Sunday morning

Up again early and back from the first walk. Weather forecast has been "promising" temperatures over 30°C for today and it is very humid, so when I was awake, the dogs were awake, it wasn't raining - there was no point to stay in bed and then have to go for the walk later in the heat.

It was a lovely walk and I picked some nuts to try out a recipe for a regional specialty: you need green walnuts that stay in water for about a fortnight, then you preserve them by cooking them in syrup. After 6 months you can open your first glass though they are said to get even better with time. They taste great with goat or sheep cheese or also with game. Will see if they are really worth the mess.
Didn't have the camera with me so instead here are some pictures from last week saturday's walk when we got soaked. Glad we were close to the ponds when it started raining and it rained really heavily, with a strong wind, and we could at least stand under a tree and among some bushes. It was over as fast as it had started and we got the greatest looking sky after.

On the two pictures above you can see the dark mass of cloud that was so heavy with the rain...

But luckily blown away so fast.

Of course I couldn't help but had to take some flower pictures, too:

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Edit at 9 am: Glad I was out so early as the farmer is just out in his potatoes spraying them with herbicides/insecticides.

Small bags

Today I want to show you two little bags I have made recently. This first isn't finished yet, I want to add a zipper and a handle. Then better pictures than this... Pattern is from http://frogiezplace.blogspot.com/2008/07/lauras-paw-bag.html and very easy to follow. As I went along I saw that my double held yarn wouldn't be enough, so I took out the bottom of the bag and did a three needle bind off instead. The yarn from the frogged bottom was just enough to finish the bag.

Then there is my first try in tapestry crochet. About the same size as the paw bag, just good for my mobile, keys and purse.
I worked in the round but changed the colours for the front and back so that the celtic knot is in peach on one side and in grey on the other. Still not sure what I prefer so I am glad I have both ways :-)
I had started this one years ago and forgot about it. When I found it again, I knew I wanted it finished. And use it. Finally. Was fun to crochet. The pattern for he knot is from a book full of celtic inspired cross-stitches that is called "Keltische Muster in Kreuzstich" by Barbara Hammet.
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Tina

Rapeseed

The rapeseed seems to be nearly ripe. I love how the little black shiny seeds are lying in their "bean". The plants get yellower and dryer day by day. I am sure the big machine to cut them is not very far away.

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Tina

Bisou

Our little girl had a big day yesterday! Took part in a dog race! She did so great and ran 50 meters in 5.2 seconds. Only two dogs of her size were a bit faster. We are so proud of her though it was just for fun. (And I think the vet who put her right ulna and radius back together did a pretty good job.)

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Tina

P.S. This is a "firsty" for us: Sweetheart took Myrtille for the weekend with him, to an agility competition (she is not running yet, just getting used to being there), sleeping in the tent (together in his sleeping bag I suppose) and I am staying at home with Bisou, Flavie and Dingo - the house is so quiet...

Knitty

For all of you who haven't seen it yet: the new Knitty is out. Called First Fall 2011, great timing in the first week of summer... But I think there are lots of small projects that could be a great summer knit, though. Go and have a look if you want to, the title of this post should work as a link.

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Tina

The girls

waiting for me to finally continue the walk and stop using that black thing all da time...

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Tina

"Jessica" by Kim Wilde

When I heard this song for the first time on the radio (a live version) the other day it touched me to the heart from the first tunes. Words, music, voice, just perfect to my ears (and my soul). Had to search for it online and it keeps having its effect each time I've listend to it so far.
As I want to share, perhaps there are other dog lovers out there who haven't heard it yet and might like it, I give you two links, the studio version, and a live version on youtube with a little fun at the end of the song :-)

EDIT: Just more tears right now as when I went to this blogpost to check if the links are working the first "you might also like" was "Good bye Josy". I think she was the very first that came to my mind when I heard the song for the first time...

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Tina

Wordless

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Tina

Dogs comfy at home

Enjoy!

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Tina

Green walk

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Roses

I love our roses! All of them! Here are some of them.

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Tina

Budgie Key Chain

I think I have never posted about the key chain I have made a few months ago...
Made from a "Schleich" budgie in which I drilled a hole from back to belly (the Schleich company makes maaaaany little animals in different sizes), a few wooden beads, some stitching threads and a little hook. Love it. It holds the key for our garden door.

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Tina

Doggie stomach bug

Ah, I had an awful night tonight with Flavie throwing up after being really worried about Dingo Friday evening. He started throwing up in the afternoon, several times, had some water that came back, too, so regarding his age and the heat and him not wanting to lay down but his hind legs giving in some when standing around, I took him to the vet. Who didn't like his overall look either and the smell in Dingo's mouth made him think of kidney problems but the first thing he said was that there is a bug around. Wow, this kidney thing really worried me until twentyish minutes later we had the results of the blood work and everything was good. So Dingo had an infusion (subcutane, hadn`t seen that before and it left a bump on his back/side) and some meds and was made "eating" some contrast stuff that is used for intestinal x-rays but also good to calm the stomach wall (not sure if that's a good word?) which was a big mess on vet's floor/cupboards/vet assistant`s and my pants and arms. Poor doggie boy hated it. He so much wanted his salami stick they usually get there.
Back at home he sleeped and after that looked a whole lot better. Was hungry the next morning and got a bit to eat and drink and it stayed inside! Sleeped a lot more during the a.m. and now seems to have recovered a bit more every time he gets up again. No more incidents here.

And then yesterday night Flavie started it. Problem is she is so fast that you have no chance to put something under her face or get her somewhere else - especially when you are sleeping, even if you already are wearing your glasses while sleeping... So I had to clean up several times during the night... Poor thing is upstairs now in front of the bathroom door, no idea why that but I leave her there if she's comfortable.

The two young girls are ok so far and I keep my fingers crossed! They took care of old Gramps yesterday and seemed to stay with or watch him closely. So cute.

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Tina

Knitting place in the shade

As long as the sun hasn't come around
the house yet it is lovely to sit on the patio in the cool shade, chair pulled back to the wall, knit or crochet, watch the birds or the doggies in the garden and be happy that I just can do that! Later in the day I do need the parasol otherwise it is too hot and bright. With much wind no parasol - so staying inside is the alternative, that's why I love to sit outside on my weekend a.m.'s

Wanna see some details? Here's the pale yellow hollyhock and one of the iron lizards. I love both.

Oh and here's little ol' me having grabbed the knitting and thrown myself into the chair :-)

Off now to exactly this special place!
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Tina

June Garden

View from the back door and from the bedroom window upstairs. I do love how green everything is. Amazing how the perenniels grow once it is warm.
And the roses are just gorgeous.
As it is so dry over here (just had two or three cold days with one day 4 the other 7 litres of rain per square meter - which is as good as nothing...) Glad we dug a well at the back of the garden, you need a permission here, that costs a bit but better than using drinking water from the tap.
I just hope my tomatoes will do right... Had them too long on the window sill, they are tiny, yellow leaves, weak. But a check this morining showed evidence of flower buds and new dark green leaves in the edges of the old ones. So there is hope!
(Sweetheart might need another one or two bought plants, just in case... tomatoes are the main purpouse of our veggie garden!!!)



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Tina