In 2014 I took a photo each day and recorded the weather. You can see the list of photos here and the description of this project here. Below is a count of days we had sun and the days we had rain (could be both on the same day) in 2014. It is a personal weather record, not a record for where we live in the Cotswold, England. Most of the time we were at … Continue reading
Near the end of 2013 I decided to take a photo each day for a year. We had been living in England for 3½ years and I wanted to get an accurate idea of the weather. I thought a photo every day with a note about the weather would let me see how many days with sun we get each year. It was an interesting time to start this project because a storm system was … Continue reading
We have been sold a false image of fragrance. Manufacturers tell us it is like a spring day, fresh flowers, lemon scented, but nothing about fragrances used in most personal and household products is natural. These are synthetic fragrances, full of chemicals that produce the smell, others that make sure the smell lasts and others that do who-knows-what. Fragrance is added to the obvious – perfume, aftershave, air freshener – and the not-so-obvious – soap, … Continue reading
Kitchen linens – tea towels, table napkins, table cloths – are my favorite thing to buy when traveling in France! They are beautiful, useful and easy to pack. They give me delight when I use them at home and they remind me of our trips. In France you will find shops devoted to household linens in most towns. Look for the window display of towels and linens or for the rack of tea towels hanging … Continue reading
Four years ago today we flew from Denver to Heathrow with our cat and a lot of luggage, intending to spend five months in a cottage in the Cotswolds. Four years later we are still here with no plans to leave, but we have not made the decision to stay either. As each year goes by, my memory of our life in the US fades. We returned to the US each of the first two … Continue reading
This winter was cold and wet, and seemed to go on forever. The storms started in December, just before Christmas and continued until the end of February. It seemed like it would never stop raining. There was bad flooding in areas near us, but not in our area this time. The main effect of the storms for us was that it kept us off the muddy footpaths and instead we walked on the lanes through … Continue reading
This was a quick project to make a floor mat with THICK wool and big needles. The mat measures 20 inches square. I am using it in a small spot in front of the sink in the bathroom. Using the log cabin technique, you can make it any size you want. Yarn: Brown Sheep Burly Spun, 100% wool, 8oz (226 gm) – 1 ball oatmeal, 1 ball wild oak Needles: 9mm (US 13) Notes: All … Continue reading
After I finished my first knitted log cabin blanket, I started another version. This time I used DK wool instead of Aran. I took my ideas from Mason-Dixon Knitting Flying Geese Blanket. This blanket was very easy to make. Because it is done in garter stitch, where you knit every row, it goes quickly. Here is the finished blanket (which needs blocking, but I didn’t bother). It looks a bit like a flag, but I … Continue reading
Announcing the new Slow Europe Travel Forums! Drop by, have a look and join in the conversation. Forums (message boards, bulletin boards, news groups) were one of the first things to become popular on the Internet. In the mid-90s, when we connected by dial-up, many of us were logging in and talking to people around the world about a variety of subjects. My subject was travel, mostly travel to Europe. Steve and I spent a … Continue reading
My trip report for a week in Portugal, July 2012. I am writing this trip report more than a year after our trip. This was a lovely trip but it was pushed to the back of my mind because we were busy with other things when we got home. As I write my notes now I remember how much we enjoyed northern Portugal and I would like to return. Neither of us had been to … Continue reading