A Summer Saturday

I was up early on Saturday morning, and when I say early, I really do mean very early. Like four thirty type of early. Little B has developed a habit of waking around about this time each and every morning, and although he is fairly easily settled back to sleep again for another hour or two, I'm often left wide awake. I'm trying to see it is a Good Thing cos 4.30am at this time of year is actually rather light and beautiful and full of birdsong.

So on Saturday at 5am or thereabouts I come downstairs, make myself a big mug of steaming hot tea, pick up my crochet bag and head back to bed for some peaceful very early morning tea-and-hooky time. It's absolutely blissful. I can't resist taking a photo of my granny stripe blankie laid out on the bed after I'd worked a few rows, the early morning light is really beautiful and makes the colours look amazing. Oh gosh, I am unbelievably in L:O:V:E with this stripy creation, it makes me go all giddy just thinking about it.

A little later on in the morning (around nine ish) we decide on the spur of the moment to take a quick jaunt out as the weather is especially lovely. We drive a few miles out of town to one of our favourite High Places, a place with spectacular views over the surrounding countryside. 

This is wide, expansive, open moorland, part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. There are many little verges at the side of the road for parking up your car, but nothing whatsoever in the way of amenities. Totally unspoilt.

We didn't have much of a plan for this rather spontaneous Summer Saturday trip, it wasn't a full on Outing as such. Before we left the house I had hurriedly made up a flask of freshly brewed coffee which I stuffed into my crochet basket along with a couple of mugs and some biscuits. The general idea was to get ourselves up, up, up to this beautiful High Place, breeeeeeathe in the fresh summer breezes, drink in the views, sit a while and ponder.

We have the Little People with us though, and they don't really do Sitting or Pondering in High Places. No, of course not, how insane to even think that they might! They bound out of the car like two overexcited dogs and proceed to run, jump, climb, build, throw. It's all very hyperactive for them (and J, who joins them for much of the time), whereas Little B and I opt for the under active approach to appreciating High Places.

I drink my coffee, admire the views, breathe in the air and partake in some High Up Hooky. Bloomin marvelous way to spend an hour!

I sit in the back seat of the car with my hooky on my lap and Little B to my right. We chatter together, I sing to him a little, and I marvel at how blue-blue his eyes are. Aren't they just?

Late morning now and we are back down from on high and home again, feeling refreshed and revitalised after all that fresh air. I ask Little Man if he wouldn't mind performing some Quality Control checks on my Granny Stripe blanket to see how it's shaping up. Little Man is my best/most honest critic, his judgment is usually spot on. He tells me it's not a good blankie for having near his face (not soft enough) but he likes the weight and warmth of it on his legs. He pronounces it "good". He doesn't leap about, clap his hands, exclaim over it's gorgeousness, but then he is not as bonkers as me.

 

We have a date on this Summer Saturday, a date to meet for coffee with the lovely Heather and her hubby who are visiting my home town for the day. So into town I stroll with Little B and Little Lady and we go to one of my favourite watering holes for some refreshment. Little Lady loves cafes almost as much as I do and she is well acquainted with this particular one. When we are here, she always, always drinks her drink ever so ever so fast then asks for paper and pen to do some drawing or writing. It's always the same routine. I've forgotten to bring my notebook with me though, so Heather kindly offers a page of hers.

I just love how the Little Peeps write out their thoughts, it's incredibly sweet. Can you understand what she wrote?? She's talking about two of her favourite indoor play centres (Lickle Monkey's and Fun Planet), and then about our house.....

Soft Plays

fun at licl Moncys. Fun Planit too. Kids like gowing there for FUN! It's good at both playsis.

Our House

Our house is nise and fun. BUT my bedroom is a mess. Its like a toy shop it's true.

Actually we had a good go at tidying up her bedroom on Sunday, pheww, so good to be able to see her floor again. It was getting quite hazzardous walking a narrow path through all the toys everywhere.

On Saturday is was our towns annual Gala Day. A parade with marching bands and decorated floats winding it's way through the streets to the local park where a surprisingly large and rowdy funfair had taken over.

 

It was very full on. The Little People were beside themselves with Fairground Fever, the excitement was huge.

It cost lots. So many rides and activities capturing Little Eyes, so many pleads for this and that and just-one-more. But oh it was fun!

Amongst all the noise and chaos, it was still possible to find a moment's calm...the familiar fields and hills that surround our town and park are looking radiant at this time of year, the fields golden with buttercups, the trees so lush and green. Heather and I sit a while on a picnic blanket and crochet together, such a lovely Summer Saturday-ish thing to do eh?

Later still and J has stayed at the park with the LP who refuse to come home, but I am home again and putting a sleepy Little B to bed. The light at this time of day (7pm ish) is amazingly beautiful, I sigh with pleasure at my beloved Attic view looking so gorgeous and summery in the early evening light. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, beeeeeeautiful.

Much later now, ten o'clock and J takes the (very hyper) Little Peeps back to the park to wait for dusk and the Gala Fireworks to begin. Oh my, those children are waaaaaaay beyond excited by this point in the day. I am up in the Attic when they set off, they go up in a big gang with many other neighbourhood families from our street and I can hear them all shrieking and chattering.

