Hi everyone,

god, wasn't it a GORGEOUS GORGEOUS october week up here in the North so far?! Today I took half a day off (I really had to!!!), the warm sun and the clear blue sky was too tempting, so after preparing some fibre for the dyeing process later on in the evening I packed up Sam and the camera, and off we went to Little Salkeld, near Penrith, to visit Long Meg and her daughters, an ancient druids circle in the middle of nowhere and miles and miles of countryside to be walked :o) If you ever come to the Penrith area, which is really close to the Lake District, do come to Little Salkeld, especially if you want to visit beautiful historic places where you don't want stand in a queue, or find yourself in a crowd of tourists and walkers! It is one of my absolute favourite places to go and visit, spend a day outside and walk through the fields and meadows, and to visit the old watermill in the village, that makes organic flour, and has the most adorable tearoom with good food and drink as well!!! Here are some photos of today's visit at Long Meg's:

That's Long Meg, a tall standing stone outside the wide druids circle, so wide in fact, that I have never managed to get the circle into one picture :o)

Noone really knows what this stone circle was once used for, which is kind of nice I'd say...allows your imagination to run completely wild... :oD

Yep, one really happy Sam!

Be prepared to come across some very laid back and friendly cattle when you walk the country side. They really are harmless.

And those 2 beauties are grazing on land that seems to belong to St.Michael's church (not sure though), which can be visited during the day...no entrance fee...just walk in and be silent...you will find some very pretty and colourful church windows there!

That's the old watermill in Little Salkeld - I always stop by there for a meal before I drive back home...you MUST try their watermill rarebit!!! Y-U-M-M-Y!!

The owner of the mill, Ana Balfour, also keeps her own small livestock of beautiful Suffolk sheep. She has their fleeces processed and spun at a yarn mill in Wales, then hand dyes the yarns with natural plant dyes and knits wonderful jumpers, cardigans, gloves, hats, etc. from the wool. They are very colourful indeed, and her knitwork is superb!

That's her flock of happy little sheep...

...and a placid gang of goats... ;o)

I hope you like the photos and will decide to come and visit the beautiful far North of England at one stage! You would certainly not regret it if you are a country person and enjoy nature, mountains, and fresh clean air!!

I will soon display the new yarn designs that I am currently working on - I so enjoy spinning my latest blend of super soft Bluefaced Leicester - YES, you read correctly, SUPER SOFT Bluefaced Leicester (that I believed could not get any softer!), combed with finest silk, which can only lead to one thing: The most gorgeous handspun yarns ever to come to you ... VERY SOON! Be surprised :o)

Everyone have a very good weekend!