Pictures from the corridor

Closing down

2010-07-27T23:09:00.001+01:00

It has been some time since I posted in this space So, for a number of reasons, I have decided to close down this particular blog. I did intend to use it to participate in various photo memes and carnivals, but I just haven't been able to make the time. Taking the photo is not the problem - I am never without the camera. I just found I was using up all my computer time visiting the other participants - an important part of any meme, and i felt I was not giving this the attention is deserved.. I have to say that I have encountered so many lovely people and inspiring blogs through the lens and keyboard - thank you all for your support and encouragement.
I am very busy right now with - oh - so many things. I can still be found blogging on family, life and our new croft at:

The Interrupted Gardener.

You are very welcome to join me there.

Skywatch - Coming in

2010-05-13T21:25:00.000+01:00

An unusual sight in our skies lately, due to the volcanic ash cloud grounding most of the UK flights. This one did make it into Edinburgh Airport.
See how the skies of the world are looking this week at Skywatch Friday.

One, two, three....

2010-05-12T11:13:00.000+01:00

Check out Ruby Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, and Shadow Shot Sunday for more fun every week.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-05T08:26:00.001+01:00

Lots more wordless postings at Wordless Wednesday and Sunndaytodaymama. Ssshhh!

Ruby Tuesday - Leaving Harris.

2010-05-04T20:35:00.000+01:00

As we waited for the ferry to take us back over to Skye and then on to the mainland, last week, I took a couple of snaps around the small harbour. I liked the splashes of red in these shots (even though the bottom one is a bit squint!), so I thought I would use them for my first Ruby Tuesday post.

Quite a few suits worth piled up in there mind you! Do visit Ruby Tuesday to see more red.

Today's Flowers - Magnolia

2010-05-02T16:17:00.000+01:00

Magnolia Stellata is blooming beautifully in our garden just now. A treat for the eyes as the daffodils fade and the early summer flowers are yet to show.

Share in this worldwide bouquet at Today's Flowers. Thank you to the team who bring us this beauty each week.

Shadow Shot Sunday - The Beach

2010-05-01T22:17:00.000+01:00

James running down the sand at Horgabost, Isle of Harris. It was our first beach of the year - can you tell?

See the world's shadows this week with Tracey at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Skywatch Friday - Skye Bridge

2010-04-30T14:10:00.000+01:00

The bridge to the Isle of Skye from Kyle of Lochalsh, with a hazy blue glimpse of the Cuillin mountain range in the background.
Enjoy seeing more skies from this Earth at Skywatch Friday.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-28T13:05:00.000+01:00

See more unwritten gems at Wordless Wednesday and Sunnydaytodaymama.

Today's Flowers. Spring Bulbs

2010-04-18T20:37:00.000+01:00

Flowering in my garden today - my favourite Spring bulbs - the Grape Hyacinth.
Enjoy more flowers from all around the world at Today's Flowers.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-13T23:08:00.000+01:00

Visit the silent but effective world of Wordless Wednesday and see how it speaks to you.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Tai-Chi at the market

2010-03-28T10:11:00.000+01:00

There was a Taoist Tai Chi demonstration at the Farmers' Market today. The sun was out too! I think they've just carried the tiger to the mountain here.

I go to a Tai Chi class every Monday - very good for the body, mind and soul. Every weekend, I visit Australia for Shadow Shot Sunday - almost the same thing. Do drop by and play along.

Skywatch Friday - Sheep at sunset

2010-03-25T21:58:00.000Z

Tuesday evening's sunset was magnificent here, deepening into such glorious glowing colours.. This is how it looked in the field across from my house. The sheep don't seem to bothered about it, mind you.

See more gorgeous sky pictures at Skywatch Friday.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-24T09:39:00.001Z

See more pictures without words by clicking on Wordless Wednesday and Sunnydaytodaymama. Shhhh!

Today's flowers - Yellow

2010-03-20T22:01:00.003Z

Coltsfoot - a wonderful sunny sign of spring. Collect them now and dry them to make an infusion or tincture for your winter coughs. Also known as Son afore the Father, as the blossoms appear before the leaves.

Check out Today's Flowers for more beautiful blooms.

Shadow Shot Sunday - The Hen Whisperer

2010-03-20T21:57:00.001Z

Visit Hey Harriet for more worldwide shadows on Shadow Shot Sunday

The Brenda Photo Challenge: Fruit/Macro

2010-03-20T08:30:00.001Z

Blueberry Pie -

- in around 5 months time!

Do visit The Brenda Photo Challenge to see the other participants. Thanks so much to Donna for this fum meme.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-17T13:03:00.001Z

Skywatch - March sunset

2010-03-11T21:18:00.000Z

Driving home West from Edinburgh last week, stuck in rush hour traffic, this sky was a bit of a compensation.

See how the world's skies are looking this week at Skywatch Friday.

Wordless Wednesday - Jes chillin' with my brother, man!

2010-03-09T23:10:00.000Z

Visit Wordless Wednesday for more silent pictures.

Today's flowers - Springtime

2010-03-07T21:37:00.000Z

Beautiful orange and purple crocuses growing up among the grass. Very Springlike.

See more flowers fromaround the world at Today's Flowers.

Shadow Shot Sunday - City walls

2010-03-06T21:22:00.001Z

Climbing the steep steps up the Vennel from Edinburgh's Grassmarket on Thursday, I had to stop for a breather. It must have been fate that stopped me there, rather than being unfit, because right in front of me was this wonderful lamp post shadow, against the city walls. I think this part is the Flodden wall, built in 1560 - how many shadows have passed by these stones, I wonder?
Check out lots of great shadows around the world with Tracy at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Skywatch - Views from the river

2010-03-04T21:26:00.001Z

We've had a few beautiful sparkling sunny days here this week, still with a fair bit of snow lying around. I came out of my Tai-chi class on Monday to this view of the Fife hills from the south side of the River Forth.

Looking west here towards the Ochil Hills.

Then further west, you can just see the what I consider the beginnings of the Highlands - the mountains of The Trossachs. Pity about the coal fired Longannet power station right in front. Apparently it is capable of firing biomass though...
Please visit Skywatch and see how the planet's skies are looking this week.

Closing it down

2010-02-21T22:41:00.001Z

I've decided to do a bit of downsizing in my bloggy world. So - with the exception of a couple of photographic memes, I will no longer be blogging in this space. Most of my day to day happenings are around the home and garden, and concern children and family - so I will be posting about these issues on my other blog - The Interrupted Gardener. This was my first blog, and I started off keeping it strictly as a gardening blog. I have found, however, that the garden is a big part of my life, and so are the 'interruptions' to it, and it was becoming more difficult to decide what post should be on what blog. Enough, already! For the sake of simplicity,I will blog about family, gardening, food, creativity and general reflections on The Interrupted Gardener from now on.
I know there are some followers who also follow IG - bless you. But if not, I invite you to join me over there. Thank you all anyway - I am constantly amazed that people take time out of their busy, creative lives to read what I have I have to say. xxx

Shadow Shot Sunday - A boy and his dog

2010-02-20T21:40:00.000Z

James and Robbie the dog, enjoying some late winter (or early spring?) sunshine. But - where has my grass gone?!

See more shadow play at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Skywatch - shining through

2010-02-19T17:07:00.000Z

The pale sun this morning, seen from our driveway, looked almost pear-shaped as it squeezed through this narrow cloud band.

Pushing itself upwards

easy does it,

almost there now,

Yay! Brilliant!

See more skies at the excellent Skywatch blog every Friday.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Homemade paper lanterns

2010-02-13T22:11:00.000Z

It is the Chinese New Year tomorrow, so we made paper lanterns to celebrate.
It is also Sunday in Australia now - visit Tracy for Shadow Shot Sunday. Happy New Year!

Skywatch - Rosslyn Castle

2010-02-11T21:51:00.000Z

Another wee day out on Wednesday, this time for a walk in Rosslyn Glen. We had visited the (in)famous Rosslyn Chapel before, but had never made it any further. This time, we passed on the chance to fight our way through the hordes of visitors vying to stand in the place that Tom Hanks stood in the DaVinci Code film, and headed off down the glen, eventually finding our way to Rosslyn Castle . It was a lovely late winter day, with just a faint hint that warmer weather could be on its way back.
See what other skies around the world look like at Skywatch Friday - join in!.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Ancestral shadows

2010-02-07T22:08:00.000Z

I make no apologies for posting more images of the 5000 year old Callanish Stones. They were so stunningly beautiful and special.

The first day of our visit was bright, sunny and cold - perfect conditions for finding shadows.

Maybe they are the shadows of the people who built this sacred place.

Scroll down for more photographs of our trip to the Outer Hebrides last week. And visit Tracy, at the other side of the world to see more Shadow Shots.

Sacred Space

2010-02-05T22:22:00.001Z

We travelled up to the Hebridean Isle of Lewis on Brigid's eve - an auspicious coincidence, we thought. And so it proved. During our 2.5 days on the island, we visited the stones at Calanais 3 times. It sounds so cliched, but there is a magic within that sacred circle that kept drawing us back. The weather was perfect - cold, sunny and the lightest of snowfalls on the Wednesday - no other tourists either, so we had the place deliciously to ourselves.

