Apples are not the only fruit

Our little apple tree has gone ballistic this year - its sprouted hundreds, if not thousands, of really decent sized apples.  The kids next door but one have been busy scrumping, we've given loads of way, I've made umpteen jars of apple chutney (about 60 at the last count), and baked oodles of apple crumbles and scones and yet still they keep coming.  I'm beginning to wonder if I should have a go at brewing scrumpy.  Jack

I've been framed

Colin has very kindly framed my King of the Mountains picture - as with the picture, the frame is made from reclaimed materials, I think it may have been from old chair legs, and finishes the picture off perfectly.

Its being collected tomorrow, I hope there's plenty of space to hang it, its huge!

Jackie

King of the Mountains

I've been working on a collage of the King of the Mountains jersey for a cyclist friend  - its still needs framing, but apart from that its finished.  Its been a nice project to do because I was told that as long as it was a picture of the jersey and that it was "different" and not like anything  that anybody else might have  I could do what I wanted.

Its been lovely making fabric samples and seeing it come together, its mostly made from reclaimed materials; maps, bits of cycle chain, old plastic folders, dyed tissue paper  etc,  I'm hoping that he likes it, and just really pleased that I've managed to get it finished while the Tour de France is still underway.
Jackie

A quick draw

Last night saw Colin go off to Carsington to run one of the local league races - he did really well, running quickly (as always) and coming in first for Ilkeston running club and eleventh overall.  I took the lazy option of staying at home and doing some sketching, I really do like running but find the competitiveness of races really stressful, I know it shouldn't be because when I run, like with sewing or drawing, I can become totally absorbed in the activity and completely forget everything else, not only that but when I'm sketching with charcoals or pastels I can become just as messed up as I can on the muddiest of runs....

I've not sketched for a while, and so am a little of practice, but I'm hoping to get back in to it.  Here's a couple from over the last couple of days.

Scarecrow relays

Today has been a mixture of Relay racing at Belper Derwent relays which saw a good turnout of four teams for Ilkeston . This was achieved by some of us running two legs for different teams. Our ever present Mr Sharratt (I'll cycle beside you and give you a drink when you need it. If I don't get lost.... see blog about hilly 100) came up with the names for the teams     Crosby,Stills,Nash and Young. 

Not sure how we have done yet as I came away before every one was in so that me and Jac could do the second part of the mixture and walk the Scarecrow trail at West Hallam. Very impressed with the scarecrows and the Well Dressings and a lot of people were still there when we arrived even though it was late on in the day.

Lions and Tigers and Bears

That I'm easily more scared than the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz, wouldn't be too much of a problem if only I didn't have such an active imagination.
Earlier this week there was a very sad news story about a man living near Eastwood who had a heart attack after being bitten by one of his many King Cobra's from his King Kobra Sanctury.  Apart from being horrified by the needless death, I was also horrified because the house we're hoping to move too is in a village very close to Eastwood, and I've always had a fear that an escaped snake could find its way into my house by flipping up the letterbox with its tail and slithering in  - and am now in a constant state of high alert thinking that the empty house we're going to buy has an escaped King Cobra waiting to pounce on me.  Colin has tried to reassure me that the house is currently too cold and damp for a snake to be active, but in my troubled mind that is even worse, because we'll open the door to find we've woken up a hungry, grumpy snake.
My hectic Friday night hasn't made my nerves any less jangled either  - on going down to the allotment to water the plants, I had a very narrow escape with a wasps nest hidden behind the water pipe, and then later that night, trying to relax with a glass of wine under the apple tree, I got hit on the head by a falling apple.

Doh!
Jackie