Monthly Catch up - December 2025

 So the beginning of December has been quite a quiet on as I have just been focusing on my course.

I am however, a huge Gloucester Hartbury rugby fan, so it was such a thrill to watch them play on home turf and win (as always!). Tad nail-biting though as it literally went to the last minute where they won by one point!

I did of course take my current knitting project with me to do whilst waiting for the game to start. 

Was funny to see just how little the referee was compared to some of the tall players.

On Sunday I headed back to Slimbridge for more research and photography.  

The Bewicks are still returning which is great to see.  The weather initially was very very wet, so not very conducive to photography. 

I did however manage to find a bird hide where I was in the dry and I got to take many shots of these goreous ducks.

Robins are such great birds, from the hearing them sing to there colourful plumage.

This pigeon made me smile. In my opinion a very underrated bird, as the colours in it are stunning.  I also love that you could see the stunning maeuve feathers around the neck all puffed out.  They look so soft and warm.

By the time it was halfway through the day, the wind had dropped, and you could see the hills of the Forest of Dean so clearly from another bird hide.

Nothing exciting happens on weekdays, just work, home, knit, repeat.

Weekend two, I took another trip to Slimbridge.  The weather turned out to be glorious and the light was just stunning.

For my course, I am focusing on five key areas, one being the plant life within the wetlands.  Noticing the small details just within the leaves is all key to my designing.

 

This shot was a very quick one as the Geese flying over.  It is always so speacial hearing them in flight.

 

 

Around the grounds there are many places you can just sit and take in your surroundings.  This picture was taken at 12.30, but as it is winter the light goes so much quicker.

 

Reflections in water are just so perfect, with the reflection of the tree echoed in ripples and almost completley monochrome.

 

 

After I had walked around the site for a few hours, I walked up and did a couple of miles walking along the canal before heading home.

The third weekend involved a very fun day out to Weston Super Mare.  I do love a train trip and know the route down so so well and the town itself, as I went to college there over fourty years ago!!

 

Of course there was knitting, I am really hoping to get a cardigan I am making done for Christmas, but we shall see as I have to sew it all together aswell, which takes time and definately my least favourite part. 

The joy of the winter sun, you get such long great shadows, and obviously a walk on the beach is a must!

 

Once again so so lucky that the sun was out, it was such a glourious day, with big open views and Steep Holme in the distance. 

I am a huge fan of symmetry, so under the pier was just the best view for this.

If your ever in Weston, I highly recommend The Old Thatched Cottage.  A family run resturant that served the best coffee and sarny I've had in ages.  Along with the perfect view for people watching and the outdoor fire which wow keeps you toasty warm!

By chance I spotted in the bus shelters they had a selection of peoms, I love this one.

Another of my favourite places that I shall visit again soon, Brean Down.  I have been so many times, walking down to the end, but I never tire of the views, the fresh air and the walk.

We are now in the "festive" season.  Slimbridge is literally only shut one day a year being Christmas Day.  So I headed back on Boxing Day.  It was chilly, but pretty quiet in terms of visitors, but not with birds, which is always a bonus for me. 

Managing to capture the juvenille Mute Swan taking off and then landing again was so fun.

They also have a couple of areas in the winter time where they feed birds and it is very close to the hide window, so you get to see the smaller birds so much closer.  Which is perfect for me, as although I use a DSLR camera, I do not have a huge lense on it like some of the photographers have and I feel sure must get incredible shots.

To my knowledge there is only one Black Swan at Slimbridge and it is not very often I have seen it, but it is such a treat to as it is just so majestic I think.

So it is now 31st of December and although I am off out (I do struggle to stay indoors, apart from the evening time), for a lovely walk in the Cotswolds I shall share that in the January update.

So I would just like to wish everyone a great New Year's Eve and bring on more adventures, fun and of course knitting in 2026! 

 

Trip to Bath - Wool shops and wonderings.

So last month I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Rastus Hsu and his lovely husband Wayne at the delightful wool shop A Yarn Story.

Rastus and Wayne were visiting the UK from Taiwan.  It was such a privilege to meet Rastus in person, having only chatted over the internet previously, and to sit and chat with Wayne, who is so lovely, with many stories to tell.

Rastus's design aesthetic of Origami Knitting and such textured creatures is a style that I just love, along with his amazing photography, which shows off the knitwear so well.

They had made the trip to Bath primarily to visit A Yarn Story shop, a lovely shop stocking a great range of yarns, from Townhouse Yarns, Spincycle, and their Own Yarn Range to name but a few.

 

To get to the shop it is just a short walk from the main town, and is a lovely walk seeing the beautiful architecture of Bath city. 

 

I have never been in any city where they just have artwork on the walls. 

I loved this tiny stairway up to the next street and the tiny building that joined the two blocks together. 

A trip to Bath would not be complete without visiting the famous Pulteney Bridge, which was flowing well as we had had a lot of rain.

Another great find is the Guildhall Market.  It has such a great variety of stalls, from a Deli, Cheese shop, Leather shop, to name just some, here are all the outlets.  

My favourite is the Skoobs Secondhand book stall.  They have been trading here for over 40 years, and I always come away with a book for my collection.

Obviously, I had to have a little knitting time working on my Stripes are us socks that I designed, using West Yorkshire Spinners yarn with the lovely colourway name of "Hope".

I have been to Bath city many times over the years, but there are always so many little hidden gems to find.  Like this beautiful shop window with such lovely treasures within. 

I am a sucker for a great architectural building, and this most definately did not disappoint.

Whilst having a wander, I spotted this fascinating building down a little side street, next to the Bath Thermae Spa.  If you get the chance it is the most brilliant way to treat yourself to a sauna and swim in the rooftop pool with the best views over the city.

I could not help to take a picture of the cake shop window, I do not think I have seen Bakewell Tarts this big before! 

My other stop off was Wool Bath, just a stone's throw from the train station and again another brilliantly well-stock yarn shop. 

 Then it was time for my train journey back home.