. Each stone has it's own unique personality. Kristine commented on my skywatch post how they looked like old men. They really do have a human quality, and I wonder if those ancient ancestors who first erected these stones were portraying their own community. This chap was a formidable guardian at the end of one of the long avenues

The colours are amazing. The stones actually glow with the shades and hues of the land. Pinks, oranges, whites, green and greys. I love in these two shots how they seem to merge into the winter landscape.

To me, the inner circle looked like a group of strong ancient matriarchs.

While the men spread around in a protective outer ring.

It is a special place.

Another special place was Breanish over on the far West side of the island.

So far on the edge, you can see St Kilda, hazy on the horizon.

An if you look really hard - maybe you can see America!

If not - there are always other delights to behold closer to the shore.

And, of course, there are always the stones.

Skywatch - Sky, snow and stones

2010-02-05T11:39:00.000Z

A wintry view of the 5000 year old Callanish Stones against a pale blue sky on the Isle of Lewis, taken on Wednesday 3rd February.
See more skies from all around the world at Skywatch.

Book Sharing / Shelf Sharing. - Brigid's Day

2010-02-02T20:49:00.000Z

An unexpected bonus of sharing pictures of our bookshelves as well as book, is that ou come across forgotten gems - like this one - Celtic Wonder Tales by Ella Young. Based on the Celtic creation myths it contains exciting sagas of good overcoming evil and is full of celtic wisdom.

For Brigid's Day, I will share this excerpt from the creation tale, The Earth Shapers. In Tir-na-Moe, the land of the Living Heart, Brigit was singing.

Brigit sang:

Now comes the hour foretold, a god-gift bringing

A wonder-sight

Is it a star new-born and splendid up springing

Out of the night?

Is it a wave from the fountain of Beauty upflinging

Foam of delight?

Is it a glorious immortal bird that is winging

Hither its flight?

It is a wave, high-crested , melodious, triumphant

Breaking in light

It is a star, rose-hearted and joyous, a splendour

Risen from night

It is a flame from the world of the gods, and love

runs before it,

A quenchless delight

Let the wave break, let the star rise, let the flame leap

Ours, if our hearts are wise,

To take and keep.

Alex hosts Book Sharing Monday at her blog, Canadian Home Learning. Drop in and see who else is sharing.

Meanwhile, to continue my bookshelf sharing, here are the two bookshleves in my bedroom.

These shelves are a mix of parening, health, lifestyley type things, books I find particularly inspiring and ones that mean a lot to me.

Anyway, we are off to the far North for a few days. Have a good week.

Two watercolours - two children

2010-01-31T17:31:00.002Z

The Beach at Brora, Sutherland. By Karen (age 29)

Blue Campervan with Purple Seats. By James (age 3)

What talented artistic children I am blessed with :)

Shadow Shot Sunday - Some sunshine at last.

2010-01-30T21:10:00.000Z

Great to see a bit of sunshine - and some clear dry ground to run around on. It just makes you want to skip with joy. See more dancing shadows around the world with Tracy at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Skywatch - Capital skies

2010-01-28T20:29:00.000Z

Some dark foreboding clouds hovered over Edinburgh castle, but that figure of light soon chased them away.

Looking down over the chimmney pots of Frederick Street towards the River Forth and the Kingdom of Fife. I so often forget Edinburgh is a coastal city. I love to be reminded with a glimpse like this.

Check out our planetary skies at Skywatch every week..

Quick trip

2010-01-28T08:41:00.001Z

Sometimes, there is no getting away from it- we have to make a trip into our capital city. Fortunately it is only 20 minutes away, and it is a nice town. James is ready and is taking one or two friends with him.

As son as the car is parked, we have to stand under this tunnel and listen to out echoed calls.

Now our errand is done, we can have a walk around. James runs on ahead, but stops to wait while we catch up.

In we go to the gardens. I always think of the fact that we are walking along the bottom of a loch basin.

Looking up at the castle on the rock.

Noticing things we had never noticed before - like that thistle detail on the very top of the window corbels.

Looking for Mr Squirrel's house, but we thought he was still deeply asleep in his cosy nest.

The Ross Banstand, which less than a month ago saw the likes of Madness and The Noisettes strutting across it's stage, while a spectacular firework display welcomed in the New Year, lies empty and forlorn. Ah well, spring and summer are on their way and festivals will once again brighten it's space.

James tries to find some wind to blow his new windmill. And it does blow!

But running down those steep banks are just the best fun.

Book Sharing Monday, book shelf sharing - and Burns.

2010-01-25T13:11:00.000Z

Book sharing Monday today could only be about the Bard himself. So we are sharing Rabbies Rhymes - by Robert Burns, illustrated by Karen Sutherland. A fun wee book which has the first few lines of Burn's most famous works, with pull out flaps and such, especially geared to young children.

My Luve is like a red, red rose

Thats newly spring in June

My Luve is like a melodie

That's sweetly played in tune

Quite kitschy pitures for what must be one of the world's great love songs, but there you go. Lots more books to share with Alex at Book Sharing Monday.

Book shelf sharing is from the 3 bookshelves in the conservatory, which John built to hide an awkward recess. It was quite hard to get into photograph as it is an alcove, but I think most of the books are visible. It is a bit of a mixture - cookery ,gardening, craft and all sorts really. Feel free to enlarge and have a browse.

And just to make up for such a short snippet of Burns - and to celebrate his birthday - here is a beautful version of the song, sung by Eddie Reader.

On a Saturday afternoon.

2010-01-25T00:30:00.000Z

Papa was up in his loft and dug out the old Hornby train set. It certainly made a little boy very happy.

And both boys were soon lost in the game.

A fresh warm batch of pancakes for the train drivers' tea break.

and then dinner cooked by K, home for the weekend

helped by his lovely girlfriend L.

Joined by John and daughter Kristine - a fuzzy but warm family meal.

An extra hour!

2010-01-21T22:39:00.000Z

It was five o'clock when we came in from the garden this afternoon. Still light enough to finish planting the raspberries that had been imprisioned in the greenhouse since their Christmas Eve delivery. (More on this and other growing type things on the gardening blog). Today there is a whole extra hour of daylight here. What are you dong with yours?

Still here Santa?

2010-01-19T22:42:00.000Z

One of the many things I love about having a 3 year old again, is being there when his imagination soars. Today - just an ordinary day around the house and garden, James was just so engrossed in his play. I was making the evening meal at this point and when I tuned round to see what he was doing he called out - I'm Santa, Mum - and so he was! He'd put on a red play silk and found a hat left over from the holidays and it was Christmas again! Ho ho ho :)

Book Sharing Monday 2010 - Snow, thaw and shelves

2010-01-18T21:03:00.002Z

An appropriate choice for today, I thought, is Ollie's Ski Trip by Elsa Bescow. Another of these gentle little stories, this tells how Ollie gets a new pair of skis for his birthday, but doesn't get to use them for ages, as the snow keeps falling and then thawing right away. Then at last it snows for 3 days and he gets his chance. Out he goes, revelling in the beauty of the winter landscape, and he meets Jack Frost ! Jack Frost is very impressed with Ollie and asks him if he would like to visit King Winter in his ice palace. Well - who wouldn't? On their way, however, the meet an old woman with a broom, who is making the ice and snow melt - Mrs Thaw!

Jack Frost chases her off in quite a rude fashion, but when Ollie challenges him, he says that Mrs Thaw is always trying to come too soon - she should not be here until the spring. Anyway, Ollie has a most wonderful time at King Winter's court, playing, sledging and skating. Then he returns home and he and his little brother enjoy the rest of the winter, playing in the snow. Mrs Thaw stays away for a long time, but then at the end of winter, she comes back.

She didn't stop until there wasn't a speck of snow left

Rain poured down in torrents and last year's withered

leaves were sent whilring away with her broom. And every-

one seemed to get a cold. Ollie was really angry with Mrs Thaw.

But one lovely spring day, Spring came driving up in

her airy carriage drawn by white butterflies. Then Ollie

saw Mrs Thaw, as she stood by the side of the ditch wearing

a brand new apron. She curtsied to Spring, beaming with

delight For the first time, Ollie really liked Mrs Thaw

and knew that she wasn't so bad after all. But he did

wish she would learn to come at the proper time.

Is this the proper time? Or will King Winter and Jack Frost return? Watch out for the next couple of months to find out!

There are lots more books being shared at Serendipity every week on Book Sharing Monday.

Now I am going to add another dimesnion to my Book Sharing Monday posts. I was very taken with this post on When I get the time. Pippa mentions how people's kitchens and bookshelves can say a lot about them. I have been thinking about this, and looking at our bookshelves. Just glancing at the one to my right as I type has The Golfer's Companion sandwiched between The Complete New Herbal, and Solar Ethics. Hmmm. Well I am going to be brave and start sharing some of my bookshelves. I have 2 small(quite chipped now that I notice) shelves in the kitchen which hold some of my cookery books, so we will start there.

I love looking at other people's book collections. Dare to share?

Give us this day....

