plans

This is how the vegetable beds were planted this year, square foot style. I haven't any proper plans from previous years though sucesses and failures were mostly noted in a diary. Traditional rotation really doesn't fit into this style of intermingled planting so I try to be careful not to have the same crop following on in the same square. Not everything in this years plan grew, beetroot and parsnips being almost total failures.
This is the time of year when seed companys send their catalouges throught the post to tempt keen gardeners into parting with their money. I will read and make notes in the seed catalouges, my imagination will overtake ability , it will also outgrow the time and space I have available! There are still some unopened seed packets lurking guiltily in the bottom of the box so I will have to take them into account when making purchases. Another winter plan is to build a nice wooden cold-frame, for which I already have a lovely lid of tempered glass from an internal glazing unit, recycling.

sweet-corn

its the first in five years, a cob of corn!
I think it is slightly under ripe but its fine to go in salad
there is a swirl of hairs up the stem of the sweet-corn. It just hasn't had a long enough seasonand there isn't much shelter in the garden. I will have to do some research into quicker maturing varieties.

neighbors view

the 'front' garden from a neighbors window yesterday morning. I think considering the time of year its still fairly green, leaves are coming of the tree but it still looks ok. Monday has dawned dreich, so its a fine day to go back into work, I find myself reluctant to go.

Sunday morning

sunny morning, sitting with a cup of coffee
the sun catching the dew along the leeks
shining leaves of purple brussels
I find it difficult to capture spiders webs on camera, the auto-focus always wants to focus through it and I still find manual focus too tricky.

horses and harness

Jean and Rosie, driving along with Samba

I went off to Dumfriesshire for a refresher driving lesson on Tuesday. I actually managed to persuade my daughter Rosie to come with us! She makes a marvellous horse brusher, but isn't overly keen and this is probably enough 'to do with horses' to last her for a few years. Jean is very expert and shows and competes her ponys regularly.

After driving Samba part of my refresher lesson was taking his harness and fitting it to a smaller pony, Teddy, who is just the nicest wee pony. I am frowning quite seriously in this photograph, trying to dredge information from the dark recesses of my brain while Jean looks on.

I'm glad I had the lesson, I had offered to help with Smokey today, and although this is what I used to do both with my own pony and as a job it's been a few years. It was lovely to meet Smokey and his mum, we long-reined him along the road and back, he's a super horse and I hope to go and see them again soon. The folks at work were quite surprised when I said 'driving lesson' that I meant 'of horse' and not 'of car'.

young Angus grows!

blogger problems

the side bar and links seem to have dissapeared. I am going to have a futer with it to see what happens.

trailer

I have been looking for a trailer to tow behind my bike. I would like to use it for shopping and 'stuff'. this is the only one I have found, its designed for two children, hence the marvelously colourful hood. I am not convinced its 'up to' the purposes I have in mind for it but will give it a try as it was on sale, a bargain see. apart from building my own(other wise known as convincing somebody I have yet to find they want to build it for me) I have no idea where to get one without spending a fortune.

http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html#3
http://www.cyclecircus.org/images/colortrailer5.gif

up the garden path

great excitment this morning, arrival of a big lorry

carefully, carefully, inbetween the tree and the signpost

impressive!
stones into the wheelbarrow and onto the path, you know the one I've been able to see in my minds eye for about five years

they look darker because they're still covered in wet sand

ta da!! I'm away for a walk up the garden path.

for Peppylady

Peppylady mentioned she liked a primula photograph I had posted. I don't remember which one now so here is a selection.
Primula vulgaris, cowslip
double red
I forget this one, its either 'bulleyana' or beesiana'
unnamed
Primula vialii
Primula auricula 'Matilda Baker'
unnamed
Primula 'Pettycoats'
Primula 'Marie Crouse'

lost name

on the road

I took these on the way to Lochgoilhead on Tuesday
they are all taken from the same place
the sun and clouds racing over and changing from second to second
the road down I didn't recognise
but I drove back in the moonlight without thinking for a while, and then laughed out loud. I know this road, I've driven it so often, just not for a long time. and I missed it too.

autumn tidy

the greenhouse has been swept out and furniture moved around. I placed some flowering pots in there to see if they will keep flowering for longer now the nights are getting chilly and some days are outright miserable.

Kathatkali

I travelled to Lochgoilhead yesterday to see this performance.

The Kala Cheena Kathakali Company perform Hima Sundari

Hima Sundari is in the garden thinking about how she was born a princess and is now a servant in her own palace. She is deeply sad with nobody to tell of her tragic life until she meets a Prince while gathering flowers in the Palace garden.

The Price and Hima Sundari

She tells him that her stepmother killed her parents and is trying to kill her. The Prince begs her to leave with him , but afraid of the Queen , she refuses, telling him to forget her. He vows to return to release her from her stepmothers evil domination.

The Evil Queen

The Queen is in the palace reflecting on her good looks when she notices her beauty is fading. She asks the lake"Who is the most beautiful?" "The Princess" is the reply! She vows to kill the princess and calls for her sevant to kill her then bring back her heart as evidence.

The Evil Servant

The young girl is caught by the servant and pleads for her life.

The Evil Servant and Hima Sundari

Realising the Queen is evil he relaeases her then takes the heart of a deer to the Queen. She rewards him with a garland of flowers. The lake continues to tell her that the Princess is the most beautiful so the Queen vows to kill her personally.

Hima Sundari and the Evil Queen in disguise

The Queen, in disguise, enters the forest carrying the venom of a snake. Finding the home where Hima Sundari has found sanctuary she invites her to take a walk but Hima Sundari refuses. Eventually the Queeen tempts her with fruit to come outside. Hima Sundari eats the poisoned fruit and falls to the ground. The Queen changes back into her arrogant character and rejoices.

The Prince searching for his Princess

The Prince is sleeping in his palace thinking of his beloved. Awaking he rellises he has been dreaming and begins to search for the Princess.

After years of searching he sees vultures flying over the lifeless body of the Princess beign cared for by animals. Elephants taking water from the river for her and peacocks spreading their tails to keep her cool.

He covers her with flower petals. Overcome with grief he turns to leave then miraculously the scent of the flowers wakes her up, bringing them together again.

The Prince and Pricess leave together

The Queen and her servant attack the couple, the Prince kills the Queen and is about to kill the servant when the Princess begs for lenicancy. The servant is realeased and they leave to make a new life together.

book tag!

I have been tagged by Kati to answer these questions about books.

1.One book that changed my life
Women Who Love too Much, forgotten the author and its currently lent out to a friend in need. We need to learn not to let the world walk over us, over and over again!
2.One book I have read more than once
I have read every book I own more than once, and I'm just working my way round the library.
3.One book I'd want to have on a desert island
A dictionary
4.One book that made me laugh
The Works, selected poems by Pam Ayers.
5.One book that made me cry
A Scots Quair, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, which is three books bound into one volume, I suddenly realise I am near the end and start to cry, reading the last pages through a blur.
6.One book I wish had been written
A book of really working magical spells that do your housework
7.One book I wish had never been written
don't know
8.One book I am currently reading
Winters Heart, book 9 of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. I read a lot of fiction fantasy, I like to escape the drudgery of this world.
9.One book I have been meaning to read
The next book in the series of Wheel of Time.

Books are an important part of my life, for learning and sharing.

more Kilmartin photo's