So simple yet so inspiring

Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine

I always wanted to see inside and the doors were open for Heritage Open Day. The shrine has been deconsecrated and volunteers want to restore it to its former glory for use in the community.

It's a serene 1950's building ...

... with very modern clean lines. The white bits in the ceiling are lights.

Light streams into this building through windows set within stone frames.

Mosaics cover the pillars ...

... and are set into the floor.

Most of the church is in shades of white - a white altar ...

... with white angels

... and white pews.

It does need restoring but peace and tranquility could be seen and felt in every area. Window shapes were so simple yet so beautiful.

Door shapes too.

Let's hope that grants are secured to resurrect this lovely building.

Even the outside was serene.

More information can be found here and here.

It's such a shame that vandals stole the copper off the roof a while ago. A neighbour of the church saw men on the roof at 4 in the morning and immediately rang the police who arrived at 8!!! Needless to say the little dears had fled.

Welcome to my new follower - I hope you enjoy your visits.

Number 6

I was given a huge bag of knitted rectangles for sorting this time and I decided to sew some together before crocheting.

A chequer board pattern emerged ...

... using 8 same rectangles interspersed with other colours.

I did the same joining as with blanket number 5.

I've still got a pile of rectangles left so I'm researching other ways of joining for the next blanket.

I should really be getting on with my own blanket but I like a challenge!

If anyone knows some different ways to join knitted squares together do share.

Welcome to new follower Thrift Bee. I can be your mum too!!

Cloud formations

Beautiful blue sky today with little fluffy clouds.

To be correct it's a mackerel sky.

"Mackerel in the sky, three days dry."

"Mackerel sky, mackerel sky. Never long wet and never long dry."

I sound like the Edwardian Country Lady. On the way back from my walk I just had to call in the Junk Shop and found this book (plus some homes magazines). I have her book of Nature Notes which is of a similar vein.

On her 'September' page there were no clouds but this picture caught my eye.

One of the weather sayings she recorded was 'Fair on September the 1st; fair for the month.' Now was it fair last Saturday? It's certainly fair today.

A short walk

A short walk,

a short talk,

a little bit of sight seeing

a bit of observing

and a big discovery.

This wonderful camper/coach was kitted out spectacularly in beautiful wood. It was immaculate and the 2 gentlemen campers were enjoying the sunshine. I only dared to ask if I could photograph the outside. I should have dared some more and asked if I could go in.

It was bluer than blue

After seeing my blue and green blanket my friend said she'd like to have a go at crocheting. 

A little lesson from me and a lot of study on Youtube saw her hooking away. Practice squares done, she began in earnest on her own bluey quilt and here is the result. Wow and wow again.

It measures about 5 feet square and is done in various shades of blue with 7 round squares. Her sewing together of squares is as neat as her handwriting!

This square went 'wrong'. Can you see the mistake?

She sewed it into the blanket though.

Started to learn to crochet in May and produced a blanket in August.

Didn't she do well!

More Bling

I looked through the broken bling to find some 'gold' for Gaspar 2.

He has a golden crown and gold around his cloak.

I think he still needs a little bit more bling to bring him up to king standard.

He wanted to join his friends - looks like the journey has begun.

Soon be Christmas!

Crocheting knitted squares together

These rectangles I joined together this way.

It took a while but I was happy doing it and pleased with the result. I suppose I could have edged each rectangle then joined 'on the go' but this way was quite relaxing.

I did Bunny Mummy's edging (Welcome Bunny Mummy). What a coincidence!

It sat frilly because the treble shells were close together but it looks OK and I like doing the edges this way.

Teddy was kept warm until I delivered the blanket to the organiser.

So I make that now India Blanket Number 5.

I've updated the Bloggy Friends' Blanket. I think you'll like the first finished blanket.  Thanks Foster Mummy. (There's rather a lot of Mums around here today!)