At the weekend we were treated to brilliant blue skies and high doses of welcome warm sunshine. Perfect July weather in actual fact, and even more welcome than usual as we had Outdoor Weekend Activity planned.
On Saturday we joined the happy masses and stood (slightly precariously) on the side of a little hillock at the edge of a big roundabout on the outskirts of our town. We stood, we sat, we fidgeted, we waited, we ate sweets, we slid up and down on our bottoms (well Little B did), we huffed a bit and got impatient, we got a bit bored with waiting the one-point-five hours for The Anticipated Arrival. But finally, after all that hanging about, we watched in stunned amazement as 198 bicycles whizzed by at super-fast speed. Whoooooooooosh. And in that one minute of shouting, clapping and cheering we were most definitely a part of the great Yorkshire crowd that turned out in their thousands to welcome the Tour de France to our beloved patch of northern England.
The above photo shows the Peloton racing up through the centre of my town (are you impressed with my newly acquired cycling lingo?). I'm very sorry I would love to credit this photo but I found it on t'internet and now can't trace the origin. It was taken from the top of the church tower, and is a great view of the town.
This photo was taken by a police helicopter, I really do love aerial photos so much, they give such a unique and fascinating perspective of familiar places. When we came home from the hillock beside the roundabout, we watched a recording of the Tour de France on TV so that we could see our local landscape unfold on the screen. I have to say, it made my heart lurch a little at the sight of all that lush green, the Yorkshire Dales are looking spectacular and I really appreciate the beauty of this place I now call home.
I was happy that we gave the Little People a chance to be a part of the Tour de France, I think they enjoyed the atmosphere even if the wait for the cycles was a tad too long. But gosh, being amongst all those thousands of people, well, I was glad to come home and sit for a little while in my peaceful, quiet back yard. Just me (and Bert the cat who stopped by for a visit), with my face turned up to the sunshine, alone with my own thoughts.
Sometimes, I think it can be incredibly hard to grant ourselves permission to just sit still and be. I know I don't do it often in my days, am very rarely sat still with nothing doing. But it feels soooo good sometimes to do that very simple thing, to sit, listen to the sounds of the immediate surroundings (jackdaws caw-cawing), feel the air touching your face (it was breezy), close your eyes (warm, sunny) and just drift in and out of thoughts and memories. I think this might be described as a kind of Mindfulness (do go read about it, fascinating stuff), do any of you practice this?
On Sunday morning I opened up the back door, put my apron on over my pyjamas and baked a cake. I buy my eggs from the local butcher and the colour of the yolks never fails to surprise me. I always expect them to be yellow, but they are always, always orange. I made lemon drizzle cake, such an easy, never-fail recipe (right here, if you fancy making it, you can impress your friends and family with it's light, moist zestiness).
Warm, freshly baked lemon drizzle cake is just divine and goes exceptionally well with a morning coffee. I took some time yesterday to catch up with a bit of reading while I was inhaling my cake, I have a magazine backlog which I'm working on eliminating.
Later in the afternoon, I felt the need to do some work. I say "work" in the loosest sense, as this is actually yarn bombing crochet work in progress for Yarndale. I set up my work station outside in the back yard, it was a bit like working in a laundry, but I didn't mind that so much.
LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!! What do you think of my YARN letters??! I am pretty impressed with them, they were great fun to make using a super-duper set of free Alphabet crochet patterns found on Moogly blog. The patterns are very well written, and when I had a little trouble with the "A" I used the fab video tutorial provided.
I made eight letters in total to spell out the word YARNDALE (I'm making woolly direction signs, like you do). It was really lovely to go back to the Stylecraft Chunky yarn on a satisfyingly chunky 6mm hook, that yarn is just so crazily SqUiDgY and produced the most beautiful, soft, squidgy letters!!! Once they're off the hook they do need to be given the Steam Spa treatment, they stop curling then and sit nice and neat and behave beautifully.
Worked in this yarn on a 6mm hook, the letters measured 12cm tall. I had Double Assistance yesterday afternoon with my photo shoot (oh I have some hilarious photos of Little B here, working the letters). Here is Little Lady telling me I need to have some wool going along the bottom Mum, like this look, see?
Oh, ok, yes, good job Little Lady, you have won me over with that line of red.
