The week summer arrived

The last few weeks have been cold, in fact almost wintery but at the weekend the sun came out and summer arrived. The warmth from the sun is most welcome and I took the opportunity to wash a couple of the bed quilts. Lucy has been using the Christmas quilt I finished last year, so I've laundered it and it's now packed away until next Christmas.

Today was my day off and John and I had booked to visit the wetland centre at Barnes. The marsh frogs were croaking loudly when we arrived. Their breeding season is between April and September and they were definitely calling to partners. Marsh frogs were introduced into the UK from Europe in the 1930's. We had a good morning bird watching and we really enjoyed watching Blue Tit and Great Tit fledglings flitting from tree to reeds and back again. There was a lot of flowers. In May our local cemetery was golden with buttercups. This week, at the wetlands, it is the turn of the daisy.

There were several Southern Marsh orchids. This one wasn't fully open.

Around the reserve there are bird models made from Lego bricks. I'd seen most of them before and they are a favourite with children. My favourite model wasn't a bird one. Meet Walter the water vole.

He was made from 39,216 bricks which took 136 hours to build. Ratty from the Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame was a water vole. Unfortunately water voles are in a major decline in the UK (estimated to be 94% decline). Barnes is involved in a major conservation project and I have been fortunately to see a couple of voles in the last year.

There is also an exhibition of art at the wetlands called Wetlands Unravelled. One piece by Caitlin Heffernan - Living Collections caught our attention.

There were five hybrid figures in the meadow. Identified as between bird and human they had made the meadow their home. They are made on a child mannequin and I must admit I found the green heads rather disconcerting.

This afternoon we were supposed to be going shopping with older daughter but she has a cold and wasn't feeling like a shopping expedition.  Yippee I could do some sewing! I'd bought a pattern for a blouse and trousers but hadn't got round to starting them. Maybe it's watching the sewing bee but I wanted to get the blouse made. I had some fabric that I'd been given months ago and it will be perfect. The pattern is Vogue.

So far I've been working on the front and have almost finished the front opening. I need to finish the bottom of the opening. The buttonholes are all done.

The fabric likes to crease but it drapes beautifully.

I also said I'd show you my Pride and Prejudice blocks.

I'm sorry about the shadows, the problems of taking the photos at night. I should have turned the overhead light off. I still need to finish the May block. Here's how far I've got,

Tomorrow I'm working but when I finish interviewing at 5:30 I'll be getting back to my blouse.

I'll tell you about our trip away in my next post.

Take care

Lyndsey