Mackerel Tuesday

Hi everyone, woke this morning to a mackerel sky also known as buttermilk sky, I think I prefer that description for auotcumulus clouds, much more poetic, more normally to be seen in the evening sunset, sun glistening on the damp grass and picking up the sparkling cobwebs suspended between the leaves and branches, and people walking round with smiles on their faces. Glorious day

Conquered my problem with the christmas advent calendar, read, re-read and then re-read several times more, the process to knit the pockets, for the best part of a week and I could not get my pea sized brain around it, but at the weekend it all clicked into place and now all pockets are attached as per pattern and stitched to make individual pockets.  A photo will appear once my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter have seen it, I do not want to spoil their surprise. I am really enjoying doing this project, once I understand what I am doing and looking forward to even more similar projects.  It is lovely to make something that will be of use and be used, rather than stuck in a folder never to see the light of day as my embroideries are.

The christmas quilted pillow case is taking shape, all the  right colour materials and backing are in place, decorations decided upon and love ready in abundance to fill it with.  Again photos of finished product once the important folk have seen it.  

Once again thank you for joining me, I have found an old favourite for you today, well at least the first four lines are familiar, I didn't realise there was so much more to the poem, and some say sailors as in this rendition, whereas some say shepherds, I suppose it depends on your livelihood  be it ocean or land based.  Speak to you again tomorrow, and have a good day shepherd or sailor wherever in the world you are.

Siwzy

Weather poem (anon)

Red Sky at night, 

Sailors delight; 

Red sky in the morning, 

Sailors warning.

 Best time to say, 

What weather's on the way, 

Is at the start and end of day. 

If rain begins at early morning light, 

T'will end ere day at noon is bright

If the evening is red and the morning grey, 

It is the sign of a bonnie day; 

If the evening's grey and the morning red, 

The lamb and ewe will go wet to bed. 

If the sun goes pale to bed, 

T'will rain tomorrow, so 'tis said.

The moon and weather may change together, 

But change of the moon does not change the weather. 

Never trust a clear blue sky, 

Even if the glass points high. 

A grey and featureless sky 

May be a gloomy one, 

But at least it's dry. 

Rainbow to windward, foul falls the day, 

Rainbow to leeward, damp runs away. 

If rainbow green is large and bright. 

Rain is still somewhere in sight; 

If red is strongest colour of all, 

Then winds will blow, rains will fall. 

Low'rin clouds, low'rin skies, 

Stay indoors if you are wise. 

Mackerel sky, mackerel sky, 

Never long wet, never long dry. 

A cap of sheet cloud high in the sky, 

Forewarns the tears from heaven's eye. 

When clouds are gathering thick and fast, 

Keep a lookout for snails and mast; 

But if they slowly onward crawl, 

Shoot your nets, line, trawls and all. 

When the clouds spread like a feather, 

Mariners look for fair, good weather. 

When mountains and cliffs in the clouds appear, 

Some sun and violent showers are near. 

The deeper the cloud, 

The harder it showers. 

Humorous cumulus, 

Never gloomerous. 

Pale moon, 

Rain soon. 

Clear moon, 

Rain soon. 

When stars disappear, 

Then rain and wind is near. 

A nasty nature is the role of lows, 

Rainy days and windy blows. 

When the rain's before the wind. 

Topsail halliards you must mind; 

If the wind's before the rain, 

Soon you will make plain sail again. 

The winds of daytime wrestle and fight, 

Longer and stronger than those of the night. 

If the wind at sunrise drives the clouds away, 

Fair weather is the order of the day. 

At sea with a low and falling glass, 

Soundly sleeps a careless ass. 

Long foretold, long past, 

Short notice, soon past. 

When the glass falls low, 

Prepare for a blow; 

When the glass rises high, 

Let the light duck fly. 

At sea with a low and falling glass, 

The green hand sleeps like a careless ass; 

But only when it is high and rising, 

Will slumber trouble a careful wise one. 

When rise begins after low, 

Squalls expect, and a clear blow. 

First rise after very low, 

Indicates a stonger blow. 

When the wind is in the east, 

Then the fishes bite the least; 

When the wind is in the west, 

Then the fishes bite the best; 

When the wind comes in the north, 

Then the fishes do come forth; 

When the wind is in the south, 

It blows the bait in the fishes mouth. 

Pimpernel, pimpernel, tell me true, 

Whether the weather be fine or no. 

When bee's to distance wing their fight, 

Days are warm and skies are bright; 

But when their flights ends near their home, 

Stormy weather is sure to come.