An open and shut case

Ruthven has been a hive of activity over the last few weeks as we completed final preparations for our annual open day. Mum came over and, with her usual stakhanovite zeal, sneaked out every morning at 6am and had several hours of weeding under her belt before anyone else surfaced. Our friend Anne came downContinue reading “An open and shut case”

Hippety Hop

I am still stuck in the leg brace. One might have thought that forced inactivity would have driven me to the keyboard, blogs to write, emails waiting attention and so on but no, somehow the one thing I could easily do has offered the least attraction. Over the last couple of weeks I have: finallyContinue reading “Hippety Hop”

Still Hirpled

The ankle sprain transpired to be a cracked bone and lord alone knows what ligament damage. After hobbling around like a hirpled hen for a week, I hitched a ride when mum went to see Dad in hospital and visited A&E. I am now sporting a dashing Beckham Boot. The weather has been beautiful andContinue reading “Still Hirpled”

Gardening Excuses Nos 3 and 4 – Chuckling Lavender and Pea therapy.

Gardening time has been at a bit of a premium recently what with the final days of Ishbel’s northern tour (and the following few days of required detox) and ongoing family travails (dad is back in hospital). Accordingly on the sunny days between the showers (of which we have had more than our fair shareContinue reading “Gardening Excuses Nos 3 and 4 – Chuckling Lavender and Pea therapy.”

Van Gogh Days

Well, mea culpa etc, it has been quite a while since my last post. Things have been a trifle hectic, of which more in another post. For now, I shall start catching up in the manner of a modern whydunit – i.e. at the end. I strode forth with Lyra yesterday morning, after a fewContinue reading “Van Gogh Days”

Spring Fever

It’s been a funny old week. One moment the sun was splitting the trees, the next we had gale force winds, frosts or hailstorms. Never let it be said that we are short of weather. None of this seems to bother the bulbs a jot. The frailest looking things, like the anemone and snakes headContinue reading “Spring Fever”

The Mummy’s revenge..

They do say, don’t they, that you eventually grow into your mother….Well Lachlan had a taste of the future on Mothers’ day. He had been super secretive about the present he had procured for days and was of the view that he had totally “nailed it”. He was therefore somewhat non plussed when I burstContinue reading “The Mummy’s revenge..”

Dame Edna and the frogs

We have had two glorious days. Moral fibre has frayed. Household chores have been abandoned for the wheelbarrow and kneeling mat. The ironing pile, once reduced to a mere foothill, is now a vertiginous ridge walk of Munros. Tomorrow’s forecast is for largely fine but thereafter gloomy. Normal laundry service will resume with the gloom.Continue reading “Dame Edna and the frogs”

Persistence rewarded

Another day of frost and sunshine so Lyra and I were off and out early to make the most of it. In the shade of the trees the grass is wearing frost prickles and I stumbled over one frozen clump of leaves and mud that looked for all the world like an albino hedgehog. MuchContinue reading “Persistence rewarded”