I've already made a second YARNDALE word and have started to crochet a striped background to accommodate the words in banner form (I need an arrow too, mustn't forget to do that). I realise that this vital hooky yarn bomb activity is truthfully an avoidance tactic re the 200+ mandalas waiting to be opened, stacked, photographed, uploaded, re-sized and Pinterested, but it was Sunday yesterday and back yard crochet yarn bombing work seemed to be an OK type of work to do on a day of rest. Mandalas tomorrow I think. I'll get some strong coffee on the go, a small slab of lemon drizzle cake and set to.
I just want to mention a little something re the Chunky Yarn, do you remember the Raindrops cushion I made with it, and the Jolly Chunky bag?
Well, you can buy this colourful pack of squidgey soft yarn from my very own Attic24 shop, nestled inside the rather wonderful Wool Warehouse. That's 800g of soft, chunky, bouncy yarn, it's such a joy to work with and I'm going to be doing much of my yarn bombing work with it (treble crochet rows grow deliciously fast on a 6mm hook!). I'll be adding more colour packs to my shop, including the pack for my latest Coastal Ripple blanket which is now finished and awaiting it's Ta-dah moment..................
You can expect a cool, coastal reveal very soon my friends, this is one seriously lovely summer blanket, loaded with seaside memories. Can't wait to show you!
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I couldn't wait for the Tour this year. I wanted so much to see the Yorkshire I've seen in your posts. And it didn't fail to amaze. Love the fact that you were able to see it pass through your town live. AMAZING.
Hugs,
Sharon
Posted by: Sharon Braxton | July 21, 2014 at 07:18 AM
Just bought you kit for bag and pillow cover can't wait to get the blanket kit just waiting love all your patterns Lucy I am making the neat ripple pattern for my grandson with bright colors love it. Thanks again enjoy your day Nancy
Posted by: Nancy | July 15, 2014 at 11:38 PM
Oh Lucy, with much excitement am looking forward to the color list to start the Coastal ripple waves, tried it with some blue shades in a small lapghan, and I love your pattern. Thank you for all the wonderful color choices you put together!
Love from very hot and dry Northern California! (108*) today!!
Posted by: Patricia | July 15, 2014 at 12:27 PM
I admit I did study the crowd on the screen to see if I saw you. How lovely for the little peeps to be a part of this experience. You just take one thing at the time, don't wear yourself out. I had to face the sad fact that I'd not be able to get a mandala ready and send it to you before your stated deadline but I hope to come back stronger next year if there's a new collective project then. Love the yarn letters. Little Lady sure has inherited her Mum's sense of creative style ♥ Bea xxx
Posted by: Bea | July 10, 2014 at 11:33 AM
How exciting to see the cyclists!!! The one time my husband is excited about what I read about on the blogs I read :).
What a fun word you created!!! Those colors are fun too.
Posted by: Taylor G | July 09, 2014 at 11:28 PM
Also, I forgot to mention that I enjoy reading your blog just as much!
http://www.oldsoulathome.blogspot.com
Posted by: Danna Brennfoerder | July 09, 2014 at 08:15 PM
I love seeing your photos. England looks as charming as I expect it is. I hope to visit someday.
Posted by: Danna Brennfoerder | July 09, 2014 at 08:13 PM
Love the letters and the busy yet relaxing way you spend your weekend :) I am very much looking forward to the ripple reveal and the talk of the lovely weather and green lushness up with you has prompted me to book two days away in Skipton to enjoy some of it, the castle and nearby steam train are already pencilled in :) Hope the mandala mountain is soon dealt with
Posted by: Lou | July 09, 2014 at 02:35 PM
Hello My Dear, looks like your very busy, lots of fun, lots of hard work in there too! I practise mindfulness, it's an important part of managing my MS. I didn't find it easy to start with as I've alway been busy, doing lots of things putting everyone else's needs before my own. I know I need my headspace now, crochet is a great way to relax too! :) x
Posted by: Ada Bea | July 09, 2014 at 10:50 AM
As I watched the tour I wondered if you and your family were there! Stunning countryside.
Posted by: Meredithe | July 09, 2014 at 05:43 AM
wow!!! what a lovely blog... i love the pictures.. i love victorian houses...
