Home again - nuntium duocentesimum tricesimum sextum

Now back to Minnesota.  It was a marvelous week with many fun things but as always it's a delight to be home too. Here's a little motif that I made with sewing thread while in Birmingham.  It's not my favorite but it was part of a gift.  It's based on something I saw on Pinterest although not nearly as nice.  It was part of gift for our hostess/friend.  I would have preferred to do something else but it needed to fit in a certain space and all my books were at home!  Trust me, the original is lovely!

On Friday night we went to a posh (even has a Michelin star) restaurant in the neighborhood.  It's called Simpsons.  The food is absolutely delightful and the service was outstanding.  (Here starts my career as a food critic- remember when!).  The presentation of the food was quite beautiful although some of it was a bit over-the-top for this North Dakota girl. (You didn't know I grew up in ND, did you?)  Sometimes, I think my ND upbringing gives me a bit of what I call "Emperor's New Clothes" syndrome.  This is where I look at things and think "that's ridiculous" while others around me exclaim about the "beauty", "intensity", "innovation", etc.  Here are some pictures from our amazing meal. 

Starters for my friends- looked beautiful but contained seafood which I can't eat.  See the rock in the back on the right?  It was chilled and the sauce for dipping is that creamy stuff on the top.  Beautiful and yummy, but in my opinion, ridiculous.

My starter- yum!

Appetizer with scallops- for my friends

The bread- the rolls on the right are made with olive tapenade.  I could have eaten just those!

My appetizer- it was delightful

Something called Ox Cheek (dumb name) but WOW!

The lamb course with some veg, both amazing.

The "pre-dessert"- seriously?  But wow- mango crust with lemon curd something and shortbread crumbs. 

And dessert.  Something cleverly named "Dessert around a Peach".  But it was so wonderful.  It had white chocolate and more white chocolate called aero, meaning it was puffed somehow with raspberries and lavender

And with our expresso/cappuccino came a little bag called "pick and mix" which was full of the most delightful candies.

Here's a picture of our (second) Full English.  I did  not have the tomato although it was available.  

And to end, here we are on the terrace of her house with our afternoon Cava.

What a trip!

( I just re-read this post and laughed at all my "delightful"s but truly it was!)

Caught up!!! - - nuntium duocentesimum tricesimum quintum

I'm caught up!  I'm caught up!  I can't believe it- and I didn't run out of thread but it's close.  WIOSNA round 16 is done!

 Since I had more time, I made Joëlle's Le flocon Frivole too (which I love).

Yesterday was significantly cooler in Birmingham.  My friend assures me that London is simply warmer anyway but even so, it was wonderful.  I even put on slippers last night.  Sometimes being "cool" is simply delicious, but for me only if it's natural, not air-conditioned.  I love my air-conditioning at home, don't get me wrong but I don't find it as pleasurable as a cool evening after a warm(ish) day.

My hostess is determined that I shall enjoy all Birmingham has to offer so yesterday we went to The Barber Institute of Fine Arts which has an amazing collection of art and -I think- my new favorite Van Gogh, called A Peasant Woman Digging.  She is such a real person and yet so lovely, the colors are truly wonderful.

A poppy in the Winterbourne Gardens

Then we walked to Winterbourne House, had lunch in the terrace café and leisurely wandered the gardens for the rest of the afternoon.  We didn't go in the house, that's for next trip possibly.

And even the food at "home" is wonderful.  Here is last night's dinner which was a lovely salad of snap peas (cleverly called Mangetout here), peas, radicchio, feta, pine nuts and prosciutto.  It was a delight!

And we started the day with a traditional full English breakfast.  I am so very spoiled.

Caught up!!! - - nuntium duocentesimum tricesimum quintum

I'm caught up!  I'm caught up!  I can't believe it- and I didn't run out of thread but it's close.  WIOSNA round 16 is done!

 Since I had more time, I made Joëlle's Le flocon Frivole too (which I love).

Yesterday was significantly cooler in Birmingham.  My friend assures me that London is simply warmer anyway but even so, it was wonderful.  I even put on slippers last night.  Sometimes being "cool" is simply delicious, but for me only if it's natural, not air-conditioned.  I love my air-conditioning at home, don't get me wrong but I don't find it as pleasurable as a cool evening after a warm(ish) day.

My hostess is determined that I shall enjoy all Birmingham has to offer so yesterday we went to The Barber Institute of Fine Arts which has an amazing collection of art and -I think- my new favorite Van Gogh, called A Peasant Woman Digging.  She is such a real person and yet so lovely, the colors are truly wonderful.