2010-01-16T22:45:00.004Z

I posted the other day about making a spelt and oatmeal loaf, and Lisa kindly asked for the recipe. The trouble with me and reciies is that I always tinker around with them, depending mostly on what I happen to have in the cupboard at the time. This is quite a good one, in that the basic formula is there and there is lots of room for doing your own thing with it. It is in fact the Grant Loaf, made famous by Mrs Doris Grant in the 1940s

3lb spelt flour (or wholemeal or white or even thise multi-seed/grain bread flours that you can buy nowdays)

2 tsp sea salt (I don't ever put salt in and it is fine)
2 pints water at blood heat (usually half boiling and half cold works for me)
3 level teaspoons dried yeast (not fast acting kind)

2 level teaspoon honey or black molasses (or whatever sweetener you favour)

Put the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and set in a warm place along with three greased bread tins until thoroughly warmed.
Place 3 tablespoons of the water in a cup and sprinkle the yeast on top - leave for a couple of minutes
Add the honey, or whatever. Leave in a warm place for 15 minutes until there is a thick creamy froth.

Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the yeast together with the remaining water.
Mix well, by hand is best, working from sides to middle until the dough feels slippery and elastic.
Divide at once into the warmed bread tins.
Cover with a cloth and set the tins in a warm place for about 40 minutes, or until the dough has reached the tops of the tins.
Place risen loaves in centre of oven heated to 375°F (190°C) or Gas no. 5 and bake for 50-60 minutes. Turn out on to a wire rack and leave until completely cool. This bread keeps for about 5 days.

The big key to this bread is that you DO NOT knead it

If I am adding oatmeal then i take out about 3 oz of the flour and add the same amount of medium oatmeal (not the porridge oats, but if thats all you have about you, then I'm sure it would be fine).
I usually throw in a handful of sunflower or pumpkin seeds without changing any quantities.
I also quite like sprinking the top of the loaves with linseeds - they come out beautifully toasty, but have also done this with other seeds.

I have been making this bread for several years now and it always turns out well - providing the kitchen is warm - if not, then it takes longer to rise. Since the snow came in the middle of December, I have been making it twice a week. I did buy a shop wholemeal once when we ran out and I was being lazy, but we couldn't eat it - it was soooo salty and frankly not very nice. This makes a lovely nutty dense moist loaf which is very filling. It takes no time at all to mix up - fast food at it's very best. Give it a try.

Teamwork!

2010-01-15T22:57:00.001Z

I cut the fruit and vegetables,while James puts it through the juicer. Orange, beetroot, carrot and kale today - very nice.

Papa needed to go to the bank and for some shopping, but Gran is feeling the cold a lot just now, so she came here. James kept her entertained. She is not really able to do much at all now, and she likes to keep her coat and gloves on, but she still responds to James and his chatter.

Robbie the dog had been out in the garden and had very muddy feet when he came in. James helped his Dad dry them off. James is reassuring Robbie, as he hates getting his feet dried.

After that James helped Dad to fix his big sister's car. She will be pleased when she comes home!

When Papa came back, he helped make the lunch for us all.

And I made these (well-fired) spelt and oatmeal loaves.

Skywatch - Sun and snow

2010-01-15T18:24:00.000Z

A weak watery sun tried to burn through the snow-laden sky on Thursday. Starlings pose on my neighbour's TV ariel..
Skies of all colours are visible at Skywatch Friday.

Pride comes before ...

2010-01-14T22:15:00.001Z

Two nights after posting photgraphs of my house fringed with beautiful icicles, and basking in the kind and appreciative comments, the thaw began to set in and guess what?

There was a huge roaring sound as a ton of snow slipped off the roof, taking half the guttering with it.

Fortunately no-one was underneath it at the time, but John has spent the morning clearing massive ice chunks from the rest of the roan pipe. Ho-hum...

Icicle shadows

2010-01-09T22:19:00.000Z

The house has been completely fringed in icicles for the last three weeks. They look so pretty and cast some interesting shadows. Very cold though - hope you are all keeping warm..

No ice in Australia (except in your cool drink on the beach), so visit Tracy at Shadow Shot Sunday for a blast of sun and shade.

Winter table.

2010-01-08T23:20:00.000Z

Now that Christmas has been cleared away, the seasonal display looks a little bit empty. That is just as it should be though, as outside is stark and bare. A simple soft snowy white cloth, some beeswax candles to represent the light and warmth that we crave right now, and an old, much thumbed Ladybird book about winter. In the centre is a white cyclamen - a plant that blooms in Wintertime and, for me, is symbolic of light and growth in the darkness.

The pine cones from the seasonal table have been used to make suet and seed feeders for the birds. Our garden robin was an early visitor.

So, not much can be done in this freezing cold weather except stay by the fire and work our way through some of our Christmas books.

Luckily on my last charity shopping trip I managed to pick up a couple of old fashioned thick woollen blankets, along with some linen napkins (my current obsession). So, for the time being we can snuggle up cosily, and I can read my elder son's Christmas gift to me and dream of what I can do with all those vintage textiles.

12th Night - end of misrule

2010-01-06T22:11:00.003Z

So the Daft Days are over for another year. All our reuseable decorations are stowed safely in the loft and the greenery that we brought in a few weeks ago has been burnt with due ceremony on tonight's fire. If holly remains in the house after Twelfth Night then it turns into hobgloblins who will taunt you for the coming year. (I read this somewhere when I was young and it has stayed with me ever since.)

This burning of the green is our own family custom, but fire rituals at this time of year are an age old tradition. Next week there will be a fire ceremony - The Burning of the Clavie in Burghhead, Moray next week, on the eve of the Old New Year. At the end of the month, Shetland celebrates Up Helly Aa, where a Viking longship is burnt after much processing and celebrating.around Lerwick. For us, now though, it means the end of that twelve day pause between breaths and we can begin anew.

...and yet....

2010-01-05T18:08:00.003Z

Hogmanay moon clearing

2009-12-31T22:44:00.004Z

The Hogmanay moon - gloriously voluptuous, beckoning us into the New Year. I love this time. It is so full of hope and thoughts of new beginnings. I always enjoyed that feeling of anticipation that I still feel on Hogmanay. In Scotland, the Ne'erday used to be a far more important holiday than Christmas, which was a normal working day until 1958. Some of the customs I remember and still keep are mostly based on clearing out and making ready for the new. Giving the house a good clean, or redding up is important, as is making sure you have no dirty laundry to carry into the New Year. So today was spent doing just that - changing beds, washing all those woollens that hide in the bottom of laundry basket, cleaning floors and vacuuming under beds. I still have my Christmas tree up though - that stays until 12th night.

Other traditions include putting a coin on the doorstep and if it is still there in the morning then prosperity will follow for the next year.Last year's calendars must be taken down before the bells and I remember my Dad would always rake the fire and take out the ashes shortly before midnight.

Just before the bells, the back and front doors should be opened - to 'see the auld yin oot and let the bairn come in'. By then you should be ready for a wee dram and a bit of shortbread.

It is a quiet night for us though. My older children are out at a party, and James is asleep - worn out. John and I are enjoying not having to go anywhere on this bitterly cold night and are happy to sit by the roaring fire. Hoping all your first foots are tall dark and handsome and that many blessings come to you in the coming year. Do have a wee listen to this beautiful rendition of The Bard's classic - his original tune.

Let it snow

2009-12-23T22:56:00.001Z

I am so thankful that we have no places to go right now, and can just be home enjoying the snow and finishing off our preparations for Christmas Day. Mostly playing out in the garden and clearing up the paths this morning and lots of baking this afternoon. Tomorrow will hopefully be spent getting ready for the feast - doing as much in advance as possible, so we can all relax and enjoy the meal. This is likely to be the last one where my Mother will be home - Alzheimer's Disease is stealing more of her away all the time, and it looks likely that a care home could be a reality during the coming year. That's in the future though - right now we are all looking forward to spending the day together and ten of us will sit down to a traditional Christmas dinner.

There may even be some of this stollen cake left to have later on.

Sending warmest wishes to you all for a wonderful happy Christmas.

Solstice images

2009-12-21T23:26:00.000Z

We made sunny orange cupcakes.

We found the delicate wing from a butterfly lying on the snowy covered garden path . A poignant reminder of the summer past.

We built a SnowWoman, and how fine she looks!

Darkness falls early on the snowy field across the road

Perfect for a candlelit evening by the fire.

Blessings to all on this Midwinter's night.

Cranberry Mincemeat

2009-12-21T22:22:00.000Z

At my parents house on Saturday, I happened to catch this programme (Grow your own drugs for Christmas). Well, I just loved it and can't imagine how I have ever managed to miss it. Hmmm - maybe not having a TV could account for it, but nevertheless I was very taken with everything about this show. So, first thing on Sunday morning I was online searching for the recipes, and we decided to make the cranberry mincemeat. I have copied the recipe below, but they are all available on the website.

