Summer in Ness, and Summer on Patrice's Porch

Believe it or not, Patrice, I'm reluctant to leave our own weather to come to Virginia today. Yes, we have had a few perfect summer days, and today I'm savouring more of the same. I'm heading off to the beach later today, so I'll answer your questions, have a wee chat with y'all, and then head back to our sunny Ness ....

After all, this weather doesn't happen here too often :)


1. Do you like cucumbers?

Hmmm, I can take 'em or leave 'em. I'm not overly keen on them, but if you put them on my plate, Patrice, I'd eat them. However, I don't like tomatoes at all.

Horror!

I enjoy tomato sauces, but I cannot go tomatoes at. all.


2. How good a housekeeper are you?

Ooh, please may I skip this question, Miss?  No!

Well, 'I'm not great' has to be the honest answer to that question. I wish I was much more efficient, much tidier, much more organised.

I do love having an open door, and would hope that visitors would always feel welcome. I do, however, wish they were always welcomed into a tidy home.


3. Please finish this: To spend a day ___________ would be amazing!

Reading!

That was easy! But I'll embellish it slightly. If I could have a day sitting out in the sun whilst reading, that would be even better.

And if I was being plied with cups of tea, biscuits and cake on a regular basis, my day would be further enhanced.

And if I were to end the day gazing at this view ...

whilst still being fed tea and cake, it really would be the perfect end to the perfect day.

Actually, this photo - taken tonight from my Family Room window - was the perfect end to a perfect day. And d'you know what? I spent a good part of the afternoon sitting outside, in the sun, reading.

The only part that doesn't fit with the 'perfect scenario' is the fact that there was nobody making tea for me.

4. How do you handle times with you are 'down' or 'blue'?

I look out of my window.

Well, that's only part of the story of course, but quite seriously, the view outside of my window really and truly does lift my mood. I think beauty does that. And beauty for all the senses helps.

So, the sound of beautiful music can lift my mood. The taste of beautiful food can bring me more alive. The sight of beautiful views like the ones I'm blessed with on my doorstep. The company of friends and family whom I love soon lifts the blues.

And above all of them, having communion with my Lord, and meditating on His Word... That really does alter me.

I'm aware that answer may be slightly flippant, but for low-level, and very temporary blues, these things can surely help.

I have had times of deeper blues too. That hue is much harder to deal with, and cannot be sorted by reading a few words on this blog. Our friend, Dr David Murray, wrote a book recently called Christians get depressed Too. It can be found here.

It is worth getting if you are struggling with depression - and maybe you haven't even recognized what you have as depression. This book may help you in recognition of it too. 

5. Have you started using essential oils, since they have become so popular?

No, Patrice, I haven't, though I'm coming across folks who are using them more and more. Just recently actually, I was thinking about the amazing world God has made for us to enjoy and from which to benefit, and I couldn't help thinking that I am sure He has created so many herbs that have the answer to very many illnesses and troubles. It's something I'd like to learn more of, and may set aside time soon to do that.

Thanks for these questions, Patrice, and once again I've enjoyed spending time with you this week.

Unlike other weeks, mind you, I am rushing home to our own gorgeous weather now! 

On Tuesday evening, I nipped outside to take some photos - erm, yes, I left the comfort of my chair and ventured down to the machair. The sun was just setting and the beach and machair were so peaceful. Serious therapy.

Can you spot the lone surfer to the far left of the photo?

Marina (my sister) was over with me for the evening, but d'ya know what? It was worth leaving her scintillating conversation to savour the beauty and the smell of the machair just as the sun said its farewell for another day.

After the sun had set, I took this photo from the machair, looking up towards Swainbost and Cross. The warmth of the day and the calm of the evening gave a striking ground mist which added to the sense of peace and tranquility. 

On Patrice's Porch ... and Needing Therapy.

I'm back on Patrice's porch, and oh boy, am I loving the Virginian weather! Yesterday, we got a wee hint of what summer in Virginia can be like - our temperatures here in Ness reached the heady heights of 70F, and we had almost no wind. It felt positively Mediterranean.

Today, we've had driving rain and winds of over 50mph. Aye, I guess I'm at home right enough ...

My sister and her kiddos were with me for the past couple of days, so I dragged took her out to the peats yesterday to lift what had been cut a few weeks back.

My sister and I are, erm ... different. 

Can you imagine me dressed this beautifully for the peats? In fact, don't answer that .... Can you imagine me dressed this beautifully at. all? Ever??

