The cold wind doth blow......

Hello everyone, and welcome back I hope you are all well.

Beautiful Wednesday here in sunny Cardiff, it is supposed to be raining according to the forecast with snow (maybe) later on today (and it did albeit briefly), but the sun is shining, the gulls are wheeling in the sky amidst the sparse white fluffy clouds and the Robins are busy feeding from my bird table.    

Not wishing the be a harbinger of gloom, but I anticipate it will start raining around 1.00pm when I come out of the hairdressers, Murphy's law!  Hairdresser's, now that is a subject I have been struggling with for a long time.  I have naturally curly hair, and it needs a good cut, something that has been lacking for the last few years, or rather the care to make my hair look good.  Many hairdressers, and believe me I have tried a few, have suggested each time that my curly hair should be left to dry naturally, and not treated me to a lovely blow dry, or check that it looks good other than sending me out onto the street with damp curly hair, my sister-in-law's came very very close with a reasonably good cut. My son very kindly put me in touch with his hairdresser and she understands curly hair, and how it can be a real pain to go around hair looking like you have been pulled through a hedge backwards!  My first visit to Zalehka was eight weeks ago, and I came out feeling a million  dollars, my hair had been beautifully cut, blow dried and straightened, I felt and looked sophisticated, and the best thing of all is that I have been able to reproduce the style with my straighteners and hairdryer, not to salon standards, but to a reasonable standard, that is what I call a success.  To top that, the comments I have had were all favourable, especially from my husband and son, whose normal comments are based on they though I was going to have my hair cut, what happened?! to that looks really nice, and when I have washed and dried it, that it still looks really good.  Thank you Zalehka, for taking the time and trouble to look after me and my hair, can't wait to be spoilt again today.  Update, it was raining when I came out, but my hair still feels like a million dollars, thoroughly spoilt.

Talking of spoilt, we had a lovely gift last week from a relation enabling us to get ourselves a couple of longed for items, a sewing machine for me and a welding machine for my husband, items we would have longed for but never have got otherwise.  My machine, given to me over a year ago and really not working very well at all was on it;s last legs and this gift has enabled me to get a wonderful new Janome XL601 which has an automatic needle threader, and the price included the quilting accesories wirth £100, and a set of leather needles.  Fantastic, I can really get down to my sewing in earnest now.

My Sewing Machine and I

By Trudy Callan

Oh, Sewing Machine, you beckon me,

in the morning light, 

to come and sit awhile

and work together on beautiful 

creations of delight.

I enjoy our times together,

you are a faithful friend.

Always there when I need you.

On you, I can depend.

You enable me to relax and unwind 
and free my mind to soar.

I am so glad I have you;

because with you,

I am so much more!

Thank you for taking time to join me, have a lovely day wherever in the world you are.  Daisychain

 

2015, a new year and hopefully more frequent posts.

Hi Everyone,

Here I am back again after a long (very long and lazy) absence. No apologies, just needed time to restock my batteries.

I have to admit to a very unfruitful run Christmas, I got involved with a number of Craft Fairs, so spent most of August to November making Christmas crafts ready to sell at said fairs, not a success I might add, the quality of the crafts were great (even though I say so myself) all beautifully lined, sewn, appliqued and buttoned, jewellry made, the stall looked great and I am sure I would have made some sales if the organisers had advertised the fairs and we had more that 18 people through the doors over 10 fairs!  Suffice it to say, we all had lovely new stockings for Christmas, new decorations and Jessica has plenty of craft bags, for her books, colouring stuff etc.  Of the two independent fairs I did sales were good and the good quality was remarked upon over and again.  Lesson learned, stick to eBay for my jewelry in future, and my website, www.dragonfliesanddaisies.com, next job is to update that! 

We had a lovely, quiet Christmas, lots walks and not too much over indulgence, thankfully, but ready to start the new year as I mean to go on, healthy eating, happy disposition and lots of healthy exercise (walking mainly).  I need to lose pounds to (weight) to spend pounds on new clothes or material to make clothes.  

My regular daily walk takes me through the dell beside the pond, inevitably feeding the ducks, and yesterday there were two very hungry ducks, three playful moorhens, a lot of ice, and skating seagulls, it was like something from a Disney film, absolutely glorious. 

I couldn't find a poem about skating ducks, I will keep looking but for now I have found one by Angela Wybrow about human skaters.

People love to go skating, across the ice; 

It may be rather chilly, but it’s just so nice.

People wrapped up in coats, gloves and scarves, 

Share each other’s company, and also some laughs.

Fairy lights twinkle, up in the trees nearby.

Excited eyes sparkle, and spirits are high.

Across the rink, the skaters twist and twirl; 

On the ice, their skates create ornate swirls.

Novice skaters hang on, tightly, to the side; 

Their nerves, with smiles, they try to hide.

A good sense of balance is vital, to stay upright; 

Wibble-wobbling about, some people lose the fight.

Some skaters execute some amazing moves; 

That they are old pros, they can easily prove.

Some people hold hands, as they skate around; 

Taking in all of the exciting sights and sounds.

The skaters’ noses and cheeks glow, rosy pink, 

As they make their way around the huge ice rink.

Some of the first time skaters, tumble and fall, 

And they just can’t seem to get the hang of it all.

It’s a festive experience, which is hard to beat, 

And, for many, it’s an exciting winter time treat.

To go skating, at an outdoor rink, people wait all year; 

It’s an activity, guaranteed to bring some festive cheer. 

Angela Wybrow

Thanks for reading, have a wonderful day wherever in the world you are, I will be back next week, I do hope you will join me.  Bubbles