My week - Stoats, Harris Tweed, Veg, Makes

I'm definitely less motivated to blog when the weather is cold and grey but I'm trying to keep up with one post a week.

The week started with a visit from one of the stoats, I go for weeks without seeing them and then all of a sudden you see a flash of movement outside and the little mischief maker is there.
This was a particularly cute stoat, almost two tone and I only got one reasonable photo as it darted off pretty quick.

I seem to remember the sun was out on Tuesday when I went to Beverley and I found a couple of lovely fat quarters and some ribbon on my travels.

The fruit and veg section in Morrisons is really interesting now it has been upgraded and I've probably mentioned before the dry ice being piped over the food to chill it.
I'll really miss Morrisons when I eventually move to an area I know there will be none, I've shopped in Morrisons since student days at the one which used to be in Leeds Merrion Centre.

Lots of interesting things, I don't like aubergines but they had many varieties including this Graffiti Aubergine, maybe I should give aubergine a try again, I think it's the texture I don't like.

I have completed a few 'makes' this week. Firstly Mr Bob the Bunny has a new chum.

As yet un-named as he is a gift. The boys and I are going on a trip on Saturday so all will be revealed what we get up to after that!

I've also finished a few brooches.

And finally, a lovely package arrived today, I ordered some Harris Tweed samples from one of the mills in Tarbert and here they are, the colours are wonderful and much nicer than the photo shows.

Some of the bits are small so I will have to put some thought into my brooch making before I cut into them.

Stoats, stoats & more stoats!

I have a quick wildlife update following last weekends events.
We have a stoat family visiting the garden. Just occasionally things like this make it interesting living here. 


I think I've mentioned seeing a stoat now and again, usually at a distance and on the odd gruesome occasion with a rabbit. A couple of weeks ago I thought I saw a few stoats way in the distance but then I wasn't sure. Well last Friday I spotted a stoat in the back garden doing that mad dancing & leaping thing they do. It looked quite small and the face had white bits on suggesting a juvenile. 
Usually by the time I get to the window with my video camera whatever I'm filming has legged it or been spooked by my appearance at the glass. Fortunately not this time, I got over 5 minutes of filming, it was great. I then went onto stills with the camera and all in all the little stoat was playing in the garden for about half an hour. 


Of course all the pictures are a bit blurry because of the speed these creatures move.

It got better on Saturday teatime as stoat number 1 had brought his little brother or sister into the garden to play. Now the garden is a bit messy and so I guess a good playground for stoats. They were leaping in and out of my vegetable bags, in my tumbled down plastic greenhouse, on the bird bath and anywhere they could crawl into! They had fun looking at their reflections in these shiny ball thingies and they climbed up them and slid down, this is so much fun when I watch the video back.

By Sunday there were 3 rebellious teenager like stoats in the garden, they were having such rough and tumble fights and whizzing about everywhere that I've not managed to get a decent picture with all 3 on. Here are some of my better ones.


Below they are hiding before a good old scrap!

On the edge of the bird bath

In my vegetable bags, they dive in and then leap out and straight into another one!

I'm happy to see the young stoats visiting but I guess once they start hunting they'll disappear back into their mysterious little world and I'll only see a glimpse now & then.


It was quite an interesting few days because I also had a greater spotted woodpecker visit.
I then heard lots of bird warning noises, looked out and saw a buzzard flying over and being mobbed by about 4 pidgeons.


The robins are visiting much less, no Robbie but Ruby still comes maybe once a day and occasionally her new man will show up. Mr & Mrs Chaffinch are probably the most regular visitors now.