Egg First, or Chicken? On Patrice's Porch, Thinking out Loud

Good morning, Patrice. We could almost have sat on our porch this last couple of days. We've had the most gorgeous weather, and I'm trying to enjoy it all, knowing that it wont be here for long.


We're kind of busy just now with normal schoolwork, although all four kids had a bad virus, so we're on a bit of a go-slow.


Catherine is beginning a piece of historical fiction writing, so she posted on her Facebook wall that she was looking for suggestions as to what era she ought to go for. What would you guys choose? 


Roman times? All that hedonism, blood, gore and battles? 


Celtic times, with all the rituals, tribal life and more battles?


Victorian times, with delicate ladies, chivalry and Colin Firth?


...er, what do you mean, he wasn't around then? You just ask the Bennets... he was, you know.


One of her friends, very helpfully suggested... 'It depends on the story'. So I got to thinking (always a bit of a danger)


"Does the story depend on the era? Or does the era depend on the story? Did the egg depend on the chicken? Or the chicken on the egg? " 


What do you all think?  


And so, we move quickly on to Patrice's questions:


What accomplishments make you the most proud?


Oooh, I'm not sure I have many accomplishments. I have so many blessings in my life, and I know my life is so different to what I deserve.


I have been gifted salvation. It is "the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast".


I have been gifted a wonderful husband. He truly has been a gift, and is so different to what I deserve. These are not idle words - this is just the way it is, and I have come to realise it more and more as I go on in my life. The life I lived before I married and before I was saved would not have made me a candidate to make such a good choice in a husband. I can simply say: 'It is the Lord'. And yes, it is 'wondrous in my eyes'.


I have been gifted four children, who are blessings above and beyond anything I could have imagined. They are not my accomplishments; I can take no credit for them. They were given to me for a season. My desire for them is the salvation of their souls; for them to love the Saviour; for them to grow into kind and loving adults; and for them to carry out God's will for their lives to His glory.


At one time, I would have felt pride about the way in which I got through my pregnancies and my labours. I know that is so utterly foolish, but I was so healthy and my first three pregnancies and labours were such a doddle for me. I used to joke that my labours were easier than going to do my weekly grocery shop. I was only half-joking. My pregnancy and my experience after the Wee Guy was born taught me much - What do we have that we have not received? 


In much lesser things than those wonders, I don't really accomplish much.... I would love - absolutely love - to be able to play the piano. If I were ever to achieve this, I'd fill in this space with this achievement. Until then... it's onto the next question.


When did your family first come to the country in which you now live?


Absolutely no idea! Unlike you guys who live in 'young' America, we live in ancient Scotland! Some of my peoples would have been here since Viking times; others from Celtic times. 


What is your favourite way to serve carrots?


Well, this will amaze Wendell, but up until two years ago - when we harvested our own carrots for the first time - I never ate carrots unless they were raw. I didn't like boiled carrots at all. When we had our own, though, I couldn't bear the thought of not eating something that smelled so good! I still don't eat them boiled, but I absolutely love them roasted: plenty olive oil and black pepper  - they're the necessities, but some garlic is nice too. If they're roasted with parsnips and red onion, the flavours are wonderful.


Do you decorate with anything that has Santa or Father Christmas when you prepare for Christmas?


I don't think so. We never did Christmas decorations when we were growing up. The Builder did, and so we do now. It's mostly the tree and some garlands. I don't think there's anything Santa-ish there, but I'd need to check when we open the box next month.


Do you prefer big dogs or small dogs? Something in between?


Oh, Patrice! What a question to ask me! Definitely big dogs. Small dogs are only okay if they're actually the puppies of dogs that will soon be big dogs. 

Blue skies...

I just got a Facebook notification saying:

Katie just added a photo of you.

And so I went to look at what masterpiece she'd unearthed and posted on the dreaded Facebook.

This is the photo...

Er... am I missing something? 

As Jackson and I went for our morning stroll today, and watched the sun rise behind the mainland hills... 

Let's just stop right there. Doesn't that sound good? 

Me. Walking. Morning. 

Let's just dwell on these three words for a moment, realising they were placed, correctly, in one sentence.

