Harvesting

It's been a good weekend - we've been harvesting - both from our garden and greenhouse and wild harvesting from the hedgerows.

The last couple of weeks have yielded tomatoes a plenty! The courgettes are finishing and we took off the last few little 'uns so that we could clear away the fading plants. The onions are looking good and tasting even better.
Unusually this year, potatoes haven't done as well, but the ones we have eaten are delish!!  Our garlic have garlicked very nicely and the grapes are just beginning to be ripe enough to eat without making us screw our faces up when we pop a sour green fruit in our mouths.

I am finding my restricted mobility (my *!//* knee) really depressing. The boys all went out for a walk on Saturday and I felt bereft, I kept busy by baking a cake and cooking a lasagne but it certainly didn't feel right. Himself knew how I felt and today organised a wild fruit hunt.

We packed a car-nic, camera, crochet (of course!) and set off over the hills to find some blackberries. What a wonderful autumnal day, all the fresh air I could breathe (and breathe it in I did!) We parked and I pottered like a peg-legged pirate while Himself, the boys and the dog bumbled about picking brambles and sniffing out rabbits (boys - brambles, dog - rabbits in case you were confused......)

We did really well, not only finding just under 4 lbs of brambles but we found an old apple tree with small but delicious apples and elder trees covered in delightful small fruits.

Once we were home, the boys carefully washed and picked clean all the fruit ready for freezing then Himself made two wonderful bramble and apple pies - yum yum :)

I feel better for my airing.......... Much happier than I have been for a few days. I also have some crochet ta daa news soon - can't wait to show you all my blanket - it is about 20 stitches off finished Woo hoo!!

All for now, off to finish my blankie, hope you have a wonderful start to your week and have a marvelous Monday - love and happy wishes

hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ooh I love a man in uniform!

A couple of weeks ago, up in Kelso, Scotland, we were lucky enough to see a  little bit of pomp and ceremony. I'd been scanning through the local paper and saw that on the Saturday,  the Household Cavalry were going to troop through the town and present a guard of honour for a wedding in the town square.  Now, I love horses and a man in a shiny uniform isn't half bad to look at too and the combination of BOTH in one venue was too good an opportunity to miss!
We arrived shortly before it was all to begin and could see most of the locals had the same idea, as people were streaming into the town up all the streets. Himself drove on, to find us some closer parking (I'd only hurt my knee the day before) but as we got closer to the centre the more parked up the streets and parking zones became. Himself tried again to find a slot and with one eye on the clock he managed to manoeuvre our car through the now massing throngs and double parked vehicles. He suddenly saw a street with no parked cars, turned into it and then we were met by rows and rows of cones and police! We'd turned onto the route the horses were going to take! He drove quickly along the length, conscious all the time that any moment now we could be confronted by a unit of mounted soldiers. At the end of the road a mini roundabout allowed us to escape when one of the boys caught out the back of his eye - the Household Calvary coming up the very road we had just left! We leaped out of the car (ok - ok, I hopped) and were met by this rather handsome sight

We hadn't realised that the local tradition of the 'Kelso Laddie' and his left and right hand men would lead the parade. So the three young men at the front were a delightful but stark contrast to the unit behind.  These three (and in particular the young 'Laddie' on the right) whooped and cheered at all the lasses - knowing a fair few by name, these girls (and some of them quite mature ladies I hasten to add!!) took pictures and waved and whooped back. They rode their beautifully turned out horses in a fairly relaxed upright position, often hand casually resting on thigh while sporting huge grins. The military men behind however were ramrod straight, not a muscle moved, not even sure they even blinked. Their immaculate horses were so shiny and black that you could probably see your face in their hooves!
I took photos frantically as my hobbling couldn't keep up with the walking horses.

We stood a moment and watched when I noticed that there was one more 'participant' to this glorious show of history and tradition.......... the road sweeper.
A BRIGHT YELLOW NOISY road sweeper followed not 10 metres behind. The driver, a wonderfully tattooed gent with his arm resting on the window, drove behind slowly picking up any horse manure - of which we noticed very little. I was a little put out by this mundane probably council driven clear up - particularly the noise, it did spoil it a bit, no it spoiled it a lot - as the road sweeper was driving at my hobble speed and I could not over take it and leave its noisy presence behind.

Once in the town, there were so many people doing exactly what we were doing that we didn't get a good view, Youngest did try for a spell sitting on Himself's shoulders and take photos for me but most of them I have had to delete as there were some crazy angles and most were blurred. There were loads of cameras out - both amateur and professional. The local television company were set up with high rise cameras on a boom that soared over our heads - I want one!

We hung around a bit, then decided to leave where a huge cheer occurred and we realised that the wedding party had come out (not that we could see) and then after performing the guard of honour, the mounted unit  marched out again (with that dratted bright yellow sweeper right behind!)

I managed a few more snaps - not brilliant ones but still very good reminders of a good day :)

And the sweeper? - well he better be in the picture too - he was there and he did do his job (just wish he hadn't been so NOISY and so YELLOW!!)

