WOYWW 595: The never-ending vineyard scarf & lion stories

The never-ending vineyard scarf, my current project, is now 1m long. 

It's getting tricky to photograph!

I'll get back to the Persian tiles afterwards but this is a present so I want it to be finished soon. I'll sew the leaves down a bit more, but want to leave them free a bit.

Here’s Thea introducing my work space this week, for What’s on your Workspace Wednesday. 

I should mention I’m left handed so when Thea relaxes on my left arm, like this, I’m doing no more crocheting! 

Thurs 22. It was one of those crisp, golden days that make you sure that they must mean winter is coming

I’d been moping over the birthday photos of my late mother, which Facebook so helpfully displayed. We decided to go out to lunch instead.

A quick call and we are on our way through Lyminge forest to the Duck at Pett Bottom

Through the forest, and out into the valley through the glorious hamlet of Lynsore Bottom, all Tudor houses, but a place I could never live, though for a while I did have riding lessons there.

The forest is a Site of Special Scientific interest, lots of rare species.

 

As the valley widened out, we were surprised to see a vineyard growing now on its slopes, although we know the big champagne producers like Taittinger have planted here. We’re on the same chalky terroir as Champagne and the move north is to preserve the character of the wine in the face of global warming.

And so to Pett Bottom and the pub which belonged to Ian Fleming’s aunt Joan. It has a blue plaque to him now. 

Inside has been done up and is no longer full of James Bond memorabilia. The shelves are now full of cookery books and odd preserves like bay leaf vinegar. 

When I asked what it was for, the waiter told me it was for curry; the chef-owner is South African and loves his curries. Not quite sure about vinegar in curries but never mind. 

The food was lovely, copious and tasty. I had a roast loin of pork with apricot purée. (Meat with jam as the French would say). 

We talked of the pub’s summer Braais, and I told the waiter Marcus Brigstoke’s story about biltong. It made Marcus fart so badly, that the safari guide thought he could smell lion. So every time, the safari guide said "lion", and they drove around, chasing Marcus’s farts. 

B and I reminisced, in part about that terrible restaurant south of Caderache, near Aix,  where we walked in, made terrified excuses and left. The bar’s inhabitants threw off the menace of a Scandi fascist motorbike club, and we couldn’t get out fast enough. The Duck had a much more welcoming atmosphere.

And so back through Lynsore Bottom and the forest and home to the cats.

Health

B is to have cataract ops, and the only place that can do them quickly is Benenden Hospital, in W Kent. We thought his covid test was Saturday, so we drove all the way there, but it was Sunday and we had to go back, this time in pouring rain. His op was due to be today, but they had an issue with his test (It "leaked"???) and so we'll be back again on Sunday for another test, and for an op at 8:00 next Wednesday. I know that at least he's having the op, when others wait endlessly, but our car will know the way there by itself soon.

Dino is improving slowly but I still have to give him antibiotics by syringe, grrrrr. Thea and I are ok. The cats are both in winter hibernation mode now, but say miaow to other cats on this blog!

Anyway, that's me for this week. I hope you all stay safe and well. I'm not good at getting round all the posts and am especially allergic to Xmas, but I'll visit where I can. Many thanks for your visit; I'd love it if you can leave a comment, please

hugs, Lynne

WOYWW #592 :wood and vines

Here we are again, having a sneak peek at each other's workspaces on a Wednesday, courtesy of Julia on the Stamping ground.

 I mentioned last week that I love different woods. I’ve now created a little space on my work shelves for some. It’s a space that gives me quiet pleasure  

At the back is a jewellery roll made for me by my best friend LLJ, and a needle case my local friend Liz made for me. Front left is a bowl with a few treasures in it: a first pruning of the vineyard in Beaujolais,   2 Furls crochet hooks (pretty, but..or all fur coat and no knickers as we’d say at home 🤣) and some beads. More details below, after the craft section.

I’ve had to do some sorting this week. My bobbins are great for multiple colour changes but the rotation snatches up any loose thread and needs sorting before it gets into the mess below. A bit of untangling required.

                                       

I struggled this week with that Gloria crochet project I fell in love with, but the yarn and pattern are so fiddly I really wasn't enjoying it. So I've admitted defeat and have put the yarn, which I worked so hard to source, up for sale. 😿. I don't ever like giving up, but what's the point? I simply wasn't enjoying it.

So I am continuing with my Persian tiles (triangles now, I need 12) and I have a new project: 

The vineyard scarf. this is just a proof of concept piece so far.  

I saw a vine blanket pattern, with nice bobbles for the grapes, but the leaves were apple rather than grape vine, and it was very neat. I'm going to create a wilder 3d scarf, with green and autumn leaves, twiddles for the little curly tendrils, and it will all be fun to create. The background colour will be variegated stone, but these photos give an idea.

it’s 44 years since my better half discovered grape picking in Beaujolais, and 41 years since I first went there with him. 

The family there have become our family, and the granddaughter of our first boss is now our goddaughter.

We don't pick grapes any more (it is HARD work, especially when you party till 03:00 and get up 4 hours later to start work again!) but we keep in touch. This year is a very good year for Beaujolais- it was a very hot summer. 

 
 This is my favourite photo of the vineyards, taken by our friend Jean-Pierre Commarmont . 

Here is our god-daughter, Alexia, in the vineyard this year.

Mystery object

Well, last week's mystery was a bit easier, it was indeed a bone folder. 6 of you guessed it correctly, and I picked Sarah Brennan’s name out of my hat!

Sarah, your mask adapter prize is in the post. Well done all! 

This week is a little different. the picture below is clearly of a carved owl, but what was it used for?

Family

Well, we've all been a bit laid up this week, apart from Thea, pictured here warming up after being out in the rain. 

 We finally gritted our teeth and took Dino to the vets. They confirmed his lungs are ok, did a swab and it's a feline bacterial infection so he has antibiotics that hopefully will cure it. He didn't speak to us for about 3 days after, and hid under the settee whenever we came into the room. I must talk to the vets about feline PTSD but I fear it's incurable. You can't exactly do CBT with a cat, can you?

He's forgiven us now and is back to practicing hibernation with Thea.

On the right of my wood shelf s a little covered bowl which my father brought back from WW2. It’s one of my most treasured possessions. It has a carving of the shrine of Miyajima, in Japan, on the lid. Miyajima was an almost mythical place for me when I was young, my father venerated it so much. He taught me to use chopsticks, to count to 5 in Japanese and always talked of the beauty of Miyajima. 

It is a mystery how he could love Japan so much. Most of his contemporaries hated Japan for its atrocities. My father, as a Marine, accompanied many of the POWs home . Sadly he died in 1979 before I realised the oddness of it. When I went to Japan 4 years ago, this week, I got off the ferry in Miyajima and burst into tears. 😭 I wanted to tell him I’d finally made it.

My better half has had gout and I pulled a tendon in my knee so we haven't been out for walks. 

Both are minor irritations, and responding to treatment, so soon over. My treatment was CBD ointment and sitting with my feet up crocheting and watching the French open tennis, so no hardship! There are some excellent youngsters making their mark this year, so it's very interesting.

Anyway, have  great week, and stay safe! 

I really appreciate your visit and a comment would be lovely

many thanks

hugs

Lynne