I had a lovely afternoon at Fibre East yesterday, it is still on today (Sunday) if you fancy a trip out. It was comprised of lots of small independent traders who were having great fun showing off their wares.

With two marquee’s to explore and a hubby who was quite content to explore the refreshment tent we both had great fun.

I do hope this goes on to even bigger and better things, it was truly magical, so much so that I just forgot to take photographs as I was talking too much. (Hush, Mandy, No, how could that ever be?) But I did manage to get one shot.

And what did I buy?

Well actually I didn’t buy any yarn, although I was sorely tempted. What I did find is an interested way to use up my surplus sock yarn. You know the bit that is left after you have knitted a pair of socks and you put away wondering what you are going to do with it because it is far too pretty to throw away, but not quite enough to do anything more with.

Well I have a plan. I am going to make pretty blankets, with my bits and bobs of sock yarn, even if they are only dolly blankets for my Goddaughter to play with. And I am going to make them with this, Hazel Rose Looms .

In my defence of my new hobby, at least I didn’t bring back the full blanket sized loom that was being sold at the bargain price of £250.00 ONO. I nearly fainted, now if I just had the room and a few more days in the week, I could have happily bought that home.

As some of you are aware hubby has been tending to the plot this year, which has been a great help, but it is time to rejoin him on his quest to grow vegetables. Apart from that most of the digging is done, although there is hoeing to do but that is a never ending chore and soon there will be much picking and preserving.

Hubby put up a second greenhouse this winter, which has given the room we needed to play with aubergines. They are doing really well.

They do however hide rather well and this

were two we found hidden at the back. My crystal ball tells me that there will be Moussaka for supper on Saturday. Possibly with a cucumber and coriander salad,

and maybe some artichokes to start. We had ten artichokes off these plants just a few days ago and they are ready again.

The runner beans are showing promise as are the sweetcorn.

And as this is a knitting blog, lest one might think that I have given knitting up, which gives me the shudders just thinking about it.

A little something in a delicate shade of blue resting on weathered wood.

We will have a fishy on a little dishy, oh yes please. There are times in life where one needs to mark an occasion and without giving too much away this was one of those times. So, I put my hound dog scenting nose to good use on the internet and found a place which I hoped would be a memorable restaurant to mark such a day.

After spending the morning at our knitting club, Carie, Kitty and I tootled along to Loch Fyne, although they have been here in this town for a while I had never ventured there before, but recently had heard good reports. We decided to venture forth on the a la carte menu, we were not disappointed.

We both started with Moules and this was a good decision. The pomp and ceremony of this dish made us both giggle, when the lid was removed the aroma of garlic, cream, muscles and the salty sea came billowing out of the pan. They were lovely as was the delicious liquor that was left at the bottom of the pan. I remember remarking that if this was the size of the starter, one can only wonder as to how big the main course might be. Whilst eating them Carie and I both grinned like cats that had gotten the cream. Kitty was quite content eating her salmon goujons, chips and peas, Kitty enjoyed her salmon and chips and very much liked her peas, me thinks she may well have a sweet tooth just like her mama.

And that was the last photograph of the food, because we love our food and the camera was completely forgotten whilst we were eating.

We both decided on scallops for our main, Carie had her scallops with bass (I think!) and I had mine with prawns. They were everything scallops should be, sweet and lightly cooked with just a touch of caramelisation, we enjoyed them immensely.

I remembered I had my camera with me and passed it over to Carie just in time to catch a rather cute photograph of Kitty wearing her adorable hand knit bib by her Mum.

When my sons were small they loved to go to the big park where we live known by them as the Happy Fields. “Are we going to the Happy Fields Mum?”, they used to cry two or three times a week which we used to walk to wearing a rucksack a piece. Even when son no.2 was very small he wore an appropriate sized rucksack, and we all carried between us a blanket, sandwiches, lemonade, apples and crisps, a football, a frisbee, half a stale loaf for the ducks and most often along came a dog. We used to spend the day, feeding the ducks, paddling in the stream, pushing them on the swings, kicking the ball and playing with the frizbee with lunch somewhere in between and then walked home late in the afternoon, tired and content, they were indeed happy days spent at the Happy Fields.

So having those lovely memories in my mind and before setting off for the day I quickly packed half a loaf of bread, having tipped Carie off that we could wander into the Happy Fields after lunch and that she might need to provide rain cover as the weather wasn’t looking so good. It was a good plan.

However, Carie had even better plans. Because just as we were walking back to her car, she said to me, that “Sweet As” had arrived in my home town and wondered where they might be. Quick as a flash I realised exactly where they were as there had been much talk about having a cake shop in the town, although it had completely passed me by that it was Sweet As. I quickly directed her to the nearest parking space next to the shop. We grabbed Kitty and dashed to the shop making plans whilst we walked. They were not good plans slimming world wise, but for the soul they were wonderful. A piece of cake each was bought for an impromptu picnic in the park and cake was also bought to share later with our lovely husbands. We would have felt too guilty if we hadn’t shared, and it did give us the opportunity to taste a different cake that night. (it was all good, very rich and chocolately)

We found seats by the lake and as Kitty was fast asleep took the opportunity to eat cake, whilst having a lovely chat, one I will remember forever for all good reasons, and soon Kitty was awake and out came the bread and the camera.

Carie and Kitty throwing bread to the ducklings, they were so funny.

A nice shot of mum and daughter gazing at the duckings,

we laughed into our boots as the rest of the gang realised we had bread.

And then we took Kitty into the play area to play on the swings. Kitty is not too impressed, just a little bit scared, look at that thumb, it makes me giggle, and look how wonderful mum is.

but soon Kitty was feeling just a little bit more confident,

and then she was swinging on her own, yay. I think we can just glimpse a toothy peg or two?

And I have to tell you this, although I don’t have the photo as my parents have my baby photograph album, Kitty’s first swing was on the very same swing, same place and position, although her swing looks a little newer than mine did, as the first time, or at least the first time the camera was took out and at about the same age when I swung in a swing in the Happy Fields. I know that was very complicated to read but it makes me go awe. I was in a thick winter coat though as it was the spring, which made me much more stable than a light summer dress which Kitty wore. I think Kitty was most brave and did very well.

And a final photo of the adorable Kitty.

Good times were had by all.

Just a quick post because I am just about to head for my bed. Mum had her Garden Party this weekend held at my Aunties house. I was asked to poach a salmon which was fine as I have poached many salmons in my time, but I have never decorated one! So out came the mayonnaise and very thinly sliced cucumber and soon I had this.

I was going to keep the head and tail on but the fish was huge and we didn’t have a tray that was big enough for the fish yet small enough for the fridge. I was very pleased with the way the scales portrayed with cucumber came together.

And then I decorated the plate with sliced lemons, I love the scent of lemons and whenever I used them wish I cooked more often with them.

I met with relatives I haven’t seen for many a long year, it was all great fun.

The bunting looked lovely and the ladies pounced on the fabric flowers, they were seen everywhere, poking out of top pockets, worn on dresses and adorning hair, it was wonderful.

I’ll leave you with a quick snap of the men in my life.