Well enough waffling, got things to do, places to be and breakfast to eat!

Have yourselves a lovely day - and if you hadn't noticed - its FRIDAY!! So have yourselves a happy sunny weekend where ever you are :)

hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

the hawthorn tree - now open!

After a few late nights thrashing out problems and with the encouraging and timely words from my guru (or dragon?.......!!) we have hopefully sorted out the major glitches and hitches and now the website just needs tweeking.................  So without further ado -

To celebrate two (yes 2!!) years of blogging I now share with you.............  

      the hawthorn tree 

with woolly love hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Glitches and hitches

...........*SIGH*.............

like all new things, not a smooth beginning - slight PayPal probs - never mind - all good fun :) Aargh!!

So, should you fancy adding to your stash - hang fire (and hang on to your pennies) and just look at this image instead!

Yummmm - even I feel better now ..............

Remember I mentioned....

The next BIG thing? No? oh, well, may be I didn't ACtually  directly mention the words BIG THING, never mind, I will now.... the NEXT big THING - oh get on with it - well it's this............

the hawthorn tree

And you might wonder what that is, well - follow my link - thehawthorntree.webplus.net , have a look and tell me what you think!!

Ooh I am feeling nervous. 

And excited.

Nervous and excited - I'm beginning to waffle now aren't I? 

Better stop :)

Love and happy woolly thoughts hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Eeeeeeee!

Ooh argh - limping like a pirate.....

Fed up with limping like a pirate and missing my usual weekend walking, I thought I would share a most wonderful walk we did while on holiday.

My Mom and Dad gave Himself an early birthday pressie of an excellent little walking book written by the Berwick Ramblers, describing in detail several walks through the Cheviot Hills. Each walk includes a bit of historical reference, points out some interesting views, notes geographical information as well as giving a really good walk.

We had intended to do a few before the holiday was out, but things being what they were, we managed one.................




The first walk was impressively titled :
Humbleton Common Road, Gainslaw Road and a bit of Shakespeare.

I decided I would photo the views as sketched in the book for a bit of fun.

Above - the book - the style and layout surely a homage to the wonderful A Wainwright, who wrote so many beautiful books in around the Lakeland Fells

Below - my photo-homage to the above sketches

We were amused by the postal van parked at the top of the hill. How long had it been there? Encouraged by the views and the massive sky, we continued along. Our path took us through swathes of sun-ripened grasses. Their heads swaying in the breeze in huge swells.

 Fields of moorland grasses rippling like waves in the breeze

As we rounded another rolling hill we were hit by the most amazing scene - acres and acres of honey scented-heathers - gorgeous. I kept wondering if this is how if feels to walk through the lavender fields in France, mile after mile of heavenly shades of blues and purples.

The scent was glorious - a rich honey smell 

There was barely a soul up there, the odd walker (and believe me some walkers are quite odd!) but mostly just us and the hills. We came across 50 or so apiaries, we were not surprised, with all that heather there oozing with pollen and smelling of honey. We quietly walked through clouds of busy bees, halting briefly to watch (at a distance as I am allergic to bee stings) and to count the boxes.

The apiaries, nestled against a windbreak of trees, 

not that the photograph shows 

but the air was filled with the buzz of thousands and thousands of bees

It was at this point that the book chatted about turning down the lane and continuing into the valley, when Himself got a glint in his eye...yes that  'I-want-to-walk-up-that-BIG-hill' glint in his eye. His grin and his persuasive charm (and the fact he had been wanting to go up that BIG hill for some time)  meant that we turned off the book's chosen path and broke out towards Yeavering Bell . Initially I was a bit put out that we were deviating from the original route as I had been really really enjoying but Yeavering Bell soon helped redeem the walk.

Yeavering Bell, looming ahead

We strode through the knee high heathers, down the valley and then wheezed up again - and it was worth every gasping breath - the view was fantastic!

The boys disappear down the track towards the hill

We sheltered against the nippy breeze in one of the old defense ditches, our backs against the banking and just took in the glorious glorious view.

Time to set off, it was getting late and we still had to rejoin the original walk and return to our starting point.

A quick look at the book for the return journey

and my attempt to recreate - we suspect that the trees have grown since the sketch 

as we had to go very high up to see the house over the trees

We finished our walk in fading evening sunlight having loved the wonderful airy feel it left us with.

As we drove back to the carry-van I looked back and saw the hills bathed in glowing evening sunlight, Himself pulled over so I could take a picture.......

.......And we all agreed -It had been a very good walk! 

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

Well, that briefly took my mind off my knee - So it worked! 

Any hoo all for now, it's Sunday evening and as far as weekends go,this one has been very quiet. We've been harvesting and gardening or rather, the boys have been working and I have been directing (don't worry Mum - I'm taking it easy!!) 

Have yourselves a lovely Monday and may you have sunshine and smiles all day :)

with love (and still dodgy knee) hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Verdict

Torn cartilage, got go back for confirmation but hey ho - explains why it hurts......