My doodle & ceiling

Been flicking through my sketchbook from the Swedish trip in Jan as I've been making Swede inspired cards for Christmas (not for me to use, I STILL haven't got mine finished, but a lot of paper everywhere, and thread, paint etc.) and realised I could be posting some of my doodles as they are kind of seasonal now.

Having drawn a Swedish style chandelier/candle thingy I can now show why it would be inpractical for me to actually make one, here is my ceiling...



I know, it looks kind of luxe and Marrakesh Wine Bar-ish in the pic, but trust me, it's not so glamourous when you live with it. One day I'll have money to put a proper ceiling back up, but right now all my pennies will be going on Christmas postage. Even if I make everything from scrap, the PO still kill you on the postage. That's the only downside of knowing people all over the world isn't it, travel and postage costs.

But back to my ceiling, definitely not exotic today as the howling gusts of wind come screeching through my roof and push down on the 200mm wool insulation that is being kept in place by these thick white curtains. I have had some very big heart palpitations today on account of it. Some of my walls are curtains too, so they are flapping about in the breeze. Luckily it's amazingly mild so I'm not freezing, unless I sit still for too long which I did earlier trying to get my email working. [apparently, on top of the ongoing problem, yesterday my host address was hijacked - how racey! but it means all the emails I sent may not have reached people]

But all this wind has put a stop to a lot of my frantic making because paper and thread keep blowing about in the bigger gusts. It's quite nice in a way, like working outside. I think I've sadi before I was a March baby so I like a strong wind as long as it's not cold. And it has got me doing some house painting, nothing major, just small jobs that have been crying out to be done for ages. If I could find my To Do list I'd get a few ticks on it today.

More Sapporo Snowfestival

And there was me thinking Sweden had cornered the market for snow sculpted buildings ... Sapporo is incredible, look at this one of the Taj Mahal, done in 2004 and found here where you can see it more clearly, originally uploaded by Starfires.

Sapporo Snow Festival

Crazy Hair Guy
Originally uploaded by A is for Angie.

I'm away from my computer just now so no proper blogging this week. Till then I thought I'd share this gem that I saw on Flickr, more good pics in the set too.

Hope everyone is having a good week . x

Reindeer sign

This is the sign from a pub in Lincoln, England. I like how it's got all faded, unfortunately I've lost the link that I got this from, sorry. Instead, there's's one for a reindeer made from wood and antlers here.

I love antlers

PMT won't let me sleep so I thought I'd post one of my failured Christmas cards cause I still like the image. I'd hoped this would be one of my photographic ones* which would have had a large area of white space on the right with Swedish inspired decorative flourishes drawn on. *the others being, stamped, printed, graphic, textile, collage... you name it, I make it

This was taken in Kiruna but I never realised that I didn't get his feet in the photo, and for me it's just not right with him chopped at the ankle. He smelled amazing, a really rich musky smell that exuded from his hot body in the freezing cold air. Such beautiful animals. Sweden really was like heaven to me, so much of so many things I love.

And speaking of things I love, and in particular antler related things, I LOVE this Paint by Numbers postcard which you can buy at The Curiosity Shoppe...

Fancy Toast

This is by Mario Minale and Kuniko Maeda and I had seen it and not bookmarked it. But joy of joys, it was the 1st post I saw when I went to catch up with Paola's move to Seattle on her Mirror Mirror blog. Ooh, freaky, I just got a smell of toast, must be an early rising neighbour. Speaking of which I must go to bed. I've done so many wee posts today in between making things.

Stockholm in sculpted white

Grrr, blogger dmaking these all pixellated, will try and post to Flickr soon so you can see them properly. But still, you can see the great face on that squirrel and the (horse chestnut?) leaves. Abigail would know if they are Horse Chestnut. She's got NEW jewellery here if you're wanting to make some Christmas purchases. If I meet a rich benefactor I'd opt for this one, but would commission it as a brooch. And in the spirit of her last post, HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all who are celebrating. I can almost smell the food!

Kiruna Snöfestival 2006

I love the fabric-like one at the top and got VERY numb fingers taking too many shots each day. If your new to my blog this is from a trip I made earlier this year posted here with some photo's of the Ice Hotel where my friend, who was here on Saturday, was married.

When I realised I'd be in Kiruna for the wedding at the same time as the Snöfestival I emailed the organisers to see if I could join in, but it was a pre-selected (possibly invited) group thing, not for individuals, and when I saw the huge blocks and armies of people with ladders I could understand why. Not that I couldn't do something that big, but I couldn't do it in 3 days without help. I've always loved sculpting with snow but can't find my photo's so intsead meet Wilbur...



