Tag: northumberland

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Scone of the Week #5

Posted on by Jackie B

First day after the bank holiday and everyone still seems to be off work or school. In Alnwick, in search of a scone, everywhere we looked was either packed with queues forming for tables (Barter Books) or closed (most of the rest). It really was a shame as there were lots of tourists about. Baileys, at the junction of Market Street and Bondgate Within, was open with vacant tables so that’s where we went for this week’s scone.

There are steps at the entrance and to get to the counter, so this is not the most accessible cafe. Inside, the decor is rather tired and I’m not a fan of the plastic tablecloths. The staff are very pleasant though and the place is dog-friendly: a very cute shih tzu was under the next table and there were water bowls dotted around.

After ordering at the counter, our scones and drinks arrived quite quickly. The scones were ok, though not very cheesy, with an almost sweet taste. They were served just warm, with a couple of plastic/foil covered butter pats (Lurpak) – nice butter, shame about the packaging. It was at room temperature and spread easily.

While my mum had a pot of tea, I had hot chocolate, which looked quite spectacular. I declined the optional marshmallows. My drink was served in a very tall mug with a long spoon, with a swirl of whipped cream and a dusting of chocolate powder. The cream kept its shape without melting away for quite a while.

Though not the best scone of the week we’ve tasted, it was fine. I applaud Baileys for opening on 2nd January, when many establishments didn’t bother and there were lots of potential customers about.

Have you been out to any cafes or restaurants over the holidays?

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Taking to the Hills with New Year Resolutions

Posted on by Jackie B

Happy New Year Everyone. I wish you all a very happy and healthy 2020, with a special shout out to all of you who have followed my blog and liked and commented on posts.

Every year I like to learn a new skill. In previous years I took on beat-boxing(!), playing the ukulele and online publishing. It got to November and I realised I didn’t have a new skill for 2019. That’s why I started the blog. I had thought about it, but this was the decider. I began blogging on 14th November and I’m loving it. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy writing and I’m really enjoying making contact with people on here, especially fellow knitters and crafters. Today I reached the 200 likes milestone.

Today we weren’t by the sea. We headed for the hills for the big dog walk. I took my knitting as you can just about see (more of that later). It gave me a chance to make a note of my New Year Resolutions.

  1. Make a Santa hat. There are always a number of times I need one over the festive season (eg choir/ukelele performances) and I always think how much nicer a hand- knitted one would be than the tacky felt one I’ve been using. By the time I think about this it’s always too late. To avoid this happening again I have already started this, so that’s the first new project for 2020 underway. If I enjoy doing it I might even make a Bah Humbug version for K, my own personal Grinch.
  2. Make a Christmas jumper. For exactly the same reasons as 1.
  3. Keep on stash-busting. I want to finish the Stashbusting Blues Cape/Poncho and look at what else I can use up. I recently came across the SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy) acronym so I need to reduce what I have ….and that’s all craft materials, not just yarn.
  4. Finish as many UFOs (Unfinished Objects) as I can (which is linked to 3. in a way.
  5. Tidy up the craft room. When I retired, one of the first things I did was decorate the conservatory (which had become a bit of a dumping ground) and turn it into a workshop/studio /craft room and a place to store all my yarn and craft kit that was previously scattered around the house. I do have the share this space with son’s drum kit, but as I acquire more stuff, it silts up. This needs a good sort out which will in turn help with 3. and 4.
  6. Get out more – with my knitting. Sitting in a car with a nice view while K walks the dog, will actually increase my knitting output. At home there is always something else that needs doing before I sit down with the needles and yarn.
  7. Improve my photography. I was not impressed with the blurry knitting on this post. Needs work.
  8. Learn brioche. I keep seeing beautiful examples of this. It could even be my new skill for 2020

I daren’t list any more, but there’s nothing to do with dieting, giving up anything or taking more exercise (though I probably should). This should be interesting to review in a year’s time.

Have you set yourself any knitting/crafty-related New Year resolutions

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Searching at Sunrise

Posted on by Jackie B

I’m not exactly a morning person, but there were rather special circumstances yesterday morning which led me to see the sun come up. Of course being late December it wasn’t that early.

