Fast food.............

Here in my holiday house I have the use of a large range cooker with a gas hob.  Having used a solid fuel Rayburn at home for 14+ years now, all I can say is what a difference!  The speed of the gas is astounding, had forgotten how fast it was, and it doesn't need constant attention and supervision lol  I also have the use of a microwave, which is interesting. I'm  not a fan of them for many reasons, but thought I'd try a baked tattie the other night; the inside was beautifully done, soft and fluffy, but the skin was soft and droopy with no flavour  at all - usually my favourite part on them, but not his time. Toaster and kettle also take getting used to, much faster than mine! However, I do miss my stove, especially for sitting up close to in the evenings, and snoozing by on a chilly afternoon ( yes, I know it's August!). Today I made blueberry pancakes for lunch Still enjoying my holiday immensely - there are a few things I miss, but I will be back soon enough and am lucky to have another week here, although next week will be noisier as there are some builders coming to do some outside work, which involves erecting scaffolding and things. I must remember to get dressed when I get up then................   ;) ! Finished this today too, part of the holiday stash busting, knitted from the North Ronaldsay wool I spun the other day :)

Frugal Friday - not!

If only.................... :)  Well, a woman can dream :) http://search.knightfrank.com/edn100122 I would buy the islands and move up there. I would have a simple house and a simple life. I would take my Scots Dumpies, have some Shetland sheep and a couple of Shetland cows, some Shetland ducks.  I would spend the rest of my days in peace and solitude,  just watching the world from there. How marvelous would that be?  Am sending it out to the universe right now :)

Hat in a day

http://figheade.blogspot.co.uk/

Lughnasadh blessing

The original harvest festival, celebrated on 1st  August, the beginning of the harvest season. Traditonally based around wheat, loaves are baked and the blessed and shared - one of my favourite festivals of the year. May your corn ripe well And your fruits grow sweet, Love and abundance at your feet; May your harvest feed you And never doubt, It will feed you both within and out. May your heart be still And your soul at rest Know that you are truly blest. Blessings on this special day xx

Cooking for one

This is a real novelty for me!  After 25 years odd of catering for others plus me, here I am with just myself to cook for. I always thought I wouldn't bother cooking much or properly, but  I'm really enjoying it so far, and there's a lot less washing up  lol Today's lunch was an omelette with Double Gloucester cheese and sweet onion, and a watercress and orange salad - very nice :) I spent the morning working on the first project for our forum CoLympics - a bit of fun over at Creative Living forum. The idea is to start a project (anything that takes your fancy) during the opening ceremony and have it finished by the end of the closing ceremony.  My challenge to myself is to catch up on a lot of spinning I need to get done, and frist on the bobbins was a smallish amount of North Ronaldsay fleece, resulting in about 70g of finished wool. Not sure what I'll do with it but it'll probably be part of a larger project 0 then again it may not.  The great thing about craft work is that you can form plans in your head as you work :)

Now...........

......  it really feels like a holiday -  long shower and hair wash, rare cooked breakfast, leisurely  pot of really good coffee and still in my nightie   lol Just going to get dressed, tidy around in the kitchen then get on the wheel for some serious spinning :)

Chick flick - MrsL's Magnificent 7 !

Have surpassed myself this morning  in the technology department!  Firstly worked out how to take a short film on my camera, then transferred it on to the laptop and then uploaded it to Youtube. Behold the day old or so Scots Dumpy chicks :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md2FAb5byMA&feature=plcp

Sunday morning

- and day 2 of my holiday :)   Woke up to find number 7 chick had arrived ovrnight, so very pleased with 7 out of 9 viable eggs. Yesterday, I was worried about number 5, took a very very ong time to hatch, and I had to help the wee soul right at the end, s/he was exhausted. The first couple of hours wa spent just lying there in the incubator with the occasional peeping , and a small chick, I didn't expect her/him to survive. However, the arrival of number 6 must have geed them on, and within an hour or so, both were up and running about, wobbly and funny. Add in  number 7 today and it's pretty noisy here!  All seem healthy and happy so far, and the older ones are at the chick crumbs and drinking. Here we go, a day old Scots Dumpy chick - you won't see many of them about, being a rare breed, but they are all dear little things, and I think I'll keep them here with me rather than send them home to be looked after! Yesterday was spent doing very  little at all, but I woke up this morning feeling much better than I hve done, both mentally and physicaly for quite a while. The sun is shining too, which helps a lot. I brought a big pile of fleece/s etc with me, really need to get a lot of spinning done, so will hopefully get to sit outside with the wheel later.  Been a great holiday so far :)