Sharing the solar eclipse experience

 

Yesterday the UK experienced an almost total solar eclipse; it was 91.8% for us in the  midlands.

There was a palpable sense of excitement as people compared their preparations with solar glasses, social media offering advice on the times & places to viewing from. 

We opted for the edge of a local wood we visit often. I checked that it faced west for the setting sun. The woods are high, looking out across fields towards our local landmark of the Wrekin hill. 

We got there in good time, walked up the sandy path  & were the only ones on a baking hot afternoon

I picked up these 5 stones on my walk up to the bank, ones that I liked. They were all very hot to the touch because it was 35c outdoors. They were placed next to me to absorb the suns energy through the eclipse. 

The trees in the wood were throwing out light shapes through their tree canopies.

We were soon joined by another couple, then another & another until about 25 of us were watching the horizon. The moon nibbled at the sun, growing ever bolder as more & more was in darkness. 

At 17:11, we reached the maximum amount. We kept checking times on phones, the excitement was contagious. We took photos of the changing sky as the light softened to a warm golden glow that bathed us in its light. We felt we were part of a collective experience that was bigger than we were. 

The photos took a backseat to just being immersed in the experience. We all glowed in the warm golden light, like children of King Midas. 

We were strangers sharing a moment, a time of collective memories that we will carry forward. People who gathered on the edge of a dusty field to personally be part of something much larger than ourselves. The universe humbling us as we realised how insignificant we really are.

Why do people who seldom take notice of the changing seasons feel an indescribable need to bear witness to an event few of us will see again ? Perhaps there is some magical pull from the universe that draws us in. 

Thanks for stopping by, it is always appreciated 

Dee 🌅🌞🕶🌳☀️

The gorgeous blooms of the Shropshire petal fields

 

The Shropshire Petal Fields sell their petals for bridal events - you can choose colours or a mixture.

 It is much more environmentally friendly confetti as it is bio degradable. 

It is fairly local to us & we booked tickets some weeks ahead as it is very popular.

They open their fields for about 10 days before harvest as an events time so we can all buy tickets to enjoy the wonderful display. This year our hot dry weather has impacted the fields but they have put in a tremendous effort.

Ellie & I booked for Monday morning & it was absolutely lovely to wander around the course, amongst the gorgeous blooms. 

They are very family friendly with lots of spots to stop & do photos - a red tractor, a tall giraffe amongst the sunflowers, a zebra, a cast iron bath, a huge chair, a heart arch, haybales, Cinderella's carriage etc.

There were several fields of sunflowers which was just as well as their gorgeous faces track the sun so on some of the paths they were facing away from us.

Some of the patches were really tall, with several interesting varieties vying for space in the sun. 

A large giraffe was placed amongst some & it was good fun to do some posing with it. 

That is my only safari this year, seeing the crocodile, giraffe & zebra in the Shropshire fields ... 

We had a great girlie morning taking selfies & lots of photos of the beautiful blooms, the colours so bright against the parched nearby fields that was being harvested. 

Most of the women decided that it was the perfect summer activity for lovely dresses & hats which added to the scene. We don't get to be 'girlie' often enough so this was rather sweet. 

I opted for a wide brimmed sun hat I had used in Spain to keep the sun off my face. It is a factor 50 hat protection which is rather useful in this hot weather. 

We need more opportunities to just wander around flower fields & relax. The fields will be harvested after this event & the petals will be used by brides around the UK. 

That is a great cycle for the flowers. 

I hope you have enjoyed the wander with me ... 

Dee 💐🌷🌼🌺

Two years on, the hedge is growing

Two years ago, I shared the shock of the new neighbour cutting down the hedge that bordered the side of our back garden. 

The 30 year old hedge was unceremoniously cut down in the matter of a few hours & it left a gaping hole in our greenery. 

Pop over to this post to read about it. 

 I ordered some larger Laurels to fill the gap & they have taken their time to get established & start to make progress.

This year, at last there is more greenery & it is likely that they will all reach the top of the fence panel by the end of summer. 

I have fed them with multipurpose plant food & will add a thick layer of our own leaf mould as autumn approaches to protect the roots from frost or snow. 

The side gardens are higher than ours so I will like to get back the green background we took for granted for so long. 

However, our very dry July has not helped & the additional plants I have nurtured have stayed in the pots rather than being added to the side bed to thicken the hedging border. 

A green border also looks much nicer in our long winter months when the garden is a bit sparce. 

Any suggestions to give the laurels a growth spurt? 

Thank you for stopping by, it is always appreciated, 

Dee 🏡🪏🪴👩‍🌾

Making a quick sewing case

 

I do rather love a neat sewing case because I have needles for various activities like hand sewing, beading, embroidery, applique, scroll work etc. 

