I had planned to post about the snow on Macgillycuddy’s Reeks in late April

and our drive through the Gap of Dunloe and into the Black Valley.

  Then I had another big bag order.

I had also planned to discuss the pros and cons of new versus old sewing machines. 

 But before I could get around to it the new one packed up so there’s  no contest – the ancient Frister & Rossman wins hands down.

Then last week was turned completely upside down and instead of sewing bags, stirring marmalade or even trying to blog, I found myself in London.

To begin at the beginning.  Many, many years ago myself and another actor spent a day in someone’s house in London filming a television commercial for a certain lemonade.  A job, nothing more, nothing less.  Last week, 39 years later, myself and the same actor found ourselves in someone’s house in London filming an exact replica of the original, this time for a lemonade lolly.

 I was flown to London, met at Heathrow by a man holding a card with my name on it (never happened before, quite exciting) and whisked to a hotel in a swish black car.  This meant I had the unexpected treat of spending an afternoon with the grandchildren (Delilah, now 5 weeks, is becoming even more beautiful), and a lovely meal later with younger son.

Then I spent a day being an actress again!  Crazy!  The new ad. is going viral – I pretended to know what that meant and have since discovered that it’s going out online – with newspaper coverage too.  When, I don’t know.  I shall probably miss it as I now have so much catching up to do for bag orders and marmalade!

I could actually do with a holiday.  Back to the Black Valley perhaps?

I won’t show you pictures of dead plants!  Instead, flowers I found in the sunshine yesterday.

The columbine and Californian poppy are self seeded in the greenhouse and I haven’t the heart to pull them up!

It just shows what a mild winter we’ve had – the geraniums never made it to the greenhouse and in the shelter of a wall the first nasturtiums are flowering.

The escallonia is an amazing shrub.  It grows to great heights, shrugs off gale force winds, keeps its glossy green leaves all year and then flowers.  Remarkable.

And I spotted the first fuschia flower hiding under a holly bush.

It’s hard to believe that it was only three weeks ago when I cut the willows. 

For now I’m happy to listen to the increasingly loud  birdsong and am on the lookout for the first swallow.  Have you seen one yet?

*I must be careful when mentioning the weather.  I was recently reprimanded in a comment on a post for ‘whinging about the weather’.  I thought that a little harsh.  I know I witter on about the weather – it’s hard to ignore here – but whinge about it?  If anyone else feels I’m guilty of this please tell me.  

 Time spent with this one is always entertaining and exhausting – how can someone so small have so much energy?!

 Thanks to the cazily hot spell of last week and the recent cold winds, the tulips are nearly over. But not before I got the camera out.  As usual, I have no idea what varieties they are.  I will try harder this autumn to make a note of what I plant! 

 I used to think tulips dull and old fashioned.   Old fashioned they may be but totally irresistable. 

Just like this view of which I will never tire.

Have a happy holiday weekend.

P.S.  Thank you everyone for your kind comments on Delilah.  She continues to thrive and we can’t wait to see her again!  

Delilah Kathleen Maya was born last Tuesday, 27 March and weighed 6lbs 3 oz.  She is, of course, beautiful.

Father, mother and brother are all besotted.  And at last I have a girl to sew and knit for!!

This is what the early stage of about 100 Gorgeous Wool Bags looks like.

Luckily I have a new assistant  Chief Wool Cutter.  The remarkable and versatile T has slipped easily into the role and actually enjoys hours of cutting, helped along by loud music or The Goons!

He’s doing a grand job!  Meanwhile I’m rapidly emptying the shelves of vintage cottons for the linings and counting buttons!

Other cutting has been happening outside – it’s hard to believe that this willow stump will have long straight rods by the end of the year.

  We’ve cut  all the willows, dogwoods, eucalyptus, pruned hydrangeas, roses, santolinas and buddleia

 and are left with an extra large bonfire in waiting. 

Mr Nosey has to check we’ve done it right!

This pile is for Lynn Kirkham, basket maker par excellence.  I had a go at basket making once.  It’s great fun and if I wasn’t making bags …. !

Shan’t be posting for a while.  Off to London for the arrival of our second grandchild (ooooohh, I’m SO excited!), the Selvedge Spring Fair next Saturday and a bit of a break before the serious business of sewing begins!

But as it’s St Patrick’s Day or, as it’s referred to here, Paddy’s Day, I thought a bit of  ”oirishness” wouldn’t go amiss!  And being the greenest day of the year in a very green country, I thought I’d share some of the forty shades.

Such as the green grass

the velvety green moss on tree roots

the bright new green of wood sorrel which is what I like to think of as shamrock rather than the pots of wilting  greenery they sell in the supermarkets

the greens of moss and heather under the trees at the Killarney lakes

the greens of the holly that grows everywhere

more mossy green trees – there’s a lot of moss about

the green of new montbretia

and the green of emerging wild strawberries.

Plenty of green!  Enough not to have to paint buildings, roads and faces perhaps?

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

I’m really pleased to be part of the Selvedge Spring Fair at the end of the month.   I’ve been busy making  new Vintage Print Summer Bags

 Vintage Print Cushions

and I finally went through my stash of antique embroideries and have now got some wonderful Antique Embroidered Cushions.  These aren’t on the Cattapilla Designs website yet but I’ll get them on as soon as I can.

These and more will be coming with me.

So if you’re able to get to London on 31st March I’d love to see you.

P.S.  I think spring may be coming!

  So today’s ‘to-do’ list of sewing and marmalade making went out the window and at last I cut back the rosa rugosa hedge - I have the scratches and splinters to prove it!

 I normally do it over Christmas but never got around to it. 

 I don’t think it will make too much difference, it’s only just beginning to bud.

 Now all I have to do is prune all the other roses, coppice the willows, clear the veg. beds and weed, weed, weed …. 

This lot were enjoying the sun too.

In the workroom things are different.   New-to-me vintage fabrics are brightening my days and will soon be available to brighten yours.

60’s English

French Beldecor ‘Labrador’

1950’s English Horrockses

1940’s French Beldecor ‘Chiraz’

All cushioned up!

Can’t wait to use this – it’s going to make fabulous cushions.

Gorgeous Wool Bags will be bright this spring.

Even my current knitting of socks and baby blanket is chasing away the gloom.

Hope you find some colour in your week.

 The grass needed cutting – oh, that smell!

  There are tadpoles

and frog spawn in the pond

 the miniature daffodils are looking so pretty

 and Rosie has a new sleeping place

- in the shed on the top shelf in Joe’s car seat.

  I think it’s to get as far away from Hercules as possible; she doesn’t like him much!