1 kg cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 Bramley apple, chopped - I used 2 large apples from the fruit bowl
1 tsp mixed spice
100g unsalted butter
100ml maple syrup
300g soft brown sugar
3 tbsp dark rum or Cointreau - Cointreau every time for me.
100g candied orange peel
Flour, for dusting
2 rolls ready-made shortcrust pastry - I made my own, as I didn't have any frozen stuff
Icing sugar, to dredge
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Distribute the cranberries and chopped apple between two roasting tins. Sprinkle over the mixed spice and fleck with the butter. Drizzle the maple syrup over. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the fruit is slightly shrunken with a golden tan.
3. Remove the roasted cranberries from the oven and place in a bowl. Mix in the sugar, rum or Cointreau and candied orange peel.
4. Sprinkle flour onto a work surface and roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 3mm. Using a 7cm cookie-cutter, cut out discs of pastry and place into a greased mince pie tin. Prick the base of each pie with a fork and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven, and spoon the cranberry filling into each pastry cup. Return to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes. - We added little pastry hearts and stars and so cooked them a bit longer - 10 mins maybe.
6. Leave the pies to cool, then dredge with icing sugar.
(by James Wong - Grow your own Drugs for Christmas BBC)

I have loads of mincemeat left, so it is sitting in a large jar in the 'fridge until my big baking day, currently pencilled in for Wednesday.

I have to say that these were the most delicious mincemeat pies I have ever tasted - and I have tasted a lot in my time. These were light, sweet, tart, fruity...... can you tell I liked them? Everyone else did too and they disappeared almost instantly.

Good job James made a batch too!

Advocaat and memories

2009-12-20T09:44:00.001Z

I inherited my Grandmother's recipe books - they are falling apart as you see, but i love them and refer to them often. There are 2 of these notebooks full of recipes written out in her neat hand, using her Parker fountain pen - credit is always given to whoever provided the recipe: - Dundee cake, Mrs Fleming; Lantern Tray Bake, Betty Clark; Gingerbread, Mrs Fernie, Christmas Cake, Radio Times Each page contains memories of visits to her house. She was the most fantastic baker and the table just groaned with delights - big cakes, small cakes, fruit cakes, tray bakes,tarts, biscuits (cookies), shortbread. She baked every week, to fill up her tins, so there was never any chance of being caught out with nothing to offer a visitor.
Anyway, browsing through a few weeks ago, I came upon this recipe for Advocate (sic). Now as a child at New Year, I was always allowed a small glass of advocaat mixed with a lot of lemonade. I so remember that fluffly light sweet eggy taste, so I was keen to give this a go - especially as our hens - The Pizza Girls are such prolific layers. You make it over 3 days, but then have to leave it for 3 - 4 weeks before drinking it - worth it though.

Recipe

3 whole eggs - including shells

juice of 3 large lemons.

1 lb caster sugar

large tin evaporated milk (I used 3 170g tins Tesco own brand)

1 Gill brandy ( 1/4 of a pint)

Wash eggs and break into a bowl including the eggshells

Add the lemon juice and turn every day for 3 days.

(interesting science experiment here too)

On day 4 - whisk them up ( I zuzzed mine in a blender) and strain. Add sugar, milk and brandy. Beat well until the sugar has dissolved.

Pour into bottles and keep for 3 - 4 weeks before using. I made just over 1 litre using this recipe - 1 bottle to keep and 2 smaller ones to give away. Perfect!

Fire shadows

2009-12-19T21:46:00.001Z

It's almost midwinter here in Scotland. Long dark nights by the fire - dancing shadows in the flames.

What pictures do you see?

Visit Tracy for midsummer in Australia and Shadow Shot Sunday

Book Sharing Monday (xvii)

2009-12-14T23:38:00.002Z

Today I want to share one of my favourite books - The Country Child by Alison Uttley. It is a fictional tale, but one very much based on the author's life growing up on a remote farm in Derbyshire, England at the turn of the 19th/20th Century. Susan Garland is seven years old in this story and we spend a year with her sharing her life on the farm and in the surrounding countryside. From Susan's perspective we experience: moonlight, the dark woods, seasonal celebrations, animal and birdlife, storms, local characters - like the oatcake man and the haymakers. A magical story, and even now,as I look for a passage to share with you, I lose myself in the enchanting descriptive prose, and already the chapter about Christmas Day has been re-read and wondered at.

Susan awoke in the dark on Christmas morning. A weight lay on her feet, and she moved her toes up and down. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. It was Christmas Day. She stretched out her hands and found the knobbly little stocking, which she brought into bed with her and clasped tightly in her arms as she fell asleep again.

She awoke later and lay holding her happiness, enjoying the moment. The light was dim, but the heavy mass of the chest of drawers stood out against the pale walls, all blue like the snow shadows outside. She drew her curtains and looked out at the starry sky. She listened for the bells of the sleigh, but no sound came through the stillness except the screech owl's call.

Please visit Alex at Canadian Home Learning for more loved books on Book sharing Monday.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Vegetarians look away now

2009-12-12T20:19:00.000Z

Game birds hanging outside a butcher's shop. A sad little scene I photographed a couple of weeks ago in Oxford's covered market. Still, it is good to remind ourselves where our food actually comes from.
Lots and lots of shadows on display every weekend at Hey Harriet. Do check them out.

Skywatch - Blue skies and oil waste

2009-12-11T21:03:00.000Z

Blues skies over Broxburn shale bing on Thursday morning.

A bing is another word for slag or spoil heap. This particular bing is shale waste and is part of the original oil boom which took place over 150 years ago in West Lothian. It always makes me think of Uluru/Ayers Rock when I see it. It is part of my own heritage too, since my ancestors worked down these mines.
Visit skies from all over the world at Skywatch Friday.

Todays Flowers - Oops!

2009-12-06T21:41:00.002Z

If you are following this from Today's Flowers, I must apologise - I entered the wrong blog name on the link up. My entry for today can be found at my Gardening Blog.
I am thinking about merging these blogs in the New year, as I find it difficult to separate my gardening life from the rest of my life (for the purposes of blogging), so that is a plan.
Apologies again. xx

Shadow Shot Sunday - Ashmolean

2009-12-05T22:01:00.002Z

On our recent trip to visit family we enjoyed a day out in Oxford. Despite the fact that my sister-in law has lived in a nearby village for many years, we had never actually visited the town. Amends have now been made, and I am very glad we did. After wandering around looking at the skyscape and window shopping in the Covered Market and side streets we had a quick dash round the Ashmolean Museum. What a fantasic place - recently refurbished - the way the collections are displayed is truly stunning. Being the well trained subject that I am, I kept my camera lens cap on , but coming down stairs we came across this whole wall of busts by Sir Francis Chantrey , with nice little shadows attached.. I very politely asked a chap sporting a V neck jumper with the museum logo on if I could take a picture and he said "Please do!" - just like that! So I did - The Chantrey Wall. I hope you like it as we had to run for our bus and there are no more. I'll be back!
Do visit Tracy and friends for Shadow Shot Sunday - you never know where you will end up.

Skywatch - Dreaming spires

2009-12-04T21:20:00.000Z

Sorry - I couldn't resist the cliched title, but we spent a few days with my sister-in law and her husband while we all attended our nephew's wedding last weekend. On a day out sightseeing in Oxford, we climbed the almost 1000 year old Saxon Tower and this was the view. I love those clouds - they look as if they have been drawn in the sky.

I like the way the University spires seem to be pushing their way out of the ground in this picture.
Check out Skywatch for more clouds, sun and beautiful skies from all over Earth.

It's OK - I've got it covered!

2009-11-24T19:56:00.002Z

In the middle of the night, James woke up screaming and it took a long time to calm him down (us too!) In the morning he said that polar bears were coming to eat him. Although we tried to reassure him, he kept mentioning it all day, so at bedtime we made up a special magic anti-bear spray and he dilligently went around the house spraying every nook and cranny. I think I can safely say we are polar bear proof tonight!

Off for a few days to a family wedding. Back next week xx

Book Sharing Monday (xvii)

2009-11-23T22:02:00.002Z

Since we came back from our trip to Wigtown, I have been ~~slightly~~ obsessed with vintage children's books. I use the word 'vintage' with some caution here, because in fact I seem to be trying to recreate my childhood library, so maybe classic in the never outdated sense is a better sentiment. Anyway, I have been stalking vintage classic ladybird books on ebay and won a job lot of 95 for £35. So many wonderful books arrived, but slightly disappointed that the 1960s Cinderella was not in the pile. If, however, you scroll down to my birthday post you will see that my daughter is totally in tune with her mama and was straight on to that same auction site where she came up with the most thoughful of presents.

So, this week we are sharing a charming rhyming story - Bunny's First Birthday - story and illustrations by Mrs Angusine .J Macgregor with verses by W Perring. First published in 1950 it is a simple and lovely tale of the birthday party given for baby bunny's first birthday. All the farmyard babies are invited and excited preparations begin. They arrive at the Bunnies' house where a magnificent feast awaits them.

When the babies saw the banquet

And the cake, they were amazed.

Stood enchanted in the doorway

Open mouthed and gazed and gazed.

A charming gentle story to end the day with. Find out about more tales at Book Sharing Monday.

Another Birthday

2009-11-21T22:25:00.000Z

Mine this time! I have had a truly wonderful day. It started last night when Kenneth came home from University for the weekend. James misses him so much and just loves it when he is home. We spent the evening playing Animal Dominoes - James's latest charity shop acquisition.

And so today....Lots of lovely presents all so thoughtfully chosen.

then a grand buffet lunch at our excellent local Chinese restaurant with all the family,

and back home for some birthday cupcakes. Lemon drizzle today :)

Finishing off with another game of animal dominoes! A perfect birthday.

