Getting back in the swing of things

When we first arrived back in the U.K. the weather was very kind to us, and as we had to travel up to Yorkshire we were very grateful for the milder days.  I have not been feeling 'on top of the world' since arriving back, so it was wonderful to see the countryside looking so green and fresh.

View from just outside Grassington Nr Yorkshire

Our garden was looking very Spring like with the daffodils showing their sunny faces.

Nothing like these chaps to blow away the winter blues

and a friend brought me these 

What a welcome back.

There are always a couple of keepsakes that I like to bring back from holidays. From South Africa I love the tin animals, and have gathered Warthogs, Guinea Fowl, and even some people in the past.  So this year when I saw beautiful birds being sold by the side of the road I had to stop with a view to buy.  Now these birds were big, so how would I get them into the suitcase??........but where there's a will there's a way.  I chose one of the smaller ones, and the guy that sold them folded up the birds legs and assured me it would fit in the suitcase. Let me tell you it was a struggle to get that bird in, but he is now happily pecking the plastic insects,

Don't you think he's beautiful? His name is James, after the man that made him

The other animals I brought back were some beaded lizards. So please meet Lizzie and Minnie.

What big eyes they have....

I'd love to show and tell all the things I have made since being home, but sadly I have not been able to settle to doing very much at all, but my friend had a birthday so some mitts were made for her.

Hope she likes them

As many of you know I belong to Higham Piecemakers and each Christmas we get a challenge. This year we were given a fat quarter of red fabric, red DMC floss, and some beads, and the challenge was to make something to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the start of the First World War.  This was my attempt 

Cut and sewn... just the beginnings

Plans and poppies in the making

A field of crosses

One Poppy 

and some beaded flowers

 Idiot me forgot to take a photo of my finished mini quilt, so have had to borrow this photo from the piecemakers blog....

Complete

You should go over to here to see all of the other wonderful thought- provoking items that the ladies have produced.  

Last week of the hols

 Yep! this is our last week of the 6 week holiday in South Africa.

We decided to hire a car and take a trip around the peninsular.  Our first stop was Hout Bay where we used to live.  Its always nice to go back to see what is happening in the'village' and one place that is much

more commercialised now is the Harbour.  I have to say I was a little disappointed to find that none of the crafters seem to come from South Africa and many of them couldn't even speak English (or any of the other 11 official languages of South Africa).

The craft stalls are all much the same.

but just look at these....

These bicycles are about 4"high and perfect in every way.

When we lived in Hout Bay, one of my (almost) daily rides was up to Chapmans Peak from our house, it used to take about 20 minutes to get up there, and 5 minutes to get back home.

Part of the road to the top, but worth every push on the peddles

I have even seen whales in the harbour, and they were so close I could see all the barnacles on his/her skin.

Mr D at the top.  We lived just about where his  left ear is (left as you are looking at him)

We also used to cycle around the Cape Peninsular, and always thought how privileged we were to experience the sites and sounds of the Cape.

We often spotted Dolphins surfing with the kids along this stretch, and what a sight that is.

We travelled along the road to Kalk Bay...

In the distance is Cape Point.

where we stopped at a favourite lunch spot.

Sitting under a massive palm tree for shade

Muizenberg is now a favourite place for the kite surfers to do their tricks....... this would be on a 'to do' list, but I am told it is quite dangerous......I am not that foolish.

Looks like fun

Tuesday was Pancake day and the school had an evening of pancakes and dancing around a fire so we had to go along.

Can you see the brazier....No guards watching over it.

Pancake picnic.

One of the things the children wanted to show us was The Fairy Forest.

Certainly looks like  fairy land

I have never known the children so quiet, we all had to talk in whispers just in case we frightened the fairies away.  We were shown the Fairy Wedding Arch,

You may think its an exposed tree root....but Oh No its definitely a wedding arch

wonderful trees to climb,

This tree is too big for fairy's so the children can play here

a camp 

Just the right size

and tadpoles in the stream..

Who will catch the first one???

we felt very happy being allowed into the children's world........long may they enjoy the wonders of Fairy land.

Once back home the little ones decided to try to encourage fairies into their own garden, so set about making the fairies table, party ring and garden.......

Hope they get the visitors 

We had a wonderful holiday, but all good things have to come to an end. 

Back to Cape Town

Once back in Cape Town I had a date with a man and a (big) kite.  Unfortunately my date depended on the weather -it couldn't be tooooo hot but we did need some heat, some wind but not too much, and definitely no rain (not that you get much rain at this time of year in Cape Town).  So, on Monday morning I made the call and he said come along as soon as you can......great!  We picked the kids up from school (they work tropical hours) and off we went..........

All strapped up and ready for the breeze

Not much wind in that sock

but after about a 5 minute wait - off we went...

Heading off

We travelled along the mountain 

 then I was allowed to take the controls....was he mad?????

He is now showing which direction to go.

It really was a great ride, and if ever you get the chance to 'have a go' it comes highly recommended.

Our next stop was our trip to Paternoster. There is always lots of excitement once the bags are packed, but these two have to be on their best behaviour....

Can you spy the sewing machine?  

 Paternoster is (or was) a sleepy fishing village where all the properties are painted white.  There has been some development, but these holiday cottages have been kept in keeping with the local area Yeah!

Our cottage has the 4x4 parked in front

Quota's of Crayfish have been greatly reduced this year, but we managed to get these for supper

Yummy!!

Time spent on the beach was taken up with making sand mermaids...

What big eyes she has

What a tail.....

Complete with seaweed hair.

kite flying 

One in the air..

...one way out to sea ...

and these have nearly disappeared.

There is always lots of laughs when testing the water......its Oh So Cold!!!!!

Phew! that wave was cold

Lets get out of here...

but J and I  were sooooooo brave....yes we swam...

You won't believe just how cold the Atlantic is

The parts that hurt the most was our arms.......can't understand that

On our last day at Paternoster the mist came in, but we had booked lunch at the Gaaitjie Salt Water Restaurant.  Wow! what a wonderful lunch, we arrived at 12.30pm and left at 3.55pm.  Everyone, including the children thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We noticed the drop in temperature. 

The view from our table

Looks quite eerie 

A very enjoyable part of the holiday with plenty of time spent with the grandchildren

The holiday is almost at an end, just one more week.....