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..”
Tag Archives: walking the dog
Softly Softly
To my drilled nose (healing nicely thank you – really not that bad at all, just a lingering sore throat and strange “dangly” sensation like a tonsil trying to escape) we must add Keith’s extracted tooth. It is now incumbent on Mum to bite her tongue whilst Lachlan pokes a finger in his eye for theContinue reading “Softly Softly”
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”
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
There is a haunted look about the place today. The orchard is a spectral grove of skeletal trees bearing baubles of hollowed out apples. The gravel garden has the air of Miss Havesham’s wedding feast, with eerily preserved frozen shades of summer’s bounty. Driving down our rollercoaster of a road into town for coffee withContinue reading “The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come”
Library musings
I was planning to start this blog with some musings about being rather sleepy and warm in the library, where mum has the wood burner stoked to thermonuclear levels. Nestling down in my seat, I patted myself on the head smugly for remembering to scan my recent “tree” blog to check for any photographic overlap.Continue reading “Library musings”
Under the November trees
Trees I promised, and trees there shall be. I have been jealously hoarding my miser’s pile of gold and copper all month, waiting for a handy moment. The Christmas cakes are in the oven and the last set of advent calendar gifts are wrapped and numbered therefore all current excuses have expired. I have loadedContinue reading “Under the November trees”
Reflections on reflections
As the brightness of summer begins to fade, the woods around us grow ever lighter, gaining an almost fragile airiness. Windows appear in the canopy as leaves fall down into foosseling drifts below. Now there are just a few narrowly arched casements and tiny aureoles, but by November we will look through an astragal glazedContinue reading “Reflections on reflections”
Foraging Season
It seems as though we stepped off the plane from Corfu straight into mid autumn. Whilst we were sunning ourselves the brambles and gooseberries had been and gone and the fat Ruthven blackbirds had stripped our rowan of berries. Sloes have also been few and far between this year. And so it was that whenContinue reading “Foraging Season”