Through Love's Eyes

I can't believe it has been so long since my last post, the days have just flown by.  However I have been filling them easily.  We have had a walk each day getting a little further each time and enjoying the beauty that surrounds us.  The ever changing land and seascapes a reminder of how quickly the weather changes and the seasons roll by.

I was a very lucky recipient of Marilyn Moseley's giveaway and received her wonderful book.  What a pleasure it is to browse the pages as Marilyn takes you on a stunning journey of the beauty that surrounds her.  The photographs taken by herself are a gentle reminder of what our dear Lord has created and each spectacular view is accompanied by a gentle reminder of that fact.  It was a wonderful read which I found uplifting and indeed joyful.  The photographs take you through the seasons and are a delight.  The book has become such a nice coffee table book which can be browsed through time and time again.  Marilyn can be found at mountaintopspice.blogspot.com her photography is second to none and is always a joy to visit.

A sneaky peek at one of the pages, it was too hard to pick out a favourite as they are all such high quality and stunning each in their own way.  Through Love's Eyes is a book that I would certainly recommend you won't be disappointed.

The rhubarb has been prolific this year, it seems as quick as I pick it it has regrown.  We have been enjoying it in all its guises, my favourite as a crumble.  This pan full is been stewed ready to go into the freezer for a Winter treat, a warming desert with a little ginger. 

Slowly but surely the Winter store cupboard is been filled.  We are enjoyed salad leaves daily, along with spring onions and courgettes fresh from the garden.  We are close to pulling our own potatoes and the tomatoes have all flowered and looks as if it is going to be a healthy crop.  I have herbs of all varieties hung around the kitchen and utility drying out.  The kale and cauli are doing well.  We have sprouts that we are also hopeful about. 

The good weather has enabled me to get all the cushion cover/throws/blankets/tablecloths/curtains washed and dried.  The luxury of the smell of Summer wafting around our little cottage is a delight.  There has been a flurry of activity around the neighbourhood as the peat's are bought home.  We have such generous neighbours who have given us some.  We now have our own peat stack ready for the stove, keeping us warm both physically and in spirit as we will think of our friends and neighbours as they burn.  Peat cutting is a tradition that goes back generations here on the Island and  is making a comeback as more and more people face financial difficulty due to the pandemic.  Life goes on and things are starting to return to some normality as ferries and flights resume. 

Hope all is well with you.  My apologies for not visiting life just took over I will catch up with you all as soon as I can.  I do thank you for your visit here and your uplifting comments.  Take care and stay safe in these strange times.

See you soon.

Spring Day On The Island

Open Reach have been here the best part of the day.  Not here in the house but clambering up poles and rewiring all the connections.  I am so thankful that all is well and we now have internet and telephone connection, long may it last.  Today James is my unsung hero, he phoned us several times and kept us informed of everything he was doing.  A very professional young man.  The strange times we are finding ourselves in makes us turn to technology more and more to keep in touch with family and friends.

Very slowly and gently we are beginning to see signs of Spring all around.  A little sun makes everything alright.  It is a delight to see the girls strutting around and reward us with eggs daily. 

 

The rhubarb is starting to unfurl its beautiful leaves and is such a welcome sight.

The parsley and mint is starting its regrowth.  The herb bed needs a little work but again it is so reassuring to know it is making a comeback.

The cottage plants have been stored in the garden room through Winter so are now ready to be sorted out and prepared in readiness to go back.  We are going to sort the pots out but leave them in the garden room a little longer as the temperatures are still a little low at night.

Seeds have been set in the hope of growing a few items for the kitchen.  Time will tell how successful we are but certainly worth a try.  I suspect there may be a shortage later in the year...lets hope not!

It was nice to have a little time outside and get some fresh air.  It was still a little cold but warm enough to enjoy the time outside.  We smiled a few times as Mickey had a romp around the garden enjoying a little sun on his back.  Long may this good weather last and we can start to enjoy the great outdoors.  We are blessed that there is so much land in between homes so we are quite isolated and as such protected.  We now have 5 confirmed reported cases of the coronavirus on the Island so we are been extra vigilant and ever cautious as we are considered vulnerable.

It is my Birthday tomorrow so I am thrilled we are up and running once again with the internet.  I am so excited to be able to catch up with the grand children.

As always I thank you for your visit here and your uplifting comments.  Please stay safe and take care.

See you soon.

Weekend Adventure

My apologies for not been around but I was having problems with my computer.  As you may know I am not very good with technology so was unable to do much about it.  So in the end I left it alone and waited for my son in law to return from their holiday.  He was able to repair it remotely, so here I am.  He is definitely a keeper.

What can I say about the weather, other than rain, rain and more rain.  It is doing wonders for the grass, and the machair.  The vibrant grassland is full of wildflowers and is a beautiful sight.

 

Thankfully we have had a few bright moments so it was a joy to take a short drive and see Eoropie beach from a distance.   Watching me, watching you... 

It is a joy to sit awhile and watch the sea as it makes its journey to the shore cascading against the rocks, spraying the surrounding area and then receding back into the swell to start its journey all over again.

Another quick drive to one of our favourite coves to sit awhile and admire the beauty.  We feel blessed that we are surrounded by such outstanding views and take every opportunity to soak up the ambience of this amazing Island.

Back home for some warming soup, bread from the machine and rhubarb crumble.  Much needed to warm up. 

I have made a start catching up with you all but will be around to visit as soon as I can.  Must get ready for my aerobics class...

See you soon.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

We have had several showers throughout the past couple of days and a couple of heavy downpours.  The garden is once again looking a vibrant green and thoughts are now turning to harvesting the few things that we have managed to grow this year.  We planted a new variety (to us) of carrot which is purple, there was obviously not enough depth in the double tyre as they are deformed.  However the taste was divine, sweet and a delight if a little disconcerting due to the colour.

We enjoyed some with our meal last night, definitely a variety we would try again. PURPLE SUN.

The beetroot looks to be doing well, I will harvest a little when I have more time to establish how well it is growing.  We are at the cardiac rehabilitation today so time is limited.

The mint is prolific so a good job it is contained.  I use it on a daily basis adding it to the new potatoes.  I intend to harvest a big part of it to dry it out for Winter use.  We had two varieties this year, a peppermint one which I had intended to use in tea but this has been a rare occurrence.

Parsley and chives are also regularly used so again I will be bringing some in to dry.  I did think I might freeze some in icecube trays to add to stews/casseroles.

It will be interesting to establish which method gives the more intense flavour.  We are now on our second growth of rhubarb but not enough to freeze for later use.  We do need to plant some more as we do like rhubarb as an addition to jam and for use as the base of a pie/crumble for a Winter dessert.

Not a lot growing in my garden but a start has been made.  The materials have been ordered that are required to restore an old outbuilding into an indoor garden.  They will take 2 weeks to be delivered from the mainland, so exciting times ahead.

What have you got growing in your garden?

As always I thank you for your comments and interest.  In answer to some questions regarding the rugs that I have been making, yes I do add a liner to avoid slipping.

See you soon.