A poppy in the Winterbourne Gardens

Then we walked to Winterbourne House, had lunch in the terrace café and leisurely wandered the gardens for the rest of the afternoon.  We didn't go in the house, that's for next trip possibly.

And even the food at "home" is wonderful.  Here is last night's dinner which was a lovely salad of snap peas (cleverly called Mangetout here), peas, radicchio, feta, pine nuts and prosciutto.  It was a delight!

And we started the day with a traditional full English breakfast.  I am so very spoiled.

Caught up!!! - - nuntium duocentesimum tricesimum quintum

I'm caught up!  I'm caught up!  I can't believe it- and I didn't run out of thread but it's close.  WIOSNA round 16 is done!

 Since I had more time, I made Joëlle's Le flocon Frivole too (which I love).

Yesterday was significantly cooler in Birmingham.  My friend assures me that London is simply warmer anyway but even so, it was wonderful.  I even put on slippers last night.  Sometimes being "cool" is simply delicious, but for me only if it's natural, not air-conditioned.  I love my air-conditioning at home, don't get me wrong but I don't find it as pleasurable as a cool evening after a warm(ish) day.

My hostess is determined that I shall enjoy all Birmingham has to offer so yesterday we went to The Barber Institute of Fine Arts which has an amazing collection of art and -I think- my new favorite Van Gogh, called A Peasant Woman Digging.  She is such a real person and yet so lovely, the colors are truly wonderful.

A poppy in the Winterbourne Gardens

Then we walked to Winterbourne House, had lunch in the terrace café and leisurely wandered the gardens for the rest of the afternoon.  We didn't go in the house, that's for next trip possibly.

And even the food at "home" is wonderful.  Here is last night's dinner which was a lovely salad of snap peas (cleverly called Mangetout here), peas, radicchio, feta, pine nuts and prosciutto.  It was a delight!

And we started the day with a traditional full English breakfast.  I am so very spoiled.

Caught up!!! - - nuntium duocentesimum tricesimum quintum

I'm caught up!  I'm caught up!  I can't believe it- and I didn't run out of thread but it's close.  WIOSNA round 16 is done!

 Since I had more time, I made Joëlle's Le flocon Frivole too (which I love).

Yesterday was significantly cooler in Birmingham.  My friend assures me that London is simply warmer anyway but even so, it was wonderful.  I even put on slippers last night.  Sometimes being "cool" is simply delicious, but for me only if it's natural, not air-conditioned.  I love my air-conditioning at home, don't get me wrong but I don't find it as pleasurable as a cool evening after a warm(ish) day.

My hostess is determined that I shall enjoy all Birmingham has to offer so yesterday we went to The Barber Institute of Fine Arts which has an amazing collection of art and -I think- my new favorite Van Gogh, called A Peasant Woman Digging.  She is such a real person and yet so lovely, the colors are truly wonderful.

A poppy in the Winterbourne Gardens

Then we walked to Winterbourne House, had lunch in the terrace café and leisurely wandered the gardens for the rest of the afternoon.  We didn't go in the house, that's for next trip possibly.

And even the food at "home" is wonderful.  Here is last night's dinner which was a lovely salad of snap peas (cleverly called Mangetout here), peas, radicchio, feta, pine nuts and prosciutto.  It was a delight!

And we started the day with a traditional full English breakfast.  I am so very spoiled.

Caught up!!! - - nuntium duocentesimum tricesimum quintum

I'm caught up!  I'm caught up!  I can't believe it- and I didn't run out of thread but it's close.  WIOSNA round 16 is done!

 Since I had more time, I made Joëlle's Le flocon Frivole too (which I love).

Yesterday was significantly cooler in Birmingham.  My friend assures me that London is simply warmer anyway but even so, it was wonderful.  I even put on slippers last night.  Sometimes being "cool" is simply delicious, but for me only if it's natural, not air-conditioned.  I love my air-conditioning at home, don't get me wrong but I don't find it as pleasurable as a cool evening after a warm(ish) day.

My hostess is determined that I shall enjoy all Birmingham has to offer so yesterday we went to The Barber Institute of Fine Arts which has an amazing collection of art and -I think- my new favorite Van Gogh, called A Peasant Woman Digging.  She is such a real person and yet so lovely, the colors are truly wonderful.

