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

[Mary Beth Porch]

Thank you so much for the little tour of the moors! Having never been to England (but wanting to very much) I love seeing the countryside! I can not wait for you to give directions for your beautiful striped blanket! I think I love it as much as you!

[Louise in SW Saskatchewan]

Thanks for sharing your wonderful day with us. The picture of the Yorkshire Dales looks reminiscent of the rolling prairie areas of SW Saskatchewan where I live. I love living where I can see 360 degree horizons and lots of sky!

[shelbi]

i adore this post :) and your blanket!
xo

[Amanda Colnaghi]

What a lovely post! I too have a blankie I'm working on that I feel the same amount of love for, thanks for sharing. Amanda x

[Kyle]

The swirls of various shades of blue in your baby's eyes is amazing!!

[Brianna]

I do so love that fireworks picture. It's quite brilliant and I almost felt like I was there with you when you described it. By any chance, have you done any crochet & felting? I am delving into it at the moment and it's quite the experience!

[ella]

looks like a perfect weekend

[Julie Ratcliffe]

I love reading your blog (and learning how to crochet) thank you so much, I'm loving it. Your little girls picture and writing!! So sweet. I hope you keep it. My little people are now 19, 20 and 29 and I have a box of little things like that. It's the thing I would save if I could only have one (not counting people of course)I look at it often, the memories are priceless. Thanks Lucy.

[Helena]

Yor life is like a DREAM! Love your blog and all of your work! :)

[a-m]

Hi Lucy,

I want to know your secret - how do you make each and every one of your photographs look so beautiful? They are always such a joy to look at and make my heart skip about madly!
My photos are sometimes successful, but usually a bit drab. My Little Man loves to use our camera and he often takes the best photographs - maybe I should get him to take all my photos!
Your blankie is looking lovely (almost as gorgeous as Little B's eyes!), can't wait to see how you finish it!
Take care,
a-m x

[Marie]

Your blanket is looking truly scrumptious, I love the colours :-)

[Melissa P]

So gorgeous! You are such an inspiration. Thank you for sharing all the excitement of your blankie!

[Helen]

That Blankie is FAB. I love your Saturday pictures, a very very packed day. Sounds like fun. AND a carousel, one of my very favourite things.

[Karin]

Looking VERY good!
Everything!
Love the beautiful blue eye!

[Maddi]

Yay! You're back!

You've obviously gotten sucked into the fun fairs too. =)

You have a wonderful eye for color, keep going on the blanket!

Thanks!
Maddi <3

[ali.b]

Lovely post and pics. Thanks for sharing.xx

[lucy]

Love the firework pic.
And of course all of the blanket ones x

[Ashley]

I really love your blog, it makes me so happy.

[Kimbles]

What a perfect Saturday! Little B, what beautiful clear blue eyes - love him! Granny stripe blankie FAB xx

[Steph]

Wonderful family days - aren't they precious.

I dread the fun fairs - we're going to go bankrupt soon this summer I fear.

Love Little B's eye shot - what a treasure.

Take care
Stephx

[Sarah west mids uk]

Dear Lucy looking at some of your photos this evening I thought some looked familiar. then I clicked as I read on. Well done you two meeting up together!!
As I have just written(well typed to Heather)
you two have the best blogs and I have learnt so much re crochet from both of you.
The colours in your blanket are looking
fantastic!!
Love Sarahx

[Emily curnow]

That blanket is completely yummy; perfect for snuggling under and absorbing a good novel. Xx

[Christine Warren]

I'd say Little B has his mommy's eyes - Beautiful!

[Shanti]

Lovely day, Lovely post, Lovely photos... Awsome-cute-lovely Little B eyes, Gorgeous-amazing-colorful-cheerful blanket... incredible views...

Thank you!
Shanti

[Vilma]

You are amazing :-))