Cordial and a down day.

 

Most of this year's red and blackcurrants, plus,from the freezer, a two litre box of sloes, a small box of rosehips and some sliced lemons and limes.

I had thought that the sloes were last year's blackcurrants!! Still, it tastes good, even before adding sugar to preserve the cordial.

It was chilly this morning, and lightly raining, so this morning's bike ride became a walk around Hannahston,while the fruit finished cooking over a saucepan of hot water.

Not much else got done today..I did a guest post for Tom...https://tomstephenson.blogspot.com/2021/07/gzs-post.html ...trying to put what I am feeling into words.......

At last the weather lifted and warmed by 6pm, so Pirate said Out on the Bikes!! Just a pootle on the lanes and a hot chocolate stop at one of the local farm shops.

The view towards Aran was stunning...with the Clyde shining brightly in the sun.

Then a quick supper from the freezer, exactly the time for using the frozen leftovers!!

No printing today, but preparation and thinking of what to print and what images to move on to.

Caird Park

 We trekked up to Dundee today..it's a long drive, 120+ miles, but worth it to have an hour or more riding with friends in the fresh air on the Velodrome at Caird Park.

We always do other things to justify the trip...two visits to friends and top up shopping today!

I managed to take photos of the original building in Caird Park, along with all the sports facilities.

Mains Castle (also known as Claverhouse Castle or Fintry Castle) is a 16th-century castle located within Caird Park in Dundee, Scotland. The castle consists of several buildings surrounding a courtyard, although several of the original western buildings no longer exist. The northern and eastern buildings are where the family would have lived, with the servants occupying the southern quarters. The castle also has a large, six-floor, square tower house with dressed cornerstones, which is typical of 16th-century construction.

The castle is located in Dundee’s Caird Park to the north of the city overlooking the Dichty valley and adjacent to a small stream known as the Gelly Burn.

It's now a wedding venue!

Dunnit!

 Entered online...paid....hope I have done that all correctly..and now all packed up to post.

These are on their way to the IV International Mini Print Cantabria in Santander.

Now once they are off by registered post I can breath easy...and get on with everything else!!

Afternoon walks

 

First to the Turnberry lighthouse..

Then back to Maidens to park, and walk along the Ayrshire Coast walk to Culzean...but not as far as the castle...and back.

Rimu?

A carry out chip supper, eaten sitting at the top of the Brown Carrick Hills,looking over to Arran and up the Ayrshire coastline...then home.  Everything can wait until tomorrow!!

Lush

 

Cards

 https://www.etsy.com/uk/GwynnethRixon/listing/1042578752/trees-4-original-linoprinted-cards?utm_source=Copy&utm_medium=ListingManager&utm_campaign=Share&utm_term=so.lmsm&share_time=1627130179429

Not sure what I did there!! 

Stocktake done, some renewing started and one card listing done..I might reduce the price of some bigger prints later. 

These are what should be showing at the top- but they should also show on the Etsy link on the side bar.

And I updated my website as well...I will have to ask my brother if I did that correctly...we have it arranged that he can edit that as need be. I am very good at forgetting one last step...I must write down what that is!!

https://gwynnethrixonceramics.co.uk/news/16-restocking

Getting on with it

 This is the part that I like the least..doing the preparation work for getting things on-line..

Having an outlet that you supplied , or doing fairs was far easier!!  Then you can let the work speak for itself.

It's strange that even with accurate description and fair pricing, people are far more willing to be unpleasantly critical and expect dirt cheap prices online than they would in person.

That goes for fleabay selling as well as esty.

Hot days

 

Keeping the drying lawn tidy

We put the gazebo up in front of my workshop...pirate is mending our next door neighbour's bench and the shade is needed.

The roses are blooming well..the colours are difficult to show when the sun is so strong, they are far deeper!

The moon was a mellow yellow orange last night...and will be full tonight. Really beautiful.

It is even hotter today. I pricked on a few seedlings , growing them on ready for  planting out when the onions are lifted . If the weather continues like this, that should be in a week.

I retreated to the house midmorning. Plenty to do indoors apart from keeping cool!!

Deadline, linoprinting...

 I was busy on the AotearoaNZ series...

When a link to a small print competition in Santander, Cantabria, popped into my FB feed....

I hadn't anything that fitted the theme, Lighthouse and Sea...Two blocks down, just starting on the third. They have to be in the post by 31 July. Good thing the weather is hot and dry....

Harvesting and weather

 

The garden is coming on well...from a very wet time to now being very hot and dry, thanks to the jet stream zigzagging around and keeping us with a high pressure system, which looks set to stay , with rain coming to Wales and England.

If nothing else things are ripening well, without the worry of rain causing things to regrow, split and rot....but people are wasting water using hoses and sprinklers, especially on lawns.

Water straight from the tap is not good for plants anyway, because of the treatment chemicals.

The onions and shallots are leaning over ready to dry out.  Soon there will be room for the next plants to go in!!