And now I can't remember why I began the sentence in the first place. No matter: it was worth putting in just for me to emphasize these three words.  

Talking of the sunrise, if you head over to Eoropie Tearoom's Facebook page, you can watch a video of that very sun rising, this very morning.

Have you watched it? See the mainland hills? Nice.

I reckon if any future tourists are planning on visiting Lewis, they might think of booking a November holiday. These past few days have been as bonny as any days we've had all year. Last year, around this time, we took OMSH on a tour of our local sights.

We showed him the lighthouse,

and Port Beach

The skies were blue that day too. And that was November. So... mark my words - you wanna see our island bathed in sunshine, visit in November.


The Tourist Board ought to pay me for my in-depth studies into weather patterns on the island. Just sayin'

Bonfire Night...

As the day goes on, and the bonfire is set up - with the centre pole firmly set, and Guy's seating arrangement sorted - work progresses to making the Guy.

(the boots will not go up in flames, and he will have a head)

This photo was taken before 4.30pm and the sun is setting. I guess we're kinda far north right enough, but I can't get over how quickly time passes. It seems only weeks since we were going to bed at night and the sun still hadn't set. 

Cousins. And they all live within a couple of miles of each other...

Guy seemed to have it sorted this year. He was so high above the flames

In the end, the centre pole fell before Guy went up in flames...

He fell to the ground...

Is he alive?

The Builder does some quick CPR, but it's all to no avail.

Sorry, Guy, but this is to be your fate.

You don't attempt to blow up our Parliament and think you're gonna get off with it.

Not back then, anyway.

Bonfire Day... Part I

What a gorgeous day we have here.


We have:


- hardly any wind
- no rain
- blue skies


I thought someone may have transported me some place else through the night, but I checked some things:


- the view
- my family
- my to-do list


Yep, I'm home.


Here are some photos from this morning.

Beginning to get the bonfire shape..

and kids on top of the world.

The centre pole arriving...

...and the gaffer keeping an eye on proceedings

A Day in Town

I had to go to town today. You see, it's Friday, so my cupboards needed re-filling. If I didn't absolutely have to go to town, I wouldn't, but the only thing more important to this family than having Mother in the kitchen all day, every day, is having the cupboards in the aforementioned kitchen full of food.

And so, on a lovely November day, I headed to town.

While driving on my way to town, I did what all normal people do: I stopped the car in the middle of the Barvas moor to take some photos.

You mean, this is not normal?

Well, it is if you're a blogger.

This photo is looking towards town. It's grey.

But look at the next one...

This is looking back to the place from whence I came. It's blue and bonny.

I was on my own today. I have four kids laid up with coughs and colds. This is not good news considering what they'd all be hoping to be doing tomorrow.

Bonfires are needing built, and I have a feeling we're gonna have some very disappointed kids, looking out windows at others doing what they will be desperate to do.

Anyway, back to my trip to town.

The harbour was almost totally empty of fishing boats. Our local fishermen would have been glad of the good weather.

The Castle ground trees are almost completely void of leaves.

To the right of the photo, the Lews Castle is seen clearly through the clearing.  

It must be a welcome sight to fishermen returning to harbour after their toil.

On the other side of the harbour, the ferry was loading up for its return trip to Ullapool.

And shortly after, she could be seen from the Battery disappearing beyond Sandwick's cliffs.

This is Sandwick, the graveyard to the left of the photo.

On my way home, I popped in to my sister's for a cuppa, and took these photos from her Lounge window.

Just to show y'all... we have trees!

It's Time For ...

It's that time of year again.

'What time', you ask?

Well, it's the time for fireworks...

(from last year's 5th of November)

So... what have the following photos got to do with fireworks?

Well, this weekend is their weekend too...

Oh yes, let the fun begin.

But this is the question. If you were a future lamb, would you prefer to have been fathered by...

Mr John Wayne. Handsome, and fairly attractive? 

Manly, but a nice face too?

Or Bruce Willis...

Possibly not quite as handsome in the face, but oh, what a physique.

Where do you stand? If you were a next-year's-lamb...