A poppy in the Winterbourne Gardens

Then we walked to Winterbourne House, had lunch in the terrace café and leisurely wandered the gardens for the rest of the afternoon.  We didn't go in the house, that's for next trip possibly.

And even the food at "home" is wonderful.  Here is last night's dinner which was a lovely salad of snap peas (cleverly called Mangetout here), peas, radicchio, feta, pine nuts and prosciutto.  It was a delight!

And we started the day with a traditional full English breakfast.  I am so very spoiled.

HOT, HOT, HOT! - nuntium duocentesimum tricesimum quartum

Yesterday was fantastic in London.  We had a lot of fun in the British Museum.  I took 190 pictures, if you can imagine and that was in just four rooms.  Unfortunately the Roman collection is mostly on the third floor and there are skylights in (most of) those rooms.  It was a bit like greenhouse except with no plants and everyone else in the world there.
I had been in 2002 but was still staggered by the collection.  I could blather on and bore you with gobs of pictures of Roman glass but I won't.  But even I, and my daughters will tell you the contrary, was defeated by the weather and was ready to leave the museum when we did.  Usually you would have to drag me out of any museum with Roman stuff.
We had a marvelous dinner at Giotto which is between the BM and Tottenham Court Road station.

Here's my zabaglione, the dessert- yum!!!

And I tatted both on the way and back.  Still on the old thread and I think I might make it to the end of the round- here's hoping.  (Thank you, God's Kid, for the reassurance.  I'm very nervous about the two threads.)

I can't decide if I'm pleased the next round isn't available yet- because I'm not quite done or sad because I want to see it!

Now what? nuntium duocentesimum tricesimum quartum

And today's dilemma is...
I'm out of thread.  It's "vintage" which is of course code for "really old".  It was my Aunt Rose-E's so at minimum it's 40 years old.  The label says $.15 but with an actual "cents" mark.  Do they even make that anymore?
But in the stash, there is another, made by a different company with a different number.  Could it work?

Oh boy.

Let me explain how/why I'm in Birmingham.  I have a very dear friend who is a Brummie who grew up here and then lived for many years in Greenwich.  Two years ago, she moved "back home" and had me over to help her unpack.  She felt bad last time because we "worked" the whole time and wanted an opportunity to show off her town.

Today we went to the Back-to-Backs which were fascinating, although quite cramped to these modern eyes and stifling in this heat!  I swear it wasn't this warm in Italy!

It's been a very relaxing trip, staying in a home, rather than a hotel and not trundling 17 middle schoolers about.  My friend is an author and recently finished her latest book in June.  For the last several years, I have been the lucky "first audience" as she reads her new book aloud.  I do get to make suggestions here and there and I tat while listening, hence the great "productive" nature of the last week.  Plus I couldn't sleep on the plane to save my life so I got a lot done then!

Tomorrow we are going to London for the day (doesn't that sound quite pompous?).  We are going to the British Museum to see an exhibit of archeological remains from Alexandria (Egypt).  We went to Egypt together in 2007 to specifically see this stuff (as research for her book then) only to find the museum there was CLOSED!  So, 9 years later, we finally get to see the collection.   Of course I drag the poor woman through the Roman galleries for as long as she can stand that too.

And I get to tat on the train, there and back!  Perfect.

Round 15 !

I'm so excited!  I've been able to get round 15 done.  It's quite the bugger and very slow going (for me).  I've even started round 16 and since I'm vacationing and doing something so different from my real life, I may be able to finish it too before Thursday. (haha!!)

These are a few pictures I took today in Birmingham's beautiful Botanical Gardens.  I am continually surprised by the plants which will grow in England versus Minnesota.  After all, England is considerably more northern than Minnesota.

What is this flower?  It's huge and wonderful (and unlabeled.)

And just in case you weren't feeling very lucky today, imagine you are my neighbor who came home from the cabin to this.

We had a terrible storm a few weeks ago and even though our car was parked on the street on the opposite side, nothing happened to ours- (thank goodness!)

I've left my Martha Ess book at home so I'm not sure what Fox means to tackle the white flower.  I could try Muskaan's idea.  But first, round 16!

Sitting in the airport- nuntium duocentesimum tricesimum

Here I am in the airport in Paris on my way to England.  I got 3/4 of the way around the doily and realized that my spare bobbin of yellow is cleverly packed in my checked bag!  I guess I'll have to sleep on the little flight.  I know I could cut the ball thread too but I'm so tired I'm sure I would mess it up!