I was there for a rather sad reason. We always keep an eye out for cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) when we are at the beach or in our boat. We always report any sightings to add to the body of knowledge about their distribution. Over the last few days there had been a number of sightings of a pod of four sperm whales, quite close inshore. This was not good news. The sperm whale is a deep water species, feeding on squid, which again is only found in deep water. These were not where they should be. Our coastal waters are far too shallow and they would not be able to feed. They would be starving, probably dehydrated and sick. Local experts predicted that the whales would probably strand on the overnight tide and asked for volunteers to help locate them.

When whales strand, it is very very unlikely that they will be refloated and swim away. It seems that they come ashore to die. It was important to find them before the general public. After another stranding further south recently, someone turned up with tools to hack out a tooth as a souvenir. I feel they should be able to die with some dignity with bystanders kept at a distance. It is vital that as much data can be collected from the carcasses as possible to help us find out why whale strandings occur.

So that’s why we needed to be checking the beach at first light. I went to Alnmouth, but thankfully there was no sign of the whales. The sunrise was glorious though.

Volunteers searched the coastline and maintained a vigil all day, but the whales had disappeared without trace. It’s a longshot, but we all hope they’ve managed to get far enough north and east to be able to feed and survive.

Today was beautiful: sunny, calm and clear. so we headed for Sugar Sands for the dog walk. The beach is accessed via a gated farm track and there is an honesty box by the farm gate to pay your 50p car park fee (proceeds go to the local church). This allows you to park overlooking the bay.

Thankfully no sperm whales (I’ll post updates if hear anything more) but lots of birds, including cormorants, eider ducks and gulls on the water and a large flock of curlew and oystercatcher in the next field. I was checking out the eider ducks with the binoculars and saw a harbour porpoise. It surfaced three times, quite a long way into the bay before I lost track of it. Wonderful!

I did remember to bring my knitting, but didn’t do much – it’s a twiddle mitt, almost ready to cast off and embellish with buttons and beads. I’m wearing one of my Christmas presents: fingerless gloves from Turtle Doves. They are made from recycled cashmere sweaters: lovely and warm and perfect for alfresco knitting on a cold day.

Have you spotted any interesting wildlife near where you live?

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Drinks Down On The Farm With The Dog

Posted on by Jackie B

We visited our favourite pop-up bar this afternoon. Not far away, at Acklington Park Farm is the Rigg and Furrow Brewery. One of the barns on the farm has been converted into a bar, which opens about once a month and every December Saturday up to Christmas.

I got my favourite seat by the wood burning stove and toasted myself nicely (it was bitterly cold outside) while sipping a gin and tonic. K is the beer drinker, so he had a pint of his favourite Run Hop Run ale.

The Christmas tree is up and the lights and foliage over the bar give the place a lovely festive feel (along with the elves on the beer pumps).

There’s always a great atmosphere and I’m told the beer is excellent, though they serve gin, wine and fizz too. K has ordered a mini keg of Run Hop Run for over the holidays.

We ordered some rosemary salt fries to snack on (very tasty, nicely salted with a dollop of mayo) from Adventures in Aude, who are usually there with Audrey – a vintage Citroen truck which houses a mobile kitchen- they make the most delicious Mediterranean style flatbreads – my favourite is the chicken zatar.

Buddy the Lab loves it here – it’s very dog-friendly, with water bowl and dog biscuits available. Today he made friends with two greyhounds, an Irish Setter and another lab, as well as lots of humans, especially the people who had food!

In summer the lawn by the bar is covered in rugs and benches for people to sit out and enjoy the sunshine. Next to that is a paddock occupied by a Highland cow and her calf – we watched him get bigger every month over the summer.

Do you have a favourite place to eat or drink that’s a bit our of the ordinary?

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The 14 Cable Hat

Posted on by Jackie B

No “Scone of the Week” post today – my fellow scone eater had a prior engagement so I made a big pan of broccoli and stilton soup and had some of that instead. Then I had a think about some of my past projects and decided to share this one on the blog.

