A grandson, November and Nashville

On the 19th October the Mr W became the proud owner (well part owner) of a Grandson. Little Charlie popped into the world fashionably late and taking his own sweet time with the labour process but safely delivered in Nashville. We are looking forward to having him scamper around Waen.. its kid paradise (if you ignore the deep lake and uneven surfaces) but that's what life jackets and knee pads were made for.

So plans were made to pop over to Tennessee for the weekend (as one does) in early December but more of that later in photo form.

November and December is Birthday cake season and so a 'horse shoe' and a  'Lego' cake have been produced for the lovely Waen Niece and Nephew.. but the best craft of the month award goes sadly not to the cakes or the lovely Dress I made for my sister,. instead it goes to Mr Waen who has long hated the kitchen table (I loved it) and so crafted a Kitchen cabinet.. From scratch .. all on his own and in the process solved the problem of the massive kitchen having no storage and his intense dislike of the perfectly lovely table.

Apart from that its been the Christmas hamper production line (28 this year), a lovely Christening up North (another member of the Rose family - brilliant, a speeding ticket (on way to christening) a  bout each of a nastly cold (started by Mr W) and general gardening (the misery that is the lake rake) which has kept us suitably occupied here on the Welsh hillside its not a bad life :-)

made a little birthday pressie for a lovely Leeds chum.. out of old sacks that have been waiting for a use.. she is  Scottish so how could I not?

Fruit tarts.. all hand made.. even the pastry.. I am so WI

A Horse shoe cake.. hard to jazz that one up :-)

Front of sisters frock.. My frock making is getting better 

and the back  :-)

This is the car we drove around Nashville in.. Mr W... Not pleased .. in amongst all the monster truck we rocked it in this buttermilk coloured baby 

Bass pro.. where xmas decorations are sold next to shot guns and handguns.. only in the US of A!

Its Love.. Grandad is in love  :-)

WAAYYYY out of my comfort zone.. but we all like a Cwtch 

Mr  Waen and middle son.. Drat. wish we had the other 2 here would have been the perfect Harris xmas card . taken at the Loveless cafe (google it) Mr W's fave Nashville eatery 

The Lego cake.... Go Auntie Waen!!!

I am doing the cabinet no justice as it is covered in pressies.. but this is the top (well a tenth of it) 

and this is the front.. check out that Storage situation 

WHAT? I think not chicken licken.. real sized eggs please!!!!!

a trifle.. made from scratch.,, even the sponge..

Lemon meringue pie anyone? 

2 Deaths in the family.. Not good

We sadly lost another one of our chicken ladies.. the lovely Cheryl passed away after being all together just not quite right for a couple of days.. even a stint in a basket  by the Aga couldn't cheer her up. Bless her.

And also very sadly my lovely little Munchie cat passed away, she was a good old age of 18 and certainly had her nine lives with replacement hips,no teeth,  being quite blind and having to contend with the big cats when she was the smallest cat ever.
She was a complete character.. best known for her huge Meow, her dribbling, her grumpiness but best of all because she was a little fighter.
I have been told 3 times in the past that she was unlikely to survive the various ailments she had but in the end.. it was just old age that got her. The last of the old school my lovely little lady will be laid to rest with the Lolly Dog as they were always firm friend (though she always had the upper hand). .

Sleep tight my, grumpy, dribbling, lovely little tough cookie of a chum x

October round up..

Where does the time go.... the end of September and October has been fun and full of activity..
We did the last bit of our Honeymoon (one of the Hotels we missed due to the silly car).. and went to stay in Lygon Arms in the Cotswolds.. good food and a bottle of bubble - happy days and then the next day off we popped to Manchester to see our nephew doing his indoor skydive.. Mr W was due to join him but traffic stopped that but at least we got to see the little guy do it .. and he was pretty good!

Got the last bit of the Welly Wedding boxed off and hung all of the lovely message hearts onto our tree in the wood.. its  dead tree but its a good shape and I kinda like it so we have brought it back to life with our slightly unusual Wedding guest book.

Its definitely spider season in the house and some of them a fairly massive.. yuck.. I need to man up but sadly can't and so if Mr W is absent I leave the room and if he is about.. he is on spider duty.

