Monday, February 05, 2007

Birthday Week!

Where to start?! I've had so many lovely gifts and messages this week (and a couple of slightly odd things, which should be insignificant compared to all the niceness, but somehow as usual the less than pleasant things seem to stick in your head more than they ought - but this is not the time or place) so thank you all! Thanks too for all the comments for the cabled hoody - too much praise! I am in danger of not being able to get my alpaca hat on my head any more ;)

I got many knitterly presents, with a bit of a book theme going on! and also Jojoland Melody Dust Red Light Brown sock yarn from Bronte (I want to make this into a pair of cable socks, something along the lines of Snicket from Magknits), Hipknits cashmere laceweight from Super Monkey (just perfect for trying out a pattern from my new Victorian Lace Today book) and some Makalu Lambgora in Ocean Swirl from Badger, who also made me a pair of snuggly cabled wristwarmers. I am a lucky cow indeed :)


My birthday day out was a trip to the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth. The parsonage is done out as it would have been in their days, with many personal belongings including Charlotte's dress (tiny waist!) and (tiny!) shoes. It is well worth a visit if you are interested in the family, although I would avoid busy times as the house itself is quite small.

Main Street, Haworth

On the way home, we called it at Coldspring Mill, where I picked up some Elsbeth Lavold Classic AL 50% alpaca / Peruvian wool mix 10x50g for £20 and just over 1kg of cashmere for just under £30, which I intend making myself a vest type top out of. It is a pale green / grey colour and very pretty.

Thankfully we have been very lucky with the weather over the weekend, as we went camping at Buttermere in the Lake District. Friday night saw clear skies and a great opportunity for star gazing...
Orion over treetops

Our thermometer thingie said that the temperature had got down to -4.5°C overnight. Thankfully, we are kitted out with down bags and insulated mats (and thermal pjs) so were quite snug.
Saturday morning dawned crisp (quite literally!) and clear...


The day's walk (10.5 miles with 1100m ascent) was from Buttermere, up High Snockrigg (no giggling at the back there) to Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale Head (753m), across to the Honister Slate Mine (for all your slate needs...which were surprisingly few) around below Fleetwith Pike and down to Warnscale Bottom, returning to the campsite along the lake side and back in time for tea (beer and peanuts).

Looking over Rannerdale Knotts & Crummock Water, with Grasmoor looming up on the right

13 comments:

Kate said...

What a splendid birthday haul you had. :-)

Shamefully, I have never been to Haworth. :( One day, though, one day..!

Kai said...

ooohhh... you have some lovely nicenesses there!! :D

I'm glad you've had such a lovely time...

Hope the rest of the year is just as full of nicenesses as this week.. :)

Haworth is stunning. I spent ages in that little house when I visited..

I'll go again with you Bronte!!! :)

Anonymous said...

Happy belated birthday!!! Great presents and what a stunning view!!!
Never been to Haworth but it is on our 'we must go there' list

Seahorse said...

Belated Happy Birthday. Sounds like you had a fantastic time. Great pressies!

Linda said...

Another happy belated birthday from me! You are brave camping in the winter but it looked worth it with those lovely views.

Fiona Reynolds said...

Happy Birthday! What a great haul of pressies. Haworth is lovely - sounds like a really fab trip.

belaybunny said...

Sounds like you had a great birthday, and got a very impressive stash haul. I envy your walking trip - I've camped at Buttermere before on a climbing trip and it's lovely.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a jolly green giant of a birthday.

Artis-Anne said...

Oh what a lot of yummys there Happy Belated Birthday :) That mill sounds fab
Loved you camping & walking piccies ; ashamed to say I don't do winter camping these day , unless its in our van with heat and a loo , gone soft with age !!

Hawkesley said...

Happy belated Birthday wishes. You got lots of lovely birthday pressies! Lovely photos too and glorious views.

Modelwidow said...

Brave lady! but what a stunning view.

acrylik said...

Happy Birthday!!

I was very young when I last went to Haworth, so time for another trip, I think.

The pics of your Lakeland walk are beautiful, sounds like an idyllic time.

kathryn said...

Belated Happy Birthday - what super presents you had. And what a lovely place to spend the weekend. I love your star picture and the view from the top is stunning ...it brought back many memories of our weekends in the Lakes too many years ago!