Spring Is In The Air

 Spring is in the air!  Along with sun, snow sleet and hail there was rain, we seem to have all the seasons all together in one day yesterday.  The hailstorm was quite the spectacle bouncing off the road and crashing against the windows but within seconds the sun was once again shining down.  The weather conditions change so quickly and dramatically here.  Even the cloud formations are beautiful and change so quickly.  It is an everchanging environment filled with beauty if you open your eyes.

The first lamb was born during the night to our neighbour, another wonderous sight and miracle.

I will get a better photo later when I walk down to feed the chickens.  In other good news there has been an announcement made that with effect from 1800hrs yesterday the restrictions on the Western Isles will change and we will be moved to tier three regulations.  This means that cafes/restaurants, hairdressers/barbers, shops can now reopen.  I will be making appointments for both Gerard's and I hair, we are in dire need of a good cut.  It will be nice to treat ourselves to a good coffee when we go to town.  Little steps but the light at the end of the tunnel is beginning to emerge.

A few Easter/Spring decorations have begun to appear which has also lifted the spirits.  Let me give you a glimpse of a few additions to our little cottage.

I do need to plan the menu for over Easter so that I can ensure we have all the ingredients.  The family usually gather at Easter as we also celebrate my birthday and our youngest daughters birthday.  That is not going to happen but I am sure we will make some plans to have a virtual party or cake event using technology for which I am so thankful.

Do you decorate for Easter?

Hope all is well with you.  Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.

This And That

 If I were to be honest, I must admit that I am totally fed up with this pandemic and all the restrictions that this brings.  I am not getting any younger and I feel that this virus is taking valuable time away from me.  Our plan for retirement was to enjoy this beautiful Island that we now live on and travel.  Not only to visit family but we also have a bucket list.  We have lived quite a frugal life over the years and saved in earnest for our plans for our retirement.  That said I have come to love this amazing Island and its people so I am not as disappointed as I could have been not been able to travel.  We are making the most of what we have and hopefully as we go through another season the weather will start to pick up.

I have been working on my bedroom for sometime, sorting out the cupboards and drawers.  Eight very large black bags later...enough said.  It is my intention to give it a mini makeover, maybe a lick of paint and either a crochet throw or a patchwork quilt.  The jury is still out.

The freezer was given a good sort out and I was quite proud that nothing needed throwing out.  The store cupboard was given a good clean and everything duly rotated I can honestly report that nothing has been wasted.  There is a couple of tins with short dates that will be used this week and a lot of dried fruit again with short dates.  So this afternoon I made a very rich fruit cake using a favourite Christmas cake recipe.  I must admit I have been quite pleased with how it has all worked out.  As a general rule I usually run the store cupboard down during the summer months.  I use as much produce from the garden to make pickles and preserves and then do a very large shop for the Winter.  We are living in such uncertain times that I have decided to retain the store cupboard so I have made a list for when we go over to town.  Keeping shopping and mixing with others to a minimum.

Church reopens on Sunday but we have decided that we will listen to the service via the internet until we have had our 2nd vaccine.  It was a difficult decision as human contact is what we all crave the most.  I am attending a bible journaling conference via the internet which is an inspiration.  I am hopeful that by the end of the weeks sessions I will have enough confidence to use water colours in my bible.

No baking this week...more effort is needed to get rid of the pounds that I have put on.  I am blaming the pandemic but lets be honest it is my greed and not making the right choices.  A fellow blogger reported on making and eating doughnuts earlier today, all I can say to that is yummy!!!!  I could just eat one with a nice cup of tea...  In all seriousness, once I get back out to the garden and walking I will soon get into shape once more.

Hope all is well with you and that you are keeping busy and safe.  Take care.

See you soon.

Finished Tasks And New Starts

 The wanderer has returned once more.  We have had quite the ordeal the past few weeks with technology.  It started with a storm that had a terrible effect on all our connections phone and computer.  I was due a new phone so it was duly ordered and I made my life easy (or so I thought) getting the same make that had a clone facility.  The idea was to transfer all the data simply without having to do everything manually.  Yes, you guessed right it all went wrong...

It has taken awhile with some back up help from our son in law but we are up and running once more.  My apologies to all those who sent St Patricks cards that have been returned as they weren't opened quickly enough.  My Gmail account was the last thing to be retrieved.

