Stitches

I pruned the apple trees yesterday, as I finally found a no-nonsense article about how to go about it, so, having armed myself with secateurs and pruning saw, I trimmed off everything that pinged out from a fruit spur and took all the top growth back to an outward-facing bud:

As I've been in all day, the poultry have all had a good wing-stretch outside their respective runs. The white ducks enjoyed a snooze in the sun:

The mallards enjoyed their tub of cold water:

I have cast on 54 stitches in the Shetland aran wool as I want to make a cafetiere cosy. I always seem to end up finding the perfect pattern in all but one aspect so I have to adapt it, does everyone find this to be the case?? Anyway, this will hopefully be a simple stocking stitch-and-cabling one with 2x2 rib at top and bottom...watch this space and don't hold me to that design!

This is another little project, more on that when I've finished it:

I can knit other things now as I have finished the pair of gumboot socks!!

I love them! They are really warm and comfortable and I am amazed that I actually managed to knit them. I might keep them as bed socks as they are far too gorgeous to be trudged around in wellies. The Sweet Pea sock is complete too, except it obviously needs a friend, which I will cast on before I lose the momentum...

Unfortunately the nicest bit (as far as I'm concerned) is the stripy bit which happens to be on the sole, but I can see me wearing these as summer bed socks!!

I must must must get on with some crochet squares for the Sissinghurst hot garden blanket but I'm thinking of teaching Amber how to do them, as they are not very taxing. I might do some when I've cracked on a bit with the other things. Luckily I vacuumed the landing and cleaned the bathroom in a moment of inspiration so can get back to the important stuff...