a day on the beach....

I haven't had much time for blogging lately - too many visitors and the days way too short! but yesterday we went to the beach close to Westport - Bertra Beach. a favourite spot esp. for DS and a must-go, when the grandparents come over with a car! the weather forecast was a bit wobbly with rain to come - but we had a lovely day! no rain (only very late in the afternoon and only a few drops....), a light breeze, some sunshine, but not too much - perfect! after a walk in the pretty cold water and some scouting for shells we had a "picnic" and some time for a few rows of knitting. nothing special, just another square for the afghan, but nice to do in the sunshine with the panoramic view of clew bay - croagh patrick looming in the background!

when I sat on the line between sand and the stone wall I realised that the beach was covered in differently coloured seaweeds - it looked like a very pretty tapestry (well, ok, it did smell a bit fishy:)) I couldn't resist and collected a small bag because it reminded me of my trials with whacky fibres! maybe I could dry it and blend it into some yarns? I wanted to make some squares from typical irish materials - seaweed with some base fibre = my very own seacell? when I washed the sand out of it this morning another idea came to me: I am still thinking about a design to do for the "textile book" we decided to do for the connaught spinners and weavers! how about a basis made from felt, maybe in sandy "beach" colour with some darker areas where the water ran off. covered with seaweed embroidered on, maybe some fine banana fibres (the pink - I already dyed some with cochenille and the colour would work), some silk ribbon in greenish too? I think this would work and I could use some of the whackies and handspun silks I already have in small amounts!

we also went to Horkan's, a garden center in Castlebar, because the local one in Ballyhaunis lacks all but the very basic herbs (you can buy mint, oregano and parsley, but everything else is probably too exotic:((). for unknown reasons my french tarragon didn't reappear - so I bought several new plants and some other herbs too. I also bought a dog flicker brush - not for the dogs but for "combing" wool.... when I came home I realised that everything was there - not the brush though:(( I am so fuzzy in my head now that I start leaving things behind at the check-out?:(( not a good sign, I need some holidays:))