Bad Black Newfie!

Now, I'm sure you will agree, Ben is a very handsome young newfie. And two of the certainties in his life are .... he is NOT allowed in the workroom and ....

.... he loves his stuffies to pieces. (Literally!) This is a major reason why he is not allowed in the workroom of course. But yesterday he mounted a raid...

"Haha! Mum has some new Welsh blanket pieces. I wonder where they came from? They smell good. Perhaps she'll make something for me? My stuffies don't seem to last very long and Mum makes good ones."

"Oh no!" (guilty expression) She's seen me. (acts innocent) I just thought I heard a noise Mum, honestly, just making sure everything's alright. OK OK I'm going now."

"Is this far enough outside? Look my paws are behind the threshold." At which point he was summarily dispatched downstairs where Amy was waiting to hear the results of his daring expedition.

So then I closed the door, picked up my knitting and took myself off for tea and an old movie at Elona's house. She loves the old musicals, never having seen them before (the Sound of Music didn't make it to Azerbaijan) so last night it was "The King and I" Lovely.

I took my knitting - I've found a great vintage pattern for Alexander - his first hoodie!! And the patches read "Elephant" both in English and Russian - Elona wants to applique them onto a toy elephant she's making for Alexander.

Hard luck Ben - no handsewn stuffies for you today!

At last the Newfies can stand proud!

Because they've seen snow!! At last they're in touch with their Canadian heritage!! Ben has certainly never seen the white stuff in his life and as a Devon born and bred girl I don't think Amy had up until now either. Last night was cold, clear and crisp. Their outdoor water bowl was frozen over and their breath emerged in clouds of vapour when I took them for their evening walk. But it was clear and still - the stars were bright and there was no wind at all, so we thought that the snow had passed us by ... until we woke this morning to a white white world.

Amy, wild snow-newf of Chillington!

This fluffy stuff wasn't here last night!

Ben makes sure passers-by are OK!

Of course, this is the South Hams and in reality there wasn't much more than a sprinkling of snow. By the time Ben and I set off on our morning walk it was already beginning to disappear.

Inside all is much more springlike with indoor bulbs and haberdashery in beautiful spring pastels. Outside there are masses of snowdrops ....

.. I love the way they appear in the same places each year. I've never been lucky with snowdrops though, they just won't stay in my garden. Primroses - masses; daffodils - overrun; hellebores - too many to count! But snowdrops - I just can't grow them! Here's a simple verse by Mary Vivian that I loved as a child:

I like to think

That, long ago,

There fell to earth

Some flakes of snow

Which loved this cold,

Grey world of ours

So much, they stayed

As snowdrop flowers.

And it will soon be Valentine's Day. Over on my other blog "Bustle & Sew" you can find the tutorial I promised for making heart-shaped brooches from fabric scraps - perfect cost-conscious chic for loved ones this year (having just had an oil delivery I'm currently extremely cost-conscious!).