first snow

Took this picture last week sometime, when the snow was all fresh and lovely, but there hasn't been any fresh snow to speak of for a few days and it is all looking rather grubby and tired.

Ha! sounds like me after this morning spent attempting to get water to the little bull and his six companions in the byre at the Knowes; doors frozen, bit of hose I found to siphon in through the crack between the doors also frozen, bin to siphon into, three miles away at the Hillhead. harrumph.

Anyway, the snow in the garden looks quite disgusting now as it is covered in bird poo; I'm still feeding the ducks n hens and turkeys in there (not to mention dozens of starlings.) Actually I think they could go back to the hen run now as the polecat problem must be by-with until spring. Did I tell you Lizzie caught nine of the blighters in the end?

So I have decided to come home for lunch and shall have another go at the water this afternoon when I go over to check the smoker; we are trying salmon for the first time, Tom brought over three sides the other night. Drew found a recipe for the brine on the net (where else?) But I'm not sure how long to leave it for, I'm trying six hours with oak chips. Be good if it works.

I just can't get away from them! First morning at Les Imberts and the neighbouring cows come looking for me! We used to have a Charolais bull lovely creatures, calm and easily pleased.

The weather was really pleasant in France; started cool but improved day by day and I spent the last afternoon soaking up the warmth from the stone walls of the house, dozing in the sun.

The clocks changed while we were away and as my plane bucked and bounced out of Inverness airport on a dark, dank monday afternoon, the last drops of lovingly gathered serotonin dissolved in to my gin and tonic. 'Oh God', i cried, 'I just can't bear another Shetland winter'

More ducks!

After watching us for, oh a year perhaps, from various vantage points the other side of the valley, they appeared one morning sleeping, one leg up - head tucked under, by the front door. They responded to my welcome and waddled into the garden for 'fowl' breakfast. The others didn't turn a feather so now they are an accepted sub group of the colony that is trashing my garden.

They're Muscovy ducks and are called Gibby and Sunny; we don't often name our creatures, especially if they are, one way or another, 'passing through', but these girls are so entertaining and responsive their name just popped into my head. It wasn't until the other morning, after a gale-full night, when it seemed that G&S had flown away that I realised how disappointed I felt and how fond I'd grown of them, which made me think about possessiveness and other stuff common to human nature. But they can fly like blazes and, like all blessings, free to come and go as they please, I hope they chose to stay awhile.

sick day

Having a cold all week but being too busy to wallow, I decided to take a morning off to finish some rabbits in comfort. However it is the most beautiful morning and I really must go and run about in it. We are off to lunch at Wadbister (of da famous 4 degree voe fame) with massed Shannons and Willses so better get my skates on This cold that I've had was brought all the way from Norway so have endeavoured to keep it from the general population - remembering the tales of whole island populations laid bye with the advent of airmail etc. not to mention long-buried plaits and scarlet fever, that I was regaled with when i first fetched up on these shores. I was listening to the week's History of the World in a Hundred Objects on the iplayer whilst rabbiting this morning, the one about the turquoise feathered serpent, the population being finished off by old world smallpox. I think we have forgotten how easy it is to spread viruses... this blog was actually supposed to finish with thoughts about preparing for Christmas but it seems to be finishing on a note of gloom if not doom! so think I will just stop there, I will now go forth and gather some of those rosebuds while I might, or rosehips anyway. ttfn

Not Cross

I was thinking of calling this week's blog C.r.o.s.s. (constant rain over Shetland syndrome) but look! the sun is shining today, and how peaceful it seems after seven sodding days of rain and gails. Took this little film on friday morning; I'd planned to get to the Knowes, feed the stots and be back in time to take my loaves out of the oven. Of course, the blighters were right at the top of the dog-leg park, as far up and away as they could be. I was wearing the ancient but lovely Barbour we got from Natalie and, as a consequence, the stots just weren't sure it was really me. It took a fair bit of coaxing to get them to the other end of the park where I took this film. I love it when they start to run, it reminds me of a schools radio program of my childhood - 'How things began' -with a roving reporter speaking from prehistorical La Salutre, is that right? anyway, horses being stampeded over a precipice by stone age hunters. very exciting! Oh, and the bread was just perfect.

