'Legless' January photo

This is my entry for the 'January' photo competion over at Living Gorgeously.
It seems very fitting that Santa would be found lying in a field, legless, now that everyone has forgotten him. For those who've not heard the term legless, it means drunk, very drunk. And there were about 6 empty beer bottles lying near by so it is very fitting that he is legless in every sense of the word. Poor Santa, January must be tough for him.

The above shot is my favourite because it looks more surreal and the darker sky seems more like January, but I also like this sunnier one that has more context and shows his full body, or what there is of it, so this can be an entry too...



Now usually we only see him sitting with kids on his knees, or facing us. But when he is drunk he has no shame and will let any casual passer by photograph his bottom...





I like his swirly beard.

I stumbled across him 2 weeks ago and have been attempting to photograph him in decent light and without Marley dragging me through barbed wire to get to him. Even without legs he's about 5 feet tall, and appropriately round. Here's one of my colder morning photo's where I managed to prop him up for a minute before the wind toppled him....

Donna Hay magazine

I bought a tiny organic violet turnip because I liked it's subtle colours.

This morning my Living Etc. arrived with a little Donna Hay magazine supplement inside. I knew Living Etc. carried recipes by Donna Hay but had no idea that in Australia there was an entire magazine. It is described as 'the world's most beautiful food magazine' and I'd have to agree if the supplement is an accurate reflection, the photographs were absolutely beautiful. And the recipes sound delicious and simple.

If I didn't already receive Living Etc. I'd buy it for the Donna Hay. Go, Buy! And if you really have cash to splash you can subscribe to the full Donna Hay magazine here.

By happy coincidence, some of the shots match my turnip so here are a couple, excuse picture quality, I was in bed with bad light and I'd crumpled the pages a bit. The real thing is focussed and flawless.

Good hard & bad hard

Good hard was meeting with the FAB woman from Barkbusters who came to train Marley yesterday. Or rather, to train us. It was very effective so we are both feeling very good about it all and you get her services for a full year.

Bad hard was getting a letter from the company manager saying I'm being called in for a meeting to discuss my future with them. Given that I had a confrontation with a lower manager last week, I'm guessing he is not calling me in to promote me. Here's hoping I have a job next month, winter is not a nice time to be unemployed! These pictures from a walk earlier this week seemed appropriate...







Bubamaca has done the some gorgeous bold embroidery on the collar of her winter coat.

Burns Night

Update - I've just revisted this post and seen how weird the fonts have gone, hope this fixes it a little though only a complete re-write will fix properly - sorry.

It's Burns night here in Scotland and we traditionally celebrate with a Burns Supper. Last year we had it in the Arctic Circle. except when it was all made it turned out Andy had bought the meat haggis instead of the veggie one, so I couldn't have it. I was so upset - and hungry.

No time to blog with pictures but I like a vegetarian haggis from here on Burns night (and any other cold night for that matter). Eugh I hear many of you say, but strust me VEGGIE HAGGIS IS DELICIOUS. I've lost count of how many meat eaters now thrive on MacSween's veggie haggis instead of the meat variety. It is served with Neeps and Tatties (that's turnips and potatoes to non Scots). Very delicious comfort food.

Here thanks to the MacSween site are traditional Burns Poems often read as part of the Burns Supper (it's all very ordered you know).

Burns Poems
Here is the text of the most popular poems used at Burns Night events - The Selkirk Grace, To A Haggis and Auld Lang Syne...

Selkirk Grace

Some hae meat and canna eat
And some wad eat that want it:
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.

To A Haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o' the Puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see Rustic-labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn they stretch an' strive,
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if you wish her gratefu' pray'r,
Gie her a Haggis!

Auld Lang Syne*

Should auld acqaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acqaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak' a ight gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

Robert Burns 1759-1796

* This version is taken from The Kilmarnoch Edition.

Fiona Apple

Although it doesn't have 'Extraordinary Machine' (which Christine sent me and which I utterly utterly love and listen to constantly) I did find this link to some other (very different sounding) Fiona Apple videos. They don't have that old 50's Doris Day meets Judy Garland sound that I love so much about 'Extraordinary Machine', but her voice is still beautiful and I liked it especially in 'Never Is A Promise'.

