The fruits of our labour

Productivity (of a non gardening variety) has been restored – somewhat – on the old homestead. Keith went off a couple of weeks ago to enjoy a lads’ weekend with Lachlan, pruning and tying up the rose around his door (and visiting the pub next door every hour or so as far as I canContinue reading “The fruits of our labour”

An air of raspberries

It is a week of alternating sunny days and soaking days, with the occasional mashup of sunny downpours to add spice. The humidity on the hot days is punishing and so we try to keep Lyra’s walks to the woods or the river, where at least she can jump in to cool down. A plannedContinue reading “An air of raspberries”

The Hipster Diaries #8 No worlds left to conquer…

Firstly a brief public service announcement. Scroll down to the pictures of the barley field and the rhododendron. Under that are two images of a bittersweet/woody nightshade plant – blue flowers like a potato, leaves a bit like a potato/tomato too and little green fruit that will, as they ripen, go red. This is notContinue reading “The Hipster Diaries #8 No worlds left to conquer…”

April Foolishness

We are over half way through April now and the countdown to my hip op is well underway. I am focussing on those jobs that involve prancing around or grovelling on the floor, activities which may well be on the prohibited list during the immediate aftermath. On sunny days I am mostly weeding and “reshuffling”Continue reading “April Foolishness”

23/24/who the hell knows…

It has been a monumental scrum the last two days. I have chopped and mixed and wrapped and knitted and snipped and quite frankly I barely know which way is up. However, I think things are mostly in hand. Here is the sit rep Have a lovely Christmas everyone. I tried to edit the picturesContinue reading “23/24/who the hell knows…”

Thirteen+ neighbours boozing (with their chums)

We have now moved from the traditional 12 days of Christmas items, to the neo versions for days 13 to 25. The above seems especially apt as tonight is the Ruthven Seasonal Pizza Party for the neighbours. I am getting my blog in early as I’ll definitely not be fir for it tomorrow (which mayContinue reading “Thirteen+ neighbours boozing (with their chums)”

No dancing, but some prancing.

The rain deigned to stop this morning. Dog walking and gardening therefore resumed. As a result, Christmas Elfery was limited to the hour or so between peeling off the muddy gardening clothes and our penultimate pilates class of the year (which, as mum is at great pains to point out, is one more than sheContinue reading “No dancing, but some prancing.”

Four golden rings, one tree and a small rectangle

Today rose bright and sunny. What the blazes is going on? It is December, I repeat, December. Leaving the quartermaster in charge of securing more eggs and evaporated milk, Mum and I took Lyra for a walk round the back of the loch. Half way round we hit the olfactory heights of fox. We triedContinue reading “Four golden rings, one tree and a small rectangle”