There's a real feeling of autumn in the air; we had a fabulous week of bright sunny weather and then on Thursday I woke with a real feeling of dread at the darkness of the morning. The wind has been blowing from a different 'eart' and the starlings have been gathering on the telegraph wires (and in the byre come knock-off time.) The annual diaspora of young is well underway, hence last week's otter and the many flattened polecats on the road. Yesterday I noted ten young corbies attending to an dead sheep along by Swinister, good for them, the carrion crow has a busy and useful winter ahead. In the politunnel the leaves yellow on the mangetout making for easy picking of the last delicious pods.

But we have had a fine, blustery day with a bbq lunch followed by a brisk walk down to the ebb with five young Shannons, as merry as grigs in the late sun. a good way to end the season.

Bliss

When the sun shines in Shetland we change; we smile, we laugh, we talk to strangers in the shop. It is bliss. But the garden is full of midges, they are hovering in savage clouds around the domestic fowl.

When I returned from steam-cleaning the byre this afternoon I was looking forward to a lovely garden potter, but noooo!

So I listened to the Archers in the kitchen armchair, glass of pino grigio, my knitting, the sun streaming though the (tightly closed) french windows and it was pretty damn good.

On the way back from the Hillhead, at the junction, we came upon a young otter, wet from - well, were does the burn come through there? hesitating on the road. We let him decide which way to go but rounded the corner heading in the same direction. He bounded off though the long grass often looking back over his shoulder, aware of us watching him. What a privilege it is too live here.

As for the picture, that's the Bod beach at Ollaberry. Lizzie and I put the kayaks in there last night.

Eshaness Craft Fair

We had such a great afternoon, met up with old friends and made new ones, sold enough stuff to keep us happy, and came up with some new ideas. The other stall holders were very friendly and we were asked to to bring our wares two more pre-Christmas sales as well.

Lizzie really enjoyed the experience which is good because D and I will be in France at the first sale, so she will have to go it alone.

random photo day

OK so I'm in week four of The Artist's Way. by Julia Cameron, unblocking my cree -A-T-V-T and this week I have to give up reading!!! It's supposed to be for seven days, but having only just read that far in the book it will have to be four...ish. I've not read for about three hours. It's so hard not checking emails or peeping at facebook every five mins and then there are the usual book stops: eating, peeing, coffee, tea 15 t.p.d., when I'm bored , when I'm tired etc etc. It's as bad as giving up smoking, no really!
You sometimes come across those who proudly tell you that they never read a book; I now realise that these people must have the most amazing inner lives and be hugely creative. My lip will never curl again.
It will be interesting to see how my creativity blossoms over the coming week, Ms Cameron has not let me down so far, this might just be amazing.
well ok maybe just one last email...

Went to my first canoe club training last night, mad dash to BridgeEnd - spent too long making felt in the afternoon. Was in such a hurry forgot me dry undergarments! still, had the wetsuit Susan gave me which is brilliant. It was getting dark and a fine rain was coming in but I was determined to roll upsidedown, just to get it out of the way, and the sea was warm!

Didn't take any pics last night so here is one Angus Nicol took when we were out at Muckle Roe.

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Oh such rain! it woke me up at 3 a.m. and I started to worry about the ducklings - not enough to actually get up and move them ,there and then , but I collared them before taking Lizzie to Scatsta at 6.30. The family unit is now, rather reluctantly, in the polytunnel as you can see here.

Had to retrieve Lizzie later in the morning, because of the mist. When we got back to the house the rest of the guys had gathered in front of the p.t. like a Greek chorus quacking 'come backkk come outttt we love yr babiessss tooo' you can just see Mrs P inside looking out.

Lizzie is, as we speak, steaming sooth on the boat and I will have to get the poor duckies back into the hen-run for the night.