The same storm saw many of the ferries disrupted with cancellations and delays for a few days due to the extreme weather.  Flights still went so Gerard was able to get out to the hospital for his MRI scan.  He was at the local hospital yesterday for tests and is now waiting for the date for a biopsy which we are hoping will be local.  He thanks you all for the well wishes and prayers it means a lot to us both.

I have been able to visit some of you intermittently but unable to leave comments but now that I am up and running again I will get around to visit over the next few days.

Work on the dolls house continues albeit slowly, Gerard has completed the electrics and is now working on the floors.  I have made a start on sorting out the papers and paint colours.  We are having fun and that is all that matters.

I have had lots of crochet squares languishing in a basket for quite awhile, waiting to be stitched together and a border added.  The baby is due next month so I thought it was about time that it was finished.  Tah Dah.......

Bibs and teething rings added and the gift is now ready for the new arrival.

I have also finished the scarves that I started awhile ago.  The fabric was  a rayon crinkle fabric in shades of white and ivory.  I used fabric paint to colour dip them and I must admit had a lot of fun with mixing colours and creating some amazing washes.  I have been doing some research on a more natural approach using plants and seaweed from the land.  I have made a start on processing a fleece so intend to use a more natural approach with the wool.

 I will leave you all with a beautiful bouquet of flowers to thank you for your patience and understanding.   Hopefully they will make you smile as they did me.  Hope all is well with you as we start the pathway out of lockdown once again.  My heart breaks for all those who have lost friends and loved ones to this terrible pandemic.   Take care and stay safe.

 See you soon.

Weekend

What a fun weekend I have playing around with dye.  I ordered some cheap scarves and then experimented with different colours and dyed four different batches, 20 scarves in all.  They will be perfect for the doorstep blessings project.  Whilst, I had the opportunity to experiment with colour and enjoy the process.

This batch are a lot darker than they appear in the photos.

 It was quite a lengthy process as the scarves needed to dry between each colour addition.  I was thankful for the wind which shortened the time needed to be hung on the line.

The hens once again are laying so we have an abundance of eggs on a daily basis.  I did use several with this weekends baking making egg custards, mince pies and a carrot cake.  All very delicious and most definitely moreish.

The egg custard was topped with a little grated nutmeg, which was very tasty.  I added raisins and walnuts to the carrot cake which made it quite decadent and a real treat for Sunday tea.

We managed a short walk this morning and was able to drop some eggs to neighbours, it was nice to catch up with them from the end of the drive.  All of our Grandchildren returned to school this morning, all seemed to go well without a hitch which was a big relief for our daughters.  There wasn't any dramas to report on their return so all is well.  

Hope all is well with you and yours.  I thank you for your visit to my humble blog and for your comments.  Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.

Another Day Another Adventure

 What an amazing difference a little sun can make.  Another day another little outing to enjoy.  We made our way to Port Stoth just south east of the Butt of Lewis.  You need to drive down a single track road to get there which has marked places to pass.  We were unable to get down to the beach Gerard wasn't up tp it but we enjoyed sitting watching the gulls and the sea.

We parked the car and were able to sit there for quite awhile, enjoying the beautiful views.  I did have a little potter but thought it sensible to stay within sight of Gerard so didn't wander too far.  There was a slight wind which made it feel a little cooler than it actually was but the sun made all the difference and was a delight to be out and about.

It was so nice to reminisce about summers past and the fun we have had on this beautiful beach with our family.  All the grandchildren love this beach and the caves that they explore.  We have been blessed with some great adventures here including some great finds even giant jelly fish and many sightings of the common seal along with a whale.  It is a haven for the ornithologist with the wide variety of birds that can be seen.

Flights have been arranged for a trip to Inverness on the mainland for Gerard, the appointment timed around the flights.  They are so accommodating.  Taxis are also pre-booked to make everything as easy as possible.  We do have a hospital here on the Island but there are some things that they are unable to do.  Some of the consultants/specialist come over for clinics so we are well served.

I am still enjoying a little crafting and am filling my days quite well.  I have been enjoying the soothing rhythm of crochet and making some yarn Spring wreaths.  It has been a fun project and they will make a nice gift.

We continue with the dry weather and for that I am thankful, we can wrap up if needed against the cold.  As always I do thank you for your visit and comments.  I do hope all is well with you and that the weather is been kind.  Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.