I always get this polaroid out for Christmas. I made him when I was about 12, I was going for the look of an American tourist, a very specific type of American tourist. What I love is my brother's snowman on the table beside mine, so cute.

Best of all is that in taking a pic of my polaroid I got really close in with the camera (sorry about picture quality) and noticed something I had never seen... my old cat, peeking out from the left hand side of Wilbur, he's white but looks creamy pink against snow. Now I love this photo even more. Also it is taken in the garden of the house that I always think of as our family home, the one we were in longest and which we loved the most.

We moved quite a lot, and at one point I was living on the other side of town with my Mum's friend (while my family lived in LA) and had to walk past my house which was being rented by my chemistry teacher - that was awful. Especially as all my possessions were in boxes in the garage but I couldn't have them. I hated that so much. Everyday he got to go home to my house near the school and I had to walk 30mins across town to the house of someone I didn't really get on with. Not that she was bad or anything, just some people have nothing in common you know? She was a LOT better than the person I had to live with next time they went to live in LA (another story entirely, let's not go there).

Sorry, various things making me think a lot about my past at the moment, not least the sad news of Anna's dog Jamal which made me think of my own dog playing in this very garden through my teens. She died when I was in my late 20's and I was heartbroken, so I'm really feeling for Anna just now. And for the other person who a can't mention, but you know who you are - kisses xxx.

Stockholm in grey

Some photo's from my Swedish trip earlier this year, it seems fitting to now start posting them now that winter is here.

I'd like to apologise if anyone has commented and asked a question on my blog, especially on old posts. My email isn't working properly so I'm only being notified about a small percentage of comments. I'm re-checking the recent ones fairly regularly, but I just don't have time to open every post. Hopefully problems should be sorted in the next few weeks. Equally if any of you have sent me emails in the last month and had no reply it means I never received it. Sometimes it works if you keep trying, otherwise leave a comment here and I'll get back to you with an alternative email addresss.

Golden sheep shadows

Sheep in the late afternoon sun. I love how even a sheep can have a 15ft shadow in winter.
These were in the field when I was going to the farm shop yesterday for milk, I forgot the milk.

Felt wedding cushion

Sorry I've been away from the blog, I've had the busiest sewing, card making, present making and emailing week ever.

Lots of really good big long emails from friends, I do love it when people I don't get to see very often send a huge mail about their lives. Plus I've been trying to catch up with Flickr comments, blog reading etc. though still lots more to read in between card and gift making.

I got to see one distant friend in person, all the way over from Norway for the day (for a big birthday party). I FINALLY managed to finish her wedding gift of a white cushion with stag embroidered on it. I'd been struggling with it for an embarrasingly long time, but it kept shrinking until it was tiny and the embroidered bit was almost going to get trapped in the seam.

It was a hand felted on MrP's floor last December (a very wet affair) using wools from Australia (where they come from), Scotland (where they met) and, Norway (where they live), but the Norwegian bit which was for the back shrunk so much it was unusable in the end, so I cheated and remade the back with felt from an Ikea cushion! Well, it is Swedish and that's where they were married, so the link is there. And the stag, well obviously the gift is from me so hand made with a Scottish image, but the image can equally translate as a reindeer in Norway or Sweden. Blimey, almost as many links and connections as a good blog!

The embroidery thread is antique stuff from my great aunt, probably from the 20's. It's lovely but was incredibly snaggy so the antlers turned out quite lumpy and imperfect... though that was also cause I had no heating when I was sewing it so my fingers were a bit numb (can anyone hear violins?).



It feels like I spent a lifetime sewing and unpicking and re-sewing. And you know how it is when you work with something too long, past the enthusiastic stage, you start to think it's completely crap. Unfortunately I didn't get any decent pics as the weather was so dull and grey. But these are better than nothing. The problem came because the marker I used to draw the stag was supposedly the kind that washes out.. but it didn't and so I had to wash a few times before shrinkage meant I gave up, so there is a trace of the drawing under the embroidery, though it doesn't show in this low quality picture, thankfully.

