It's lovely seaside weather at the moment, warm but feeling comfortable because of a strongish breeze.
Hove seafront looking west towards Worthing.
One thing I love about Hove is the wonderful jumble of domestic architectural styles. This is St Catherine's Terrace, a stretch of houses along the main coast road.
I'm making the effort to get out of the flat every day for fresh air and exercise. Walking the streets round where I live seems to be the best way as the seafront and streets leading to the sea are busy. I suspect this might change when the weather turns grey and rainy!
Yesterday's walk was along Eaton Road (how could I resist?) past the cricket ground.
The Sussex Cricketer pub is boarded up ready for some redevelopment at the ground.
I seem to remember saying something about blogging more often....so here I am.
Hove has been looking lovely lately although today's weather is typical for a bank holiday - grey. Photos were taken last week- top one is Adelaide Crescent from Hove Lawns; bottom one is Hove beach.
I've started sewing again with a new machine. After 30 or so years of using a secondhand Pfaff machine I've found the switch to a Bernina a little challenging. My hands automatically try and thread the new machine Pfaff-wise but I'm getting there. Slowly.
So far, I've finished a Mandy Boat Tee (photo shows sleeve before hem was turned; fabric has a black background) - it's a free downloadable pattern from here and I'm happy with it. I adjusted the pattern to make the sleeves wider and longer and the body slightly shorter. I plan on making several of these in the future as the shape is comfy to wear.
And I found a spot to hang this which hasn't been out of its storage box since last century. It's a very old Indian door hanging (toran) with dozens of tiny shisha mirrors surrounded by silk embroidery.
Empty shelves and cardboard boxes tell their own story.
Back soon, after I've moved house...
I'll be at Cornerstone's Christmas Market on Saturday, December 6, with hand-dyed yarn, stitch markers and beaded jewellery. The market is open from 11am to 3pm - there's no charge to get in, so do come along and say hello!
It won't last but hey, let's make the most of it while it does!
Scaffolding is going up along the Hove Street side of the building just as we're getting to the warmest months of the year. It's covering one living room window as well as those in the kitchen and bedroom; no netting as yet but I expect to be back in the Mole Hole shortly!
I'm still looking for my knitting mojo but I have started a new crochet blanket.
DK oddments and sock-yarn-used-double, 4mm hook; pattern is Gary's Ripple from 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns which looks like it's out of print these days.
Planted up several containers on the balcony - sage, lemon thyme, flat leaf parsley and Morrocan mint. Since I took this photo, I've added clumps of Lobelia String of Pearls to the containers. The bay tree on the left is one of the few plants to survive last winter's waterlogging although the lower leaves are brown-edged due to wind and salt damage.
Flossie has been sitting in the sunshine, prowling around the flat and being a general nuisance. Nothing new there then...
1. I have dirty windows. Thanks, seagull.
2. I'm bored with crime fiction - too many similar plots, mutilated corpses and renegade detectives.
3. Mislaid my knitting mojo. This happens every now and then and it's a temporary loss.
4. Week 5 of this cold. Please go away.
5. The Faithfull Companion is either grumpy or going to hack up a hairball. Or both.
This morning I walked along the seafront towards the lagoon. Hove's colourful beach huts have taken a battering in the recent storms.
Well, we're storm-battered here on the south coast but luckily there's no flooding where I live. I can't imagine how awful the flooding must be in other parts of the country. Today (just for a change) it's sunny, dry and the sky is blue.
What have I been up to this month? Not a lot really - I seem to have been skulking indoors knitting and reading or drying out coats and gloves for most of February. One highlight was yesterday when I met up with fellow Brighton & Hove blogger Sarina for a lovely lunch in town. Sarina's blog is here: Sarina's Allsorts.
I seem to be frogging more metres that knitting them these days. I cast off a stripey garter stitch shawl (see previous post for pic) this morning and the more I look at it, the more I think I'll frog it. I tried it on, looked in the mirror and the word that came to mind was 'frilly' which was not good...
In other news, I'm listening to The Leopard by Jo Nesbo read by the wonderful Sean Barrett, and reading Raising Steam by the even-more-wonderful Terry Pratchett (real book) and Flappers by Judith Mackrell (Kindle book).
Flossie is being her usual charming annoying self and refuses to pose for any more of 'those candid photos' ;o)
Another crochet blanket and
another knitted shawl and
another sunset...
The weather's still fairly wild here although it stopped raining for a few hours today which meant I could get out and take some photographs.
There's usually a shingle beach this close to the promenade - most of the large shingle has been thrown landwards by the storms. I'm posting photographs of the seafront on Hove Daily Photo for the rest of the week, starting today.
Hideous weather - you'd never believe that yesterday was sunny with not a cloud in the sky for most of the day. My front window is like a sieve when rain comes from the south-westerly direction (note strategic placement of soak-up cloths). The dark shape (bottom right) is Flossie clamped to the radiator. Sensible girl...
That was the worst storm I've experienced since moving to the seaside in 2007. Apart from the noises which kept me awake into the small hours and several litres of water drip drip dripping through the front windows, the only things that got damaged were the bird spikes round my balcony. Weird, eh?
I disentangled three lengths from the rosemary bushes this morning; they'd peeled away from the top balcony rail. Must buy more outdoor sticky fixers...
In other news, I have enough clean hand-knitted socks to last me into February...
...and I've blocked my Refraction Shawlette.
Lovely weather, eh? I don't mind rain too much but when it's coupled with strong winds (we get a lot of those at the seaside) I'm staying put at Wibbo Towers.
I'm soaking my Reflections Shawlette ready for blocking; the washing machine's on with a load of hand knitted socks; there's football on the radio and food in the fridge. Sorted!
Wednesday's sunset again; now looking in the opposite direction from yesterday's photo.
Wednesday's sunset.
Sebastian Brajkovic, Lathe v Red, 2008. Courtesy Carpenters Workshop Gallery
Had a look round Subversive Design at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery this afternoon. The exhibition runs from 12 October 2013 to 9 March 2014 and it's well worth a visit.