Start with a flower and end with one!

Over the weekend, Tony and l went up to see Andrew and Gemma and of course our grand-dog, Alfie! Believe me it was COLD!!! I can't believe how many flowers and buds there are around and it is mid January. Just look at these beautiful, bright yellow primroses.

Our postman shows us how cold it was and how much frost there had been overnight by drawing smiley faces on his buggy!

This next image is what the lawn outside my flats looked like at 11.30 in the morning!! Still too cold for the frost to have melted yet..brr! Rutland here we come.....hope the roads are not to slippery.

 Oh my goodness, look at the smog over London this afternoon. No wonder l have a sore throat!

This is my self portrait for the day, taken at a Motorway Service Station restroom!

One of the reasons we went to Rutland was to look after Alfie while Andrew, Gemma and three of her friends spent the weekend in a Holiday House Time Share (see image below) beside Rutland Water. Then, on Monday, we could have it for the rest of the week while they were at work. Unfortunately, due to some unexpected appointments back here in London, we had to come home on Monday. Just as well really as the house was very cold and Tony had a terrible Cold! Shame though as it also had a gym, sauna and health spa! sigh!

 This is one of the beautiful views around this hotel complex... beautiful.

Loads of wildlife around the houses: pheasants, sheep, birds, rabbits and squirrels. When we drove up to the houses, we had to stop to let about 12 ducks cross the road, except the last one couldn't decide to walk cross or not... so he flew instead. Very funny to watch. Isn't the red on the pheasant so bright and cheerful? made me smile just looking at it. 

Even up here in Rutland in late afternoon there is still some frost hanging around. Mind you, it did make the tennis court look very attractive.

When we reached Andrew and Gemma's house we were met by Alfie......the usual cuddles and play fight happened between Grandad and Grand-dog! Ha x

Next morning was just as cold, still below freezing... brr! I love how frozen leaves look, so magical. Our poor Mini car was not happy as she had had to be out in the cold all night, she is used to a warm garage.

The next images are of my latest dyeing projects. The first is a white scarf which has been tied with elastic bands and then put into the mushroom dye pot. This is not a very good image of the actual colour of the fungi dye,  it is far more pale yellow in real life.

The next three images show you a piece of soft grey wool, which has been bundled with Eucaylptus and beetroot leaves and then steamed. Really like the effect.

This last image shows you a piece of silk, bundled with banana skins and steamed and then left to dry for 11 days...really really like this piece. So much so l am going to do a really large piece of silk next time. No problem with obtaining banana skins as Tony and l have one each a day!

And to end my entry for today...look what has flowered outside my front door....in January?

Night xx