For the last six days we have had to put up with the Calima! A storm which is the tail end of that hot,oppressing sand-laden winds and heat blown in from the Sahara desert. Everything gets covered in red/orange dust.
Sr P is really put out as he cleaned the balcony windows last week.
I just hate those weather conditions. It is too hot and dusty to do anything except ... yes you guessed right...to soak in the pool! The image below shows the conditions in the Canary Islands which get it much worse than the peninsula. It doesn't last long but it is tiresome.
 |
| Image from Sky news |
So much for soaking in the pool. Sr P has had a summer cold and of course just to keep it in the family I have had it too so at present no dips in the pool to cool off.
RAOCKs
It has taken me a little while to finish my latest RAOCK. The weather being one of the reasons for it taking so long.
When it is hot like this I find it difficult to crochet with sweaty(perspiring) hands. As I write this it has just triggered a snippet of memory of what my Mother always used to tell me Men sweat ,women perspire! I love that expression because it reminds me of my Mother but I think though the best of all is the euphemism "Ladies glow"!
The other reason for the delay in finishing and posting about this RAOCK is that I made it up myself and had to frog it several times to get it right.
The little Croft. Front and back
views. The inspiration partially came from some images of knitted houses I saw
while browsing on the internet. 
 |
| FRONT |
 |
| BACK |
I am thinking I could make some Christmas ones. 
I shall be sending it out smile searching very soon,once I have worked out how I made it and can do more
The Stand
Sr P brought me this little plant yesterday. My first flowering plant in the balcony garden.
Unfortunately he didn't ask for any details and he doesn't know the name of the plant or how to care for it. I am not complaining though!
I contacted Ms Green Fingers,my sister in Torquay Devon and after sending her a couple of photos she said she thought it was a Petunia although the leaves looked different. She said,I would probably have to water it twice a day. Can any of you gardening experts out there enlarge on this advice please?. 🥀🥀
Treasure Tale IV
I was looking for the stamps that I have which belonged to my grandfather's collection. Do you think I can find them...I cannot! I put them away in a safe place, so safe I can't remember where but I do know they are somewhere in the house.
As I haven't found the stamp collection as yet I decided this would be my 4th family heirloom to write about today. As I am sure you have guessed I am doing all the little biddy bits of family treasure first:the gold and ruby tiara and the Picassos I am saving for later. 😊
This was my grandfather's little silver stamp case which was clipped on to the fob of his pocket watch.
Google images
I would really like to have the fob and the pocket watch too.
The stamps would have been placed here.
I have never cleaned it! In fact I am reluctant to clean it. I am not sure if I should!
I have just had a light bulb moment 💡💡 !
I am going to go through all the old photos I have got. I know I have some of my grandad so maybe if I am lucky there is one there where he is wearing the watch.
Happy blogging
Amanda :-)
Good Morning Amanda. I can relate to the summer colds. Dennis picked one up somewhere and was nice enough to share it with me. The only thing good about it is that it means I can't go around anyone else so I get to stay home. Yesterday I knitted 6 little socks for Pipers advent calendar. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe stamp case is so interesting. I had never seen one before.
Your little house is so sweet. I hope you can duplicate it like you want to. It would be lovely in Christmas colors too.
I've been trying to put together another blog post about our trip, but Blogger won't let me add. photos. I hope that when I try again today it will cooperate better.
Blessings,
Betsy
Hello Betsy. Great to have you back :-) Thank you for your kind comments. This heat means I have been staying home alot. It is so hot that we don't even go for our usual walk in the evenings. The mozzies are also having a field day! I do hope you manage to get your blogger issues sorted I am really looking forward to seeing your UK photos. Take care Amanda x
DeleteWell my son and family came to visit me last Sunday and they all had bad colds so I think it's likely I will have caught it too. Those sand storms are awful I remember them when I lived in Syria, it used to get indoors too the whole place was covered and it took me ages to clean up after. Your little plant is lovely and yes it looks like a petunia to me too. I love your little house it's so cute, I would want a whole street of them. The stamp case is fascinating, I think I would want to clean it just to see how it came up, I would think that you would have to clean it often though as it would soon loose it's colour again. Looking forward to seeing if you can find a photo of your grandad wearing his watch, fingers crossed. xx
ReplyDeleteHello Linda, really great that your son and family visited but not so great the possible cold you may have caught. You know what it is like then! I was so fed up of the constant cleaning that orange dust away for 4 days solid! That isn't a bad idea making a whole street of little houses. Food for thought! A x
DeleteOoh tell me about the weather! We reached 41C up here and those winds.... it was like a mini tornado especially with the hairdryer winds. We´ve had showers for the last two days too, but at least it was clean rain. Love your little house. Lovely to have those treasures and memories to go with them. Hope the colds have gone xcx
ReplyDeleteThanks Chrissie :-) Summer colds have gone thank goodness and I can now cool down in the pool again. I am sure you find as well as I do that the pool is practically a life saver at times LOL! Do hope your family are able to come over and visit. A x
DeleteThat sand storm looks awful and I can imagine the mess it makes. I always remember the saying "Horses sweat, gentlemen perspire and ladies feel the heat." Makes me think of Jane Austen type ladies, fluttering their fans! The little house is so cute - I can see a whole village. As for the stamp box, I can see it's EPNS and if cleaned too vigorously, the copper will begin to show through. A gentle clean should be fine though. xx
ReplyDeleteHello HH, Thank you. I am also thinking that a few Christmas crofts would make nice little Christmas gifts instead of Christmas cards. Definitely...so agree with you Jane Austen does come to mind when thinking of that expression...very archaic LOL! A x
DeleteDefinitely a petunia :)
ReplyDeleteI know the saying as .... Horses sweat, Men perspire, Ladies glow!