My chum and I were due to go Zorbing in the Middle of October but it got cancelled as Mr W and I were flying up the motorway so as we were at the turn off for Liverpool off we popped  there for the day.. I am a huge fan of the Superlambananas and the Dazzle Ship (who knew they painted ships like this in WW1... every day is  school day.  A bit of shopping also took place (rude not to) and so Zorbing is now to be a 2015 activity  :-)

I had a rely cool day thanks to Mr W's big son and his lovely other half who had bought me a gift to be a gardener for the day at the Eden project.. so I watered Malaysia in the rain forest dome, weeded South Africa and planted plants in California and then went to the good old UK in the afternoon for  potter around the veg plot.. lovely!
As is typical of we Waen's we booked a lovely hotel and had some more ace food and a spot of wine and made a lovely weekend of it :-)

And to round off a busy old few weeks I have been on a lovely girl trip to Amsterdam with Daisy.. lots of walking, sightseeing and cake was involved.. but still with time to have a chill and read a good book.. had a great time  :-) the tour guide (Daisy) was ace !!

And so now the weeks ahead I need to crack on in the garden.. and get it put to bed for winter.. Mr W has built me a FABULOUS fruit cage so hopefully this year I will get to the fruit before the naughty birds.. its got 4 raised beds which were a sod to fill (Mr W did the build so that rubbish task was mine) but all good and we have, the strawberry patch, the Blueberry and honey berry patch, the gooseberry and current patch and the rhubarb and raspberry patch.. never was a girl more happy :-)
I have taken my lovely dad in laws advice and my broad beans are in ready for next year along with overwintered onions(?) and garlic.. I am ahead of the game for 2015! bumper crops here we come :-)

The Lygon Arms 

A flying nephew

spider as big as a cr key 

And we did NOT climb on the Superlambananas

This was my fave.. I love a poppy and a bit of patriotism 

Ace Dazzle ship 

the veg I picked at Eden 

and more 

These naughty cows have been in the garden 3 times this month.. Mr W has double secured the gate now!!

Dutch apple pie 

Rush hour in Amsterdam 

Condomania!

Tulip(bulbs) in Amsterdam 

flower market 

They made good peanut butter  and chocolate cake

Indonesian Nosh!

A glass of fizz at the American Hotel 

a pancake  -  dutch style 

Anne Franks House 

Dutch Waffles 

Broad beans are sprouting 

Onions too!

My Fabby fruit cage! 

Pickles, wine and random other things

Have certainly had a varied few weeks, visitors, croquet and naked calenders to name but a few things..

We had a visit from the lovely Daisy and had a couple of relaxing days and then a monster hike up and around devils bridge which was energetic

http://www.devilsbridgefalls.co.uk/index.php?page=101

.. and exhausting..but the views were amazing so worth it. We then pottered off to Aberystwyth which was ace.. revisited childhood by playing on slot machines and eating ice cream.. happy days!

The next weekend was the much anticipated WI calender launch.. hysterical.. I am officially part of  the 'Miss July' team.. but wasn't daft and am safely nestled in the back with all bits hidden well away some of the photos are truly amazing and even before launch it had raised over 1000.00 for charity (Wales Air Ambulance).. not bad for a bunch of older ladies in Mid Wales.

The next day it was off to the WI Croquet tournament (much more ladylike) I played with lovely Jan and whilst we were not the champions we spent the whole day giggling and having fun so can't be bad.. Meanwhile Mr W was off with number 1 son and Em for a trip to the humongous antiques fair in Builth Wells (jealous) but he was given instructions for Fabric, buttons and ribbon and man did good!!!

Aside from these bits my life has pretty much turned into a pickling, chutney, Jamming and wine making extravaganza..  a treat which no-one escapes.. Mr W is involved (if I ask nicely), the recent visit from The Ali Clan found them picking, de-stoning and jamming damsons (I know how to treat guests eh).

Outdoors the big Autumn clear up has begun .. there are some major changes afoot.. we have an amazing new fruit cage, not yet set up but getting there, and I am doing some major flower bed renovation.. much less crammed and much more varied cottage gardens is my 2 year plan.. clearing and some replanting this year which will continue through next year too.. having made a start one bed looks really bare but I have plans..

The bad news is the bloody grass keeps growing... come on weather.. its time to get a grip now, mowing season needs to be done now.

So as ever its busy busy but as always.. I am loving it :-)

Devils bridge.. the 3 bridges in 1.. its cool! Nice walk, good company and amazing views 

Brambles and Sloes.. for wine and gin.. yummy

And Mrs Waen prepares to take her shot.. sporting her Llandnam WI T shirt and biker boots (have to keep a sense of self at these events) 

The haul from the antiques market.. brownie points for Mr W

sloe gin staring to cook and bramble jam

Bramble wine, pea pod wine and elderflower wine..

The calender 

July!

They made me a jam stall at work.. I have been foraging around the farm and so far we have made 100.00 .. I am jamming everywhere 

30 pounds of damsons.. well done Ali Sisters  :-)

time to de stone these.. 

its a rubbish job made better with helpers.