Sad News........

Sadly my youngest Hen passed away at the weekend........ 

                                                         Blackie 2/5/2008 - 20/9/2010

I don't know why, and I feel so upset I was not here.  I have had a couple of days away and was going to post about my trip but that will have to wait until another time. 

Old for Newish............

The basket on my bike finally broke last week.  It is a very old bike and I am very fond of it.  I purchased it in 1982 when I was a student nurse and used to cycle to and from the hospital.

It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago and DH has been waiting for me to decide what he could buy for me, so I asked for a new basket for my bike, please.  My bike is quite old and I am not sure if it is made anymore, so finding the exact basket has been difficult.  We were out shopping this morning in our local town and DH got his eye on a basket in the window of a charity shop.  It was a snip at £10.00.  We were not sure if it would fit, but we decided to take the risk and buy it.  It fits perfectly on the bike and having a handle means if I want to go shopping it will be very useful detaching it . 

 I went out for a bike ride this afternoon to test it out, perfect........ 

We stopped of at the allotment on the way home and picked the last of the beetroot and some onions. 

Last days of Summer 2010.........

                                              Bamburgh Castle last weekend...........

Sunset this evening.......

Let the Autumn begin....the leaves turning golden and red, walking on crunchy leaves,darker mornings, garden fires, making blackberry jam, fruit crumbles, home made soups, beef stew and dumplings, pumpkins, fireworks, fluffy dressing gowns and slippers, hats and scaves, evenings spent watching tv and knitting, christmas lights.......    

Rose Hip Syrup..........

Following on from the post yesterday, the Rose Hip Syrup is ready.  It was a bit faffy to make but tastes delicious.

Two bottles from the above batch, its takes me back to when I was a little girl and we used to have it on rice pudding at school dinners. I'm showing my age now.  I'll have to make some rice pudding soon.

The End of August...........

Where has this past month gone, I can't believe it is nearly September .  I suppose if I look back it has been a busy month.  It is the peak holiday season, with the schools having their summer vacation.

Here is a quick look at what we have been up to.  The beginning of the month brought the tall ships race to Teeside, so we took a day trip to Hartlepool.  The sailing ships are so beautiful and graceful, I always like seeing them, also visiting the festival was the BBC " Bang Goes the Theory" team, we sat and watched a half hour presentation on how to make science fun, and it was.  

 

A week later we began our main holiday and took off in this Motorhome, destination Isle of Skye, I had not realised how far away it is and it took ages to get there.  We only had a week on the island but we managed to see most of it.  The weather was mostly good, a couple of very heavy showers, but within a few hours we were back to lovely sunshine again. The light levels are fantastic, there is so much open space, unbelievable. 

DH is a bit of a Malt Whisky connoisseur so a trip to a local distillery was in order.  Talisker is one of his favourite whiskies and it did not disappoint. 

This is the view just down from the distillery, now would that be just lovely to wake to this every morning.

What a view, fantastic. 

Wildlife everywhere, this little robin was used to visitors I think...

and the seals get hundreds of visitors each day.

The main town on Skye is Portree, with it's pretty coloured harbour houses, we had the best Fish and Chips ever, from the shop on the Harbour front.

 I took some wool away with me and whiled away the time travelling making some pretty pink bunting, which is nearly finished 

                                                    

and some liquorice allsorts...........

 The nights are cutting in now and it is rather chilly in the evenings,  I feel the Autumn nip in the air. The berries are turning red and we have lots of hips on our dog rose bushes.  So I am going to attempt to make some Rose Hip Syrup for the first time.   I shall let you know how I get on.  Back to work tomorrow  so normality alas returns .

  

It's finally finished

My summer bunting is finally finished, I can't believe how long it has taken. 

  It's up in the studio......                                        

I have been making cushions out of tea towels and added them to my bought ones.......

Looks Like I have got a collection going on, oh dear!

We have a visitor........

Woke up this morning and found this little chap/chapess on the lawn......

I think it is just a baby bunny, it has been enjoying the clover in the lawn all day.  I don't know what the chickens make of it but I think they should watch out.  He/she seems quite tame and it has been coming right up to the studio doors.  I know rabbits are pests and they eat everything in sight but I am a soft touch for cute furry things.

Speaking of soft touch, I was out and about last week and found this little girls dress in a charity shop, I don't know what I will do with it, it's a size 3years.

I just couldn't resist it..........