Sunday 27 June 2010

(Trying something new) Photohunt - purple

Having browsed around some other blogs, I came across Photohunt. It seems like an interesting idea so I thought I'd attempt to join in (although my photos are not going to be up to the amazing standard of some I have seen).
Very much a beginner so here's hoping it works. Maybe those who visit could give me some tips if I don't get it right?
Anyway, here's my "purple"....


Summer Holiday

First thing tomorrow morning, I'm off on holiday with the BF and my 2 cherubs.
5 days at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest should keep the kids well entertained and give us all a bit of relaxation. We've got sailing lessons, high ropes course and badminton courts booked and I'm sure we'll try out many other activities. It may not sound like relaxation to some people, but that's what works for us!

Thursday 24 June 2010

Monday 21 June 2010

World Cup


I'm not a football fan, but I did hear that OXO are introducing a new white cube with a red cross in support of the England world cup squad ........................................................................................ it's called the laughing stock.

Sunday 20 June 2010

Saturday 19 June 2010

Happy Birthday!

Thirteen years ago today I gave birth to my second son.
It was a 26hr labour (half the time of my first labour) and when he eventually made an appearance his heart had stopped and he was making no breathing effort.
It took 6 minutes to start his heart and 11 minutes before he took a breath. As he was rushed out of the delivery room to the special care baby unit, we were told to expect the worst.
I was in shock and vomiting constantly due to my reaction to the pain relief I had been given. The best prognosis I was given was that there was about a 50% chance of brain damage and he would be hospitalised for at least 4 weeks.
But he was determined to prove everyone wrong (and has been ever since). He fed from me straight away despite the dextrose drip providing all the nutrition he required - the nurses were astonished. After 2 days he was breastfeeding normally, and after 5 days they removed his drip and monitors and brought him through to my room. The consultant who had delivered him said she had never seen a recovery like that from such a traumatic birth!
We were told to return to hospital to have his development checked every month, then every 3 months for the first 3 years. The consultant discharged him at 18 months saying he was well above average development for his age.
He surprised me from the moment he was born and continues to do so constantly - my pride and joy!!!

Euan  - meaning Young Warrior


Wednesday 16 June 2010

Nonsense

The common cormorant or shag
Lays eggs inside a paper bag
The reason you will see no doubt
Its to keep the lightning out
But what these unobservant birds
Have never noticed is that herds
Of wandering bears may come with buns
And steal the bags to hold the crumbs.

(Christopher Isherwood from Poems Past and Present 1959)

Monday 14 June 2010

In my garden

I am a rubbish gardener. My dodgy back makes it impossible to dig or weed for more than a couple of minutes at a time, and as a consequence, my garden is not what you would call 'well kept'.
However, I love my little garden.
I have a couple of favourite areas....

This is the 'wild area', the birds love the bird bath and there are lupins, foxgloves, iceland poppies (yes I know they are weeds to some people) and a crab apple tree.



This is my little herb garden with bronze fennel, marjoram, two different kinds of thyme, sage, lemon balm, chives, some rocket just planted and a honeysuckle coming over the bird table at the back.

And these Aquilegia (or Columbine) are my favourite flowers in the garden - I have beautiful dark blue ones as well.

But my favourite thing in the garden is this........
....a fantastic little victoria plum tree which crops reliably well year after year.
And by the look of those branches there could be some more plum chutney this year :-)))))


Sunday 13 June 2010

Easy or hard?

Another mystery photo. I think it's quite easy, but then I know where it is......


Wednesday 9 June 2010

A mystery to me

Why do people watch Big Brother?
Suggestions please...........

Monday 7 June 2010

Sandwood Bay part 2

The photos in the previous post tell most of the story.
We left Perth early on Friday morning and drove for about 5 hours (with just a brief T & P stop) to a tiny hamlet called Blairmore, which is as far north west as it is posiible to go without falling off Scotland.
A 4.5 mile walk took us to the start of Sandwood Bay, a glorious 2 mile long stretch of unspoilt beach with sand dunes and a large freshwater loch behind it. There was only one tent pitched in the dunes (where most people chose to camp) which had to bode well for our favoured spot to be vacant. We found this spot last year and it ticked all the boxes, over the next headland from the main bay, with its own beach, a little burn for fresh water and only reached by a strenuous climb over the headland.
As we reached our spot, the weather, which had been warm and sunny up until then, started to look more ominous. Black clouds appeared in the south followed by a distant rumble of thunder. We managed to pitch our tent about 20 minutes before the full storm was overhead.
It just added to the fun, cosy inside our tent with plastic cups full of red wine, and the thunder and lightning raging overhead.
Just over an hour later, in brilliant sunshine again we were on our deserted beach cooking pasta for dinner!
We slept like logs and after breakfast and a 3 mile jaunt up into the hills the next morning, we broke camp and headed back to the car in the mid afternoon.
From 4pm on Friday until 2pm on Saturday we neither saw nor heard another living soul. No phones, no TV, no music and no sounds of "civilisation" at all.
We saw gannets and terns diving, fulmars, frogs, dragonflies, a heron, several red kites and 3 great skuas.
There is no better way to unwind.
We will be back next year......

Sunday 6 June 2010

Sandwood Bay

I was going to write a long piece about the weekend I've just had, but I can't find the words to describe it so the pictures will have to do it for me.....