Sunday, 3 October 2010
What's yours called?
I was just reading a post by Molly over at Just Pleasantly Floundering Around about party questions (good idea by the way!) and it suddenly came to me what my autobiography would be called:
I don't mean that in the sense of "Why are you still here, won't you go away?" but more to reflect that fact that I've been in the same marriage for 21 years, the same house for 20 years, worked in the same office for 25 years and have lived in the New Forest for 44 years.
I thought Geminis were suppose to like change, but in the major aspects of life it seems I don't.... ;-)
What would your autobiography be called? and why? even better, why not make that into a blog post!
Early outing for Rudolph
I was saying to Mr H. a while ago that I wondered where all the people in wheelchairs and on crutches are, there must be loads of them but one never sees them... Well I've discovered where the wheelchair users go - to the garden centres! We saw half a dozen of them in there; well I'm glad to have solved that mystery ;-)
We went yesterday (with the wheelchair!) to get replacement bulbs for our verandah lights, as mentioned they only sell them with the Christmas lights. While we where there we had a look around the festive decorations and other things, even though we are always moaning about how soon they come into the shops! But as it was a half hour drive, and we were having a bit of an outing we thought we'd make the most of it, so had a good nose around as this shop has a huge selection of stuff, for every taste.
We went yesterday (with the wheelchair!) to get replacement bulbs for our verandah lights, as mentioned they only sell them with the Christmas lights. While we where there we had a look around the festive decorations and other things, even though we are always moaning about how soon they come into the shops! But as it was a half hour drive, and we were having a bit of an outing we thought we'd make the most of it, so had a good nose around as this shop has a huge selection of stuff, for every taste.
It's incredible what people will spend on Christmas. The only things we like are the 'traditional' style of decoration, the glitzy gold and silver just leaves us cold. We even bought a couple of christmas tree decorations that amused us; who could resist this little reindeer?!
We also bought all 8 of the light bulbs they had on display - it's only a matter of time before they discontinue them, as with normal household lightbulbs. We all have to buy energy-saving ones now, you know the sort where you switch them on but still can't see anything because they take half an hour to warm up!
Saturday, 2 October 2010
Us and Them
He split a bunch of teenage boys into two groups, apparently based on their preference for one of two abstract painters; in fact they were split entirely randomly. The tests showed that they displayed discrimination against boys in the group that liked the 'other' artist, although there was no personal gain for them from their decision.
Anyway I thought I'd have a look at the two artists in question and they painted some interesting stuff so I why not share it with you: They were Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky
See more paintings by Paul KLEE
See more paintings by Wassily KANDINSKY
I personally prefer Kandinsky's style, although of the two above I prefer Klee's picture. How about you? I promise I won't hold it against you...
Saturday ramblings
Today dawned dry and we went outside to find lots of bits of oak tree all over the lawn from yesterday's weather. The grass was mown on Thursday and is noticeably growing already... well it's going to have to last another 3 weeks until its next haircut. Mr H. is out chainsawing and chopping wood to fill up the log pile and baskets in the house, so I will be able to light a fire in the evenings; I've just realised that means I'll have to move my 'office' as it is currently right in front of the sitting room fireplace, not the best place for a laptop! I put on my wellies and fiddled with a few things in the garden, it felt very normal.
Talking of three weeks time, next time Mr H. comes down, at the end of October, he is taking Django back to Scotland with him; he will have custody probably until Christmas. It makes life easier for me not having to worry about him getting walked in horrible weather (friends aren't so keen!) and having to clear up the garden after him when it's covered in leaves - not the easiest job even when able-bodied. I will miss him of course, but he will have a lovely time up there and out in the field getting lots of exercise. When he did this before it was February/March and he came back looking like a stick insect, so I have been fattening him up in preparation!
This afternoon we are taking a trip to the big garden centre, we need some new bulbs for our outside lights and they only stock them when they have the christmas lights in, which they have now (just); also Mr H. has been bemoaning the dearth of nice cards in Ayr so we will stock up on those as well.
Wishing you all a lovely weekend!
No it's not snowing! this was January 2010
* * * *
Talking of three weeks time, next time Mr H. comes down, at the end of October, he is taking Django back to Scotland with him; he will have custody probably until Christmas. It makes life easier for me not having to worry about him getting walked in horrible weather (friends aren't so keen!) and having to clear up the garden after him when it's covered in leaves - not the easiest job even when able-bodied. I will miss him of course, but he will have a lovely time up there and out in the field getting lots of exercise. When he did this before it was February/March and he came back looking like a stick insect, so I have been fattening him up in preparation!
* * * *
This afternoon we are taking a trip to the big garden centre, we need some new bulbs for our outside lights and they only stock them when they have the christmas lights in, which they have now (just); also Mr H. has been bemoaning the dearth of nice cards in Ayr so we will stock up on those as well.
Wishing you all a lovely weekend!
Friday, 1 October 2010
Friday Plan B
We awoke to torrential rain and wind, so had a late breakfast and a leisurely morning while I played with photos for TP 117 ' Parallel'. After a quick trip to the supermarket we came home for lunch and then spent the rest of the afternoon making Quince Chutney. Oh and while it was cooking I sneaked some time to create The Scotsman ;-)
We have a quince tree in the garden (you might have seen the photo in my short tour of the garden) which this year yielded just over 50 good sized fruit. Half of them went to a friend to make quince jelly - I refuse to make anything that involves an upside-down chair and a muslin bag - and after baking a few we were left with enough for a few jars of chutney.
We have a quince tree in the garden (you might have seen the photo in my short tour of the garden) which this year yielded just over 50 good sized fruit. Half of them went to a friend to make quince jelly - I refuse to make anything that involves an upside-down chair and a muslin bag - and after baking a few we were left with enough for a few jars of chutney.
It is a pear chutney recipe adapted and includes: green tomatoes, onions, raisins, demarera sugar, malt vinegar, cayenne pepper, ground ginger and salt'n'pepper. The tomatoes and onions came from the garden, I found a lovely little heart shaped tomato:
Mr H. nobly took on the job of peeling and chopping the quinces; they are very hard on the hands, I know this from previous years of doing it all for jam and chutney.
This mixture looked tasty enough to eat raw!
After about 5 hours of simmering, it was cooked and the liquid boiled off:
Out of just over 6lb of quinces we made 11lb of chutney.Yum.
So it wasn't a wasted day at all :-)
IF: Beneath
This week's Illustration Friday theme is 'Beneath'.
With Scotland on my mind, this is what I came up with; and I hope those non-Brits are familiar with the eternal question of what a Scotsman wears beneath his kilt... ;-)
With Scotland on my mind, this is what I came up with; and I hope those non-Brits are familiar with the eternal question of what a Scotsman wears beneath his kilt... ;-)
Thematic Photographic 117 - Parallel
Thanks Carmi at Written Inc.
I do feel rather as though I am living a parallel life at the moment - what is my normal, uninjured self doing? Right now I would probably be out in my waterproofs on a soggy walk with Mr H. and Django, since the awful forecast was accurate ;-)
In my present, parallel life I spend most of my time in the house, so here are some photos from my environment...
Your challenge is to spot the oddity ;-)
I do feel rather as though I am living a parallel life at the moment - what is my normal, uninjured self doing? Right now I would probably be out in my waterproofs on a soggy walk with Mr H. and Django, since the awful forecast was accurate ;-)
In my present, parallel life I spend most of my time in the house, so here are some photos from my environment...
Your challenge is to spot the oddity ;-)
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| I wanted this the other way around because it looked more interesting... but Blogger keeps automatically rotating it! |
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