Sunday, April 23, 2023

St. George, Shakespeare and my auntie Kitty

 Happy St George's Day!



Also possibly Shakespeare's birthday and death day, and the birthday of my Auntie Kitty, who could have taken them both on.

One look and the dragon would have rolled over, paws in the air. And she'd probably have fixed Shakespeare's spelling, at least made him spell his name one way, just make up his mind.

Although I grew up in England, I had grandparents of all four nations: English, Irish. Scots, Welsh, one each, in alphabetical order. I hugely support independence of all of them from the others.

Yesterday I found a couple of great YouTube channels to recommend, if you like joyful happy expeditions. 

It's a mother and daughter team who go out mudlarking all over England, riverbanks, woodlands, seashores, to search for beautiful tiny abandoned and tide swept items, some of historic importance, some just lovely. 

The mom of the team is knowledgeable about domestic history and artefacts, but doesn't flaunt it, just slips in information as they go.  

There are places such as  some of the mudflats of the Thames in London, where you can't just go and pick things up. The likely historic significance means you need a proper permit to do it, with the agreement that important finds be handed over to the conservators, often museums or officially appointed folk. So don't just try it if you're a tourist without a permit, because the Tower of London is quite near.

Then our team, Kit and Caboodlers,  create miniature scenes using their finds.








They're just such fun to follow, a lovely change from doom. Along with Atomic Shrimp, they're a great antidote to stress.

And today I wove my scarf as far as I can. There's a point where even though there appears to be plenty of warp left, the space required to raise and lower the heddle is too tight and you have to stop 


So, the near end of the scarf is now off the loom, and tomorrow I'll do finishing, fringing and knotting, and declare it done. The white triangle is sunshine.


And Gladly, the Cross Eyed Bear, took charge of the gear till I set up again. Ursula, in her tiny pink pussyhat, kittenhat, thought it wise to duck down in case he started swinging the PVC piping around.

Happy day everyone! Soup on the stove today, for lunch with a lentil flatbread. Carrot, sweet potato and butternut squash. Not too hot yet for soup.





32 comments:

  1. I think I would have enjoyed knowing your Aunt Kitty.
    The Mudlarking episodes look terrific!
    And your scarf is really, really gorgeous.

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    1. You're very generous about the scarf! It's okay for a novice. I'm happy with it.

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  2. Aunt Kitty is my kind of woman! Mudlarking, the name alone makes it appealing. I think Ursula is very wise to stay out of the way. Enjoy your soup.

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    1. The women in my family tend to take no prisoners.

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  3. Your Aunt Kitty sounds like she was a force to be reckoned with!

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  4. The scarf looks awesome. Soup sounds like a great idea. Might have to make one myself. I have all the fixings.

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  5. I wonder how many know the origin of Gladly, the cross eyed bear! My mother told me when I was a kid. Your reference brought a smile to my face.
    You have done a great job with that scarf. I can't wait to see it finished. Will you do more or has this been all you needed to get it out of your system? Table mats are fun.

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    1. I'm on a roll now I've got it figured out. I think there's more back strap weaving in my future. My output is for the knitting ministry, so they will be scarves, or something else wearable. Thank you for your nice words. I'm happy I got there but want to apply the learning to a better product.

      I was hoping someone would catch the Gladly reference.

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  6. Anyone called Kitty is formidable, from my personal experience. I'm glad you have backstrap under your belt and are ready to move on with more. You certainly have the yarn! It could make very serviceable scarves with every other warp thread doubled, if you use baby yarn again next time.

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    1. This is sock yarn, and yes, I'll take that advice. I've been knitting at such a pace I don't have a lot of the easily washed yarn left, but I expect I can get another scarf out of what I have left. I'm really liking back strap best of the various weaving styles I've done.

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  7. Quite day of which there seem to be a plethora over yonder pond.

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  8. Love the scarf and would have enjoyed Auntie Kitty too.

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    1. She'd be amused at her posthumous popularity!

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  9. "a lovely change from doom" indeed :) That, and an avoidance of human meanness, is how I curate 95% of my twitter feed. It was a hard row to hoe during the HellYears.

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    1. I also am on spoutible.com, navigates like Twitter and some of my faves have joined too. I'm encouraging it.

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  10. I really like the idea of mud-larking. A step on from beach-combing.

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    1. You're near enough the coast to try a bit.

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  11. And I had several great-aunts like that.

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  12. Aunt Kitty sounds delightful! We should all have an aunt Kitty in our lives. Or be one :)

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  13. what fun to have such ancient places to poke around in. ancient as in people having been living there forever.

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    1. Where I live now is a treasure house of Lenni Lenape Indian artefacts! It's about identifying what's there.

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  14. Soup is still on the menu here. Butternut squash was our must recent one.

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  15. I need to find that youtube channel. I read a wonderful book about Mudlarking (named that!) a few years ago. It fascinates me. I wonder if they have designated spots tourists can go to poke about. Probably would be so picked over one would never find a thing!

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    1. The thing about the Thames in particular is that it's tidal. So the water can bring new things any time. You never know.

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  16. Mudlarking is a term I have never heard...interesting. I've always been fascinated by miniatures so will have to check them out.

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    1. I think you'll like them. Nice people having a good time.

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