If you live in the US then I think you can also access her videos here, inc the EM track in case you haven't heard it (it's so Doris and Judy but the instrumentation is even cheekier), sadly it says it won't play outside the States - boo hoo. She also has her own site here but again, EM doesn't seem to be on it.

Through searching her on Amazon I also found Nellie MacKay who I've not heard before. I'm not entirely sure if I liked her or not, but I got a strong feeling I'd love her album if she sang it in French! How odd, but I think a lot of it would work in French, it has that slightly skippy bounce that a lot of French music has, a little Euro Pop but not in a bad way (and lets face it, a lot of that really is bad). Do you know what I mean?

So my plea to you all is to enlighten me about new female artists singing in a 50's style. I really can't get enough of that kind of thing and totally thrive on the original smokey or perky songs of Peggy Lee, Julie London, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Dinah Shore etc. Hard to choose a favourite but 'Black Coffee' by Peggy Lee would definitely be in the top 5 for me, her voice is so coffee-ish in that one, it just pours out thick and intense and s-l-o-w.

Beetroot

This peg was holding protective fleece around a tomato plant, but the wind took care of that. Still, it has a quality I like so it'll stay put. I've decided not to grow tomatoes this year, a bit of a shocker! But the guilt of them dying if you leave home for a bit is too much. I will hold back until my life is more organised again. But I do have something I'd like to try in the ground...

Over the few years I've been training my palette to enjoy foods which I previously disliked but which I wanted to like. I've had great success with feta and similar sheep/goats cheeses so that I can have a slight cheesy treat in summer salads. Astounding happiness has at last come from the enjoyment of olives which I deeply wanted to love and now do.

Next on my horizon is betroot, I was talking about this last summer but was so busy I never made time to grow any, but maybe this year? I mean, they are just so beautiful and I love colour for drawing and dying things, but have never liked the taste. Well I plan to change that.

I was talking with L about it last week (we were teaching Marley that barking will not get attention, only make us talk more and look at him less, it worked well). It seems like food fate that I just clicked for the first time on a link to brilliant foody blog Delicious Days. The 1st post I saw... beetroot! And not just beetroot but betroot for begginers "The beetroot’s earthy flavor makes a fantastic combination with the apples, probably the best way to convince other beetroot haters of its delicious qualities."

It was a delight to read such a well written version of my own bad beetroot memories and always a bonus when a food blog has such enticing photographs like this one. I do encourage you to visit.

Lisa Solomon

....

These are the wonderful paint chip embroidery works from one of my absolute favourite bloggers, the delightful Lisa Solomon. Blogger won't import these full size but they are too beautiful to be stretched and fuzzy. You can see them clearly (please do) plus more of her paint chips over at The Beholder. And if you don't know Lisa already Design Sponge has a good up to date mini-interview with her here.

Lisa has been a huge inspiration to me by sharing so much of herself, her work, her thoughts and feelings on her blog and I was really saddened that it may be gone forever but I saw yesterday that there is a post there, tentative steps, I am so happy. It's a big thing to open yourself up to the world when you blog, it can be a very vulnerable place. Lisa has her reasons to pull back from her blog but I hope that the support of the blogging community that loves her and that she has given so much to, will, in turn, help her to feel ok about sharing more of herself with us again. Like I say, tentative steps, she's still there, even though we can't see her past posts just now.

Lisa, thank you so much for your generosity in letting me post these two paint chips, are truly beautiful. And I wish you all the best as you prepare for TWO exhibitions (what a gal!). I'm glad we can stay in touch and meeting someone like you is what has made all the scary-ness off blogging worthwhile.

As Lisa knows, I do so love blue and orange but I wasn't quite quick enough to pair this post up with my post last week. I remembered that last year I posted these images as part of what made me want to use blue and orange as the probable colour combo for my kitchen (with the rest of the house being almond white).

West Elm

The fabulous decor8 had lots of yummy links to distract me today just when I needed it. Like a link to west elm which led me to the beautiful pieces above, those little blue vases are adorable and I spied a white one at the back. I love small things. The photography is perfect too.

She also showed this great product shot from Graham and Green...

Theraputic walking

Can I begin by saying thanks to those of you who have been leaving 1st comments on my blog (with ongoing thanks to my regular commenters).

