Garden Watch & Gallstones!

After saying last week that I was beginning to feel a bit better after my gallbladder operation I am again experiencing the pain in the gallbladder site :-(   This is the third time since my operation in October.  I've been to see one nurse and two doctors this week and I'm being sent for an emergency scan and back to the consultant because the GP says that I might have a stone in the duct and it can't escape because it is now sealed in by 2 clips!!!  magic!!!

I'm on antibiotics for 10 days .... and back on the very low fat diet!!!!  hopefully not just salmon and beetroot with green beans and courgettes which was my diet for 6 months before my operation  .....if the pain gets worse or the dizziness comes back again then I have to ring 999  :-(   So..... I'm being very good and resting (groan). 

This weekend is the Big Garden Watch organised by the RSPB and I sat and watched my garden (and it's visiting birds) for an hour and noted the birds that graced me with their presence.  Even though house sparrow numbers have halved since the 1970s I had 7 in my garden all at one time.... so I was thrilled with that.  During the hour the most of each species of bird at any one time was 7 house sparrows, 3 starlings, 2 bluetits, 2 collared doves and 1 blackbird.  Not bad for a postage stamp of a garden!

I also kept an eye on my little portable tv which shows the inside of my new birdbox which has a camera in it (birthday present from M).  I managed to photograph one of the bluetits that was inspecting the box after being invited by her boyfriend to view the property ;-)   Shame I didn't manage to catch the two of them together.  I just wasn't quick enough getting the camera!  The camera is now sitting by the tv!!!

The birdbox looks massive compared to the bird..... but hopefully in the Spring it will be filled with their offspring.  I'll keep you posted.

I think it is time for some creative crocheting now :-)

with blessings, Willow x

A Walk by the River Wharfe

This week's walk was by the river Wharfe at Tadcaster in Yorkshire.  Hope you like the photos.

I started at Tadcaster church, St Mary's.

From the church gates there is a great view of the viaduct.

With the river to my right and the weir in front I spotted a regal swan.

After an easy walk along a tarmac path and passing through a style I was met with a view of the brewery across frozen flooded land.

From here the path is across grass... but today it was frozen flood water and mud where the sun had managed to melt the ice. The viaduct arches are reflected in the frozen flooded river water.

Once through the viaduct arches I looked back and saw dog-walkers, a dog, and the tower of the church.... a really atmospheric sight.

Everywhere there were large frost crystals which looked stunning on this fungi...

and on this fungi in sunshine and shadow.

The view across the river was breath-taking showing the tree reflections and frosty grass.

Everywhere I looked were masses of fungi in sunshine.....

.... and frost crystals on the fences.

On the old 'road' and crumbled down bridge that once crossed the Wharfe are the beautiful roots of a beech tree...

..... and trees growing out of an ancient wall.

a glorious sunshine walk.  hope you liked sharing it with me :-)

with blessings, Willow x

Nature reserve walk

The second week in January 2012 I decided to walk around a nature reserve near me.  Here are my photos.

Taking a look back across the fields to the village.

One side frost and the other side sunshine...

...beautiful frosty ground

and a frosty thistle looks like spokes of a wheel.

A walk along the ridge in the sunshine....

...and then into woodland and dappled sunlight...

...where new life springs from the remnants of the old...

... and spikey looks magnificent in the sunshine..

...a lone dandilion enjoys some rays...

...while a wild marigold is covered in frost.

hope you enjoyed my walk in pictures :-)

with blessings, Willow x

Creations.... Ta-Dah!

As some of you know I have been incapacitated for a few months due to problems with my gallbladder.  Well I finally had my gallbladder removed in October 2011.  All was well for the first few days after the operation and I was allowed home on the Friday.  But on the following Tuesday I began to feel really ill.  To cut a long story short I had an infection and needed to be on antibiotics for 10 days. 

I've taken a long time to recover ... and I'm still not 100% so I have had to fill my time somehow.  As you can see from my blogs I am doing some walking this month and feel better for it.  But most of my time has been spent doing crochet projects for Christmas presents and for my Folksy and Etsy online shops.  Here are some of the items I made in November and December 2011.

Plum scarf.... I made one of these for my Folksy... and one in blue for my brother.

One of these was for my sister in law.

This scarf was from a pattern I found in a craft shop.

close-up of the scarf above

This pink scarf is my own design for my Folksy.

One of these was made for a dear friend and one for Folksy.

This is my own design and I've made a lot of these in different colour-ways.

Another scarf of my own design.

I've still got some sewing up of ends of some other projects which I'll show you in another blog.  I loved doing the curly whirly scarfs..... watching them twist tighter with each row of crochet.  But I suppose there soon won't be any call for 'woolly' scarfs if the weather continues to be so mild :-(   .........  I need a new project.  Any ideas?

with blessings, Willow x

A Little Pennine Way

The first week in January 2012 we decided to do a gentle stroll along the Pennine Way.  It was bitterly cold and no sunshine.... but still an enjoyable walk.  Here are some of my photos.

Blakeley Reservoir and a tiny peep from the sun

hidden waterfall

our stop for lunch..... such a pretty place

strange skull stone

wiggly wall

tiny moss

lovely old tree by a stream

hopefully my next walk will be in sunshine :-)

blessings, Willow x