I just love spending time with my sister. Anyone who has a sister knows it's just such a gift. And thankfully, many who don't have a 'real' sister have been blessed with beloved friends who are like sisters. Anyway, despite my love for her, she doesn't appreciate my boots. 'Nuff said.

And so, onto your questions for today:


1. What do you think you would have liked most from my menu?

(Patrice had a party for her daughter last week, and if you go to her blog, you'll see the wonderful menu she had on offer)

Patrice, your menu looks amazing, but I'm going to go with the boiled new potatoes and butter. I am a real potato person and new tatties with butter are my ultimate choice. All the food looked amazing, though, and knowing so much of it was home-grown and home-made, would have made it all the more delicious.


2. Have you ever had an interesting experience with serving dinner guests?

Oh dear me ... I'm not sure I can bear to recount this horrific experience. Were I not Scottish, I'm sure I'd still be having counselling following this day in my experience.

It took place around twenty years ago, the Builder and I were living in Glasgow and we were still childless. It was Christmas and a couple who were friends of my parents asked us to join them and their family for Christmas dinner.

And now I want you to picture the scene.

The house is immaculate. The people are immaculate. The couple, in their 60s, are always immaculately dressed. They have two sons, who are both married and their wives are with them for the day. Yes, you guessed it - they are immaculate too. These ladies are petite, gorgeously dressed, and are, erm, well, let's just say they wouldn't be wearing my boots any time. 

Three immaculate couples. And the Builder and me. 

The table is covered in a crisp, white table cloth, and three red candles burn sedately throughout our meal time. 

Our meal is delicious and is served with no fuss, no mess. After dessert, our hostess brings through her home-made Christmas cake, covered in gorgeous white icing.

As our hostess thinks about passing tea and the cake around, she decides to blow the candles out, lest they cause any damage. She gives a little whoo. Just a gentle puff. The flames flicker slightly, mocking her attempt to extinguish them. She tries again.

Whoo. Gentle. Ladylike.

But unsuccessful.

Her gorgeously dressed, and equally sedate and ladylike daughter-in-law tries. A genteel whoo passes her lips. The flames barely notice.

Enter stage left .... Moi. Whilst watching the little puffs, the slight flicker in the flames, and the still burning candles, I'm thinking, 'Well, that's not going to put out the candles'.

So, she huffed. And she puffed. And she blew ....

Oh the flames were extinguished in a split second, but ... oh, horror of horrors. The deep red melted wax from the candles were everywhere.

I mean EVERYWHERE. On the hostess' dress. On her daughter-in-law's dress. On the WHITE tablecloth. And ALL over the beautifully iced cake.

Patrice, I am actually traumatized relating this story. I can feel the shame even now! I can still see the red splashes everywhere. And I can still hear the moments of silence following the ... the ... the event. I can feel the horror and I can remember the realization dawning on me on why these ladies had given genteel whoos.

See ... that's why I moved back to the Croft. I was clearly made for these shores.

Now, anyone have a number for a good therapist ... I feel I need one now.


3. What's your favourite beverage this summer?

Erm, tea. Of course it's tea, Patrice! Whether it's January or July, my favourite beverage is always tea.


4. Do you ever have bouquets of fresh flowers in your home?

Yes, I do, although they're bought in the supermarket, so I suppose 'fresh' is pushing it a bit. Catherine, from time to time, comes home with fresh flowers because she knows I love having them in the house. Right now, I have a vase of deep red roses in the kitchen.

Dearie me, here we are on 'deep red' again. Quick, ask me another question!


5. Tell me something interesting. Please.

Oh, I'm not sure how interesting it is, but DR will be 21 - yes, that's twenty-one - in a fortnight's time. We're planning a wee party for him and his, and our, friends. I've begun preparing food, and I've most certainly begun preparing mental lists! Last year, we had a BBQ in July and had a wonderful evening of food and fun and fellowship and singing.

Our lovely American friends were here at the time.

The young folks were back and fore from the 'football pitch' all evening, and when the sun went down, 

our peat campfire kept us warm.

 It was such a lovely evening, and some similar weather for this year's get-together would be wonderful. Unfortunately, one can't plan around weather in Lewis, so if the weather is unfavourable, we'll eat, talk, and sit inside, rather than outside.

Either way, I'm sure it will be a fun time.

Chatting with Patrice again. On a Porch again. In Virginia again ....

It's been quite some time, but I am back with Patrice on her Virginian porch, in beautifully warm sunshine. I felt a bit bad about gatecrashing her weekly get-togethers, but Wendell assured me that if I brought him a steady supply of carrots, I'd be most welcome to join them any time.

Apparently, Patrice agreed.