Posted by: krishna | July 09, 2014 at 12:53 AM
Yes, I'm thinking I need to try some letter bunting too, especially if it involves chunky wool! It looks fabulous :-)
Posted by: Alison | July 08, 2014 at 09:16 PM
How exciting to have seen the Tour de France, the children will no doubt keep that memory for always. I love, love, love the yarny letters, they're wonderful. I'm sure the sign will be fantastic, I shall look forward to seeing both that and the seaside ripple. CJ xx
Posted by: CJ | July 08, 2014 at 08:58 PM
The Tour De France ´ll come through my town the last day before arrival in Paris.i might not go it´s better to watch it on Television.y.s
Posted by: Yvonne Sirugue | July 08, 2014 at 05:26 PM
Lucy, I have spent 5 hours for the two Tour days glued to my TV enjoying the race and the beauty of the part of world where you live! It was incredible to view the enthusiastic crowds along the entire routes - what a feeling it must have been to be a part of it! For now, until I can one day visit your beautiful part of England, I will keep the recording on my TV and "visit" Yorkshire from my living room. Events like this make me realize that the countries of our world can come together.
Posted by: Elisa Melan | July 08, 2014 at 03:20 PM
Nice scenery fails to make boring bikes fun or interesting. I wasn't drawn in to it as there are many more entertaining things to do or even doing nothing at all.
Posted by: Pam | July 08, 2014 at 02:54 PM
I've loved all the pictures of Le Tour from various blogs - views that you might not have seen otherwise and an insight into the excitement in the Yorkshire towns. It's been brilliant! If you have to work at weekends, I think it's only right that you should be able to choose what you want to work at - not possible for everybody but wouldn't it be lovely if it was! I call sitting with my face upturned to the sunshine "feeling the sky". I have to remind myself to stop and do it from time to time, but always feel better when I do xx
Posted by: Winwick Mum | July 08, 2014 at 02:28 PM
Love your letters, but love, love, love Little Lady's idea about the wool underline! She's definitely inherited your incredibly creative mind! :)
Posted by: Louise | July 08, 2014 at 01:11 PM
Lovely photos thanks for sharing - I am giddy at the thought of coming to Yarndale this year x
Posted by: Michelle | July 08, 2014 at 01:08 PM
I got up and went to Harewood House for 6.30 am! Madness I thought but there was such a buzz in the crowd, the police were great high fiving the crowd and just being good fun. Then the royal helicopter arrived, then the caravan of promoters chucking stuff at the crowd and finally the cyclists. Thank fully they were taking their time so it was a slow ride past us all. After that we headed to a big screen to enjoy the rest of the race. A fantastic day, and fantastic advert for Yorkshire.
Anyway....(still buzzing)...love the letters. I'm doing a picnic blanket using your chunky pack (will need more than one pack) and it is really nice and produces a nice thick blanket, perfect for my step-daughter and kids to lol about on.
Posted by: Alison | July 08, 2014 at 01:08 PM
I just love your blogs I find them so relaxing and I switch off from life for a while and dream....
Posted by: Shelley | July 08, 2014 at 12:50 PM
The crochet letters are very lovely!
I saw your town on tv and I loved the t-shirt with the sheep on the church!
Posted by: Inge | July 08, 2014 at 11:57 AM
A perfect happy colorful and delicious weekend!!!! Can't wait for the seaside blanket tah dah!!!! What a beautiful little place you live in!!! Have a fab fun filled happy week!!!
Love
AMarie
Posted by: Anna-Marie Field | July 08, 2014 at 11:14 AM
We were watching the tour de france (yorkshire) on TV from cold sydney at the weekend. I must say yorkshire was looking very beautiful basking under the sun. Love your rainbow crochet letters and your little one's addition complete with heart. very cute.
Posted by: Teresa at knitbakecultivate | July 08, 2014 at 10:48 AM
Yes I practice Mindfulness and it's a really lovely way to get some peace and stillness in a busy life or to enhance a quiet one! It's hearing and noting the little things so easily overlooked in a busy daily rush. I think you do it quite naturally anyway with your observations about colour and nature and your environment. I love to sit in the garden and have a 'mindfulness moment' but also it's good when you're surrounded by activity and stress and what to be calm yourself! Keep Calm and Crochet!
Posted by: Patchwork Fairy | July 08, 2014 at 10:18 AM