Winter Draw(er)s On

Blimey - six weeks since I last graced you with my presence. So little has happened that I hardly know where to start...

OK, I jest, but the minutiae of life by the stove is not going to make entrancing reading.

Hugh has cut a mountain of firewood so we'll be warm for the next month or two, and he's been painting more pictures. He and Lindsay took more of his pigs and belties and ducks over to Conundrum Farm at Berwick to hang on the walls in the restaurant there, to be snapped up by discerning animal lovers (we hope).

Her Ladyship had a fine time selling her handmade 'stuff' at the Wool Festival at St Abbs earlier this month and her next outing is on Saturday 21st at the Village Hall for the Christmas Fayre.

To that end she is causing a sugar shortage in the district - there's to be a whole lot of cooking going on next week in the cottage kitchen, away from us hounds, as she creates irresistible edibles for the Fayre (if we are to believe her hype).

Midge and me - we are specialising in snuffling out where the neighbouring cat has been in wandering in OUR garden when we've been indoors. And there are a few fallen apples to be quietly disposed of, and piles of leaves to explore for mouses and those sort of late autumn duties. We are presently quietly content.

BAD STUFF BAD STUFF BAD

Dressing up is for humans - dogs are fine as they are. If anyone attempts this sort of torture on me I will bite them, and I say that as a lady of breeding.

http://www.biology-blog.com/blogs/archives/Animal-science-blog/Nov-15-2007.html

http://coloradoright.wordpress.com/category/dogs/

http://coloradoright.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/why-dogs-bite-people/

Cool Day

Yup, I finally had a whole day out with Hugh. You see he'd organised this off-road driving day in the forests for 4 x 4 folks, experienced and otherwise, and it went off pretty smoothly really, considering the number of men involved in the marshalling and winching out of the occasional stuck vehicle and all that stuff.So the next weekend the trusty helpers were able to go back into the forests to do a tidy up and check it was all left unlittered.It inevitably involved driving along tricky tracks, across open moorland, down steep slippy slopes and so on and I WAS THERE! All Day. In the FRONT SEAT. Enjoying every minute, even when I needed to put my front paws on the dashboard to keep my balance. I must stress for those of a nervous disposition that extreme caution was taken by Hugh at all times and that speeds were very slow and careful.
And there were meal breaks and snacks stops and I WAS THERE, and Midge was not......

Arty Tarty

Just as I suspected, my blog has been hijacked for the shameless promotion of her ladyship and her arty friends....
So we had best just get on and do this thing..

CROSSING BORDERS ANNUAL ART TRAIL
SEPTEMBER 11th - 13th
Across the Scottish Borders and North Northumberland

And, starring at Southdean Village Hall from 10 am until 5.00 pm each day, we have

Lynne Henderson - illustrator extraordinaire, who will be demonstrating her skills with watercolours over the whole three daysMirjam van Beek with her delicious individually handpainted and dyed silks - from scarves and jewellery to lampshades and much much more
Ian Oliver's excellent images of the glorious Border landscape in all weathers and seasons
The ceramics of Clair Norris - covetable stripey pots, groovy tiles and these fantastic organic bowls
Bold and impressive jewellery in lots of variations by Danielle Ray

and a few bits of paper and some scraps of yarn from my mistress - I dare say she's waffling on about them some other place...

BUT, don't forget - the whole three days at the Hall, refreshments ALL DAY! Yup, well, you'll have to cough up a penny or two for them but at least there will be coffee and cake to restore your strength before you head off to see some more arty types in their natural habitat....

House-bound

There has been a great deal of this going on... even more than usual. Now, I don't mean Midge trying to get me in a head lock, nothing new about that, sadly. She delights in biting my back legs, bouncing on top of me, stealing the football, pushing in when I am trying to have a bit of a cuddle with my folks and all the usual bad behavious of a 20 month old cross. What's happening is the Hugh is doing construction work at the front of the house so there is no gate in place for much of the time. This is a situation I would be more than happy to take advantage of but Hugh thinks otherwise. Thus we are penned in the house for HOURS at a time, and deprived of the opportunity to get between him, his hammer and various bits of wood. Hardly fair, is it?Lindsay wanted to show off a flower - bloomin' sharp spikey thing it is too, with a perfume which, as any dog knows, is not a proper smell at all. Still, here it is in all its glory. Not that she knows what variety it is or anything useful like that...

There's other stuff going on, always is. For a start there's definitely another DOG living next door in the cottage - been there all week, and I have not been allowed to visit. I am to understand they are paying guests and I must show respect. Harrumph!

Before you know it it will be Open Studios time, and I'll be expected to post information and pictures of ART up here, instead of tasteful canine type stuff. So enjoy this while you can.....

Chips for tea..

Eric Junior and his girls

Just back from a little light exercise. It had the bonus of being followed up by a visit to the chippie so Midge and I were rewarded for our extremely good table manners (only a little river of drool) with a couple of chips and some fish each.
I reported to Her Ladyship that Tara had not heard of Strawberry Curd, so, lo, I have a recipe for you...

Strawberry Curd
200 gm strawberries, 300 gm fine sugar, 120gm butter,
4 eggs, zest of an orange, zest and juice of a lemon.

Push the strawberries through a sieve to make a puree. Melt the butter, sugar, zest and juice together and stir in the puree. Beat the eggs lightly then add to the hot mixture, stirring vigorously. Return to the heat and cook gently, stirring all the time (or you can cook in 30 second blasts in the microwave, removing the bowl and stirring, and repeating the process for as long as it takes) The curd is ready when it has a slightly thickened jellied appearance. It will thicken further as it cools. Pot up in sterilised jars. It is absolutely delicious - keep the jars in the fridge, heavily disguised.

Life is a lemon...

Well a lemon curd at least, or orange or strawberry.... Despite the hot and clammy weather, the kitchen has been a veritable fruit shop these past few days. The lady of the house will not have any free time again till Saturday though I think she's scheming to bake fancy breads on Sunday morning. All this productivity is to stock her stall at the CURLY KALE & CREAM CAKES afternoon at the Village Hall.Recognise the strawberry thief? We have our very own. A young blackbird who WILL NOT stay out of the polytunnel where the strawberries are ripening. There are wire mesh doors to block his way but he perseveres, battles his way in and proceeds to take chunks out of every juicy berry he can fund. Her Ladyship is NOT AMUSED and has threatened retribution. Still, Midge and I score for some half eaten berries so all is not lost.

Blissssss

The weather has been pretty fine here lately. Much attention has been lavished on the garden - though it's mainly been in the line of destruction - grass cutting and strimming, weeding and other endless tasks. In my role as chief sniffer-out of moles and other unwanted critters, I have been busy, but the warm days and nights have made up for all that work.

And then, if we are inside and if the bedroom door has been left open, Midge and I are more than happy to slip quietly in to the empty room and take full advantage of the sun pouring through.

Her ladyship spent yesterday painting outside walls and finding bits of the garden to photograph, mainly to prove to herself that stuff really is growing.

His Nibs was painting a large masterpiece, to the accompaniment of old rocker type music - well, it keep him happy.

We've been for a dip in the river this morning so you'll excuse me if I return to steaming myself dry in yet another day of sunshine - such a life.....