06.01.10

One of the blogs I read belongs to Jan of Bobbypinsboardwalk and she hosts on a Wednesday - a boardwalk brag fest.

Although I have read all the entries from other bloggers with their often very inspirational 'brags',

 I have held back from doing 'show and tell' to be honest.

But today - Jan has bragged about something I can associate with and that is... Crochet!

Fav sis-in-law very patiently, whilst on holiday, taught me how to crochet.

We sat on a beach in Northumberland

and while our boys and dogs did holiday type things,

she helped me learn the all important stitches and rhythms.

It was by no mean feat on her part as I am very left handed, can't knit or comprehend a pattern

and didn't know my yarn from my wool from my acrylics from my elbow - mind you, I still don't....

Any way, where this is all leading to, is that since that holiday nearly 18 months ago,

I have crocheted like a demon possessed -

and I love it!

One of the many crochet things I have made is a double bed 'blankie'

which was given the wonderful title of  Heritage blankie

by an elderly lady who was manning the charity shop

where I bought a bag load of reclaimed wools for just 50 pence.

I think this blankie is one of my personal favourite items,

as it has many memories attached to it.

• Driving rain
• incredible winds
• collapsed tents
• leaking yurts
• frighteningly large rolling waves on the return ferry
• Scottish highlands and beaches
• seal watching
• whale spotting
• walking at a strange angle to prevent falling over in the howling gales
• Icy cold showers (I soon learn't which tap was which!)
• the mud
• the beaches
• the beautiful pebbles
• the far far horizons
• the big sky (when you could see it)
• a holiday which more akin to a survival course than a family vacation..... 

And despite all the above "hardship" it turned out to be a rather good holiday

especially now that I

have recovered, forgotten,

reminisce.

And the best reminder?

My heritage blankie :)

The inspirational colours of Orkney

hopefully, I have done it justice.

05.01.10 - part 2

About half an hour before I was to set off to work,
the 'phone rang -
The surgery was going to shut.
Due to the snow, patients and doctors alike
could not get in or out of the village easily.

Woo Hoo - an away day,
so we,
the boys,
the dog and me with the camera set off to play.

I took photos and got cold.
The boys sledged
and made a snow man.
Eldest wanted to call him Godfrey (no - I don't know why either)
Youngest however has dubbed him Mr Clegg.

I am uncertain as to his name or her's?
As she/he/it sports a rather 'fetching' pink scarf.

Those who know me,
know my feelings about "pink". :)

Still, I'm ok now - my feet have defrosted
and I am sipping a mug of steaming hot tea - bliss.

The stream behind the library

Snow topped branches looking like bronchioles

05.01.10

My world has turned black and white.

Overnight more snow has landed, and as I type, is still coming down.

The schools have been shut - school buses have been cancelled.

And the chickens are still in bed..................

so, today, they are having breakfast in bed.

I opened their hock
and snuggled up looking like feathered tea cosies -
were the four chooks.

As soon as I gave them their pellets and warm water,
they hopped up and tucked in.
I wonder if they will get up at all today?

I've been having fun with some felt -

Making these.........

The far end of the garden - a wintery view on the way to the hen hock.

03.01.10

A quietly spent day.

Putting away the last of the decorations,
the house feels clear and bright.

Boys playing or reading.
Himself pottering about with DIY.

Friends returning from their festive breaks.

I'm still finishing pressies.........

Remember this?
 It's the Orcadian wool that back in November
I wasn't sure what to do with it.

Warm woolen mitts for himself,
just need to finish the second one and line them with blue fleece.

I keep saying to him that it will be worth the wait!

02.01.10

A snowy scene awaited us as we opened the curtains this morning.

Well - that called for a walk.

With sledges.

And a flask full of tea!

We walked through ancient old drover's tracks,

passed houses with date posts of 1697 and

through medieval field strips.

We went through pastures,

that in summer are filled with campion, meadow grasses, vetch and ox-eye daises,

but today we were knee deep in snow.

The boys sledged down every possible slope

Several times.........

We met some of the locals,

who seemed genuinely pleased to see us.

We crossed an ancient bridge - built in the 1670s

We walked by frozen mill ponds

and as we got nearer the end of our walk,

it started to snow again.

Wonderful.

********************************

The best way to recover from a walk like that

is to do this..........

Fry diced onions with garlic in olive oil

Add to some par-boiled potatoes in their skins, which you gently smash

Chuck in roughly chopped parsley and

grate some really tasty chedder cheese

Mix together with a good gloop of milk

Put the resulting mix into a pastry case

and

voila'

Bon apetit!

And if you want a more accurate rendition of this recipe

It is known as a Homity Pie

Hmmmmmmm.

Yum.

01.01.10 - part 2

Ooops, forgot to mention............

The final mincepie tally

(drum roll please.........)

And the winner is.....

Actually, starting with 4th place

is........

ME!

with a grand (not) total of - 16 mincepies

(boo hissssssss)

then

in a very respectable 3rd place

is eldest with.............

45 (that is forty five)

2nd place goes to.......

Youngest

with

a disgustingly large amount of..............

91

(this child is only 9 and already has the gastronomical abilities of his father)

and the winner

by a long way

is

(drum roll again please)

is.....

is......

(not dragging this out am I?)

is - himself with a very respectable

106 mincepies

WOOHOO!

Going...........

Going......

Gone.....

(or as my fav sis in law would say)

Dis op

Dis op

Dis op!

01.01.10

Happy New Year!

A new beginning, a new start, a new day.

What will the new year bring?

I can't wait to find out!

How about you?

Life is for living

There is so much to see

to do

to love

to experience

to look forward to doing

so....................

what are you waiting for?!

Woohoo - bring it on!

First egg of the year

A large harvestman spider - trying to come into the kitchen

(tap on the picture to see greater detail)

An 'ice bowl' made overnight in the chook's water bowl.

Himself takes a fresh bucket of warm water each morning to the birds

and brings back a new ice bowl.

One of the hens stands in the warm water for her first morning drink.

Yum......