Friday 11th August 2023

Almost mid-August, and the sunflowers are blooming. I don’t normally grow them, but this year I have about a dozen dotted about the croft and garden in different stages of their rising and setting. My mother once grew a sunflower at my childhood home, and it grew right up to the second floor window. I recently posted a picture of it on a local Facebook page and it engendered quite a reaction. I was surprised, and touched at the number of people who remembered it, almost fifty years later.

It’s been a decent few months here in the Hebrides. The weather has been more summery than not. The holidaymakers have arrived in their tour buses, campervans, bicycles, and cars, and the island is busy. I have had my own visitors too. From midsummer onwards, I have enjoyed the company of a series of family and friends. Our days have been full with visits to the beach, leisurely wandering around galleries, a trip down to Harris, even a wedding at the standing stones. Much of the time, however, has been spent drinking endless cups of tea around the kitchen table, chatting, laughing, reminiscing - re-filling our cups in more ways than one.

Wednesday 11th January 2023

No school today as teachers were on strike, but the boy was still working at home, because there are prelim exams next week.

It was nice not to have to set an early alarm, and I slept in until 9 am! That kind of upset my routine somewhat, but I pottered around and did get some tidying up and laundry done.

When I went to make dinner, however, I discovered that the steaks I had taken out the freezer was actually boiling beef, so we ended up with a frittata type of thing instead.

Meetings are starting back up again, and I had my first one yesterday. Fortunately it was on zoom, as it was a pretty stormy evening, and I didn’t want to move far from the fireside. I also typed up the minutes for one of my other committees, which meets at the end of the month. I am usually rushing at the last moment to do this, so it felt good to get that out of the way.

I’ve started reading Tristram Shandy, and I’m struggling with it. I know it’s a notoriously odd book, and I am finding it really quite funny. The trouble is I have to wade through an awful lot of text to get there. I’ll give it a bit longer.

Thursday 15th September 2022

Well it's definitely Autumn now. The evenings are darker and it's much colder. I've been wearing wool socks and the heating is timed to come on for an hour before we get up - just to take the chill off.

I've been busy in the garden and polycrubs, getting my winter crops in, and harvesting the end of summer crops. Mostly beans, it has to be said. Runner beans and climbers. I'm freezing half as demi-sec beans and leaving the rest to dry completely. I have a great bed of carrots and onions, which I am just picking as I need them, for now, and some cabbage and broccoli in the other bed, as well as undercover.

I've planted out the polycrub up at the house with all sorts of stuff - mostly leafy greens, salads and brassicas, but there are carrots, beets and Christmas potatoes in there too.

I've still a couple of jobs to finish off, but I am very happy with all I've achieved. I'm glad I concentrated on the winter veg this year - it feels very satisfying.

The Queen died last week. I don't think I've written a blog post since then. I'm not a great fan of the royals - but it did make me think about my Mother's last days, so I was sad for the family. It will be interesting to see if and how attitudes change now she has gone.

Bake- off is back. Another lovely group of people in the tent, and the new series of All Creatures Great and Small started tonight. I recorded it to watch later in the week.

I'm almost finished the top I am knitting- just one sleeve to go. It's been a bit of a slog - now into the third month, but I'm excited to finish it now. I tried it on tonight, when I cast off the first sleeve and I am so pleased with how it looks.

That's really it for now. Usual housework and runs into town. Food shopping, gym, boxing and pizza tomorrow. I do like a Friday.