All change

 What a difference!

Meh!

 

A day indoors. Not feeling 100% as well.

On fb memories a photo came up of some of last year's currant crop....which admittedly was a little early.  However this year they are still all definitely green and unripe.

Keep on keeping on....

Not Weeds

 The studio stove went away for renovation today..he wont be installing it. but he is giving me advice on how to do it!

Another wet and windy day, but fortunately dry for stove collection and for a quick dash into town and along to Sainsbugs...with neatly coordinating buses this time!!...(more by luck than judgement)

Just enough time after getting back to freeze milk in the amounts to fit the yoghurt maker...it was on special offer ..Two 2 litre bottles make three 2 pint/1.3 litre containers.

I see no point just in doing 1 litre batches if the machine will take 2 pints max!!!

The "meadow" is coming along steadily in half of the front garden.

Beginning to open...

nearly there..a Pyramid Orchid, a common one I think

Knapweed. not quite flowering yet

Dock flowering nicely. the goldfinches xill like the seed

not sure what this is...a sort of vetch?

Butterfly orchid on its way...nearly open..cream and pale yellow and quite rare I think

and a thistle...couldn't go without one of these!!

a wet week

 Yesterday was gallery duty. I didn't get wet travelling there, but the first bus of two was 20 minutes late in both directions!

the clouds lifted and outside it was sunny...but still cold in the gallery!!

Another wet day today, so another day indoors...mostly...I did manage a walk to the shops...and if I don't take the short cut it is a mile each way!!

Not much done today...Duolingo lessons, half an hour on the turbo bike, sowed the seeds from the last sweet pepper I had.

Made sure that the way was clear to get the stove out of the workshop..that should go away for renovation tomorrow.

Lots of bits of jobs and thinking in between!

I put Pirate's telescope on fb marketplace.

Bought in 1999, it was only put together once..then returned to its box for several moves....He was busy and travelling after moving to the first place we shared..and never came out of the box until I checked it this year. Sadly at this address  (and the previous one ) there is too much light pollution.

evening skies

 Pictures in reverse!!

focussing in a little to show the north end of the Isle of Arran

the bigger picture at about 9.45

today's construction. a discrete patch on my favourite jeans...Levi 501s of Pirate's..

with minimal non natural fibres ....probably the thread

picture of the patch to reinforce a small section that had become thin somehow...

Aerial view. not that big really

from the bedroom window..

and again a bit to the right

and looking from the living room at 9.30

a glowing gean..wild cherry tree that I grew from a cherry pit

This afternoon I had another look at my foot...and showed it to the village pharmacist.

We are not sure whether it was a tick bite ( picked up in Limoges..a bad area for them) or not..they don't always show the classic bull's eye...but it is a case of it could be and better have a week of antibiotics just in case than have Lyme disease pop up in the future...I do not like taking things...but ..needs must.

It has been a funny old day, weatherwise.

Started with cold wind and sharp showers until mid afternoon...and indoors the room thermostat in the lobby was showing 17⁰. You could have fooled me..it just felt cold!!

but from then on it has slowly warmed...

I think we'll be back chilly again tomorrow...duty day at the Smiddy gallery!!

starting the week

 A sunny day with a chill breeze today..I could see rain clouds but not coming here!

Mid morning bus to town for dental hygienist then dentist for checkup. 

One of those coincidences...saw a (cycling) friend with her son on the street by the dentist..as my favourite coffee stop is shut on Mondays, she recommended a different one...Beasties!! (as in Robert Burns...the Mouse) good coffee and good murals,,!

Then I was in time for the 1.15 bus....which was a noshow...1.45 bus ....

As it was still fine and sunny ( with a chill strong breeze) I got on with some serious weeding and sorting.

My Rankinson friend came mid afternoon They had picked up two good bags of compost (,free) from the recycling centre.

I gave her a horseradish plant in a pot and there will be tomato plants coming my way because mine are still seedlings! They went away with some squash plants too.

After they left I distributed the compost between the tatties and added a layer to the compost bin. 

 interesting steps and shadows in town

Garden Flowers

 Most of the garden is leaves at the moment..but there are a few flowers.

I took a few photos before going to the French conversation group..which was quite lively today!

The Carnegie library in Ayr. A lovely building.

Then....Potato followed by Chives

Chaenomoles (spelling?) Japanese Quince

Alpine Strawberry

Broad Bean

Yellow Beetroot

Carrot

still weathering.

 I had a visitor today!

The joiner (and cyclist) who helped build and roof my studio extension swung by for a good blether. 

We discussed weatherproofing , insulating and improving the roof on the studio...no point getting the stove refurbished and fitted and let all the heat out!!

I am breaking the mental Hamster Wheel, sticking an oar in its spokes to break out and build progress!!

I had a long Whatsapp chat with my daughter later on. We Do Not Do phone calls...anyone with experience of ADHD and Autism will recognise that!! You don't have control of the situation with a phone call.

You don't know what someone will say...and you don't have time to consider your reply...

Daughter's description of ADHD..Frantic Daydreaming, perfectionism, overthinking. catastrophising.

This morning....no incentive to get up!!

Daughter's back garden....

with architectural globe artichokes!! 

and this is me...aging...but still going!!

Weather!!

 Crazy weather today...one minute it feels like 10⁰, blowin a hoolie, sideways rain..turn around and there's the sun!! 

Not a day to trust the weather!!

I took some beetroot seedlings and a couple of squash plants to my neighbour over the riad ..and had a good blether!!...got back over the road just in time...and did some pricking out, potting on and seed sowing in the greenhouse as the rain came down!!

a better day

 Yoghurt in the yog maker,bread in the bread machine...a good start to the day. Still chilly and damp but better in the afternoon.

Damp days are hair washing days too!

I lifted the last of last year's leeks and loosened the earth, then protected it against the local cats. I have worked out that there is one corner of the onion bed that gets sat on...better than something else I suppose!

The tatties got earthed up a little. They need more but I haven't decided with what yet.

I happened to see an ad for a small woodburning stove on fb market place and just clicked on it on the offchance. 

It turns out that he lives backing on to a friend's gallery in Galloway on the way to Kircudbright....and renovates stoves.

I have a stove that needs tlc...and the parts for it....

he also does installations....

all being well he will collect the stove and parts next week...So now I have to tidy the studio some more!!!!

Rasberrieeezzz

I knew there was a use for things that were here when we moved here 😄

Rubbish

 An unproductive day.

ok. went to Ayr. posted birthday card to youngest. bought a few fresh veges. 

and that's it. 

hopefully better tomorrow.

Sky at 10pm.

keeping going

 Not doing a lot....but still ticking over....

More seeds are steadily germinating...beans coming up...peas aren't above ground but are on their way....practically all the squash are up!! Some will be going to friends once they get to the first real pair of leaves after the "seed leaves".

I did make a kiln god...or is it a kiln dragon?!

Just the one...it is a beginning.

An old cycling friend phoned this evening for a blether.  We've been good friends ..mates you'd call if it  were a couple of blokes..fellow track cyclists and sprinters. So we know what makes us tick! Good friends with Pirate too . 

There are a few of our generation of trackies that keep an eye out for each other...I must get back in contact more.