I sit and look out of the window and wait. Wait some more. The sky turns darker and darker and finally the first fireworks begin. I get to see them from the Attic window, and although it's not the same as being there in person, I still enjoy them a lot. Gawd, I sooooooo love fireworks, really I do. Love 'em.

Quite a day we had on Saturday.

Such a lovely, lovely day. So full of Good Things. Full to bursting.

 

And speaking of Good Things, a quick gratuitous Stripy Crochet picture to end my ramblings. Ohhhhhhhh smoochy smoochy, I do so L:O:V:E my blankie (haha did I tell you that already??)!!! Thirty seven gorgeously gorgeous stripes so far, mmmmmmm, looking good if I say so myself :o)

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Comments

[Carole]

Hi Lucy,
The stripey blanket is soooo lovely and soooo colourful. I just don`t know how you get the colours to work so well together, you are so clever.
Love Carole from Rossendale xxxxxxx

[Mary Nathan]

Everything look so nice: your son,the views and the amazing blanket.
You really have a special touch with colours.

[Carina]

Lovely post as always. Just love your family days - they are just PERFECT!. And your kids are adorable. Have done a stripey blanket back in February and have done some cushion backings during the holiday and this is just lovely to complete every row! Your colours just look so inviting, well done. Have a good week. Cx

[Janette]

what a lovely post, it sounds such an idyllic day. loving the blanket, I'm working on a ripple myself and having so much fun with it.

take care
Janette
x

[Claudi]

I love your blanket, wonderful!!!!

[RachelM]

I'm in love with your blanket, it's sooooo pretty! :)

[Josette]

thank you for sharing such a lovely day. I wish I lived near to have a chat and a coffee with you.

[Rockgranny]

The granny stripes blanket looks gorgeous growing row by row.Some of your earlier posts give me idea to try it too, this time I made a cushion(you can see result on my blog), but blanket is going to be the next one.

[Resmi Ravi]

Hi Lucy,

I loved this post so much - the blanket and Little B's eye, loved those the most. It was very refreshing to see the pics and read your blog post after a while. And I must say that I love Heather's blog too. I actually noticed it due to the similarity to some of your projects. And since then, her blog is also one on my fav list.

Love,
Resmi

[Alice @ Crochet with Raymond]

WOW! The first photo of the blanket had me captivated! All of those colours and stripes, mixed in with granny squares!!!
Love the eye shot... just lovely. Have a happy week!

[Emma]

I always get up early at the weekend at this time of year. My husband thinks I'm mad but I love early mornings in Summer :)

LOVING the blanket :D

[Sue]

Every time I read one of your posts I smile. I'm smiling even larger than usual today....All due to the part in your post about your daughter's writing. I teach 7 and 8 year olds at a school where education is not particularly valued by many of the parents. Reading about how your daughter writes and draws while you are all visiting a coffee shop made my (school marmish) day!

[Sabine]

Absolutely adorable.....the pics, the words, the crochet and last not least the eyes of your baby!!
Have a wonderful day,
Sabine

[Shelley in SC]

Thanks for letting us join you on such a delightful Saturday!! You must have fallen in bed exhausted . . . but happy!

[Jennifer]

**ahhh...happy sigh***

[Gwen]

Wow, completely fabulous!

[Erin]

Absolutely love your photos. Love the landscape, love your blankets, your crochet art, love your blog, love the blog..Love you..you bring peace and joy to my day...

[Aussie Maria]

Absolutely love the views and beautiful blue eyes.
But the carousel made me very happy. Thank you for sharing

[flora]

Love, love, LOVE your granny stripe! It's inspiring me to try and make one... only I just picked up crocheting a short while ago....

[Jessica]

Hi at 25 I have just taught myself to crochet and I am now making a beautiful granny square baby blanket for my nephew. I stumbled across your blog while looking for how to crochet references and I am totally addicted, I am always checking to see if you have updated your blog and you have inspired me to create a granny strip blanket for my next project I just love it!!

[The Garden Bell - Kate]

Perfect place to come for my funkie mood this week. The peeps around here in my fam don't get this whole thing. But, you do. I'm a little wobblie, at least I think. That's a new word for me, but I like it.

Stunningly wonderful stripie land of joy and don't even get me started on those baby blues.

This will be perfect for my new yarn... when it get here...he-he... seriously, I'm fine working with my stash on rose pillows. But this will move to the top of the list as soon as we can get those sheep to give up their wool.

Off to fix dinner

xoxoxox

[Pat]

Bonjour Lucy :-)
I am joining the A24A as suggested above, no questions! I really would love to know how you make such a hectic day sound so amazingly peaceful... Just as the crochet which I have just discovered, I am also learning a calmer approach with my own family; you are rubbing off in many more good ways than you know!! Awesome blanket, of course... Thanks for another beautified day on this side of the planet :-D XOX

[PaisleyJade]

I love your photos and cute little man's eyes!!

[nicole]

ah you have no idea how happy i get when i see in my little blog roll that you've made a post.
they're always so happy and full of colour.
put me in a very good mood even considering i have a nasty exam today!
love your beautiful work lucy!
xox

[Sarah]

Lovely pictures Luce...love the firework one from the attic x