Time out.

2009-11-21T21:42:00.000Z

Hello there! I have been sufferring from an eye infection this week, so I have not really felt like squinting at a screen. It was my 'camera' eye too, so taking photographs was not really top of my list. Which was a shame, actually, because my darling husband gave me a much wanted zoomier lens (55 - 200) for my camera as a birthday gift. Never mind, I am feeling much better and hopefully the weather will clear up next week, and I will amaze you all with my artful close ups. We are heading off to a family wedding down in England later in the week, so that will give me lots of photo opportunities too.
Anyway, despite spending a lot of time with hot compresses on my eye, we managed to keep going.
Here are some of the things we got up to.

Wheel painting with trains and cars.

Watching the sparrow cafe.

Going for a very cold and dreich walk in Polkemmet Country Park.

Making coconut cupcakes for Kristine to take to work for a Children in Need fundraiser.

And a wee run to Crieff at the end of the week. It was too rainy there to take photographs, so I snapped this one of Stirling Castle from the car on the way back. John was driving though.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Apple

2009-11-21T21:00:00.000Z

A sliced apple in a bowl made a nice shadow in the morning light. See more shadows from around the world with Tracy at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Skywatch - Monotone.

2009-11-21T20:51:00.001Z

Well - what can I say here. It has rained all week, so skies have been mostly grey with a few charcoal smudges here and there. Hope you have had a sunnier week. Check out more skies of all shades at Skywatch Friday.

Shadow Shot Sunday - another frosty morning

2009-11-14T19:52:00.001Z

Frosty shadows on a savoy cabbage in my garden on Monday morning. See more frosty pictures on my gardening blog, and check out sunnier shadows at Shadow Shot Sunday with Tracy and friends.

Skywatch - The roof.

2009-11-12T21:04:00.001Z

Our local butcher's shop is being re-roofed. James and I were grocery shopping on Monday and stopped to watch the crane swinging the new roof trusses over our heads!

Luckily I had my camera in my shopping bag. Well - doesn't everyone? Visit Skywatch Friday to see who else does.

James is 3!!

2009-11-11T20:34:00.001Z

James was 3 years old Tuesday. We had a really lovely day. He loved his new red tricycle with pedals!

A whole book about trucks and cars and things that go - this is his favourite page right now.

Gran and Papa gave him this wonderful digger - definitely the present of the year.

A very happy boy on his birthday.

Big sister Kristine gave him lots of crafty things and they spent a fun afternoon painting and glueing - each other as well as the paper. Not sure really who this present was for:)

Birthday boy - still sporting his green smiley face "tattoo" gets ready for blowing out his candles. He's waited a whole year to do that.

A wild game of jumping on the bed with Finlay was a fine end to the day.

Christmas has been delivered

2009-11-07T22:01:00.005Z

I never buy any Christmas magazines until the December issue of Country Living arrives. I have subscribed for many years, and, although it is a fairly lightweight read nowadays, I love the images and some of the ideas. It is one of my little indulgences.
I have begun thinking a bit more about Christmas over the last few days. This is mainly due to Kristine - who has been sharing ideas and tutorials on her gorgeous blog. It doesn't take much to get me started though. Already the fruit is soaking in whisky to make a Dundee cake tomorrow - plans are being made for homemade decorations, food and gifts, and - this morning, Christmas Country Living arrived, so when I went shopping, a couple more magazines found their way into the trolley (along with some new coloured tree lights!)
I am now about to settle down with a cup of no-caff and a pancake and wallow in scenes of the perfect Christmas.
Can't get too Christmassy yet though - it is a certain boy's birthday next week, so cakes and candles and fun stuff to come.

Shadow Shot Sunday. Frost

2009-11-07T21:50:00.004Z

Swirly frosty shadows on my car windscreen this morning.

It's springtime in Australia - visit Hey Harriet there for more shadows.

Strange fire creatures

2009-11-06T22:23:00.012Z

Some of the back garden fireworks in our neighbourhood from last night. I love the way these pictures have turned out - each firework looks like a wondrous creature flying in the sky.

Friday evening in November

2009-11-06T21:44:00.006Z

It seemed so warm and cosy this evening, as I looked around the house. I felt very contented just being there.

A few last minute chocolate chip cookies (quite well done) cooling beside my Autumn candle, lit for dinner.

James playing a game in front of the fire. Robbie the dog sneaking in hoping to find a space on the hearth rug.

One of my favourite views - the conservatory and kitchen all bright, glowing and inviting. Picture taken on the way back from shutting the hens up for the night.
I love November :)

Unschooling ambrosia

2009-11-06T21:24:00.002Z

Today James didn't want any lunch but as John and I were eating ours, he came up to the table with one of the little pots of rice pudding that he likes. So - there we were chatting away when I noticed James looking at the pot and saying the names of all the family - Mum, Dad, Kristine etc. I asked him if he was reading the pot and he said he was. Then he began to point to each letter and ask me what it said. It took me a few seconds to realise that he really was asking me to tell him the letters! So, I did - that's a Bee - that's a mmm and that's esss. Then he made the cute sound that he always makes when chasing us with his toy snake!!
I so love this journey :)

Blue November Sky

2009-11-05T20:46:00.002Z

The aluminium crown steeple of St Michael's Church in Linlithgow glints in the bright blue sky. After a week of fairly persistent and heavy rain here in Scotland, the sun came out for a brief while on Tuesday and cheered us up a bit.
This steeple was added to the church in 1964 and was the subject of much controversy for it's daring and avant garde design - supposed to echo the original steeple it fianlly replaced, and also represent the crown of thorns. The church sits next to Linlithgow Palace, built by James I and was the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots.
Check out the worldwide skies at Skywatch Friday.

Book Sharing Monday (xvii)

2009-11-02T20:46:00.006Z

I posted the other day about our trip to Wigtown - Scotland's Book Town. Thirteen book shops in one street, and other booky things around the village. What a paradise!! Anyway - we returned from our holiday with a hefty stash each. This little lot belongs to James. He would have had much more - I found him sitting in front of a shelf in the Old Bank Bookshop with a large stack of Haynes car repair manuals beside him. "I'll just take these Mum" he said. Well, I managed to tempt him away to another shelf where he decided on the Great Little Railways instead. I wouldn't have minded, but his Father does have quite a few Haynes manuals already, going back several cars :) He does rather like the Picture Penguin - About a Motor Car. So do I - I think I may actually understand what some of those bits in a car engine are!

This week I am sharing a short poem from When We Were Very Young by A.A Milne, called Politeness. I thought about it today when we were out for lunch and the cashier kept trying to talk to James and he didn't want to talk to her. "Oh - are you shy? - Oh he's shy - Isn't he shy?" Well - he's not actually shy - he just doesn't happen to think he should perform to random strangers - grrrr.

If people ask me
I always tell them
"Quite well, thank you, I'm very glad to say"
If people ask me
I always answer
"Quite well, how are you today?"
I always answer,
I always tell them,
If they ask me
Politely....
BUT SOMETIMES

I wish

That they wouldn't.

Well - ok, James didn't exactly see this book and say "Can I have that one Mum?" We just happen to have the 3 other books in the same binding. It was a bit ironic that I found it in the Reading Lassies bookshop (currently for sale) ,which specialises in feminist and radical writing. Well - it gives us plenty of discussion material, about class discrimination, chauvinism and authoritative and remote parenting ;)

Share more books at Alex's blog -Canadian Home Learning

Ur ye haudin Hallow e'en?

2009-10-31T20:01:00.014Z

Hallow e'en has always been a big event in our family. Not least because it was my Grandfather's birthday, and my Gran always made a Clootie Dumpling for the occasion. A clootie dumpling is a sweet fruit, spice and suet pudding, mixed up and tied in a floured and sugared cloth then steamed for several hours. The smell of the boiling cotton mixed with spices is one of my abiding childhood olfactory memories, along with the aroma of charred turnip wafting from the carved lanterns. Both can transport me instantly back to frosty dark nights going round the neighbours' houses 'guising'.

Guising (or going in disguise) goes back at least to medieval times, and probably longer. Originally it was a Hogmanay custom for adults who disguised themselves and there are reports of groups of 'Guisards' going around from house to house offering some entertainment in return for some hospitality. Of course Hallow e'en was originally the Celtic New Year's Eve, so there may be some connection there. In any case, as children we would go to houses where we knew there would be a welcome, and performed our poems, songs or joke telling in return for a tangerine and some nuts. As we called at each house in our homemade costumes, we would ask "Ur ye haudin Hallowe'en?" none of this "Trick or Treat" that we get now. And - we were expected to sing for our hallow e'en. On the rare occasion we are visited by guisers, I always invite them in to do their turn. Usually now it is some mumbled joke that we have heard several years in a row, but now and again there is the odd gem.

So, Hallow e'en for us this year meant introducing James to the customs. It is such good fun seeing these things through a child's eyes again. After breakfast he asked me if we could go now.
"Go where?" I asked
"To Halleen!" he replied impatiently.
As I put out peanuts( or monkey nuts as we call them) in a bowl I showed him how to crack them open, revealing the dark red nuts inside. He loved them, and soon the place was littered with shells.

