs. This large granny square just lies around and I used it to cover Lily. She seems to like it. In the background you may have spotted a large pink teddy. This is one of the teddies that I don't think anyone else would want, so I have to keep it. I need help!