a rose in June...

It's been such a long time! I'm very sorry to the one or two people out there who actually read this. Births, marriages, deaths, happiness, vexation, sadness, and delight have each characterised the last few months and all but obscured the life I love, and the Scottish road we follow. 

 *1

When last I wrote it was snowing and blustery and the trusty mittens were still on duty. But now -- at least every now and then -- it is sunnier, and since Scottish roses must do what they can with very little encouragement, they have defied the blusters and snaps of cold and come out to play. 

And now they get to play, in the case of our garden, with a crazy doglet. One who is currently throwing an alarm clock around her head. In a sock.

But she's still a keeper. Especially when she's sleepy. 

So small. So powerful.

*1: Photo by my darling companion (human).

hey shorty

it [was] my birthday...

i live in hope that my birthday will be a spring day, with green and yellow shoots everywhere, warming up sun, and maybe even a lightweight jacket. that's how i always remember it being.

but now i live in the north. where it snowed. and hailed. and was freezing.

so i'm afraid the daffodils were all in the dark, in the indoors - but gorgeous anyway.

and lovely people made very touching references to hares. you can just about see this necklace, on which a hare is hanging, whimsically holding a wooden spoon.

and the hare to top all hares - a 2-foot long cake.

thank you so much everyone for making the day so nice with all your messages and cards.

will write to you very soon. i promise.

Fiendishly stylish....

This little person was introduced to me at the weekend - we had lunch together (with others in tow) at The Narrow Boat on the canal near Islington (delicious roast beef).

Check that cardigan. I was impressed at how she worked it with the spring florals and fabulous hair. Feel some mustard-coloured yarn coming on...

And I'm afraid I've been knitting toys again. It's becoming a habit.

I'm pleased with this on account of the jointed limbs and the debonair moustache. All of which (I hope) distracts from the slightly knobbly stitching on the top of his head. Something of the dapper flight pilot about him I thought.

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Tally ho. Chocks away. 'woof'. 

1: Image from Vintage Posters Blog

Run for the hills... or the sea.

I've sadly neglected my blog this month, for which I'm sorry. Sickness, and troubles at work were all to blame, but so was pleasure and happinesses with lovely people, so I shall ac-cent-chu-ate the positive. Not rocket science.

Recently, we went for an end-of-winter break (please say it is the end of winter) in the East Neuk of Fife.

Most of the time it pelted us with rain, but this was a good excuse for reading in bed and drinking wine by the fire - no complaints there.

In the glimpses between the clouds we were lucky to see oystercatchers, ringed plovers, red shank, and curlew. Things tend to fall into perspective when you see a wader in their wellies.

We also filled up on fish and chips (fantastic at Anstruther) and on whisky and raclette cheese. All to the sound of a gaggle of squawky cockerels, strutting around generally being pompous Chantecleers.

Although they terrified my lovely companion out of his skin, they actually shot past with no harm at all.

And they were responsible for the most yellowy, goodness-filled eggs we've had in years.

Sunny Side Up.