I also made a cream wool bag to hold 'things' from the trip, but which conveniently fitted the shrunken cushion perfectly. The back of the cushion shows here, but you can't make out the stitched writing as it's too subtle, it has their names and the year on it. The bag is not the design of a bag for a person to carry on their shoulder, but for an animal (like a reindeer) to carry in pairs slung over their back. I did a lot of Lappish inspired work in 1992 when I was in the 1st year of my textiles degree (which I never finished, if you are new to my blog, I changed dept.) and I had that in the back of my mind as I was making this...



Detail of bag when full...


Hmm, the stitching doesn't show up, but it has '2006' just below the button.

I've also been making lots of Christmas cards of course. How organised you cry. Finally Cally is on top of things - except they're not for me to use, they're for my mum, and I'll never hear the end of it if I do my own before handing over all hers. As always, the house is now chaotic with fabric scraps, paper, card, thread and images. My socks are becoming home to huge gatherings of thread as I walk, quite cute actually. Oh yeh, forgot to say half of my busyness has been sorting out (again) my sewing room so I can access things to make again. Not got my best things, but the sewing machine and threads are available at last, such a relief.

So to those of you expecting a card from me... check the post in March! No, hopefully I'll get to mine in the 1st week of December.

Giant ball of wool & great song

Saw this You Tube tourism Ad for Melbourne. I like the visuals and also the Joanna Newson music, never heard of her before, great voice. This is the first time I've posted a video clip on my blog so I hope it works!

Where can I find red & white polka dot bowls?

Ok Edinburgh readers, I need your help.
I'm trying to find red and white polka dot cereal bowls in Edinburgh, any hints? I tried Frasers thinking maybe Cath Kidston may have made some but nope. The Emma Bridgewater stuff has multi colours but not red and white. It's for a Christmas present. China would be best but plastic is ok. Thanks in advance for any tips that will save me spending a whole day trekking through the shops searching. Edunburgh only, can't afford a trip any further.

Childhood memories, more Habitat

Sunrise about a month ago cause I have no access to old Habitat pics.

I'm loving all your comments about Habitat memories on my recent post, would love to hear more. It really was such a style Mecca for so many in the 70's, so glad others felt the same way, Poor Sharon not being allowed to go, not fair. I love that you pretended, cause hey, in your imagination you did your best to get there. But yes, the moonlike pull of the paper globe light shades, I was so excited when we got some. Only a couple initially cause they were quite pricey in those days.

I just loved all the white, the clean lines, the simplicity of it all. We'll, ahem, forget that plasticy pop arty phase they went through in the 80's when it started to verge on tacky and was more like Pound Stretcher (bit like Pic 'n' Save). Now don't get me wrong, I was equally excited to discover Pic 'n' Save when we moved to LA, finally, a shop in my price range, I rember buying folders for school, the kind that held punched paper but also some notebooks, pens etc. You don't get them here in the UK, at least not for standard school use like in the States. I thought they were SO nifty, almost James Bond-ish compared to Scottish school kit. And I mean, rucksacks!!!! We never had them over here till years and years later (same with trainers). LA was just so exciting and affordable. But back to Habitat in the 70's...

We never bought anything big like furniture, just small things. And Christmas things. I used to get so excited by the kids table of toys they would have at xmas, wooden toys, knitted toys, puzzles... I was always the kind of kid who was happier with wooden things and simpler toys, rather than fancy stuff, which is not to say I wasn't enthralled by my brother's Sonic Ear which was like a big plastic gun shaped thing (big) which you put on the wall so you could listten to people on the other side. But I soon realised a paper cup was just as good, and a lot more discreet.

I also liked, still do like, the 'old fashioned' small toys and gimmicky things in Studio One. Like the little packet of powdery stuff that grew into a crystal garden. The one I keep looking for but never see is one that had papery things in it which you did something to and they became flowers I think... but it was different from the crystal thing.

Oh, just remembered that sticky 'glass' stuff that came with a tube and you could blow bubbles that would harden like glass, kind of, and had various subtle colours. Not seen that in years but always liked getting it. I was in the other day to get the mini spirograph set cause mine is packed away, but they didn't sem to have one. I'm always on the lookout for a good full size one in charity shops but no joy yet. I got my first Spirograph when I was 5 and had my birthday in hospital when I was having yet another eye operation (got one dodgy eye that can only see blurry shapes). It was such a perfect present for a bed bound kid.

What simple presents did you, or do you still enjoy? I love hearing about these things, especially if I discover new stuff I didn't know about.

Habitat and nutty pie

Ring from Diwali weekend, but doesn't it look Christmassy too.