Here are Patrice's questions for this week's chat:


1. Do you have a vegetable garden this year? Have you in previous years?

We have planted potatoes this year, but no vegetables. Over the previous number of years, we've planted lots and lots of wonderful stuff, and my readers had the pleasure of hearing me wax lyrical (fairly constantly, too) about my amazing vegetables.

My kids were less appreciative of my wonder, though they were happy to wax lyrical when the aforementioned veg sat in front of them on a plate.

My delight would begin with planting seeds and watching them sprout.

Oh the joy!

It would increase when the fruits of our labour came out of the ground,

and could be used to make soup. Scotch Broth is a great favourite in this house.

As you can see, our veg need protection from the wind - the closer rows are carrots, parsnips, and leeks. Inside the higher cage, which is netted on top to keep the butterflies out, are the brassicas.

This is what it's like inside the cage. My wee babies are all safe and secure from nasty winds and even nastier caterpillars.

One of my favourite experiences is when we are thinning the carrots, and the baby carrots are big enough to eat. They are the most delicious carrots ever.

Another of my favourites is the Romanesco. Apart from the fact that it tasted wonderful, its design completely blew me away. Spiral upon spiral upon spiral, speaking so clearly of the hand of the great designer, who created all that we see around us.

Beetroot was another of my favourites, 

roasted with thyme, garlic and butter..... *swoon*

Dearie me, Patrice, as you can see, some things have never changed. I reached here and had to go back and check what your original question was ... Yes, it appears I'm still taking a long time to answer your questions!

2. What is your computer sitting on right now? Desk, dining room table, lap....?

On the table in our kitchen. I don't know if you remember, but we knocked the wall between our kitchen and our dining room, so it's all one room now. This is where I practically live now!

Oh, and when I say "we", you do realise that the Builder simply couldn't have done it without me, yeah?


3. Do you go shorter with your hair in the summer?

Nope. I'm afraid our summer weather doesn't reach the heady heights that would make shorter hair more necessary or comfortable. In fact, I always think that summer is the time to have it a bit longer, so that it's easier to stick up in a pony tail. When I'd be working in the plot in previous years, I often wished I could tie it back out of my way.


4. Are you an early to bed person, or a night owl?

Erm ... if you knew the time at which I write this, you'd know for sure that I'm a night owl. I actually went to bed last Monday evening at 11pm, and I couldn't believe how amazing I felt on Tuesday morning! I did decide then that I'd have to try that getting-to-bed-by-eleven malarky more often, but so far, it has not been repeated. 

I absolutely love the time after everyone else has gone to bed, and I have complete and utter silence surrounding me. 

It recharges my batteries.


5. Tell me something funny. 

Well, last week, I saw this on Facebook.

Does this ring true for any of you??

Well, it sure does for me, and of course, I tagged our good friend for whom this meme was made ... It must have been!

This was how the conversation on Facebook went:


DM (He shall remain semi-anonymous): Hilarious! I often wonder why laughter is rarely mentioned in the Bible.

Me: JOY is mentioned *innumerable* times  . We should never fear being joyful rather than being morose and morbid ... Keep laughing!

CM (also remaining semi-anonymous): Hoi! Anne you are that friend to me! 😀

Please take note of *utter disbelief* on my face as I read the previous comment. ME? Moi??

DM: Just never ask Anne Morrison to tell you the joke about the fridge Calum Mitchell. She just about collapses onto the floor telling it.

PC (yes, another semi-anonymous 'friend'):  I just about collapse at the mention of the fridge joke.... Just thinking about Anne and her reaction..... And I've never met her!

CM: YES! I never got that joke! But Anne's laugh! Great! Wasn't there a caterpillar joke too!

(There are clearly some sad people in this world, who don't 'get' the fridge joke.)

DM: I have never heard the caterpillar joke....let's hear it.

CM:  Aw I thought it was fridge and the caterpillar or something! Anywhoo! Aw the laugh

Me: Well, Calum and Don Aldmor, you'd actually be sending for the men in white coats were you in my kitchen right now!! The poor Builder is looking at me while I read these comments ... in hysterics just at the *thought* of the fridge joke .... as though I've completely flipped the lid (and he hasn't a clue what's going on   )

DM:  There's one thing you can't say about the Builder and Anne Morrison ......that they are miserable Christians. Some of the most amazing laughs have been in their company. I have often had sore ribs with them with their infectious laughter. They are the perfect template for a good Christian marriage. God bless them both!

Me: Aww, a Dhomhnaill, your lovely comment sobered me up. Thank you ... and ALL is by God's grace (especially the poor Builder's putting up with me!)

