Finished! Grey, TOAST inspired blanket

Yay! I finally finished this big, grey blanket that I started last November. The blanket was a Christmas present for some friends who'd got married last year. I went down to see them a couple of weeks ago and was able to spread it out in their huge kitchen.
The blanket is probably the size of a double bed with no overhang. I gave an update in April when I'd run out of the yarn I was using, I'm slightly annoyed at having to have used different yarns for my final square, but Hannah, the friend it was a present for said she liked the unexpectedness of one striped square.

I'm really rather pleased with it now it's finished and delivered.

Manchester day parade

I'm really quite late in posting this
Manchester day Parade was on the 2nd of June. I took over 800 pictures during the 3 hours it was on and I've been putting off going through all the pictures and sharing my favourites since then. I've still only gone through about half so I'll probably share some more pictures at some point.
The parade is an amazing day out. It truly celebrates Manchester. All the the groups are local, community led groups who work with a large scale art project to develop floats and banners and costumes. The floats are all people powered and mostly pushed although some are cycled around the city.
Last year, the cafe where my church meets had a giant teapot float, it was really exciting to be part of such a fun day.

 These balloons formed a large dandelion float which were then released (with difficulty)

 I loved this group working with dyslexia

 This is part of a LGBT group, the letters spelt out Kiss Hate Goodbye

 

Gosh I love Manchester

Bright white summer flowers

 

These bright white flowers have been dotting the hedgerows and pathways that I walk and run down recently. They're so stunning against the dark green foliage. I took these pictures walking alongside the canal on an evening that wasn't quite warm enough to be sure it was summer but that felt summery enough to be outside walking in daylight after tea.

Look at this heron!

On Friday evening, I went for a walk with my mum after she'd finished work (I'm on half term). We took a picnic and strolled only a mile or so along a local canal.
This heron was stood by the opposite bank the whole time we were walking.
He wasn't disturbed at all by us standing so close and taking pictures and several cyclists riding past. At one point we saw him reach something in the bank and eat it, but I'm not really sure what it would've been, maybe a frog?

What a handsome fellow

Hathersage; Was Robin Hood real?

Last weekend I went over to Hathersage in the Peak District to use their amazing out door pool. I also wondered around Hathersage village, went to a local art show, admired some amazing views, had lunch in the garden of a tea room and visited the grave of Little John, Robin Hood's best friend.

Now I don't know about you, but I've never been entirely sure about the existence of Robin Hood. Was he real? Maybe he was a real person but the stories are made up, maybe the stories are true but from lots of different people, I don't know.
I loved the programme Maid Marion and her Merry Men when I was younger and I've seen several of the many films made about Robin Hood but I don't think I've ever actually read anything about him.

What do you think, Robin Hood, real or fairy tale?

Glitter wherever she goes

Taking these pictures made me think of that old nursery rhyme

Rings on her fingers

Bells on her toes

She will have music wherever she goes

I love to be carrying a bit of glitter with me at all times. Also as I'm starting to be swimming a lot more at the moment, I feel that a sparkly top coat keeps the nail varnish on my toes a bit longer than usual (that might just be wishful thinking though!)

 

 

 

  

Open air swimming in Hathersage, Derbyshire

I love swimming outdoors, one of life's most luxurious pleasures. It doesn't happen that often for me for fairly obvious reason (I live in the UK, in Manchester; it's cold and damp). Last Sunday I went for my first out door swim of the year at Hathersage pool in the Hope Valley in the middle of the Peak District.
It's a fairly perfect sort of place.
The pool is heated and surrounded by some rather fancy 1930s details including a bandstand!
 I'd been a few times as a child but not for at least 15 years so it was rather an adventure. I got the train to over to Hathersage sharing the carriage with plenty of people heading out to walk in the hills.
I spotted a tiny speck of a microlight plane high up in the deep blue sky

 

 

This picture from http://www.hathersage.org.uk/

After swimming I wondered around Hathersage but I think that's enough pictures for now, so I'll share some more tomorrow.
I finished my day with locally made vanilla ice cream. Pretty much a perfect day out