Sunday 4 September 2011

Sticks and stones

Hello! Back from the coast where the weather was horrid but the company was great. In fact I didn't take out my camera once!!! However, the Mr, the boy and I went to the East Yorkshire coast a couple of days ago and it was glorious - a hot sun finally dispelling the morning mist.

We went to a place called Spurn Point, which is an historic site because of its role during both world wars as a defence point for the river Humber. It is a strange place; not beautiful but very stark and interesting...


The beach was covered in the detritus of war...these huge concrete blocks were anti-tank defences...




Then we came upon the remains of jetties, the wooden posts still standing in line but with nothing to support...



I found them very sculptural and beautiful in an odd kind of way...




Then the sun came out and Little S and I stopped to strip off some layers as we walked to Spurn Point lighthouse...


And here it is!



I have a soft spot for lighthouses and when I was a child I used to fantasise about living in one!!! Sadly, this one is out of action and is boarded up so we couldn't go inside and have a look around. I'm pleased it hasn't been demolished though as it looks superb on the beach...


Then the boy and I indulged my passion for fossiling. I seem to have an uncanny knack to spot a fossil immediately I step onto a beach! Little S found some interesting stones too and he set them all out this morning...


I found this rather splendid bit of amonite about a minute after I started looking - much to the Mr's chagrin...he ever finds anything!


I plan to use these flat, smooth stones to have a go at Margaret Oomen's fabulous crochet stones pattern...



They are stunning, aren't they.

Ah, that brings me to a bit of my own crochet.....

A dear friend has had her first baby and I whipped up this blanket in a couple of days...

It is made from Debbie Bliss Cashmerino 4 ply and it flew off the hook. I love the muted, vintage colours - a change from the brights I usually use. It isn't huge but is perfect for a car blanket.









Well that's all for now, dear ladies. I'm off to catch up with your blogs and see what you have all been up to! xxx

20 comments:

  1. Brrr it looks a little chilly, but I awlays think the coast is at it's most breathtaking in the wind. Amazing beachcombing finds there, well done! x

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  2. I love lighthouses too, and my husband is having fossil envy!

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  3. You don't find fossils. They find you. Apparently, it's a form of luck.

    Now that helmet you mentioned, don't you worry I have not forgotten. In fact I was thinking today I am almost at the point where with a bit of help I could knit one. OMG it's going to be just too funny!!!!

    xxx

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  4. those jetties are a little bit spooky arent they... I love your fossils, and Cuckoo's theory that they find you, not the other way round x

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  5. The amonite you found is impressive! The colours you used for the baby blanket are fab. I wish I could knock one out in a couple of days, I'm just not speedy enough!

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  6. I love lighthouses also! Your photos of the one you found are gorgeous!
    I also quite like the colours of your baby blanket- I have to get cracking as I have a few friends who are having baby girls soon, so you have motivated me to start crocheting for them!!
    Thanks :)

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  7. What a lovely post, I love the crochet and the lighthouse and the fossil and well..everything!
    xxx

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  8. Beautiful blankie - yes the vintage colours are wonderful. I love the pictures of the lighthouse, it was a while ago we tried to visit there but sadly we had the dog with us and did not realise that it was a 'dog-free' area so we only managed to see the war detritus - a strange mix of defiance and desolation - your photos brought it all back to me x

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  9. Fab blanket. And love the saggy posts. But that fossil -amazing! Cx

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  10. I was on the East coast at the weekend too. I posted pictures of a lighthouse and pill boxes too, spooky eh? It was so warm, I was surprised, we were in t shirts all day. I love your baby blanket, gorgeous colours, and the edging is just lovely.

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  11. Oh wow Andrea, those photos of the jetties are just stunning, I love them! I hope you've printed some off high quality and have a set on the wall - they'd look amazing. I'm jealous!
    And your friend's baby is a lucky lucky baby. A beautifully crocheted blanket in the loveliest softest wool out :)
    Jane xx

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  12. The beach is just an amazing place, we always come home with pebbles, shells and bits of drift wood.I like your pics, we have not visited that beach, Your blanket is lovely I really like the vintage colors. I bet its gorgeously soft.

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  13. I am really enjoying your blog this afternoon. :o)
    So glad to have found you. :o)
    Hoping you too are having a nice day.
    Sincerely, Trish

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  14. What a neat place!!! My son loves looking for fossils, he would be so impressed : )

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  15. I've just come back from Kent and photographed Dungeness and the lighthouses there for my blog, great minds, I think! Your place was amazing. very atmospheric. The baby blanket is very pretty, love those subtle shades, I tend towards brights too.

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  16. Heck! Am from Yorkshire myself and have never been to Spurn Point. It looks interesting. I just love the crocheted stones - never seen those before! Really effective.

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  17. I like to visit places with history, it's such an incredible breezy feeling to think about everything that had happened where I stand at that moment, and all the other people who must have stood there and wondered about same things, and imagine that "only" time (that I find so unthinkable) separates us...
    You have a great eye for decorative stones!

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  18. Oh, that's fab. There's just something about the big granny. Love. :)

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  19. Hi Andrea, I meant to comment on this post when I first read it but blogger was playing up, grr. Anyway, I'm finally back and just wanted to say how much I like your giant granny baby blanket and I love the amonite stone you found. I have fossil envy too now.
    Hope all is well with you,
    Anne.

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  20. You have just been awarded The Versatile Bloggers Award. YOU deserve it and I really enjoy your blog. You can find out more by going to my blog.xx

    Are you Ok? Haven't heard from you in a while.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment here - I love to read what you have to say! x