And that yellowy sky - eek - all that dust and heat - I feel for you xx
Thanks for popping in Kate. There seem to be lots of versions of that expression. I have heard this one you have mentioned before too. I rather like to think we glow! A x
DeleteThe sand storm and the warm weather must be very difficult to deal with and get comfortable. The petunia is pretty and I find from experience that the plant will last and give you lots of pleasure. Take care and I hope you are feeling better now. I haven't been blogging for a while so thought I would send greetings.
ReplyDeletehello Linda, thank you for your comments :-) Sand storm has abated thank goodness. We just get the tail end of it what it must be like for those who live in the Sahara I dread to think! I am on the mend thanks. A x
DeleteI hope the sandstorm won't be around for too long. The houses are really sweet - a little village may appear, perhaps? The flower does look like a petunia but the leaves look a bit different from our bedding ones over in the UK.
ReplyDeleteI think the little silver box would look lovely cleaned up, but of course, this is up to you. Would your grandfather have cleaned it?
Best wishes
Ellie
Hi Ellie. It has gone now and good riddance...every August we get that sandstorm and I hate it! Definitely going to make some Christmas crofts I can already imagine them LOL! Grandpa would definitely have cleaned that the stamp case and he would probably tell me off for not doing it :-) A x
DeleteYour RAOCK house is just beautiful Amanda. I am sorry to read about your sandstorm & nasty weather patterns. I think that definately looks like a Petunia to me - sometimes the leaves can be like that. I would not water it twice a day - they don't like too wet feet. If the leaves start to droop then give it a good drink & it will perk up. I usually de-head mine when the flowers wilt & it will keep on producing flowers for you - they have quite a good long flowering period.
ReplyDeleteThank you Julie for this advice. I have already pinched off the dried flower head and hoping to see some more buds appearing soon. A x
DeleteGlad I am here and not in Alicante. It's hot but no sandstorms. That must be horrendous!
ReplyDeleteHi Chris,Thank for your comments. I wouldn't wish that sandstorm on anyone and we only get the tail end of it here! A x
DeleteYour little house is so cute. That weather would be hideous. Love old items have some of my nannas
ReplyDeleteThank you Wendy :-) Sandstorm has moved on thank goodness...so hate it! Would love to see some of your old treasures. A x
DeleteMy grandfather worked on a railroad, and his watch and chain were wonderful.
ReplyDeletePlease take care in the not-ideal weather. thoughts are with you and your healthy, healthy plants!
Hello KSD. Thanks for calling in and for commenting. Do you have your grandfather's watch and chain? If you do have that would be a wonderful family heirloom. Sandstorm has gone and blown itself out thank goodness! A x
DeleteI believe that is a purple petunia, they are so fun. If you nip off the flower after it is done blooming it is supposed to help the plant produce more blooms, but it has been a long while since I have had any so you might want to research that. I love the little house, it is adorable and would make very fun Christmas ornaments to hang on a tree. Hope you are both feeling better.
ReplyDeleteHi Mere, Thanks for this advice. This coincides with what others have commented here too so I have nipped the dry flower buds and hoping I will see more flowers soon. I hope to make a few more little crofts with snow on the roof for Christmas LOL A x
DeleteYes it’s a petunia, water once a day unless blasted by that wind then cut it back on water once cooler, also like a bit of food every few weeks, like any flowering plant they get hungry. Sun for some of the day. We call those winds dust storm and get them here in dry or in fires with smoke, for month and more in end of 2019. It’s was truly horrid.
ReplyDeleteAs are your colds … yuck, like Betsy and Dennis, out in sympathy perhaps?! 😂😂🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️😘
Love love that wee Croft, you’re sooo clever Amanda, I’d never have thought of making something like that.
Thanks for Sharing, God bless and keep you safe, and all those you love, hugs Shaz in Oz.x
{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}
Hello Shaz,Thanks for popping in and for commenting. Thank you I hope to make some Christmas crofts too. Brilliant advice on how to care for the Petunia. It certainly likes lots of water at present however once this heat abates I expect I will be able to cut down on that a bit. The summer colds have gone and we are back to normal thank goodness. A x
ReplyDelete