Then I made some toffee apples

and James decided to make his own Hallow e'en concoction - chopped pork, 2 eggs (and the shells) some goats milk, a handful of suet, two apples and half a lemon. Yummmmm! He wanted to bake it and do you know? It smelt quite nice when it came out of the oven! I didn't try it though, and he had lost interest by then and moved on to something else :)

Later he put on his Bumble Bee outfit and we went to visit Gran, who is having a week of respite care in a Nursing Home. She enjoyed seeing him, and he enjoyed bouncing on her bed!

Back at home it is now my role to make the Hallow e'en dumpling. An onerous responsibility, especially when there are lots of expectant and hungry faces watching the great unwrapping. The hallmark of a really great dumpling, however, is the skin which is formed first of all by the flouring and sugaring of the cloot, and then careful drying in front of the fire. What's the verdict?

It's strange to think that my Grandfather was born 111 years ago tonight, in a coal miner's cottage just a few hundred yards from where I am sitting now. He died when I was 14, but we had such good times as I was growing up. I loved to help him in his garden and had my own plot outside his greenhouse. I learned so much even as a small child, that I still remember today, as I tend my own garden. He also had a love of Scottish history and legends, and told me stories and taught me songs that fired my imagination. he was such a great influence on my life, so Here's to you on your birthday Papa.

Here is my Gran's recipe for Clootie Dumpling - although I have adapted it a bit.

1lb plain flour
8oz currants
8 oz sultanas
8 oz raisins
8 oz suet
1 cup sugar (as this is an old recipe I assume the cup to be a teacup and not a cup measure)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp treacle (molasses) - warm it to make it easier to mix in
milk to mix to a soft but not runny mixture (about 7 fl oz,)

Mix all ingredients together (get your hands in about it)

Prepare your cloth - I use a muslin square, but any cotton will do - an old pillow case was my Gran's pudding cloth.
Scald the cloth in boiling water and wring out when you can handle it. I lift it out with a pair of tongs and let it drip until it is cool enough to touch.
Lay out flat and dredge with an even layer of flour and then sugar. (Very important step this!)

Tip your dumpling mixture on to the cloth and then tie up into a bundle with string.

Put a plate into the bottom of your big pan and put the pudding on top.
Almost cover the dumpling with boiling water and boil hard for 30 minutes
Continue simmering for 3 - 3.5 hours.

Lift out and put on a plate or I use a colander to let the excess water drain out. Open up and invert the dumpling on to a heatproof plate.
Carefully remove the cloth and you should see a nice white sheen on the surface of your beautiful dumpling That is the skin - the best bit!
Dry in front of the fire, turning occasionally for half and hour or so - or put in a low oven.

Serve with custard, or cream, or whatever you fancy.
Leftovers are great eaten cold the next day - or fried in butter even.

I was very pleased with this one. A bit wet at the top as I cut the string, but it dried out nicely and the skin was almost perfect. I may add a bit more spice next time, as I did feel it could have done with a bit more pep, but otherwise it was just delicious.

Happy Hallowe'en

2009-10-31T08:00:00.002Z

Hope you have a great day. Lots to do here - costumes to try, toffee apples to make, visiting, and hallowe'en dinner later. Will pop back later. In the meantime here is one of my favourite spooky songs from the late Matt McGinn. Enjoy.

Anatomy of a sunset.

2009-10-30T21:59:00.012Z

Stopping at our favourite beach on the way home from holiday - we stayed and watched the sun going down and the pale waxing crescent moon appear. A fine end to our trip.
See more skies around the world at Skywatch Friday.

More holiday snaps

2009-10-30T21:38:00.009Z

James had a great time on holiday. He played in the park,

watched some interesting construction work going on (while Dad pretended he had a Toyota crew cab - lol,)

spent a lot of time gazing into puddles,

played on the beach,

watched the boats in the harbour,

and played on the beach some more.
Just his sort of trip, really :)

Holiday Snaps

2009-10-30T20:32:00.007Z

We went for a wee holiday to Wigtown in Dumfries and Galloway last week. I had never been to that part of the country before - it seemed sooo far away! What a beautiful place though - we will definitely be back lots of times. Here are a few pictures of the trip. Above is the harbour on the Isle of Whithorn. Not an island, but it is the very tip of the toe of that shoe shaped peninsula. A very nice wee village - Often called the Cradle of Christianity in Scotland, as St Ninian landed there to begin his mission at Candida Casa.

On a clear day you can see 5 Kingdoms from this rocky shore. Scotland - where you are standing, England, Ulster, Man and Heaven.

The skies were a bit grey and a strong wind was blowing, so we didn't climb up to the viewpoint.

Here are a couple of views of Wigtown Harbour. It is no longer an active harbour as it is fairly silted up. Some great walks and wildlife though - particularly birds.

Of course the main attraction for us in Wigtown was the 13 bookshops. We visited 7 of them (some were closed) and did not leave any shop empty handed. It was complete paradise -and so hard to leave. In fact when we got in the car to come home, James was almost in tears crying "One more - just one more bookshop" Well - what can you do? So one more was duly visited and more books added to the collection. A further visit is definitely on the schedule (if I had a schedule that is!)
I will do a post next week about our purchases.

Freedom - a view from the North

2009-10-21T20:07:00.005+01:00

For as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom — for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.
From The Declaration of Arbroath 1320.

Quite a controversial quote here, especially as the majority of wonderful people who read my blog are in fact English. I mean no offence here friends. It is just that I have been reading so much about the appalling plans by the UK government to take away the freedom of English parents to home educate their children, that I find this quite apt in the circumstances. It is a frightening prospect. Everyday I find more and more to worry about. Information can be found here and here, and here.
Fortunately for me, I live in Scotland, where these measures will not apply - our SNP government have said they have no plans to implement a similar review. Hopefully Mr BrownBalls will take some notice of the huge response to their 'proposals' If, as is supsected, they do not, I look forward to welcoming any home educators and their children to this land - there is plenty room to grow here. Its a sad day for democracy though when people are forced to become refugees in their own country over doing the best for their children.
I was in the National Museum of Scotland the other day. The entrance to the ground floor exhibition contains one of my favourite items - The Monymusk Reliquary. On the walls are inscribed the names of all the Kings of Scotland, and also the above quote from the Declaration of Arbroath is highlighted in beautiful calligraphy. As I read these familiar words, my eye travelled down to the long bench below. Sitting there looking very tired and subdued was a group of children from a daycare nursery wearing their high visiility vest uniforms and all strapped together with one of these. Ironic? Poignant? Or a warning?
Well - there are still 5320 of us at least!

I did it!

2009-10-20T21:48:00.002+01:00

No photos of this one, but yesterday morning, while I was sorting out his clothes and not quite paying attention, James put his pants on himself!!!!! Ok they were outside in and he had the holes slightly mixed up, but still.... I can't tell you how thrilled I am by this. He has quite poor function in his left hand - so things like this are really difficult for him. I managed to stifle a scream and said - "Oh,I see you've put your pants on yourself"
"Yes - I did it" he said and went back to playing car parks.
But we both knew...

Mini Beasts

2009-10-18T23:01:00.010+01:00

In Scotland, if you attend primary school, around the age of 8 (I think) you will encounter a topic called Minibeasts. This is your introduction to entomology - the study of insects. You will probably go on a trip to a country park where a nice Ranger will show you some bugs and insects. They might set up a workshop for you where you can look at them through a magnifying glass. You may find it so fascinating that you will not hear the teacher tell you to line up in twos for the next activity, and she may shout at you to to "get over here right now" You will then do some worksheets and maybe back in the classroom, do a quiz on an internet site about "creepy crawlies!". Then you will move on to do the Egyptians.

Never mind. Just pop out into the garden, park, or even your doorstep and you can watch insects for as long as you like - then read up on them afterwards. Like this common hoverfly, for instance. It sat on the door handle, sunbathing for ages. It looks a bit like a bee or wasp - quite a good style if you don't want birds to eat you. It is very useful as it eats pollen, therefore helps pollinate plants, and it's larvae eat aphids - green and blackfly. A beautiful creature.

Or how about this 7 spotted ladybird? (sorry I didn't wash my hands there). Ladybirds are actually beetles and they eat tons of aphids, so they are a very good thing to have in the garden. At this time of year they are looking for somewhere to hibernate. Why not leave some hollow stemmed plant stalks lying in a sheltered place for them? This one was very friendly and stayed for ages, before we put him/her into some undergrowth. In the olden days people thought that eating ladybirds cured toothache - they produce a yellow oily substance thought to have painkilling properties. It might very well be true - a lot of old knowledge has been lost, but they are so useful it would be better not to try it out - just brush your teeth like the dental people tell you.

Scared of spiders? Don't be. They eat flies and mites and areperfectly harmless in this country. This is a house spider - probably a male one, because it has a narrow body and long legs. It is crawling up a rather dusty looking door post (sorry about that too!) , but it posed very obligingly for several minutes while I faffed about with my camera. You will probably see quite a few house spiders around now, as it is their mating season (don't know if you've done that topic yet - ask your teacher what it means), so please don't hit them with a magazine - catch them in your hand or in a tumbler and put them outside. Pity the poor males - once they have had their moment of paradise, the female eats them alive!

