Busy as ever!

 Yesterday we had an early start and headed for Dundee again, not quite missing the traffic congestion through Glasgow.

Showers were forecast, but we didn't expect a hail shower as we were unpacking our bikes!

Thus time I rode the track session, just steady riding for me for about 45 minutes, then the hail started again! The other three ride a little faster most of the time and longer. Then a takeaway cuppa..and the craic lasted as long as the riding!

We decided not to come straight back down the main roads, and had a little detour round small roads and lanes, via Cupar Angus and coming into Perth at Scone.

Down the main road nearly to Stirling, then across via Doune to Fintry. There we had intended going over the Crow Road to Lennoxtown to see a friend in his bikeshop...road closed for three weeks..so we had to go around the end of the big hill not over it! But....road closed signs....but again...traffic coming towards us..ok, carry on....

We weren't supposed to go that way....a quarter of the width of the road had been washed out ! It was safe enough to go through.

Fresh coffee and biscuits were very welcome when we arrived...and more talk and buying tyres for me passed the time to avoid the evening rush hour!

With more long driving coming in the future I need to get back in practice to stay safe...we were both well tired...but it was good to see the landscape for real and to see friends too.

Today was a late start..catch up on housework after yesterday, and get plants out in the new bed at last...just broad beans and parsnip, and thinking where the beans and peas will go.

I managed to finish a small linoblock...of a sunset...

And then we had a magenta and peach sunset....not that this tablet sees it as that!

Drawing, cutting

just small blocks...as much a challenge as big ones.

I might make two of this one, one with just the central trio of maize stalks.

On to the next one. I think I will build up a few before inking, to save on washing the roller, block and slab between each one.

I forgot to reverse the image on the block..tracing then lots of rubbing out!! Followed by putting the design on again.

Thinking through what is black/white is a challenge.

Garden progress

 The seedlings look better for having had bubble wrap over them overnight...memories of losing plants when we first got the polytunnel...

And Pirate has finished the sides of the bed by the polytunnel.

Broad beans and parsnips are ready to go in, and I will put black, light , weed suppressing membrane over the rest to keep it weed free and warm ready for peas beans and sweetcorn.

Today is cold wet and windy, so today I will get on with my mended laptop and install photos and suchlike so that hopefully I can print the rear of the linoprinted cards.

There are a couple of new designs brewing in my mind as well...

Meanwhile Pirate is sorting the warmer indoor homeroom instead of a cold shed!!

Just ticking over

 Getting housework sorted...little by little...not pushing myself after the second jag (Scots for vaccination) yesterday. Keeping up with the laundry.

Pirate has been cracking on with improving the raised bed where the legumes will hopefully grow, and we both have been tidying the garden steadily.

Today's weather has turned cold again, after two days of shorts weather. Back to jeans and fleece jackets!! Then a decent shower of rain at suppertime...relief that I won't have to water the small pots outside tomorrow.

Nighttime frosts are forecast again so all the small plants in the greenhouse now have bubble wrap over them!  It's about time to sow squash and pumpkin seeds, but I think I will hold back on that for a week or so.

The sepia printed cards have, I think, dried, so they are ready for the writing on the back.

The larger prints are drying slowly....frustratingly slow....but no point packing one in its tube to have it arrive stuck to its lining paper.

So a couple of just clearing jobs away... hopefully to get creative soon. The forecast tomorrow is for cold , wind and rain...so it just might be tomorrow!!

Remembering and thanking

Anzac biscuits.

Thank the Australian army for looking after grandpa. 

Thanks to those who didn't return.
 

Back on track

 Literally!...We had a sale to deliver to near Dundee to a fellow cyclist, as posting them would cost far too much...so Pirate and mate had a ride on the Caird Park velodrome in Dundee. It has been nicely refurbished after all the construction work at the athletics track beside it. 

It was good for them to get together, have an hour or so on the track and plenty of talk! Then a takeaway lunch together outside in the sun!

