There’s been some pretty chilly weather in Ireland and the UK this past week or so… And much as I love snow, I’m glad we just got a brief flurry here in Dublin last Tuesday, rather than the full-blown blizzard that hit Scotland and the north of England! But the plummeting temperatures reminded Paddy and Plunkett of a frosty walk they took at the very end of last year, and prompted them to send me a few choice happy snappies!
As far as I can tell, they were first lured outside by the idea of being able to skate on the frozen bird bath…
As usual, Paddy was showing off his moves, while Plunkett played it safe at the edge of the rink.
But wait a sec… Is that a rock poking up above the surface of the ice there?
SPLAT!
Apparently so, yes. Yeowch!
“Here, Paddy… I’ll help you u – WOOOOOAAAAAOOOOW!”
Uh-oh. There goes Plunkett as well.
“Maybe that’s enough skating for one day…
…C’mon Plunkett, let’s go for a walk instead.”
I think this is much more Plunkett’s scene, don’t you? And on the way, they found some beautiful frosted leaves…
… And some pebbles that almost looked furry thanks to their icy coating!
Later, Paddy was even able to talk Plunkett into attempting a little climbing.
Mind you, the view from up there made it totally worthwhile!
But even little woolly monsters start feeling the cold in their paws eventually. Time to head back indoors! Although the winter sunlight was playing some strange tricks as they strolled home…
“Check out our shadows, Plunkett! We’re giants!”
“Whatever you say, Paddy…”
Thanks for the photos, lads! Hopefully the days are going to start getting a little warmer again soon… And with that in mind, I thought it was high time February’s calendar page made an appearance!
It’s in the store now, it’s ready to download, and it’s FREEEEEE! Cheers to everybody who welcomed Paddy and Plunkett onto their walls, noticeboards and fridges for January – I loved seeing the pictures some of you posted on your blogs and social media of the calendars in action!
As you can see, Explorer Beastie has stepped up to the plate this month. I chose one of my favourite shots from our trip to Donegal last February, which captures some of the best bits of late winter in Ireland – yes, the weather can be a bit wild, but the gentle light and the fact that there’s still plenty of green about make it a quietly beautiful time of year. I hope you’ll like this one as much as I do!
That’s it for this week, folks – we’ll be back next Tuesday with another new Beastie for you to meet! See you then!
But we seem to have caught up with them just as their stomachs are starting to rumble – time for something to eat, perhaps? Hey, how about this place?
Let’s hope he left some for Plunkett!
I feel less bad using this now that it’s October. But remember, if you want to get your very own Bespoke Beastie in time for Christmas,
If you’re in any way craftily inclined, you’ll find so much to love on Melissa’s blog… Although her enthusiasm for all things woolly and yarny is really quite infectious, so even if you don’t know your knit from your purl, you might find yourself getting sucked in! What makes Melissa different from so many other craft bloggers out there is that she takes a look beyond her own works in progress, and taps into the growing community of people involved in producing the wool she knits and spins. This takes in everything from visiting farms (and getting involved in the sheep shearing!) to meeting indie dyers and pattern designers. One of my favourite recent posts was her interview with 
I love checking in with Shirley’s blog. I think it has a lot to do with the way she writes – her calm, warm voice just puts you at ease, and it’s like you’re meeting a good friend for coffee and a catchup. Shirley is another person who is all about handmade, and her posts are mostly about what she’s got on the go at the moment – she knits, weaves and is a super-talented illustrator. She also loves to read around her interests, and I’ve so enjoyed sharing in her library finds (or special orders)… Especially when she comes across something with a crafty theme! Lately, I’ve been avidly following her first foray into working with reclaimed yarn (