Can you see this spider? It is very tiny on the head of this beautiful dandelion. It was too small to see, but it is probably one of the money spiders. They usually live outside, but sometimes you may see one in the house. They are called money spiders because it used to be thought that if one crawled on you then you would be rich! I like that old tale better than the ladybird one.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my minibeast topic. I wont shout at you like that teacher I saw at the nature park. Come back anytime - the bugs are just out there waiting for you to meet them. Check out somewhere like Wild about Britain, if you need help in identifying them. Don't let your interest in insects and wildlife die and become like an Egyptian mummy.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Car boot bargains

2009-10-18T21:08:00.008+01:00

James and his Dad went to the market on Friday morning - one of their favourite places. At the car boot section they saw a man selling this Bob the Builder trike - just what James needed, as he is beginning to outgrow his push along one. It was only £2! He loves it.

And a boy really needs a trailer for all those little essentials.

They also found a rather wonderful Caterpillar bulldozer (£1) to add to his huge stash. But you know - boys just can never have too many construction vehicles can they?
Go window shopping for more shadow shots at Hey Harriet - Shadow Shot Sunday.

Maybes aye - maybes no

2009-10-17T21:01:00.004+01:00

Although that quote is usually attributed to the great Kenny Dalglish (of whom I used to have a glow in the dark picture of pinned up on my bedroom wall), it sums up my mood today. Not huge earth changing decisions to make, but nevertheless I am torn.
I saw a link to this site on a blog I follow. It is called Nanorimo - National Novel Writing Month. The gist is that you have to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. I am seriously seriously tempted, but have not signed up yet. We are talking just under 2000 words a night here. I usually have approximately 2 - 2.5 hours of an evening to cram in all my hobbies. Usually I just manage to flop down in front of the laptop, read lots of blogs, post comments and follow links etc. Updating my own blogs (I actually have 4, but only 2 are active right now) is a masterclass in procrastination. On the odd occasion when I have committed myself to write a post on a particular subject on a certain day, I have reverted back to my university essay writing days. You can always tell by how shiny my kettle is.
Also, James always chooses those days to wake up at 5.30 a.m. and go non stop until 10 p.m. I shudder to imagine what I would look like after 30 days of that!
The organisers say that all you have to do is write 50,000 words and it will most likely be total rubbish - the point is to get writing - just keep your bum in the seat and do it. Everyone always says they have a book in the and will write it one day. This could be the one day. I even have a rough idea of a plot, but I have never done any creative writing since primary school, when my creativity was shut down by a couple of horrible teachers and school bullies. It might just be the thing to get me lay this ghost.
There is an inspiring story on the Nanorimo site from a US Marine, who completed the challenge last year while on active service in Iraq!! Oh I don't know. I am excited by the prospect, but I am not good at writing freely - I have edited this post at least twenty times already and sat for minutes at a time searching for just the right word. I may be too pedantic to do this, but as Johns says, I could do the 50,000 words and get them in by the finish date and then go back and rewrite - ho hum!
Just remembered that November is a busy birthday month - James and me - and we have John's nephew's wedding down in Hampshire at the end of the month, so that will be at least a week long trip as we fit in all the family we've not seen for a while A few days to decide though - it starts on November 1st. Do check it out.
More angst to follow. I don't know whether to make a Christmas cake or not. I was eying up the dried fruit in the organic farm shop today and thinking it was time. The trouble is that no-one really likes it, and John and I end up eating most of it. In fact, last summer I went to use my tartan cake tin and found the previous year's cake still wrapped up. It was fine - there was a fair bit of the old preservative in it, but by the time we finished it, it was time to make the next one, and I didn't have the stomach for it. It is a nice thing to do though, and I always feel quite Christmassy around this time. I just don't know...

Blog Action Day 09 - Climate Change

2009-10-15T20:25:00.008+01:00

I'm feeling really quite pessimistic tonight. It has been so hard even getting any time to think abut what to write, never mind find a moment to sit down and actually do it. James has been up since 6.30 am, having been awake several times during the night - he is still up and full of beans after a pretty full day. I wonder if it is global warming that is causing it?
It has actually been an unseasonably warm day. We were at a local outdoor shopping village today and I was struck by the amount of bare arms on show. Children and babies in tee shirts, people sitting in the outside the cafes and on the benches enjoying the weather- it was more like August than the middle of October. Very pleasant, actually, and it is hard not to disagree with those who say we could do with a bit of climate change in Scotland. Apparently Nick Nairn, Scottish celebrity chef is looking forward to growing olives and lemons at his Trossachs cookery school, and and eminent retired professor of geology is excited by his prediction that the shores of Loch Ness will be the epicentre of the world's wine industry in around 80 years time (McIntosh 2008)
But that is really the problem. Here in the Occidental part of the Northern hemisphere,we think that the consequences of climate change will not be quite as devastating as they will in the developing world and some southern parts. We do not want to give up our current profligate lifestyle - multiple cars, appliances, package holidays - and now there is a chance that there might be some decent weather too - life is good! Yes, a few more gales and a bit of flooding here and there, but - hey - we are insured! Therefore no politician has ever advocated adopting the radical measures that will really, seriously, address the problem. There are no votes in austerity.
We need them to, though. My blog description says I am trying to live a simple life. For me that means being frugal - not wasting food, buying locally, not using air transport, using long life light bulbs, eating less meat, growing our own food as much as we can. A make do and mend attitude really. Having been born just over 15 years after the end of WWII, I was brought up with that kind of ethic. Many people do this much better than me and others yet aspire to it. What we need is help from our governments. We need our leaders to stand up and say -
"Enough of this reckless crazy consumerism! We will make it easier for you to do without cars - encourage the high streets to reopen and people to grow their own food. We will no longer allow supermarket companies to monopolise the food retail industry. We will stop being in the pay of companies with huge marketing departments that con you into thinking you can't live without their products. We will seriously help develop sustainable, workable energy systems that do not destroy our most precious land. We will...."
Well, I could go on and on with that list, but in essence, we need strong and radical leadership to help us do the work that needs to be done.
In 2050, my son James, and my grandson Finlay will be grown men in their 40s - more than likely with children of their own. Gordon Brown's boys will be the same age, as will Barack Obama's children. The charity Christian Aid has predicted that by that year, there will be at least 1 billion refugees as water shortages and crop failures force people to leave their homes. In addition there will be many more local conflicts and wars caused by access to resources. The scenario is frightening. what kind of world are we building for our children? A world full of fear - criminal gangs, looting and murdering over property or rights to water and food. What kind of water and food anyway? Catastrophic weather events will cause crop failures and interfere with the water supplies as it did in the floods of 2007 in England. For me it makes Bush and Blair's manufactured War on Terror pale into insignificance. Well - a bit of an exaggeration here - and especially for the young people being killed and injured in the current conflicts, but I just have this feeling that - terror - we ain't seen nothing yet!
I guess what I really want to hear from our World Leaders is " We will never stop working to make the world a safe and secure place for our children", and to actually start to make it happen. I will gladly follow them. Maybe I'll feel more optimistic if I get a better nights sleep.

Reference
McIntosh Alastair (2008) Hell and High Water: Climate change and the Human Condition Birlinn Edinburgh

Blog Action Day

Nettled again

2009-10-13T21:16:00.004+01:00

I've had a bit of a persistent cough and recurring colds for a couple of months now. Today my cough got just a bit worse again, so I have decided to really really do something about it. Not getting any younger you know :) Anyway, it seems to be a low grade infection and the treatment is antibiotics - snag is that I am a nursing mother.

Valerie Worwood's Fragrant Pharmacy is always the first place I turn to for health help. She recommended several oils but was very keen on Eucalyptus peppermint. Hooray! I had that in my collection, so a nice steam and then a few drops on a hankie tucked into my top.

I also knew that nettles were likely to be my ally here, and so it proved. Susun Weed's excellent Healing Wise gave several ways to use this fantastic plant to aid my recovery. Nettle infusions used to be a daily staple, but I had got out of the way of making them, so out came the kilner jar and a brew was soon on the go. After my Tai-Chi class this morning, I popped into the wholefoods shop and bought a bottle of nettle tincture - 20 drops twice a day. Nettle honey was also recommended. The fresh juice of stinging nettles mixed with a little water (it is very very viscous) and added to a generous amount of honey. Venturing out into the garden in search of nettles, I was delighted to find a patch of young tender shoots under the blackcurrant bushes. Thank you! I have to say that autumn nettles have much more of a sting than the springtime ones. I can still feel the tingling in my fingers yet, and I had to put on a stout pair of gloves to finish the job. Once they were juiced, I added them to half a jar of local honey and the result was - well - very green, but very delicious! I have been taking a teaspoon every now and then and I can already feel it soothing and easing the soreness caused by the constant coughing. So, do I feel better because of the nettle treatments, or because I've decided to look after myself a bit - who knows?

Home Education - another brick in the wall

2009-10-07T20:28:00.005+01:00

Please read this wonderful post and the comments at the excellent blog, Muddy Bare Feet
Then, please sign this petition, before 18th October and try and stop this Government harrassing English home educating families.
Thank you.

