Scrubber!

James has definitely found his true vocation. Forget education, he is going to open his own laundry service featuring his patented (pending) washing system. Also know as the bucket!

He did a great job, the jackets were most certainly beading, as were his hands!!!!

It says you can wash Paramo in the washing machine, but we think there is still too much detergent build up. So a bucket and hot water is all that's needed to avoid the problem. Lets see if it works in the rain. We both have memories of being frozen in January in first rain then snow and sub zero conditions. Not nice!

Life's a beach

In between rain clouds we have managed to investigate life in the rock pools, crabs, fish, anemones, hermit crabs and more. Esmé is enthralled, although the crab in the picture gave her a fright!



















In contrast to the leaden skies of last week this morning was bright from first thing. Just as well since Gwen had offered to walk Cola. Plenty of Jelly fish on the beach and Cola had a good time although he must have wondered why it took 3 hours. But Esmé managed along the beach up Craigmill Den and back through Panbride all without help. But she definately doesn't want a dog now that she knows you have to do that twice a day.

Batties Den

Craigmill Den and The Fairy Steps

The beach and Craigmill Den

The garden today

Sites using our pics.

We do check from time-to-time to see who is using our pictures and I found this one of Tom Buidhe in use. Presumably we are the only people boring enough to have posted a picture of the round lump on the internet. It was a nice day a year ago in April and we had lunch on Tolmount looking down Glen Callater then came back via Tom Buidhe and down across the White Water into Glen Doll. We need to get back to the hills sometime soon!

Light nights

Taken at 10.15 pm on Saturday after a day of intermittent showers. But by half eight when we left for Craigmill Den it was gorgeous. The clouds that had delivered rain all day made up for it by providing an ever changing drama in the sky. Bright rays in the north east and subtle pinks to the south and west. While all the time the sunset played out more tangibly amongst the trees and flowers.

As Gwen and I came back towards Easthaven the heron that fishes the rock pools and the mouth of the burn came to find it's supper. While most birds find their true form and grace in flight, this cannot be said of the heron. The heron in flight is an ugly and unshapely creature however, once poised to strike, it's slender dancers form reflected in a pool seems altogether a different. We watched enchanted as it struck at the unfortunates hidden in the water.

All of that and we managed to decorate Esmé's bedroom as a surprise for her. She loves pink and Hello Kitty. Her room now ticks both of those boxes. It was all a big surprise and she loves it.

Apart from all of that I am missing the hills, Esmé (who is at nursery) and Gwen (who doesn't come off until the end of the month).

Congratulations James!!!!!!!!!!!!

James has passed his Teacher Training, we just found out this evening.

He has worked really, really hard and now deserves a good break, before starting his Probationary year in Dundee, at the start of the new term.

Well done James, you are a star!!!!!!!

Lots of Love, Gwen xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The wonderful world of real ale!!!!

James is in holiday mode and the sun is shining and I am back at work. Not fair!!! To be fair the kids are all being great and it is good to catch up with work friends properly too.

However, James being off while I am working does have it's benefits, I came home from work tonight and was utterly delighted to discover the truly amazing meal that James had conjured up for me.

And here it is Pan Fried Pork in a Real Ale Gravy, served with Mustard Mash, Green Beans and Courgette Ribbons!!!!!!! Accompanied by more Real Ale...mmmm...Seven Giraffes to be precise, which happens to be one of my favourite Real Ales. Graeme's friend Joe has impecable taste in whisky and he also happened to introduced me to the wonders of Seven Giraffes ~ thanks Joe :-)

Needless to say Esmé had her tea earlier and was off to bed and sound asleep by the time we had ours!

Thank you James, you're a superstar!

Now a word from the chef himself!

That recipé in full:

Caramalise onions in pan, then add to dish.
Seal and colour pork in the aforementioned pan, then add to the dish.
Deglaze the pan with Morland Brewery's Hen's Tooth, add orange and lemon zest and small amount of freshly ground chilli.
Pour all into the dish and stick it in the oven.

Meanwhile boil tatties, steam your courgette ribbons and green beans over this pot.
Mash your tatties - add butter, milk, grain mustard and season.

Serve with Isabella's Goosberry Jam with lemon and ginger.

To accompany a bottle of Williams Bros Brewing Co. Seven Giraffes. The beer is brewed with elderflowers and lemon zest that give it a light refreshing taste.

Catching up with life

The course is over!!!!!!

I find out on Thursday if the e-portfolio is OK and I vist my school for next year, Craigiebarns.

But I can catch up with Gwen and Esmé now, eventually. The last five weeks especially have been a lot of work and I couldn't have done it without Gwen x.

So catch up 1, my favourite photo of the garden in May. The forget-me-nots are already past :(

Esmé now has her own
bit of the garden and she is chuffed to bits. She has planted onions, garlic and mint. As well as those the sunflowers should be ready to transplant in the next couple of days. But, alongside the horticulture there was drama - when I went to get compost and disturbed a bumble bee nest Glad it wasn't wasps!




And Gwen and I's Beach combing find of the day.

Recycling!

It is a wet Sunday and here I am trying to finish off my e-portfolio, but you know how tempting other things become when you have work to do.

So I made the windmill I have been thinking about for the last couple of weeks. It's made of old plastic bags!!!! (patent pending)

We have been doing recycling in Primary 1 and I can't think of a better use for carrier bags.












For anyone who missed the potions here it is recreated by Niall and Esmé in our garden. Now imagine it with 24 children all aged 5!!!!! They loved it.















OK must go do some more work.