So two pictures to make up for being naughty for two weeks

ttfn vvn

Yes yes, I know its been two weeks but I've been busy with really boring things like painting houses (the old Hillhead white -as its a croft house, and this one green because it is D's favourite colour.) What else? hmm... so dull I've forgotten. Still, my first born duck has 'brought out' but that' s on facebook if you care to look. I usually bung eggs in the incubator but Mrs P. got into such a state I thought I should to let her have a go. I'll put up a good picture here when it stops raining.

We have a stall at a craft fair at Eshaness on the 28th. so I'm making some stuff,for that. Here are some tea cosies under construction and I'll add some coffee and egg cosies too. Wish felt didn't take such an endless time to make. Still my Fabulous Feltomatic makes a huge difference. will show you more later.

Saturday

Spent a blissful afternoon bobbing around St.Magnus Bay with Susan (thanks, it was just bliss) so cool and calm in the gray misty rain, the sea seemed thick and smooth like wobbly jelly. Alas no camera, might risk it next time with the old one .

So, do you remember the new duckling from last month? Well here she is with her siblings, some of whom, as you can see, are turkeys. So sweet, the turkeys are very gentle and responsive, it is as though they are actually aware of you as more than just the Great Provider. Can imagine them flapping fondly towards the Pilgrim Fathers the day before the first thanksgiving.

drying

This is a variation on something you can still see in Shetland pretty often: saat piltocks drying on the clothesline.

The kids went off on the boat sunday night and brought back some lovely fat mackerel and these.

It was great that Emmie managed go fishing whilst home from London this trip, and catch some good fish. We also went kayaking out at MuckleRoe last week, which was really good fun too.

Looking it this picture reminds me of another Shetland pass time; a hundred and one things to do with a blue bin!

smoker

The Bradly smoker is a huge success and the ham tastes wonderful!
You know, when I was a kid you could buy ham, like this in taste and texture, cut off the bone, from pretty much any grocer shop. If you asked they would give you a finished bone for nothing to make split pea soup. I asked to buy a ham bone in the co-op not so long ago and was told they couldn't even give it for nothing because of 'health and safety'. Two issues for discussion there but I'm just gonna move on...

My dear pussy

sorry, have to show you this one , Pussyone in the evening light.

Finished constructing our Bradley smoker this morning, clamped onto the side of an old Ollaberry Shop chill cabinet. Taken hams out of the freezer to smoke tomorrow. Think we may try a box of haddocks if we can get hold of one.

The sky cleared this afternoon so back onto fence maintenance.

Here is Drew, this afternoon, looking down to the Orwick Burn with Ronas Voe in the distance.

Made game pie for supper last night; pigeon, rabbit, duck and cockerel with shortcrust made with dripping. yum. It fed six last night another three tonight (Chris came up) and still enough for lunch da morn.

Hi Laura, yes we got the instructions online from one of those excellent U.S.butchery sites. Lizzie's laptop on the side covered in clingfilm, easy. We did it over two days this time, (as there where two pigs) making the sausage meat the second day; flavoured it with packets of mixed up herb/spice from Scoop, utterly delish.

Well, the soap was a real success; traced in two hours and solid by this morning. the brown one is ground coffee, good for really dirty/oniony hands and the other is oatmeal and honey, soothing for sensitive little flowers like me. Will cut it into bars tonight and then it'll have to cure for a month or two.

Isn't it great when things work!

Just started reading the book that Laura sent me, loving it. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. Reminds me of Willa Catha and also E. Annie Proux.

Right, off to collect some cow poo for to send off to the vet, part of this new Government animal health initiative, what fun.

soap

Good, another rainy day, so soap making commences.

Looking back at my notes kept on the endpapers of 'Handmade soap' by Tatyana Hill, I see that it is ten years since I started, but four years since I last made soap. (College 'creativity' was enough for me to cope with!)

Some of the comments are amusing in their desperation, the issue is always 'when will the damn thing trace! ' anything from 20 mins for mutton fat to a whole day for olive and sunflower oil.