Here in Northumberland, throughout the summer, there are agricultural shows held most weekends. We go to quite a few and there’s always a lot to see. Immaculately groomed livestock are judged; horses and ponies compete in showing and jumping classes; talented crafters bring their work to exhibit and try to win a prize; gardeners show their fruit, flowers and unfeasibly large vegetables! Barnacre Alpacas attend many of these events, bringing some of their cute alpacas and selling alpaca yarn and hand knitted items.

A couple of years back I bought some of their alpaca yarn, in a creamy beige colour – I couldn’t resist any longer! It is sooooo soft! I didn’t have a project in mind at the time, but decided it would make a wonderful warm hat for the winter, so I had a look for a pattern on line.

I love knitting cable, and when I found the 14 Cable Hat pattern I couldn’t wait to get started – it is the busiest cable hat I’ve ever seen, with 14 different cable designs running up the hat. It’s the perfect one to knit if you are a cable fan. It’s a free pattern and includes a very colourful chart. Some of the featured designs I’d never seen before and are quite complex. It made for a really interesting project. I used double pointed needles, which wasn’t great – I’d definitely use circulars next time.

I bought a furry pompom to go on the top – it is attached with a press stud to remove for washing (or changing on to other hats). I wear it often during the winter months – it is delightfully warm and cosy.

What’s your favourite winter hat?

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Scone of the Week #3- The Old Stables Tea Room

Posted on by Jackie B

Today took us to the The Old Stables Tea Room, just outside Alnwick (on the roundabout just up from the Lion Bridge on the B6352). This lovely little cafe is situated in part of the stable block of a big old house.

Although they serve a lovely selection of yummy cakes and light lunches, we opted for our habitual cheese scones.

We were offered these slightly warmed and they arrived just warm enough to feel fresh from the oven, but not so hot as to melt the butter – perfect!. They were served with a very generous pot of butter, soft enough to spread easily (don’t you just hate trying to spread hard straight-from-the-fridge butter?) . The scones excellent: soft and very light with a little bit of cheese baked on the top. We accompanied them with a pot of tea for mum and hot chocolate (choice of milk or dark chocolate) for me, served with a big swirl of cream.

The cafe has a friendly team of staff and also includes a small shop area with a selection of cards and gifts. It’s usually quite full, especially in the summer holiday season and even today most of the empty tables were reserved when we arrived. It’s probably work booking in advance at busy times

As we were leaving, afternoon tea was being served to one table, complete with dainty sandwiches and cakes . It looked lovely – something to think about for another time.

What’s the nicest afternoon tea you’ve ever had?

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Christmas Wreaths and Festive Treats

Posted on by Jackie B
Caitlin made her first door wreath

Having tried and run out of time last Christmas, C and I made a concerted effort to book on to Christmas wreath-making workshop for this year and when we heard about one at The Running Fox, Shilbottle it seemed to fit what we were after. I’ve just got back with my competed door wreath after a lovely evening with C.

We were given prosecco with a dash of sloe gin on arrival and my glass was topped up throughout the evening, Then we were brought a platter of Christmas pie ( turkey, stuffing and vegetables in pastry)Bacon and brie quiche and pigs in blankets.

The guys from MBC Arts, our workshop tutors for the evening, distributed materials and tools ready for us to begin

Frames and moss ready to start

We got to work watching each step demonstrated and then doing it ourselves before moving on to see the next stage. First of all we attached handfuls of sphagnum moss to a wreath frame, winding craft wire round the frame to keep it packed securely in place.

The moss is wired onto the frame, keeping it quite densely packed. The moss is very absorbent and will hold water to keep the wreath foliage fresh

We were brought boughs of blue spruce and cypressus and we cut sprigs, sharpening the cut ends of each with an oblique cut, then pushing them into the mossy base, all lying in the same direction, at an angle, overlapping along the, frame (forming a sort of swirl pattern), then securing them further by winding more craft wire around. the ring, We used smaller sprigs to fill in any small gaps until the front of the frame was totally covered

Sprigs of foliage are added until the mossy base is covered.
Foliage in place

Stage one complete, we had a short break and were served more festive treats – sweet ones this time: Cornflake cake Christmas puddings, gingerbread spice cake, cheesecake and mince pies.