DM: The Builder has done so well but I think he also landed on his feet. That cooking, honesty, barbering skills......and these brown shoes. He got it all from you!

DM:  And I can't believe Anne Morrison that you have friends on FB that haven't met you! What a shock they're going to get......"the half was not told me"

Marina (my sister):  Anne, I knew who you meant even before I read your comment! A lovely thread to read through x

Catherine Petra:  Calum - it's the cabbage and the fridge!

Me:  AND the DENIM JACKET!!!!!!!!!!!!

CM:  ...and a tree?


Hello? Hellooooo, any of you still reading?? Well, I do appreciate that the 'joke' is only funny if you kind of know me, us, him, them ....

I hope this all made your day. I've loved being back with you, Patrice, and look forward to joining all the ladies again next week. :)

On the Run-up to Christmas, on Patrice's Porch

Our last chat before Christmas, Patrice. Doesn't time fly!


1. What is your favourite way to have potatoes?

I love potatoes. I really, really love 'em. 

I love baby 'new' potatoes with butter melted over them. Yum. 

I love creamed potatoes: lots of melted butter and milk added, and even some cream cheese. Double yum.

And I love a variety of takes on dauphinoise potatoes. I love leek sautéed in butter and added to the dauphinoise, and then grated cheese sprinkled on top before baking. Triple yum.

Duke of York Reds and Whites

When we're having fresh mackerel straight from the sea, there is nothing quite like our own earlies. Boiled in their skins and tasting awesome!

Our own Roosters from the year before last

There's the world of difference between the taste of home grown tatties and bought ones. 

As I mentioned, I love potatoes!

2. Do you keep your house toasty warm or a bit cooler?

I love warmth in the house. Ohhhh yes, inside, I love to be toasty and warm. Since we got the stove, our kitchen area is absolutely toasty! I may have mentioned (once or twice) on the blog that I love our stove. It's a similar love to the love I feel for potatoes: it goes deep, folks. Really deep.

But because we spend so much of our day here in the kitchen area with the stove, the rest of the house can end up being neglected. It's normally when we go up in the evening to sit in the Family Room, or even when we head up to bed that we realize just how cold the rest of the house is!


3. What would you most like to see under the tree?

Hmmmm, I really don't know. Let me think....

Help me out, folks. I really don't know. We don't do much in the way of presents for ourselves - it's mostly for the kiddos - so I've not really spent much time thinking about a gift I'd like.

Oh well, go on then - give us trans-Atlantic plane tickets for next year. Yeah, that would be nice!


4. Do you have an Elf on the Shelf? This one may not translate to other countries. Just tell us something you want if you don't know what I'm talking about.

Nope. I haven't a clue what that is, so I shall ramble on about something else. Rambling, as you know, Patrice, comes rather naturally to me.

Last night as we went to bed, the winds here in Ness had reached 90mph. Okay, so it wasn't over 100mph like we had the other day, but our older kids were a bit concerned because they were heading off on the ferry early this morning. 

Bleugh! My stomach is churning at the mere thought of the Minch on a windy morning. Of course, their concern wasn't how rough the sea was going to be, but that the ferry may not sail. That would be a disaster (the meaning of the word 'disaster' changes depending on the stage of life one is at. Yep, that's a fact.) because they were meeting up with some friends from London who now live in the US of A, and were flying up from London for two days just to see them.

Well, the London/USA kids' grandparents also live in Inverness and I'm sure visiting with them was really their reason for coming so far north. Or maybe not.

Anyway, to cut a long story short - erm, excuse me, I heard that guffaw: I can cut stories short. I can, you know - they did get away, they did meet up with their friends, and they are having a great time. 

I assume. I'm having to assume because I haven't heard from them. And I take that as a good sign.

Anyway, because the older kids are away, the Wee Guy and I were home alone today. We took a complete day off: we sat in front of the stove, read books, and had cups of tea. It was bliss! It was also such fun to read for a while, then listen to Calum telling about what he'd read, and his story would lead us onto some related topic and we'd just a good blether whilst dunking our biscuits in our cuppa.

Bliss, I tell y'all.


5. Have you put up a Christmas tree this year?

We haven't actually. When we took down last year's tree, we decided it looked a bit robach. It had seen better days, so it got the heave-ho. But if you're planning to buy a new Christmas tree, do it in the January sales. Don't leave it until December, when your money has other priorities! 

*      *      * 

Patrice, I believe you're not going to be on your porch next week. I'm not sure why you'd miss a week ... ? Maybe the weather? I'm quite sure there's nothing too important on next week. 