Just wonderin'

Answering Questions on Patrice's Porch Again

As I type, I'm watching (yet another) episode of the Pioneer Woman's cookery programme. The kindest reader ever of PW's blog actually sent me the programmes on DVD, so that's been my evening entertainment for the night.


At dinner, the conversation went something like this:


Me: Right, once dinner is cleared away, I'm off to watch the Pioneer Woman's DVD.
Wee Guy: Ohhh yes! Cowboys!
Me: Er, no... it's a cookery programme.
Wee Guy: Who on earth makes a DVD about food when you could make it about cowboys?

Reasonable question?


Now that we've spent the evening watching the DVD, my kids are talking with an Okie accent.


Do you call Oklahoma Okie? I've never heard that, but surely you must. Maybe it's Oklie. Anyway, accents aside, I'm trying hard not to covet PW's kitchen utensils.


This week, some of Patrice's questions have come from other readers, so here goes!


Alison asks: What's the biggest obstacle you've overcome, or need to?


Oooohh, that's a difficult one, Alison. 


When the whole 'homeschooling' idea came to us, I knew at once it sounded like the best idea ever... For other mums. For me? Nope. I was sure it just would never work. I'm disorganised (big style); I'm forgetful (bigger style); I'm scatterbrained (even bigger style). The combination of these made me think homeschooling would be a disaster. So I did have to overcome the obstacle of, 'Lord, I know this is the way to go, but me??'. I seriously felt I was the wrong person to ask this of. I guess I had to overcome any thoughts of self-reliance, and realise when something is right to do, it's always possible to do.


As y'all know, I wouldn't change it for the world now. And yes, I'm still disorganised, forgetful and scatterbrained. But I am who I am, and God gave me these precious children, knowing what I am. Who am I to suggest He has made a mistake?


Having said all that, I constantly battle with attempts to become more organised, because I know my life and the lives of those with whom I live is better when the home runs smoothly. This obstacle is a constant challenge for me, and one I simply need to keep working at.


Julia asks: If you won $100,000, what changes would you make?


Well, I can't ever see the circumstance in which I'd win money, but if this kind of money landed on my lap...?  I'd be mortgage free! And I'd buy myself some lenses for the camera.


Oh, and some of the kitchenware I was admiring earlier tonight.


Ann McGuffy asks: What's the most unusual pet you've had?


No unusual ones. Growing up, we had dogs, but after my Grampa died, his dog, a collie, died of a broken heart. That's the truth. The day of my Grampa's funeral, she followed the procession down the road, came back to our barn and mourned. She died only a couple of weeks after Grampa. A few years after that, my parents - after incessant pleading from a certain daughter (and it wasn't my sister!) - bought a miniature Shetland Collie. She died after I was married, so it's my Mum who mourned (and still becomes teary when we speak of) her.


When do you start decorating for Christmas?


We're not as big on the whole decorating business as the Americans are. I guess we begin about a week before. The kids force me to leave the stuff up until after New Year, but I am definitely ready to pack it away by then.


It's clear my upbringing was Scottish Presbyterian. Of course, my kids' is too, yet they love the decorations. I'm guessing they may grow out of it. Or not. The Builder loves the decorations more than I do.


I do wish we decorated for the Fall though. Autumn colours are my favourite, and I'd love the coziness of having our home decorated in warm, autumnal colours. That would be unheard of in this neck of the woods. Having no trees means we don't ever see Fall colours outside, but I reckon this may be all the more reason to decorate inside. I think I'll begin a trend.


What's your favourite type of magazine to read?


I think I'd probably choose a magazine with a combination of interior decoration, food and recipes and gardening (vegetable, that is. Flowers are for vases, not for outdoors here!). I'd like the homes shown to be traditional and country-ish; the food to be delicious, do-able, family-friendly, and made with ingredients that are possible to find; and I'd like the gardening section to be.... well, I'd just like it to be there!


Thanks again, Patrice, for having us come by. I'm hitting the sack now. I'm all puckered out, and I just know that all my dreams are gonna be in American accents. Even what I'm writing is.... does it come across? 


No? Well, it sure sounds it on this side of the screen.


Have a great week!