I often gift needle cases too, like this one. 

Everyone needs somewhere to keep their needles safe & if it is both functional & beautiful, then it is even more special.

I  will be doing some travelling in the summer that requires a bit of planning for an event & I like to  be prepared with a few needles & threads because they are generally needed (seldom by me)

Rather than moving needles from one of my needle books, I found two fabrics from my stash & a matching bit of felt. I also had the fabric strip to use as a tie, & I have loads of vintage buttons from Olive. 

This is my most used little needle book I made a few years ago.

 The fabric applique was part of a 'making zen' workshop I did & it is my favourite needle book - filled with all kinds of needles I use regularly, many with sashiko type needles with a large eye that glides through fabric. 

Needle books need to be functional & not too big so I cut out the size I decided on as well as a piece to use as a little pocket which had a hem sewn on the one side that would be open. 

I pinned the fabrics right sides together, did three sides & left a turning side, then found the pocket was wrong way up. Does anyone else have these moments when you can't decide which way something has to go so that it will turn through the gap the way it is supposed to? 

I trimmed the whole thing all around the edges, taking out the line of stitching & then pinned the pocket again. I pinned the edges then did a quick turn to sort out the right way for the pocket before sewing all around the edges, except for the turning out section.  

It was a relief to turn it out & find it was the right way this time. 

I cut a piece of felt to fit in the gap, then machined the turned out side, enclosing the edge of the fabric tie strip. 

I found a button that would go well & hand stitched it on. 

The important bit is the felt parts that hold the needles. After the needle case was ironed flat & folded in to the thirds so one would cover it all, I cut 2 pieces of felt to go in the two thirds part. I did a quick heart shaped template for the one in the middle, drew a line with a heat erasable pen then machined the felt on to the fabric case. 

I am rather liking the pattern contrast  & the little pocket is useful for some iron on hemming web (for those of us who seem to lose a trousers hem) and some threads that will go with most things.

 A few safety pins are always needed (usually for a blouse that is too low) and the little needle case is ready. 

Who else has various needle cases for various projects? 

Tell all. Thank you for stopping by, it is always appreciated. 

Dee 📍🪡

Done & dusted …

The end of an era 

I eluded to this being the year I step back from a lifetime in education of sorts. 

I qualified 45 1/2 years ago & my whole adult life has involved education in varied forms. I taught in mainstream with all the admin & extracurricular activities involved in that in several countries. 

I was asked to train rural women to work in nursery schools in the highlands of Lesotho & that is what I did. I wrote a programme & taught it to the rural ladies. When they went to the capital city for a training course, they were amazed to be given a copy of the one I had devised & they were so pleased to be ahead of the curve. It was in these rurals that I was invited into communities & homes that were suddenly thrust into a new way of living & we helped them make sense of it all. 

In England, my first jobs was working in libraries, helping out with all the usual jobs & the more unusual ones of story times etc, something that comes naturally. 

An opportunity to work in a university library came up & the academic setting was wonderful, not just doing the book part but also supporting students. There were times when their emotions & pressure got the better of them & a calmness was needed to restore their equilibrium. I decided against taking a Librarianship qualification & instead took a bridging course to be confident in the UK educational curriculum before returning to mainstream teaching for a while.  

Without wider support, teaching is difficult with a young family & a chance encounter with the Mum of one of the pupils I had taught at me on an independent path. 

An Elective Home Education tutor was needed for their community who don’t  traditionally transfer to secondary sco & I took on the role ‘until you find someone else’

My student numbers grew from the initial two to 36 weekly students, some in groups, some individually.  It was challenging to initially work out a system for the 4-18 year old age group but it soon settled into a great rhythm with flexibility on both sides for life’s challenges.

My tutoring bags were a regular feature in life - filled with all the things I need for each day, for different ages & stages.  

Some students stayed for a few years, some for their secondary years, others for their entire schooling, mortified at the thought that they would have a new teacher each year in school. 

It is an enormous privilege to work in people’s homes, in their private spaces, to be privacy to their lives, to know their extended family too. I have shared their joys of marriages, births & good fortune, but also the sadness of illnesses & death. 

Today my final students were the last of the 4 siblings that I have tutored for the last 19 years - a great chunk of all our lives. 

It is the right time to step away, to have time & energy to enjoy whatever time I have in retirement & to be thankful to my parents who encouraged me to education because, in their words, “you will always have a job!”. How right they were … 

The students & families kind words of appreciation is welcome, I am glad I have made a positive contribution along the way. 

Thank you for stopping by, it is appreciated 

Dee 📘📗🗓️📅📚