FYI... Had to pop into town with Mr.P's forgotten keys and he asked me to meet outside Habitat so.... I can inform you they are still in mid revamp, not everything is unpacked or set up, but there are some Xmas baubles. Not the full range but there were a few not on the website, like a tiny pack of clear and WHITE ones - that will be mine!

Looked at the beaded ones I mentioned yesterday, but they didn't have the right feeling for me. No sign of the blue etched glass one yet. Hopefully in next week when I have to go there with my Mum (and my 20% off page from Elle Deco, or maybe it was Living ETC). Note the way I said 'have to'. I don't have to, I choose to, but it could be an ordeal as she gets a bit A.D.D. and it is magnified if you put her in a Christmas shopping situation. Makes for some funny stories afterwards though!

Before I go I must sing the praises of 2 snacks I shouldn't have eaten (cause they have gluten in them. but it was either that or feint from hunger)...

1st up - veggie haggis samosas, 75p from the Baked Potato Shop (Banns) at the top of Cockburn St. (now, naughty people, it's pronounced Co-burn!). It's quite a spicy one, spicier than MacSweens veggie Haggis but still very good for a hunger gap in town.

2nd is the Nutty Rice Pie from Jordan Valley Wholefoods (opposite Festival Theatre). It's got no actual nuts but it is so deliciously nutty tasting. 99p and vegan. Course they do have my all time fave nutty snack there, it's like a giant Sesame Snap but made with pistachios or almonds all stuck in a block with glucose syrup and honey (i think). Oh, so so so good but not great for the skin or the blood sugar.

And they have such a good selection of Baklava in there, my fave foreign pud. My fave UK pud is trifle, with lots of Port and no jelly (jello), unless it's really really good jelly. Hmm, just realised Tiramisu also a very strong contender for fave foreign pud, but Baklava has less things that I'm allergic to etc.

Imelda in cushion final!...

Imelda, of Imedagoze, is in the final of the Inhabit Great Pillow Design Competition on Inabit and you can go there and vote for her to win! Her designs are No.4 on the list.

Above are 2 of her 3 design's, she was the only person who really used bright colour, which I was so surprised by. Don't get me wrong, I really like the mossy woody hues of the other finalists, but they are all quite similar. Imelda's are all different colours, it's like visiting a smoothie bar just looking at them. Well done Imelda!

Adopt a monster this Christmas...

Stuck for Christmas gift ideas? Look no further than Daphne's brilliant and funny Puppychick Shop where you can adopt one or more of the brood of monsters that were abandoned on her doorstep recently (not a sad story, a good story).

I like SHEEN shown on the left here, apparently he is 32cm tall and likes hiding under jumpers. Judging by his expression he is a nervous little chap, could it be the trauma of sharing a basket with scarier monsters from an early age? He probably likes it best if those jumpers are under the bed.

Ha ha, since I draughted this, Daphne has added this post about the little critters in her home, such great pics of them, especially BLUSH and EEK. Plus her Greek holiday Flickr pics are worth a look too as she has added more.

Habitat Christmas things

Now that Halloween has passed I think it's acceptable for me to start getting into the Christmas vibe so I can be ready for the friends that are coming to stay. Technically, they'll be staying with Mr.P. but as I have the stove I reckon they want top come to mine for cosy flickering flames. Shown above is a bit of wrapping paper on one of my fabrics last Christmas. I've been trying to create some sort of small area of order and access so I can make cards and presents, not quite there yet but I can see the light at the end of hte mobile home tunnel.

While in town yesterday* I very briefly pop into Habitat to check out their Christmas decorations. This is a real Chritsmas treat for me and really reminds of my childhood. My Mum was a Habitat devotee (as I am now) and I still remember going in there as a wee girl with my brother in a buggy, or maybe the buggies belonged to other mothers? I just remember stacks of them parked up at the cafe. Yes, I am old enough to remember when the 2nd floor of Habitat had a cafe! Ah, those were the days.

I LOVED trips to Habitat. I think that's when I began to realise that there was such a thing as different tastes. It amazed me that other kids didn't go to Habitat, and wouldn't want to go there, and I found this inconceivable since to me it was like going to heaven. And at Christmas time, triple the heavenly pleasure.

But yesterday, no heavenly pleasure for me... they were gutting the place! It appears to be getting a complete revamp, lighting upstairs, candles where the lights were and nothing at all from the door to the stairs. They had a few christmassy food things upstairs, and a few candles, but no baubles. I could never (still can't) afford lots of nice baubles so I pledged years ago that I would buy one bauble that I really liked each year so that when I was the age I am now I'd have a good collection. Well, too many years have been too poor for even one bauble, including the last 2 years, so I am determined to buy one this year, if they bloomin' get them in that is.