So, what's a girl to do?  Pinterest to the rescue!  I found a lovely photo which has no link to anything else and there's a technique that I'm dying to figure out!  So to be clear... This is NOT my work, I 'd don't know whose it is or the pattern.  If you know, let me know and I will absolutely give credit, etc.

Here's the link: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/1200x/6b/33/1f/6b331ff74a84094e4507129c85baf389.jpg

Does anyone know the technique to create the little flower bursts?

What is this? - - nuntium duocentesimum undetricesimum

I know some tatters work on things and have other tatters guess what it is but here's a different one.  I was recently looking for something in my tatting stuff and found many things including this.

Does anyone recognize it?  I wonder what it is?  It's certainly not complete or it would be somewhere else, I think.  Is it a butterfly wing?  Is it something I started and did wrong?  I've thrown it away twice now and fished it out of the bin thinking there must be something to it.

And thank you for all the help with round 15.  I've started it and it's going well, if s-l-o-w-l-y!  I'd forgotten how the outer rounds take so much longer!  I am loving working with the size 80 (or tatting crochet size).  I'm actually considering entering this one into the State Fair.

I think next it will be a square doily like Sally's or a concentric rectangle one that Diane and Fox did.  I'm loving those!  Or maybe Robin's coasters...  so many options!

Round 15 - - nuntium duocentesimum undetricesimum

Round 15 of Renulek's doily.

Is anyone else there?    Even if you aren't but are willing to look, here it is.  I see the way she's suggesting to do it but I swear the bottom or the close of the ring is on the right, not the left.  Or is the doily upside down in the picture?  Or maybe she's left-handed?

What do you think?

Sort of new - nuntium duocentesimum duodetricesimum

Didn't sell a single dragonfly, not a one.  Everyone liked them and wanted to touch them but that's it.  Lots of stories about grandma, aunt, great aunt and cousin who tatted so that part is fun.  And a lot of "Tatting is a lost art".  I never know what to say so I just smile and say "I found it!"

In another effort to have something for the craft show, I wanted to make something else.  I had this wonderful rayon thread (79 cents so it must be old).   It's not very original but here they are.

My daughter said the beads on the purple one look like rice.  No matter what, these were popular.  Much easier to make.  Huh.

Show coming - nuntium duocentesimum vicesimum septimum

Tomorrow is a craft show.  As usual, I've spent the last few days trying to make the next best thing.  My sister suggested earrings and said dragonflies are "hot".  She sent me a pattern from Pinterest so here's the result.

She's going to add the findings and then we'll see.

And I found a way to weave in the ends with this teeny-tiny thread.  I've been using beading needles and it works but I can't get the picture to my computer.  Maybe tomorrow.

What teachers do in the summer - - nuntium duocentesimum vicesimum sextum

I have to admit that as a kid I never wondered what teachers did in the summer.  Nor did I think about their evenings, weekends or anything else.  To me they were just part of school.  Sometimes I wonder if that's how kids think of me.

But summer- now this is magical time to me.  Maybe part of that is living here in Minnesota where there is such contrast between our seasons - I'm not sure.

Here's what summer means to me:
-Traveling with students, this year to Italy.  What complete and utter fun to share with them the places I love and they have been learning about.  I typically don't post pictures of my students or children but most of them are making such goofy faces that they are unrecognizable so I will break this self-imposed rule.

And yes, this is my sense of humor.  "Kids, stay in the Colosseum when I go out.  Go over to there and when I get outside, go right up to the gate and look pathetic. This will be the picture I send to your parents today."

-Having time to cook like I want to.  This is our dinner from last night, mushroom risotto.  It was as good as the one we had in Sorrento and I had the pleasure of cooking with my daughter.

-Being able to sit and enjoy my patio, whether tatting or doing schoolwork (yes, really.)

Not too bad for plants who lived in the house during the winter.  I'm so excited that the jasmine is going to bloom soon.

Scheduling things whenever I want to.  Doctors, dentists and even lunch with Happy Bluebird this coming week!  Hard to imagine that I might be excited about a mammogram but at least I can go any time.

Visiting my family.  Since they live several hours away, I always make the origami mice for the following school year on the way.  I don't do much origami anymore but I make these for each 6th grader and use them for teaching prepositions.

Almost finished, just three more steps.  (There are 40 more mice in two other cups.)

Just plain resting and thinking + tatting.  I got behind in Italy so I'm on row 13  (especially since I screwed up on 11 and had to cut off a portion and redo).

What a wonderful life!