This batch is made with lard (from when Lizzie and I cut up the pigsin spring) some olive oil, coconut oil, which is ten years old, and beeswax which I found at a motorway caff somewhere around Gretna. It looks promising......

Rain

Goodness, I've been up that ladder for along time! Well that's how it seems to have been recently, the days drifting by in a haze of pottering; fixing fences, entertaining friends, watching Japanese films with Em, who is home for a run and... oh yes, I went to the dentist yesterday (small filling next month.)
Today it is raining, so here is a picture of that. The forecast is for a wet week so it will be inside jobs for a while. I think we might make soap tomorrow so will tell you how we get on. ttfn.

wednesday morning

I've spent the whole morning pottering, lurking inside. The bright, clear, breezy day means just one thing for me, itching eyes and sneeezing.
But I really have to go over to the Hillhead and finish painting the other side of the nissan hut today so I'm hoping that I won't sneeze myself off the ladder.
Haven't wasted the morning though, I made jam from the last of the frozen black-currents (looks like a bumper crop forming for this year) and have done masses of washing.
This is a pic I took last painting day; funny, it seemed so much higher at the time!

more cute stuff

...and while we're on the subject, saw this little fellow coming around the house at about 5am the morning I flew south. They really do snort and snuffle like little pigs. Reminds me of the time last year when I was setting traps for polecats around by the hen house; every morning the trap would contain a sleeping hedgehog probably the same one of course dropping by for his hearty (meaty) breakfast. I wonder if this is the same one?

Came home last night to find the newest member of the family. It doesn't matter how many eggs I bring out it still gives me great pleasure. This is he/she learning to eat.

standard felting kit

yes, you have to read while you roll. re-reading this one, the Isabel Dalhousie books are just so good.

As you can see, I've finally started on the felt 'sketches' for a new panel. Should have planned what I want to do by the time we make the felting area in the politunnel extension and a new, higher, felting table.

What a great week, Glasgow was bathed in sun for Lizzie's and David's graduation. such a happy day with lunch at Sarti and dinner at Crabshakk. even the hour sitting, sipping, on the pavement waiting for our table felt as if it were planned. Six young cousins and Tom's lovely girlfriend and we two lucky oldies.

So, back home and it is back to gray and blustery. Better da morn I hope as I will have to continue painting the Nissan hut and the black gloss does blow about so.

nettle and hemp

This is a sample made from hemp and nettle fibre that I've had for nearly two years. I originally bought the stuff when I was thinking of writing my dissertation on alternative fibres (but didn't) and it has been at the back a cupboard, and also my mind, since.

The spur to finally weave it up came from reading an entry on http://davidtaylardaniels.com/blog a couple of months ago. I was delighted when David posted about weaving a scarf from hemp yarn; he explained in detail how problematic the process was but the resulting scarf was beautiful. So that was the incentive I needed; I bought a nice little Ashford table-top from Sheila Dixon at shiela@handspinner.co.uk

I haven't woven for two years and it soon became clear that I'd pretty much forgotten everything I'd learnt at college. However, once on the loom again I found that I knew just enough to realise that things were going horribly horribly wrong, also this stuff is really awkward to work with, it feel strong but abrades quite badly being so slubby. I suspect that the stuff David Daniels used might have been of better quality.

So anyway, I've been working with it for the last three or four days and then last night I just took me sheares and just cut off the warp and I'm now threading up for the third time.

However, I really am learning by these mistakes and I feel quite optimistic today and won't give up.

This bit looks like an old tattie sack doesn't it? Will let you see the rest by the weekend with luck.

Hall teas last sunday in aid of the local Cattle Compensation Society so us crofty wives baked fancies and some made quiches and bannocks and all that good stuff.

I've been involved with 'hall teas', on and off, for maybe 25 years; it is a good way of fundraising for the hall say or the Christmas treat or the cattle comp. and once for Tamil Nadu.

