Shhhhhh! Volga Linen Sale

Brian, our postman made it through today! It will take this hero ages to finish his round as everyone wants to talk and offer him a drink, at least. One of the things he brought was a catalogue of the Volga Linen Winter Sale. This is lovely linen which I buy, and now there are some really good bargains to be had. What about that dress cover? Isn't that a lovely project for some stitching - easy to finish - minimal stitching - maximpact!
These are half price shoe bags at £7 each - excellent for storing stash - or for gift bags. (Or, even......shoes.)

This is a larger gift sack for £14 which can be monogrammed as you like. Click here for Volga Linen on-line.

Cue Sunshine and Fernand Braudel

Not only did the farmer bring his tractor up the road and clear the snow for us, he also polished up the sun and popped it back in a clear blue sky.

We walked up the hill to the village to see how people were doing - here is the church.

And we just got back as the sun was beginning to sink on the hill behind us. Time to shake off the boots and enjoy a nip of ginger wine, put the dinner on and curl up with my book for an hour. I am rereading Fernand Braudel's book - The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II - one of my favourite books of all time. I learnt more love of history and history writing from M Braudel than I did in 12 years of school. Here is a lovely quote for you about the the transfer of costumes from east to west along the stepping stones of the Mediterranean islands:
'It was by way of Cyprus and the sumptious court of the House of Lusignan, that there came to the west, more slowly than the light of some stars reaches the earth, the costumes of the ancient bygone China of the T'ang dynasty. The long pointed shoes and the hennins, which date a period of French history so well that they immediately suggest the frivolous court of Charles VI and the Très Riches Heures of the duke of Berry, had been fashionable in China in the fifth century. And this distant heritage was passed on to the west by the kings of Cyprus.' In case you were wondering what a hennin is - here is a young woman wearing a conical hennin, painted by Hans Memling 1485-1490.

The Bellamy Quilt Mystery - Carrow House Museum - Norwich

Philippa Sims of Carrow House Museum, Norwich this afternoon sent me these images of a late 19th century quilt in the museum collection. Philippa says she was asked to look at the Bellamy Quilt some years ago. The name intrigued her since her great-aunt had married into the Bellamy family, prosperous butchers in the port of Great Yarmouth on the Norfolk coast. Philippa's mother had always kept in touch with her Bellamy cousins so, after some family research, Philippa found that the quilt had been made by Herbert Bellamy who married Charlotte (nee Springall) in 1891. Philippa's mother's first cousins were the grandchildren of Herbert's brother. It was Herbert & Charlotte's daughter Gladys who donated the quilt to Carrow in the 1970s.

When Philippa saw the quilt she was stunned by its wonderful mixture of motifs and its bright freshness. Each of the motifs was stitched on with loving care and what fun they must have had choosing the designs! But where did they get all the designs? That is the mystery you can perhaps help to solve. Some of the motifs are local objects, some household items but the others are puzzles. Are they copied from Victorian scraps - very much in fashion at that time - or books?
Attempts have been made to decipher the music in waltz time, but have failed to come up with a name. Any thoughts on this would be warmly welcomed.

Checking the Neighbours are OK

You two look ready for whatever the weather is going to throw at you. I don't need to worry about you.

You look OK in your thermal fleeces - but, excuse me, where did your legs go...?

But where have all the birds and geese and ducks gone from around the boat pond? I hope they have found shelter somewhere. I'll keep looking.