Sweet treats

After the break we were given items to decorate our wreaths: dried apple, orange and chilli, cinnamon sticks, pine cones and lengths of ribbon. Although all materials were provided in the cost, we’d brought a few items of our own to add: some pheasant feathers and small gold baubles. We were shown how to secure each item on to a length of florists wire, then push each through the moss and bend back any ends coming through at the back, to secure. We finished off with a wire hanging loop attached to the frame.

You can see C’s work at the top of the post. Here’s mine below

My wreath

I may tweak it a bit now it’s home, but I’m quite pleased with the overall result. We had such a lovely night: the refreshments were delicious and plentiful, The tutors from MBC Arts were very helpful and gave lots of encouragement and the cafe staff looked after us extremely well. With all materials and refreshments included, the price was a very reasonable £35 each. We had some wonderful Mother/Daughter bonding time. Maybe again next year?

Do you have a new Christmas craft for this year?

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What a Difference a Week Makes

Posted on by Jackie B

How the weather has changed since I posted this time last week in the same place. The rain has stopped and the temperature has dropped. While K walked the dog I put my knitting on a picnic table while I took photos – It was freezing, so I was soon back in the car to get on with my knitting before my fingers got numb.

The body of the poncho cape has grown and I’m really enjoying putting the different blue tones together. I’ve just joined in the turquoise colour you can see on the left – it is an oddment left over from the Valdres Sweater. The number of stitches is increasing rapidly, so I’m about to change to circular needles. You can see how this needle is absolutely crammed.

Last week’s breakers have washed up loads of kelp, The sea is a lot calmer now and it’s so good to have sunshine and blue sky. Coquet Island was clearly visible this week now the rain and fog have gone. The island is an important nesting site for the Roseate Tern – one of our rarest breeding seabirds. Other species breed there too, notably the Puffin.

Even though it was only about 2pm, the sun was very low in the sky, but then it is December. It made the Aln Estuary look beautiful.

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Scone of the week #2

Posted on by Jackie B
How cheesy is this scone?

This week found us snacking at Nelsons at the Park in Swarland, Northumberland. in the heart of the village, overlooking the children’s playground and sports field.

We opted for our favourite cheese scones, though the cakes on display are very tempting, Here the scones are generously proportioned and exceptionally cheesy, with a deliciously crusty outside and crumbly centre. To drink, I had a very indulgent hot chocolate (chocolate orange flavour), topped with lashings of whipped cream, a little bucket full of marshmallows and a couple of chocolate orange segments. Mum had a filter coffee. As always, one of the friendly team at Nelsons came over to offer her a top up.

It was a perfect way to cheer up a dull, wet November afternoon,

What’s your favourite scone?

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I really do knit by the sea!

Posted on by Jackie B
a spot of seaside knitting today.

It finally stopped raining so I joined K and the dog at Alnmouth today. I’m not good at walking on sand so decided to take a few pics for the blog. I love to sit and watch the sea (sometimes knitting at the same time). The view changes so rapidly. The carpark at Alnmouth overlooks the beach so it’s a perfect vantage point. We love it in the winter as there are fewer picnickers (Buddy the labrador is very greedy).

The sea was rough today and the tide was in. Usually there is a good view of Coquet Island from here but the weather was too murky to see it.

Tank traps from WWII

The waves have washed a lot of sand away and the old tank traps are easy to see here. These concrete cubes are found at lots of places along this coast – they were defences against enemy landing craft, left over from World War Two. Today some children were having fun climbing on them. In summer they are a great place to dry wet swimming towels, but nobody was venturing into the water today!

I’m on the next stage of the stash busting blues project, having done lots of maths last night to work out the transition from the collar to the body and the shaping increases for the next part of the pattern. It’s pretty straightforward for the rest of it if all goes to plan, so it was bliss to just be mesmerised by the waves and get on with my knitting!