I hadn't realised it was de-lurking week recently and that many people who usually only read were coming out of the woodwork and saying 'hi'. It's a huge treat for me to know that there are more than 4 people reading regularly, though I still am amazed by that fact.

What fun this blogging is, especially when you can visit the site of commenters and get a feel for the different kinds of people dipping in, such diversity of geography, age, culture, gender. I think it's wonderful. I'd like to encourage more of you to de-lurk, I'd love to know who's reading. No need to say anything deep, just 'hi' would be fab.

Now please feel free to enjoy the pictures above and ingnore the rant that follows, it's just me letting off steam, and probably not worth you actually reading. Instead have some fun linking to some of the upbeat people on my links section on the right, Anna has some very tempting pictures of the cake fest that was her housewarming plus lots of shots of her new house which she has done up in absolute record time!

Camilla has a new-ish place too and each time I see pictures I just want to move straight in, it is so calming and quite similar to the look mine will have when it is eventually done, except mine will have a lot of colourful textiles in amongst the white.

I like to change my fabrics with the seasons, blues in summer, reds in winter, greens in spring etc. A bit predictable but I like feeling seasonal. And I shake it up when I have themed fancy dress dinners, like my divali night or my under-the-sea party. I had to look at that post to get it's link, and realised that it was my house with walls and a ceiling! Oh I miss walls and a ceiling.



Ok, here's my rant for those that can bear it... The dog walking is really keeping me sane just now after a big and fairly public confrontation with my manager. Why is it that so many incompetent people end up in charge? I've tended to just keep my mouth shut since my last attempt to deal with bad management ruined my health forever (which is why I can only work part time now). But this woman just pushed me too far and I had to speak out.

Bah, so frustrating. I hate people who just out an out lie about things at work. Little did she know I learned from my last bad experience and had witnesses to conversations and had kept her original extremely nasty note which she sent last autumn, the one she'd was trying to claim was friendly. Ha, she soon shut up when I offered to pop home and get it to refresh her memory about it's contents. SO glad I kept it.

She's one of those people that changes her argument every 5 mins yet swears that each one is the utter truth, until I have evidence to prove she is lying. Lucky I have such a litigous nature, no way I'm having someone accuse me of doing my job badly just so that others can cover up their mistakes.

Grrr, sorry to be growling here but, you know, better out than in. She even had the cheek to tell me that I was causing problems for the supervisors because I never turn up to work when I should! When I challenged her on this she said it was all on the computer and that she just checked it (so clearly she was planning a fight before we even met). Turns out she was referring to Friday, when Marley had his Op and I'd phoned in to ask if I could start an hour late, fully approved by the supervisor. Other than that I'm always there on time, and I usually stay on late to make sure I get the work done to the best of my ability, even though they don't pay me extra. No incentive to do that now that I know it's for someone nasty.

It's a shame though, because even though it's just a mindless part time job, I still like to feel the satisfaction of having done it well, otherwise it becomes drudgery.

Oh how I long to have my house built so I can just do my creative work from home. I'll still need a 'normal' job for cash flow etc. but I will feel like it's supporting my creativity so I can handle that. I feel so lucky though, to have all of you out there. It really cheers me up to sit down and look though your blogs and take my focus away from negative multinationals and into positive individuals. I really value what you all put out there. Thank you, here is one last picture to lift the tone. This was on a great car we passed, it was so curvy in all the right places. Not that I would have the bird myself, but it was very cheering.

Liv Tyler Film

Last week I caught the end of a beautifully shot film starring Liv Tyler, anyone know what the film is? My pictures where from the screen so not good quality but still gives a feel for the piece.

It was a period piece, seemed maybe set in Russia, or Austria or somewhere similarly cold and stunning. The costumes were great and there was an almost Stanley Kubrik feel about it, visually I mean. I never saw enough to assess the actual plot.

The last picture is Liv on ice, which is what I was like trying to get down the road this morning. They are good about grittiong/salting the roads here when it's a little chilly, but as soon as the weather person says 'hard frost' or 'freezing condition' they don't do it. So all the rain from the day before turned to black ice. I was on my bum a few times. Ouch. Luckily Marley isn't to have long walks this week till his wound has healed a bit.

Miss P, I hope your wound is doing ok and that you've had some rest since we spoke on Saturday. xx