Saturday 18 December 2010

Sailor's Warning

Photos Copyright: Maggie May


I'd love to be able to say in a bragging way, "I was up in time to see the sunrise."
Well I was.... but it was at around half past seven.
I happened to look through the window at breakfast time and saw the rosy pink sky and dashed to get my camera. When I was a child, there was a saying, *Red in the morning.... sailors warning.* That was a day or so ago.

When I opened the curtains this morning, everything was covered in snow. It really looked quite pretty before the locals started writing things on the snowy car windows and before the foot trails on the pavements and the beginnings of slush.
As I write this, the sun is shining brightly so it will turn into slushy ice.
Maybe we should expect any kind of weather these days. It is so varied.

When I was young, the winters were always harsh and the summers were hot. So this is how I remember things before I was 8 years old. It was normal then. However nobody had central heating or double glazing and I do remember how cold we all felt and the frequent long illnesses caused by it.
We are definitely better off today.

I have finished knitting Mary and Jesus and have started knitting Joseph. I am beginning to be very busy though now, so progress will be slow.






29 comments:

Mimi said...

it's exactly the same here, weatherwise! And it's how I remember winters from my childhood too!
your Mary and Baby are beautiful, Maggie, you've the beginnings of an heirloom there.

mrsnesbitt said...

Wow! Fantastic stuff there - you must do Joseph though - can't have Mary on her own with Jesus - need a chap around to help her out! Who will make the tea when the shepherds come? lol!
Well as you know here in the North East we were well and truly hit by the snow a couple of weeks ago - we had another covering this week but seem to be clear right now - but nevertheless watching the skies as we speak!

Have a good weekend.
Denise xx

Sueann said...

Beautiful! And I love Mary and Jesus! Well done!
Hugs
SueAnn

Ayak said...

We used to say "red sky at night shepherd's delight..red sky in the morning shepherd's warning". Isn't it funny how we remember these little sayings.
The knitted Mary and Jesus is beautiful. You are so talented!

Formerly known as Frau said...

Gorgeous morning for you! Omg I can't believe you finished Mary and Jesus you are cruising! Looks beautiful!!

Rose said...

I've been up for sunrise quite often lately, too; not so true in the summer:) Your Mary and Jesus look fabulous, Maggie; I hope you have time to finish Joseph before Christmas. I'm so impressed with your talent--I took some knitting lessons last year, but so far I haven't progressed beyond making simple scarves:)

CiCi said...

You did a great job knitting Mary and Jesus, and you did it in record time.

Unknown said...

Beautiful pictures and post. Merry Christmas!

Hilary said...

Beautiful images, Maggie.. but wow, you're a talented knitter. That's so cool. Maybe next year, you can knit a menorah. ;)

Anonymous said...

When I was a child we used to say 'red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning'.

I remember the winters, with ice on the inside of the window panes and weeks spent in bed with bronchitis.

Hope you manage to knit Joseph in time for Christmas.

Best wishes

Akelamalu said...

We watched the snow roll in from about 9 p.m. last night - we got about 4". I too remember winters being very harsh and summers very hot Maggie - so we can't all be wrong can we? ;)

Without central heating and double glazing we had to scrape the ice of the INSIDE of the windows. :0

Mary and Jesus are just lovely, can't wait to see Joseph. Are you knitting the full nativity scene?

Happy Frog and I said...

Lovely photos. It's is just the same here in Reading. Has ruined my plans of travelling to London this evening, but I have enjoyed the snow despite this. Was lovely walking out and about and through the snow covered park today. :-)

Celia said...

Mary and Baby look great! You are quite the knitter. We got snow last night too, no one has walked in ours yet, except for the cats, sleepy neighborhood, many people off work for the week.

secret agent woman said...

rationI love when the skies are all reddish like that. Good thing I'm not a sailor.

Bernie said...

Love your Mary and baby Maggie, I have never seen one like that.
We have so much snow here, it will be summer before it all melts and it is -32 with the wind-chill. brrr
I don't mind the snow, but this cold is brutal.
So glad you are well dear friend, this is such a wonderful time of year....:-)Hugs

Joanna Jenkins said...

Jaw dropped! You knitted that?!?!?! It's gorgeous.
Sending you holiday greetings and wishing you a very Merry Christmas, jj

Jeni said...

Love the knitted Mary and baby Jesus. Very nice, Maggie, very nice! My Grandma used to say "Red sky at night, sailors' delight; Red sky at morning, sailers' take warning." Same thing basically as someone else posted except Grandma said it was a sailors thing. Now how she thought she knew anything about sailors though -well that's beyond me. But that expression must have been around now a really long time cause my Grandma would be 130 years old if she were still alive. I'm just sitting here brooding tonight -got my cards addressed today, finally but now, just bored and upset cause I'm here by myself, been alone all day, and I have no clue where the family is tonight which kind of ticks me off and makes me feel bad at the same time. Not a good vibe going on right now at any rate. Peace!

Gail Is This Mutton? said...

Where I grew up, in Devon, it was "red sky at night, shepherd's delight" and "red sky in morning, shepherd's warning."

Your knitted Mary is so lovely!

Anonymous said...

A lovely sunrise too! The sun rises late here - around 8 am and sets at about 14.45 - so short days, but sweet with all the snow.

Saz said...

that is lovely, you are clever maggie!

luv saz x

Wendy said...

I love the rosy sunrise skies. Your pic is pretty. We are heading towards the shortest day soon - then days will become longer and the sun will rise much earlier!
Love your Mary and baby Jesus.
Stay warm!

Irene said...

I don't remember all the old Dutch sayings, I get them mixed up with English ones and don't know what the original ones are like anymore. It's very confusing. Mary looks lovely.

XOX

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Weather is the same here Maggie although I can't say I saw the sunrise. I love your knitted "Mary". It looks the same as the one I did a few years ago. A x

Anonymous said...

That's a beautifully knitted Mary. I remember the winters being harsh, too, but we seemed to get on with it. Of course, there wasn't the traffic then or the school closures!

CJ xx

Casdok said...

Shepards warning here too! The sun came out today and it was quite beautiful.
Happy christmas x

Suldog said...

Snow is a lovely thing when it first falls, not so much after people have been at it.

On the other hand, your knitting is lovely, period. I have no idea how you do something like that...

Joey said...

I never heard it said "Sailors Warning", but my Pop told me how to read the sky.

I knew that when it was pink we were going to get snow. We didn't central heat either Maggie.

The photograph is beautiful.

It never stopped us from getting out in the snow. You brought back some wonderful memories.

Joey

You're really gifted at knitting!

Dimple said...

Your knitting looks wonderful! I received the instructions, but haven't started anything yet, you inspire me: today!
Stay warm and enjoy Christmas!

Maria said...

Wow, Maggie, what a wonderful piece of craft. You're really talented.