A poignant memorial

After weeks of seemingly endless stitching I actually completed some of my orders.  Still more to do but I have also been playing with beads and doing some knitting.  I have also been trying to make time for other things,  such as an outing for my birthday with a little shopping,  a visit to a farm with my granddaughers and a trip to London.

It is once again that time of the year when we remember the thousands of men and women who lost their  lives in various wars. Some years ago I purchased a pattern for a poppy brooch as well as all the beads and in my usual fashion it became one of those projects to be done when there was time available. This year I made the effort to make up my brooch and I am quite pleased with the result.  Stitched in brick stitch, I did make a few changes to the design making each petal separately, stitching them to a sieve backing and then adding the beads in the centre of the flower.  It was also supposed to have three green leaves but I ran out of time and well,  just the two look fine. This poppy design by beader Kerrie Slade was published in the UK Bead magazine and is also available from her website.

An evolving art installation entitled 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' has filled the Tower of London's dry moat with 888,246 hand made ceramic poppies creating a visual commemoration for the 100th anniversary of the First World War. 


The display has met with rather mixed reactions from art critics but perhaps most of us see it in a different light,  taking into account the incredible number of people who have viewed the display.  We left home very early and were fortunate to find a parking right near the Tower.  The weather was not kind but the rain held off whilst we were there and we managed to walk around without being too bothered with the crowds.  I personally feel that it was an incredible tribute and felt quite humbled to realise that each poppy represented a soldier from the UK and the colonies who died in this War.


  

One section of the moat filled with poppies

Close up of ceramic poppies

 Some pictures of the London, the things tourists love to see......

Tower Bridge

Tower of London

River Thames with the Shard on the skyline

We have also acquired a new kitten.  Leila is now a staid old lady and has not really recovered from the loss of her constant companion last year.  We thought that Bella, who is a very playful cat with an amazing nature,  might fill the gap but Leila is just not interested in her.  Not sure if we are adding to the problem but we have adopted this little boy who has been called Radcliffe (Radley for short).  There will be a period of adjustment for both kitties but hopefully they will enjoy playing together.

Finally I spotted a very unusual scarf on Pinterest with a link to a free pattern and after some research I discovered several similar designs.   As I do not have much else to do (I am joking) I thought it would be a fun project to make.  Not much progress so far as it is not a pick up and put down pattern but hopefully I will eventually finish it.

I have also reached my target of reading eighty-five books this year. Now it is a choice between knitting or reading!

The weather has changed almost overnight with lots of frost this morning and it is rather cold.  Guess winter had to arrive eventually.  This means general tidying up in the garden and clearing out the little glass house to overwinter my special plants.  Lots to do so until next time ..............