Mate gave us a lead car around Dundee and over the Tay Bridge, which I have never been over...the cycle/footpath goes down the middle! Then home via another delivery in the Kingdom of Fife.

A long day but a good day! And the shed is three wheels and two rims lighter!!

More garden work

 Just tidying and weeding a garden in Dumfries...but staying in a cottage that the garden's owners also have, right by the sea...by Scotland's second oldest lighthouse...and you can sometimes see England!! 

It is almost level with Silloth on the English side..

Printing at last!

 

A card window, while inking, then a balsa wood frame , matching the thickness of the lino. This is so that the card doesn't get distorted in the press.

The card placed carefully...

A wool felt mat for even pressure

Sepia on cream card for a change

And some square cards.

I tried a few parcel tags with a Field Maple print...they look ok, so I will make some small blocks with different leaves and trees.

A productive day...and Pirate made lunch (after riding his bike on the turbo trainer because it was cold outside!) and supper!!

An odd day

 Tidying lose ends in the morning, we packed lunch and bikes in the car and headed for the hills. 

After lunch we started out but uphill cold and headwind were not a good combination...so after 4 mike's we turned back. Luckily a retired doctor friend lives near where we were, and we had some fat balls for him....our garden birds had turned up their beaks at them!! 

It was good to say hello, say Hi again to his son and family who were visiting....and thanks to all females present, pirate agreed to a natter with his medical mate.

The main result....he has to stop stressing about everybody else's problems!!!! We know he cares....but he is worrying instead of being concerned....

Back to the mindfulness, as he has been slacking with something that he knows works!!

It ended up a good day despite everything....chip supper at the beach, chill out and no stress...and a beautiful sunset sky.

Surprise!

 We arrived home from our gardening day, to a surprise on the mat...

A present of a card from Fresca, a friend from blogland , who has also bought my work....and the linoprint on the card reminded her of that!

I don't think that I can reproduce the card here... copyright etc...but here is the artist...

And the publishers..

Now that looks like a really good thing that is happening there.

Gardening day

 Today we went to the Bridge of Weir to help a newbie gardener...his late wife was The Gardener and he had always been the wielder of secateurs and lawnmowers....now on his own, with the new greenhouse that they bought together, he is determined to learn!!

I took over some seedlings and divisions and he had started tomatoes from seed. He is having fun discovering different sorts of pots...plastic, coir, clay...and above all he is willing to make mistakes and learn.

It was a day of tidying shrubberies, clearing up pruned bits and path cleaning....and talking.

Such a lovely day I forgot to photograph his lovely garden, but we will be back in a couple of weeks.

We could have done with a day in our own garden, but this was worth far more.

Hopefully tomorrow Pirate can finish what he started......

And I can get more seeds sown....

I don't know if you will be able to hear this....but at dusk I went out to shut the greenhouse, and a thrush was really going for it... until I pressed record.....

Brief escape

 We have been plodding along, doing bits of this and that...the sort of good progress that feels anything but!

Yesterday was good...but I haven't taken photos yet...Pirate was constructive in the garden, while I got more sowing and planting done in the greenhouse and polytunnel.

Today he had a visit to the dentist for a dental wash and brush-up. After shopping nearby it was a beautiful day...so he thought... ice-cream!! Seaside!! Our nearest seaside gelateria was having a spring-clean and repaint ready for proper opening on April 26, so we headed further North.

Ice cream first stop...doubles of course! Then a walk along the prom and towards the town centre.  It wasn't too busy atall untill we returned to the prom....so, quick exit and drive up a road new to both of us. We found a viewpoint above the town and a walk with very few people, lovely sun and fresh air . 

Then home along the quieter more interesting roads. Far better than rushing back down dual carriageways.

Ah well...just when you trust it to behave...the pictures are backwards, and the last one should be in the middle!!

Night all....I am tired after all that driving and walking...although we didn't go that far!!