Monday 31 October 2011

Traveling to Lewis

 We left home as the sun was rising.


 And arrived in Ullapool many, many hours later.
Stops were made along the way, Eddie Stobart trucks counted, naps, knitting and goodies devoured.

 Rainy view from our room at The Ferry Boat Inn,
where great food, good wine and warm beds revived us.


In the morning, we admired the fishing boats,enjoyed our Scottish breakfast feast, 
found bargains in the charity book shop and after only a couple of hours delay,
set sail.

Friday 28 October 2011

Shawl for a Mama

A gift for a Mama.
From my heart to warm hers.

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Little Treats.



Knitted using bamboo yarn, what a joy.
Perfect for tucking into packages to give the gift of a smile and a clean face.

Sunday 23 October 2011

At the Croft

After a long drive, night in a hotel and a ferry ride, by now we will be settling into the joy of visiting with friends on the Isle of Lewis.
Yes, this post is coming via the wonder that is scheduling.
Today, has been filled with hunting for mittens, hats, warm socks and the warmest of outfits,
all needed for our Scottish adventure.



These hand warmers, fresh off the needles are now wrapped and packed, a gift for our hosts hands.
A small token of our thanks .
                                           

Details of patterns and yarns used here http://www.ravelry.com/projects/nocton4

Saturday 22 October 2011

Garden Gnomes


My lovely husband declares these Mushroom Gnomes to be Snow Men in disguise.

Pattern can be found here
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cuddly-mushroom-gnomelet

Friday 21 October 2011

Bringing Home the Heat


A successful visit to the Wood Auctions, should keep us toasty this Winter.

Thursday 20 October 2011

Coming in from the cold

First frost of the season, this morning,
making us feel good about devoting some time to the garden at the weekend.
We cleared, filling up the compost heaps.
We dug, a little.

 O took time in creating some sculptures,
a delight for the eyes in the season of bare earth.

 And we brought in our last Harvest of the year.
Potatoes have been big and plentiful.
Courgettes, a great start but fizzed out quickly.

 The girls are still laying, a couple a day, even though we are down to 3 chickens, loosing Linda in the Summer.

 Tomatoes, have only managed to feed us in the, pick and eat way with not enough for our normal freezer stock of roasted tomato sauce, such a shame.
We grew as many plants, just a smaller crop.
Chillies, started in the greenhouse, then placed in a sunny spot in the garden.
A good turn out with pots in the freezer, ready for some fire in the cold, dark months.

And one pumpkin with many a baby.
Ground hungry, I think this will be our last year in giving room to these beauties.

And so the garden begins it rest.

Tuesday 18 October 2011

on a Sunday Afternoon in the Autumn

There were pots of tea, scones with jam and cream,dainty china tea cups, 
slices of cake and cup cakes aplenty.


 There was colourful dresses and frilly knickers.


 And fans made of feathers.

Blooming Great Vintage Tea Party
How we LOVE you.

Saturday 15 October 2011

End of the Week Joys

               Daddy's Home.                  
                                     
Golden Autumn light across the fields.

Happy Weekending x

Monday 10 October 2011

In a Day

I have
showered, washed my hair, cleaned my teeth
dressed
taken and collected O from playschool
hoovered, swept and washed floors
fed chickens, collected a single egg
fed and watered the dog

 made bread, beds, lunch and tea
turned a heel on my socks
had a cuppa with my parents
read (endless) books to O
listened to the radio
saved the sand pit lid from taking flight

hung out, brought in and folded washing
checked emails, FB and Ravelry
lit a fire and a candle
washed up, again and again
mopped up some teenage tears

watched the wind, blowing through the trees
delighted in the colours of the sky
breathed deeply, taking in the Autumn air
and sent some LOVE racing round on the clouds.


Thursday 6 October 2011

Autumn Beauty

 Baskets of squash in the bottom of the larder.


Stunners in the fridge.

Tuesday 4 October 2011

in the Making & Repairing

My Dad is having surgery today, widening a couple of arteries.
An overnight stay, means that my parents, married for 41 years, will be parted, something that has happened only a handful of times in all those years.
I had plans for today, a trip out but staying closer to home, to the phone, being around for my Mum in the end was what my heart needed.

 O slept until 10am after a whirlwind trip to Legoland with Daddy and some friends,
plenty of time to distract myself in the kitchen and tick off some of those plans.
Pumpkins baked yesterday, scooped out and stored, some in the freezer and some in the fridge, ready for today.
Hummus made and pumpkin puree added,delicious.
Black beans soaking in the background, ready for cooking and adding to Quinoa and Black Bean Chilli, a new favourite from the 30 day Vegan program.

Spices, sugar and pumpkin blending in the pan for Pumpkin Spice Syrup.
My kitchen smells like the season.

Whats cooking in your kitchen ?

Updated
Dad's surgery went wonderfully, all well and now home.
Thanks for your lovely wishes.

Sunday 2 October 2011

October - The Plans

Having heard about pinterest for awhile now but not really "getting" it, I finally gave it a look,
needless to say, it's good, very good.
My boards are growing and I am loving sorting and saving, plans are coming together for baking, making and trips.
Here's our Autumn Must Do board
( greatly inspired by this lovely post http://carried-family.blogspot.com/2011/09/autumn-colour.html )

 So many wonderful pumpkin recipes flooding blogs and sites, I am determined this year to do more than just scoop out and carve for Halloween, feeding the insides to the chickens.
Top on my list are
pumpkin hummus, sounds amazing.Would love a pumpkin risotto recipe if anyone has one please.
Socktoberfest is a month long sock knitting project http://www.ravelry.com/groups/socktoberfest
Brilliant timing for me, staring Yule gifts and digging into my large stash of sock yarn.
My aim is to finish off a pair that has been on the needles since July and then getting at least one more pair made.

 I had quite a pumpkin spice thing, going on in Florida this time last year, so was delighted to see this clever lady's post
So I will be reliving those days with my favourite autumn drink and for the time being the sunshine too.

The end of October brings a very special visit, a week in the Isle of Lewis, so very wonderful in its own rite but staying with this gorgeous family
makes it a treat beyond measure ( did you see those pigs, oh my ! )

Would love to hear your plans for the month ahead.

Saturday 1 October 2011

Summers still going strong.

 With Summer giving us such an amazing final flourish, it would seem very rude not to have a day at the beach.

 How blessed were we, to be on the sand, under a scorching sun, surrounded by friends, on a week day and incredibly at the very end of September.

 The beach was busy, packed with couples in deck chairs, reading books and newspapers with flasks of tea at their sides and then there was us, a riot of buckets, spades, sandwiches, ice creams, toddler tears and dramas, joined by dogs racing around the sands, knocking over drinks and nearly small people, then horses racing by the shore line, had the children chasing over them, with not a hope of catching up but loving the feel of the breeze in their hair and the freedom of such a vast space.

There was time for kite flying, sand art, animal dancing and wave jumping then quick dashes home for some, to pick up older children, ballet classes and tea times.
We stayed late, watching fishermen setting up their lines, dogs chasing balls across the sand, boats and birds.
It seemed only fair to get every last drop of Summer goodness from the day.

How are you celebrating the sunshine ?