I had a look on their website (which is never as good as the catalogue) but I do really need to hold a thing in my hands to see if I like it. Here are the deco's that I'll be giving a second look in person, the crochet stars are £1 (I know, I know, I could make my own, but I simply don't have that kind of time free) and the others are about £3 each. You'll notice my love of the white red and aqua/blues extends to everything. Not sure if the beaded ones (top row) will be nice or not. The sequined ones look better and the etched bluey glass one could be gorgeous, hard to tell from the photo...



*Went to the Green Party pub quiz night last night, and I have to say, it was tough going. Not the quiz itself, but the fact that the pub had just had a fresh lick of gloss paint all over and the fumes were horrendous. And to top it all, there was an appalling smell coming from the gents toilets all night! It was so bad that our team name was 'The smell is not us, it's the toilets'.

Cosy Coat

Oooooh. I've just been over at Karin's blog and she's bought the coat I've been admiring on the EQUA site. Not the one I posted about recently, but the one I meant to post about but got lost in links. For me it looks really Scottish and perfect for walking dogs through autumn woods.

Equa is a Fairtrade & Organic clothing boutique in London that sells some really gorgeous things, though WAY out of my price range. Lucky Karin, the coat looks great on her.

Blue winter fuel

The gas delivery man stopped by my neighbour with a whole van of perfect blue gas bottles. I think he thought I was mad swooning and taking photo's. My own winter fuel (wood pellets) has run out and no delivery till Wednesday. Luckily the weather has turned mild again which is lucky as there is a wonderful howling blustery wind. I was a March baby so I think that's why I love a mild wind. Tuesday is meant to be cold so I am saving my last hopper of fuel to burn that evening. Brrr, my toes are numb now, must stop blogging.

Garden in November

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My prized berry bush.
I have been painting my house white-ish and suddenly my 'pruned back for winter' bush looks all fresh and new because it is against white. My wall is rendered with kind of shell stuff in a pinky colour which I hate. It makes it look like a council house, rather than the house of someone who likes to think of themselves as creative. And as you know, I want it to look like a beach house.

So, until I can afford to get the outside clad in wood, I opted for a very diluted wash of off white just to take the pink edge off it . I've not got anything against people having pink houses, but on this surface and this type of building it's very un-me.

Also looking nice against it's background yesterday was my Scenecio plant, which, bless it, is still living in the bag it was popped into when I moved house almost exactly 3 years ago! One day I will have time and energy to actually finish all the things on my extensive To Do list....

Organic Purple Veg

Another beautiful crispy sunny day. [out of date post, blogger has not been working for 2 days, but I still think it is great for a free service]
I walked down to Damhead to get some tea's and ginger cordial and came back with lots of purple veg and a wheat free Lemon Cake made by The Village Bakery Melmerby. If you've never tried their range before then I can HIGHLY recommend them, they are exceptionally high quality, tasty, award winning organic products but be warned, very more-ish indeed.

I realise the Lemon cake was an error but it was in the half price basket at the till and I kept seeing it trying to catch my eye with it's wheat free label as the girl weighed my veg. But I can't blame the cake, I knew fine well that those cakes taste INCREDIBLE partly because they are full of sugar. Let's just say I'm feeling a little queazy now, and ashamed of my lack of will power.

I will, however, be stocking up on their gluten free mince pies and ginger cake over the Christmas hols (what hols? I have to work on Christmas Eve). But for now lets enjoy more of the veg, it's even nicer sliced....

Wedding guests, new friends

French lock

While writing the post about Rosie Brown, I was thinking about another Rosie, who I met at the French Wedding in September, and I realised I never did finish blogging about the wedding guests. One of the nicest aspects of the whole trip was meeting other friends of Carla's, they really were a wonderful bunch of people, all full of personality, talent and great stories.

I initially met some of them the night before the wedding as they were staying in the same hotel (pic below), but as you may remember I had to stay up all night sewing my outfit together, so I couldn't stay and chat for more than 40mins before I started freaking about turning up in rags amongst this stylish group of people (a lot of them are clothes or shoe designers).



I'm so easily intimidated by city folk and creative types. It's silly though, cause they were the nicest bunch of people and we all had such a good time the next day at the wedding and the reception. Some of them stayed a few days after so we met each morning at breakfast outside and had some of the best laughs I've had in the longest time. It felt like being at college again, all carefree and fun and with such humorous creative people.