Please say Hi to Wendell, and tell him we're all glad he's out of the horsepital (Patrice, I love it!).

See y'all in two weeks' time.

Oh, and have a great Christmas, y'all. 

Sitting in Patrice's Cozy Kitchen for Today's Blether

Good afternoon, Patrice. I'm looking forward to a hot cuppa and a good yarn today. Our weather today is so mild: our temperature has been around 11C all day - very mild for this time of year, and we even had the sun make an appearance in the afternoon. Mind you, we did have winds of around 50mph all day, so it wouldn't be the weather for sitting outside. That would be too much to ask altogether.

And so to your questions, Patrice:


1. Have you baked any Christmas cookies yet?

I don't tend to bake Christmas cookies, Patrice - not ones that are specifically Christmas-y anyway. And we don't make a Christmas cake because nobody here likes fruit cake. Nope. Nobody. At all.

Over the Christmas holidays, I expect to be doing a fair bit of cooking and baking, but much of what I'll be making will have a same-ness feel about it. I tend to only make what the Builder and the kids really enjoy, and that doesn't change at this time of year. So, very boring, all in all.


2. Have you finished your shopping yet? 

You're having a laugh! Unless it's around 5pm on the 24th of December, it's very unlikely that I will have finished my Christmas shopping. 

Yes, every year is going to be different. And yes, every year turns out the same.

One point to note in my defense: I do not like Christmas shopping in November. There's something just not ... well, it's just not Christmas-y enough to do my Christmas shopping.

Add that to my general disorganisation, which plagues my life from day to day, and you get my annual last-minute mad-but-fun shopping dashes.


3. If you had reindeer like the story of Santa, what would you name them? (Be creative. Remember, they were Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Coment, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph.) If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go on to the next question.

Stroll on! I had no idea! No, really - I had no idea that Santa had all these reindeer. In my deprived childhood I only ever heard of Rudolph. He must have been the main man. The top dog. Or simply the reindeer of whom songs are sung. Yes, maybe that's it.

Okay, let me think. Our (and I use our in the loosest possible sense of the word. I'm aware they're Big Brother's) rams have so far been named John Wayne, Bruce (Willis), and Sylvester (Stallone - obviously). The next one, apparently, is going to be Arnie. So, do I make my reindeer Men's Men, and give them names following on from the rams' names? It's a possibility, but I'm not sure I can think of another five hunky-chunky-men's-men after whom to name them. I know you have what's-his-name in the Bourne movies, but he ain't quite your Bruce Willis, let's face it. And you've got the other fella in the Mission Impossible movies, but he sure doesn't cut the mustard if you're comparing him with Sylvester.

It seems like real chunky hunks are hard to find. Ohhhh .... unless I began closer to home. 

Ah-aaaah - have you seen the Builder, Big Brother and Baby Brother.

*swoon*

Ahem, I'm hastily clarifying that I am swooning only for the Builder, but I'm sure others would happily swoon at the others.

Phew! I'm glad they don't read my blog!

I know I only gave you three names, Patrice, but I'm not sure Santa would need any more, if he had these three fellas to help. Yep, that's Santa sorted.

It's also time I moved quickly on to the next question.


4. What was the most memorable Christmas gift you ever gave or received?

All these Christmas questions are doing this Presbyterian's head in, Patrice. Right, let me think.

Oh yes, I know for certain the best Christmas present we gave: two years ago, completely unbeknown to our kids, the Builder and I booked flights for us all to head across to Canada and America. On Christmas morning we gave each of the kids a pack of travel toiletries, for which they thanked us....

We then asked what their presents had in common and gave them each the envelope with their tickets across the Atlantic in them! We all flew out the following April for what was an amazing never-to-be-forgotten holiday. I wish we were going to be doing the same this Christmas!


5. Please tell me something new, interesting, or funny. Also, Wendell could use some encouraging words to feel better - just saying :)

Something new:

We have a beautiful girl whom we are sponsoring in India. Her name is Mansa, and she already has a very special place in my heart.

Something interesting:

We are having major problems right now with our internet connection. That is not, by any stretch of the imagination, interesting. It is, however, maddening.

Something funny:

Our girls. Not that they're going to make you laugh, but they make me laugh so much.  


And to Wendell, well ... what more encouraging words could I give him than to promise I'll be back again next week to see him. If I could, I'd bring Jackson along - I have a feeling they'd be great friends.

I know Wendell hasn't been toddy lately, Patrice. I hate seeing animals unwell, so I do hope - for your sake, and for his - that he gets well very soon.

Again, Patrice, thank you so much for hosting our weekly chat. When we get together next, we will be really close to Christmas.