Summer Swan Song

Having confidently declared autumn up and running in my last blog, we found ourselves enjoying a mini Indian Summer last week. Everyone, and everything, seemed to come out to enjoy the sun. Little troupes of mushrooms suddenly appeared in the garden. They crept stealthily out from under trees and a few, bolder types, marched confidentlyContinue reading “Summer Swan Song”

Everything Changes

It has been a tough old month so far. Lyra was a little off colour at the beginning of the month so we trotted her off to the V.E.T. Conjunctivitis was the general conclusion – the pollen count was high, it being peak yellow season, and there was a lot of it about. A courseContinue reading “Everything Changes”

To the Wall…

I squished so many garden photos in my last post there was no room for anything else so this is a little catcher upper for the last few weeks. When I left off I think we had made it through Keith’s big party and were awaiting the advent of the rugby crowd for further celebrations.Continue reading “To the Wall…”

Coming up for air

“At last, six hours undisturbed sleep and I feel myself rising from the deep to draw breath. Astonishing the difference it makes. I am feeling, incongruously, rather like Bambi, wobbly in the legs but with a mind to skip.” So I typed deliriously on the sunny morning after Keith’s birthday bash. Alas, events intruded andContinue reading “Coming up for air”

Someone left the cake out in the rain

The drear mirk continues, with intermittent flashes of sun. This, combined with a rather crippling and persistent bout of insomnia, has me distinctly frayed at the edges. Life rolls on much as ever, the vicissitudes and irritations are neither better nor worse than usual, but the energy to shrug things off and scope to deflectContinue reading “Someone left the cake out in the rain”

Mad March

I’ve been tied up with all manner of “stuff” of late and somehow March has slipped through my fingers. A catch up is well overdue and a combination of truly miserable weather and the blissful peace of an empty house (I have been largely deserted for various holidays, meetings, lectures and what have you) meansContinue reading “Mad March”

And so it begins..

Gardening proper has started. Just a little bit, but definitely started. Keith and Mum have taken on the orchard pruning. It is like a scene from the operating theatre in General Hospital. Dr Keith surveys the patient then decisively calls out “Loppers”. Nurse Granny passes them up and stands by to mop up twigs. I would be a most unsatisfactory standContinue reading “And so it begins..”

An unusual start to the year

In a somewhat unexpected turn of events my first post of the New Year comes to you from ward 17 of the Borders General Hospital. Dry January got off to a convincing start with a 24 hour pre operative alcohol ban and I have been nil by mouth since last night. Take that Christmas weight gain….. Nothing sinister. AContinue reading “An unusual start to the year”

A Christmas bouquet

Well Christmas is done and dusted and I am now firmly in harness for the New Year celebrations. We had two, delightful, “leftover days” when the denizens of Ruthven had to fend for themselves and I lolled on the sofa with an audio book and a plate of bijou snacks but those days of hedonism areContinue reading “A Christmas bouquet”

The Zen of the Last Post

With the passing of the last sensible posting date and the annual Christmas party (when a few by-hands can be made) there comes, a brief period of seasonal zen. What could be done has been done and what could not be done can always be added to the list of interesting projects for next year. The finalContinue reading “The Zen of the Last Post”