In the early days the requirement was 6 dozen fancies but I suspect that, these days, many bake far more. I'm not the worlds most enthusiastic baker, bread excepted, but I enjoy making butterfly cakes, It's what I made as a child in my Grannies kitchen, creating a huge mess and getting grumbled at. I still make a hug mess. but butterfly cakes are utterly delicious.

We did well considering it is the middle of 'Hamefaring' and there was much competition from other halls and events around Shetland. We made over £900.

The midges and the pine pollen have driven me in, that'll teach me to start cutting the grass at 9p.m.
I spent the afternoon clearing old fencing away in the north hill park. We have a smart new fence up there erected by contractors; its a bit like having the kitchen painted by a real decorator, they do a great job fast and don't make a mess-but on a huge scale. Drew will be home tomorrow so we'll scoop up the piles of stuff with the tractor and I've recovered lots of lovely wire pulleys, you can see some of them here.
Lizzie, has just phoned to say she's gotten a 2.1 well done you!

Tea time

Hmmm, well, not the most attractive loaf but that's sour dough for you. To be honest I think I would much rather use the old packet yeast and get something that look and smells 'right' cos you don't get that lovely home baked smell with this either.

Still, it will probably taste just fine, especially with lots of butter and jam and lots and lots of coffee; a breakfast fit for Kipling? we'll see.

Mr Kipling's bread

This morning I'm starting a loaf with Bateman's flour. This is the mill in the grounds of Rudyard Kipling's house in East Sussex.

I'm using a sourdough 'mother' so it will take all day to prove and it will go into the oven at around teatime.

I was worried that the little mother wouldn't survive being in the fridge for two weeks but, being fed and warmed last night, she has woken her up nicely.

This is stone ground 100% wholemeal so will add a some strong white to give a little lift. I'll show you the result tonight.

In the mean time am off to put up some barbed wire.

Back in Shetland

...safe and sound after our trip through England, 1600 mile if you count the two ferry journeys, and it was just brilliant.

The first day we drove from Aberdeen down through Scotland to Carlyle, for lunch, then on down to Derbyshire.

Being a true Londoner I seem to know very little of my native land and, to be honest, at heart I kinda thought that maybe it really was - well, you know... 'grim up north' but it isn't! is absolutely stunning!

just look at this picture, it was taken a couple of miles outside Matlock where we stayed for a few days with old friends.

I'm used to Scotland being grand and glorious- which it is- but seeing England from top to bottom like this was a revelation. I guess it has a lot to do with the really long winter we have had this year here in the islands, but all that lush green and all those wonderful trees just fed my soul.

On the other hand Bisi gave me an absolute stinker of a cold, doubtless a thoroughly northern strain, from which I am only just recovering.

Took a last look at the babes before heading off for our trip, they have grown loads. As I told you on the other blog, the nest is in the slurry pit at the back of the byre. We have now taken off some of the concrete slabs and floated a piece of ply on the slurry so with luck and a following wind they should make it out some time soon.

We are off on the boat tonight and will be driving down to Rye on the south coast of England. We'll stop for the weekend with friends in Derbyshire.

Should be back up in Shetland on the 7th. So ttfn

Hooray, I've made it back! Thanks for all your help, Lizzie, the kiwi guy and especially Fiona for pointing the way.

... so anyway, what weather we are having here in sunny Shetland, it was actually hailing last night (no really) and I was curled up with a cat on a blanket watching 'Lewis' for all the world as if it were winter.

Finished off a pile of brooches - 'fairisle tarts' to take into Fiona at 'Muggie's' this afternoon,http://www.designedinshetland.co.uk/



Our bunnies have been on her web shop for a while but this is the first time they have gone into the shop and the 'tarts' are new, I made some for the Shetland College design student's fund -raiser and thought they were rather sweet; I made one as a hair slide for Lizzie to wear at her graduation ball. looking forward to putting up a picture of that.
Really looking forward to the Shetland college Degree show next month, can't believe that was me last year, the best and most rewarding three years of my life.

just starting out

Hi this is my first post to my brand new blog!