Weekend

A beautiful weekend, weather wise enabling a little bit of sitting outside and watching the world go by.  Or in our case very little go by, it is so quiet.  In fact most of the time all we can hear is the birdsong, which is a real delight.

Saturday I spent a couple of hours in the kitchen preparing the Sunday roast and goodies for the cake tin.  On the list this week, banana bread to use up a couple of bananas that were starting to go black.

We picked our first crop of rhubarb to make a crumble.

A little ginger and some almond made it quite decadent, a real treat with icecream.  Then a bread pudding was made to use up some stale bread.  Mixed spice and good amount of dried fruit.

Yorkshire puddings and some sage/onion stuffing made and then the surplus for the freezer.

Finally meringues, a real treat for afternoon tea filled with chocolate. 

One made to use to top trifle, a real luxury making it a very special desert.  No reason just because...

I can report that it was very tasty.  We had so much fun catching up with our daughters and the grandchildren via the internet.  We are starting to dream a little and hope that we will be able to make plans to see each other soon.  

I have ordered some more elastic and am awaiting its delivery but in the meantime I have another 20 masks cut out ready to go.

I have also added a Christmas bear to the gift drawer, it is filled with both love and lavender.  It really does smell divine.

Its little face features are not as prominent as I would have liked but it will make a great gift topper.  I also added some mini wreaths using oddments of fabric, all ready to top gifts.

They were made very quickly but I think will made a wonderful addition/topper to a gift.

All in all a quiet weekend but one filled with love and laughter.  I have a lot to be thankful for when I see the news and events happening around the World.  How was your weekend? 

Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.

Catching Up...

My goodness the time is just flying by and whilst we are not having the high temperatures that the mainland are, we are enjoying some summery weather.  Lots of outdoor jobs are getting done, doors are been painted or replaced on the outbuilding.  The roof is finally finished and some windows have been replaced, it is a slow process.  Never the less we are pleased with the progress.  I am hoping to get the lawns cut once again today, they are growing so quickly.  We have also brought some more tyres down from the outbuilding to grow some more spring onions and such in.  Slowly but surely our plans are starting to come to fruition it is a nice feeling.

Once the weather turns we will  finish some of the jobs in our little cottage, the kitchen floor still needs to be laid but one day at a time...

Sadly the weekend did not go as planned Gerard needed to dash down to England so we didn't make it to the HebCelt but there is always next year.  I hear it was a great event bringing lots of people to the Island.  The Ferries were full and accommodation fully booked.

We did manage to get to An Lanntair earlier in the week to view the art exhibition, a real feast for the eyes.  Let me give you an idea of the talent of this man:

It was a wonderful display that evoked many feelings.  I would like to go and have another look when next we are in town so that I can fully appreciate the exhibition.

The easel and paint trolley along with some sketches made a real focal point and added another dimension to the wonderful display.

The weekend flew by and I was able to catch up with a lot of jobs and did some baking for the freezer.  I had apples and rhubarb that needed using so I made crumbles in readiness for those cooler days and the need for a warming desert.

I made some date slices and really enjoyed them using a recipe I found on a blog that I follow but for the life of me I can't remember which one.  If it is you let me know and I will be quite happy to link this post.  I must admit they were very moreish and a healthier option for a sweet treat.  I have just been reminded that it was indeed DC from over atfrugalinnorfolk.blogspot.com that shared this amazing recipe.  Just look for date slices under her menu tab.

With the abundance of eggs that we have, I thought it prudent to make a couple of quiches for the freezer.  It is always handy to have something quick ready for those days that I don't feel like cooking.  Generally hospital days.  Pasties were also added to use some vegetables up that had been loitering at the bottom of the fridge for awhile.

Well of course there was a sweet treat, I always have something ready in case of visitors.  Meringues were the order of the day, all that is needed is some whipped cream to sandwich them together.  Or, maybe some strawberries all ready for Eton mess.

I will leave you today with an amazing sunset that we are enjoying here on the Isle of Lewis, the beautiful array of colour behind a shadowy building is a stunning sight.

My apologies for not answering some of the questions you asked, I will catch up with you all soon.  Hope you are all well and not suffering too much in this heat wave that seems to be encompassing not only this Country but all over the World.  These extreme temperatures are a worry that is for sure.

See you soon.