Away from the sewing desk ...

I can't believe we've hit May already!  Every January I'm determined I'll make my life easier, streamlined, more relaxing, more organised, but sadly once again, this year seems to be flying by and I continue to feel like I'm chasing my tail!  Ellie's Treasures is keeping me busy, but my resolution to make a new fabric wallet every two months has completed fallen by the way-side!  It's been five months and the poor wallet is still half sewn.  I have other projects in the pipeline that I'm working on and very excited about - more on that in another catch up post.

So, other than shop duties, we have managed to go out and about and do other some other things.

Ben and I went to view the Flying Scotsman, back in February, as it sped through a junction on its way to Peterborough.  We had a fantastic view (although it could have gone horribly wrong as another train overtook it and blocked our view for a short while) and got some photos as it went past (at quite a surprising speed).  As it was a glorious blue sky day we then headed off to Barnack Hills and Holes to give Poppy for a long walk and have a run up and down a few steep mounds.

Katie come home from Uni for a short visit just after the Easter weekend and we spent a lot of the time eating lovely food (must mention The Rose and Crown, Houghton-on-the-Hill - extremely delicious and fantastic service), catching up and then doing an impromptu visit to Imperial War Museum, Duxford.  Always a super place to visit - so much to see, read and take in.  The updated American hangar has been superbly done and was probably everyone's favourite hangar of the day.

Finally, a trip to the beach last week with my yard ladies.  Desperate for a good gallop, they organised a beach ride with a Orchard Farm Stables at Chapel St. Leonards (near Skegness).  The forecast for the day was absolutely atrocious - strong winds and heavy rain - but as luck would have it, the rain held off until late afternoon, the sun shone and the winds weren't as blustery as first thought.  They had a super couple of hours on lovely horses, splashing along the water's edge with a few fast gallops thrown in.  I went along to take photos and video.  Naturally man on horseback is going to move far quicker than man on foot (especially as I also had to dodge shallow creeks on the beach), so I was left to wander the open sands for a while.  To keep me company, a darling seal came up to the edge of the shore to play in the water.  To start with I thought it was a black bin bag, but as I got closer I realised it was a seal, flipping itself over and over as the tide splashed onto the beach.  I clicked away on my camera and managed to catch a good pic - it's not every day you see such a lovely sight.  We were all  exhausted on our way home - the girls from all the horsey fun and me from the fresh air and miles of walking!