Best of all, I've stayed in touch with a few and although they live in London and Germany I hope top see them again. Carla always did have good taste in people!

Autumn leaves

I wish I understood why Blogger reduces some images and not others, like this hydrangea, I made it 10cm wide like I always do but it imported it tiny, even though all my setting are exactly the same as always. Then I have to stretch it and it goes all crappy and pixely. Hrrrmph.

Today has been a beautiful crispy sunny autumn day, no rain, so the fallen leaves make that nice crunch and rustle when you walk through them. I was sweeping and raking up piles of them for the heap, they really do make wonderful compost. I love raking dry leaves (not so thrilled raking wet ones) and I can never understand the appeal of leaf blowers, which are not huge in the UK but I have noticed them appearing more prominently in the last few years.

I can see they'd be fun for a minute, but then they just seem like another noisy gadget that spoils a beautiful day for the people around you. And so damaging to the environment, come on people, let's all get the rakes out and warm ourselves up in the process. Course, I realise it is often a 'men and their gadgets' thing, but let's face it, they need the excercise too! And before anyone compplains that I have a tiny garden and don't understand what it's like when you have 1000's of leaves, let me assure you I do know - I used to be a voluneer at the Botanic Gardens, and they have more leaves than anyone and more pressure to keep them tidied up, but it's all done by rake and brush.

Rosie Brown's home

If your a regular reader you'll have noticed me mention Papa Stour every few months. The online boutique sells a gorgeous range of handmade quality Scottish gifts including textiles, jewellery, ceramics, cards, something for those of you who love fabric birds and even a felted lambswool corsage. The product shots that Rosie styles for the website are really lovely too using her home (I'm guessing) and nature to show things off beautifully!

It was only after my first mention of Papa Stour that I found out Rosie studied in Dundee (this is an example of her work at Papa Stour), and realised she'd been in the year above me at college. She was one of those people that you look up to and aspire to be like, but, as a shy person, are too scared to talk to. Thankfully I'm not quite so shy now and emailed her in late Spring to say 'hi' and congratulate her on her gorgeous business.

But it's not just her business (and herself) that's beautiful, nope, her house is too as I discovered to my delight when I got the December issue of Living Etc. through the door yesterday (eternal thanks to my brother for the gift subscription). I was at the section where they feature 3 homes and was feeling a bit ugh about the 1st house valued at £8 million ($15m), then I turned the page and beamed at what I saw next, a vision of Scottish cosiness, and then realised it was Rosie's.



I just love her cottage, so full of things a country girl like me loves, painted wood floorboards, deep cottage windows, lots of different chairs and stools and, of course, wonderful little collections of 'things' many from the Papa Stour artists/crafts people and others from nature. The cottage is FULL of soul and personality, and she didn't need to spend 3 million dollars on it. I know which one I'd prefer to visit.

And speaking of visits, she has done up a cottage near Applecross (see pic below) in the North West coast of Scotland that you can rent as a holiday home, see some pics and get more info here.

It's a really lovely part of the country, when we were together Mr P. and I (yes, we were a couple many, many years ago) used to go to a cottage just outside Kenmore, north of Applecross. It had it's own bothy, it's own little bay AND it's own tiny island! A group of us used to have summer or winter holidays there for a few years. We'd go climbing in the mountains and playing on the beaches. Everywhere you go you see the mountains or the sea, or BOTH!

And the sunsets, west coast sunsets can be breathtaking. Since my health went downhill I can't often do the mountain thing anymore, but I still love a good beach. The pub in Applecross is so nice and cosy to go to after a wintery walk and after a summer walk a cup of tea and a scone are just the thing from the Flower Tunnel.

Often when the more serious climbers would go for a huge trek I used to enjoy just taking the rowing boat out and peacefully floating around between the bay and the little island with a glass bowl in the water so I could peer at the fish clearly. If you were very quiet the otters would pass nearby too.

I also loved making sculptures on the beach from whatever was lying around, the west coast is wonderful for strange things washing up after storms, and incredible pieces of wood just begged to be gathered and made into things. Sadly this was all pre digital camera so what very few photo's I have are all packed away just now. Some day I'll find some photo's to post, but for now, I'll simply enjoy the happy memories that are flooding back as I sit with my stove, my hot spicy drink and my magazine. Autumn bliss.