Catching the rays

2009-10-05T21:19:00.003+01:00

A Red Admiral butterfly soaking up some Autumn sunshine in our garden today.

Book Sharing Monday (xvi)

2009-10-05T20:37:00.004+01:00

A seasonal tale this week for our first visit to Book Sharing Monday for a few weeks. Ferdie and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke.
Ferdie the fox has a favourite tree which he visits every day. As the world changes, becomes a bit colder and has different colours, Ferdie is getting worried about his tree. His mother tries to reassure him, but when the leaves start to fall, Ferdie is very upset.

"Oh tree, I am so sorry" gulped Ferdie
"All your leaves have gone"
But then he saw, high in the branches
one small leaf still holding on.

"I wont let the wind steal that one"
said Ferdie, and he began to climb
He wriggled along
to the last leaf and held
it firmly onto its branch.

All day long the wind
blew, the branch bounced
and Ferdie held tight.
"I'll stay with you leaf" he gasped.

Of course, no matter how hard he tries to save the leaf, nature's forces are more powerful. Sometimes, though, there are compensations - and there is always hope. When he goes to see the tree the next morning he finds a glittering sight.

The tree was hung with a thousand icicles, shining silver in the early light.

"You are more beautiful than ever" whispered Ferdie

Visit Alex's blog for lots more beautiful book sharing.

October walk in the woods

2009-10-01T21:58:00.014+01:00

We had a wonderful walk through a local country park today. A perfect Autumn afternoon, just made for meandering about the woods. Still plenty of green leafy canopy above, but a few weeks will see a change to warmer hues.

James stops to play among the trees

Interesting bark.

I loved this abundantly berried bush, although I'm not sure what it is - I will look it up tomorrow.

River Almond - upstream

Downstream - on it's way to join the River Forth at Cramond.

Some Autumn colour creeping in.

Last boys in the wood?

James making a haystack with recently mown grass.

It's always a good idea to bring your diggers and dumpers along on a walk - you just never know when you might need them.

Excuse me Dad, but there is a bee sitting beside you!

A tired boy needs a carry home from his Dad.

Skywatch - Autumn seedheads

2009-10-01T21:10:00.004+01:00

Delicate cow parsley seedheads and a pale blue autumn sky taken today in Almondell Country park just outside Livingston.
Check out Skywatch Friday for more sky views.

Autumn nature table

2009-09-30T21:52:00.008+01:00

This is our nature table for autumn. We really enjoy this ongoing project and everyone likes to find something to put on the table - golden coloured leaves, nuts, berries and interesting shaped twigs and pieces of wood currently adorn the autumn cloth. A couple of apples and a corn cob sit underneath a Cretan windmill brought back from a long ago holiday. A wonderful poster of fungi is pinned on the wall and the cider jug is filled with seedheads, rosehips and an ear of wheat. We made a leaf mobile from coloured paper and it hangs in front of a favourite sunflower picture. Our walks will bring in more treasures as October turns the trees into glorious deep colours, and later, the orange and black of Halloween decorations will have their place.
Each season is special, and I love to celebrate the turning wheel of the year. I do have a soft spot for autumn though - for us it is full of brisk walks, cosy fires, warming food, birthdays and other family celebrations, and then thoughts turning towards Christmas and New Year. It is a wonderful time.

In praise of Papa Soup

2009-09-29T21:55:00.005+01:00

My Dad is the ultimate soup maker in our family - possibly even the world. He takes carrots, leeks, onion, turnip* and pearl barley, combines them with a stock and produces the most amazing soup you have ever tasted. I have tried so many times to replicate his recipe, but I just can't achieve that unique taste. I don't know what it is - a kind of lightness, yet it is so full of flavour.
It is a basic Scotch Broth, but is known in our clan as Papa soup. It's fame has even spread to Canada, where he spends his visits to my sister making Papa soup for my nephews and all their friends. The last time he went to watch one of the boys at baseball training, several of the Moms came up asking if he was the famous Papa, and how much their sons loved his soup. He was more pleased than he let on.
Anyway, James and I were delighted today when he arrived with a large tub of freshly made Papa soup - just right for lunch with a few slices of toasted Scottish plain bread.

Blog Action Day

2009-09-24T20:50:00.003+01:00

Thanks to MrsL at Unbought Delicacies for bringing this to our attention. I've signed up! Click the link on the sidebar for more details.

Harvest Feast

2009-09-21T22:51:00.012+01:00

On Saturday we went to a Harvest Feast organised by Linlithgrow - a local climate challenge project which aims to get people buying and eating local food as well as encouraging growing your own. It was a very well attended event and the food was delicious. The event was held at Bonnytoun Farm, a fantastic estalishment producing local organic and free range meat, fruit vegetables and flowers. Here are some shots from the day.

Preparations for the feast.

James and John having a go in the Welly Throwing competition!

The band played all afternoon. Great stuff!

And the food? Well 3 clean plates and bowls says it all really. John is holding tightly to that glass of farm brewed beer :)

Lots of local apples - James said this was his favourite - he even ate the core!

Time to go home.

Gift of Jewels -

2009-09-21T20:52:00.005+01:00

I received my Gift of Jewels in the post on Saturday morning. It was so exciting to go to the letter box and see the bright yellow hand addressed envelope, covered in airmail stickers lying on the mat. I tore it open and some bright photocards tumbled out, just like a shower of jewels. They were various scenes; two indoor still life pictures- glowing and warm, a cool shot of long feathery grasses and a sepia print of a patch of ethereal pale flowers. The card itself was an image of gem like colouring pencils with beautiful words penned inside.

Life is rich
Beauty is everywhere
Every personal connection has meaning and
laughter is life's sweetest creation.

Thank you so much Margie. I simply loved this gift and I am so pleased to have met you.
Margie and her sister Kath share a fantastic blog www.soeursdujour.com She lives in Canada - just 5 miles away from where my own sister lives! So - you are right Margie - every personal connection does have meaning.

Thank you again - and many thanks also to Se'Lah for organising the Gift of Jewels project. What joy and love has spread around the world from your wonderful idea.

When does learning happen?

2009-09-14T20:53:00.006+01:00

One of my favourite books in Learning all the time, by John Holt. Here he relates accounts of how children learn from everyday life, and how that delight in learning is conditioned out of them at school. I have been privileged to observe this learning process in my son, James, who will be 3 in November.
James is now of the age where we are being asked" When does he start preschool?" every time we are out. It gets wearisome, butI don't really want to get into the intricacies of our family life with the woman from the corner shop, or the bus driver, so, for now I just answer - "He's only 2!".
But he will not be going to pre-school or nursery. He will be continuing this marvellous expansion of his learning at home, directed by his own needs, interests and desires.
Today, learning happened at 5.30 am, when he just had to get up and play some game with his diggers and trucks. Fortunately, my husband volunteered to get up with him, and when he brought me a cup of tea, he commented on how he could almost see the neurons firing in James's brain - he was full of it. Talking his game out loud in long, complex, sentences, he was obviously working something out that had been on his mind.

I took over at 7.30, and the learning continued. We read a couple of comics - Roary the Racing Car. We made a cut-out tool box from the magazine, and then played a complicated game of fixing cars and buses - the sofa cushions being the cars. All this was entirely instigated and directed by James - I was there purely as a facilitator and gofer - it was such fun too!

The whole day has been like this. One learning event after another. Going to the DIY store with Dad, coming home and making a seesaw with bits of wood, making his own sandwich for lunch, playing the piano and singing along to his own tune, helping make dinner, picking plums, dividing pastry for the pie, using the leftover paste to make yet another birthday cake, singing all the words of Happy Birthday - all these activities were a small part of his own agenda for the day.
He is still going now, I hear him pretending to be a snake "I'm gonna eat oo Dad"

Now, thankfully, a 5 am - 10 pm full on day is relatively unusual here, but sometimes it happens. If we were shackled to other timetables, this day would have been so different, so I am truly fortunate that we have that freedom. I imagine how stressed I would be by such an early start. I might have lost my temper and shouted; harassed and nagged everyone into getting ready for work and school, cutting short any play or fun. "No time, no time!", in the rush to be out the door, far too soon. James would not have had the opportunity to do all the things he did today, unless he was at home. No-one would have played with him for hours on the living room floor, in just the way he wanted to, or let him help cut mushrooms for the risotto that he asked me to make for dinner. He might have come home, tired, clutching a piece of paper with blue paint slapped on it as evidence of his creativity, but would he have been told to be quiet when he began to play the piano and sing joyously as he did after tea today? Would he have been laughed at or ridiculed for playing with his Barbie campervan - organising a trip to the beach for some of his toys?Would he have been able to do these things anyway, or might he have been told to do some other box ticking activity instead? I do not want to endanger his gentle unfolding in any way by subjecting him to the shoulds and should nots of this society and certainly not by it's clock.

Instead, we were able to forget time and just go with the flow. It was only place to be. Seventeen hours of present moments - learning all the time.

Please visit Debs at Muddy Bare Feet, who is hosting Home Education Blog Carnival today for International Freedom in Education Day. There are so many inspirational posts there, much more coherent than this sleep deprived one. Night Night!