Dog in the Workhouse

Shock! Horror!

2010-04-07T19:37:00.002Z

Fact is, folks, I'm just not getting paws on this machine much at all these days. There's always some damn human here, hogging it.
I have decided that L is just going to have to share her blog with me from now on, and that's that.

So I'll leave all 116 posts up here but I'll be posting over at Tart's Tales now, whenever she's not looking. Thanks for sharing the journey so far with me, and do come over and see me at her place soon....

Ash

Dearie me, how time flies...

2010-02-24T12:58:00.004Z

Can't believe it's so long since I last posted here...and we've STILL got snow!

OK, bit of an exaggeration but it's been snowing on and off since last year and we only ever get a few days' respite from it, and it's chilly chilly chilly. This means snuggling up to a lukewarm stove or charging about an empty field with Midge, growling and snarling the while, in order to get some heat in my nearly-middle-aged bones!

But, other STUFF has been happening and Hugh's new business is ready to launch.

It's called...

You can learn more about it HERE and it's full of this sort of thing... It's the place to go to learn how to drive off-road safely and confidently, with due care for the environment and your self. If I had a driving licence (which is a little unlikely, I know), I'd be first in the queue to learn and then show off as the only chocolate labrador in the whole world with four-wheel drive and four-paw drive.
The whole Workhouse website has been re-launched to promote the cottage as well as Far x 4 and the arty stuff that happens round here - nip over and have a look - see, there are two ways to get there!

Snow Business ll

2010-01-18T14:08:00.003Z

Well, you might not have seen ENOUGH snow yet..., so here we have the road home from Jedburgh,
The little utility room that Hugh built in the autumn (nice timing, Mr Roberts)
Arty shot by Mrs Roberts...
And the path across the garden to that wee gate, beyond which lies the woodshed....

That's all folks! I'll spare you the saddest picture which would be the polytunnel that collapsed under the weight of snow and ice, as we are not up to addressing that wee calamity yet.
The snow is disappearing fast now and the fields are full of glaur (good Scots word meaning mud).

xx Ash

Snow Business

2009-12-28T16:58:00.003Z

Midge takes snowball-catching very seriously, as you can see! She still misses 'em, of course, but she gives it her best shot every time. I'm just there to give helpful advice and score for any reward biscuits which may be on offer.

Basically we are having a ball this Christmastime, what with good walks and games in the snow, and a toasty warm stove to retreat to. There have been visitors to make a fuss of and more promised for a few days' time, and I think we may be having a Grand Day Out tomorrow, though whether that's north, south, east or west, I don't know. Hugh's enjoying the challenge of driving in snow and ice - not that he can afford to get stuck now that he's a qualified off-road instructor.....!

Hope y'all have a good New Year!

Festive Good Wishes

2009-12-19T17:20:00.004Z

Hello folks! Are you all suffering in this seasonably chilly weather? We've had big fat snowflakes here this afternoon, to top up yesterday's meagre efforts. As you can see from Hugh's stylish portraits of us, Midge likes to eat as much snow as possible and leave it dribbling from her chops. She's not the most refined of eaters at the best of times.....

We're pretty festive here now, what with the tree in the living room, the cards on strings in the corridor, the supply of home made sweeties tucked away, and the lovely big pack of tripe flavoured chews in 'our' tin. Roll on the big day, say I. We've been promised a good walk and a well packed stove in the living room. Hopefully there may be the vestiges of turkey lurking about too. These will help to make up for the lack of attention over the next few days as the lord and lady dart hither and yon, socialising if you please.

I cannot tarry here as the computer lurks too far from the stove and my paws are chilling rapidly. I'd like to wish you all very happy holidays and as many bones and chews as you can eat without disgracing yourself on the carpet . And remember, take a seasonal lesson from Midge - eating tree decorations can result in savage indigestion.

Winter Draw(er)s On

2009-11-13T10:38:00.006Z

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

2009-10-01T18:32:00.003Z

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

2009-09-07T19:29:00.006Z

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

2009-08-13T20:43:00.003Z

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..

2009-07-16T18:33:00.003Z

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...

2009-07-01T14:54:00.003Z

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

2009-06-14T09:22:00.002Z

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.....

Did you miss me?

2009-05-21T15:19:00.005Z

I'm back, at long last.
It's been a busy old time, with lots of this

and this
a little bit of this
and even this...
A little explanation required? Well, the garden has been flooded and boggy the last couple of summers and really meant that the all-important vegetables were suffering - underwater strawberries are no fun. So Hugh decided to take matters into his own hands, borrow Brian's state-of-the-art (in the 1960s) tractor with diggery attachment and construct some drains and a 'pond'. It took a long time. It is mostly done now and some of it is working very well, and some of it stubbornly is not. He is not completely happy....

And then there's George - he is our Land Rover with special Ash-sized seat in the middle for viewing of wildlife in comfort. But George's chassis was not in good order, not at all, and the time had come for it to be replaced. This pic shows George's body returning to sit on its wheels complete with gleaming new galvanised chassis yesterday afternoon. However, the work continues and Hugh is still at the garage helping with the re-building process. One day soon they may return to the bosom of the family and we can all go for a drive together. (sigh)

The cottage is finished, and ready and waiting for lots of lovely visitors. You can read all about it here and here. Midge and I posed in the cottage garden so that we can appear online, thus demonstrating what a dog-friendly place it is. (If you read far enough through the text on the Cottage blog you'll find that children may be considered but dogs accepted if you just ask nicely - and quite right too, in my view.)

And the last pic? Well Brian and Linda had a fine birthday party and the theme was animated characters - though Dennis the Menace is a cartoon character he is a fairly animated one and Hugh entered into the spirit of the party with accessories - the catapult (which garden tree did he massacre to make it?), a bag of sweeties (Midget Gems and Smarties for the connoisseurs) and, best of all, a giant toy spider in a matchbox. You DO know who Dennis is, don't you? If not, check him out here. Although she could have gone as Minnie the Minx or Beryl the Peril, the other lady of the house failed to get her act together in time and has not been allowed to forget it.

Remember Me?

2009-01-29T17:52:00.002Z

I am still here
I have not fallen off the edge of the world
I cannot get near the computer these days for PEOPLE
They're either ordering bits of house stuff or using forums to ask complicated vehicle maintenence questions, or designing things or just, well, getting IN THE WAY

Normal service will be resumed at some point, maybe before I turn grey with frustration.

Delicate Disposition? ...Look Away Now

2008-12-22T10:29:00.005Z

At last sense prevailed, the temperature dropped further and the STOVE WAS LIT.

Midge and I enjoyed a blissful evening in front of it... and another....

all was going well...

until the day I was whisked to the vets,

suffered the ingnominy of a SHAVE,

drugged and sliced open,

vital bits removed,

stitched up again and left to come round from the anaesthetic in a CAGE.

What NEXT, for dog's sake?

I am now doomed to celibacy, no he-dog will ever show interest again, my looks will fade and I will become an embittered old hound, out on the lonesome prairie, shunned by all...

Yeah, well, it might happen like that. Meanwhile, I was given scrambled eggs for tea, lots of pampering, and the stove was on ALL DAY to keep me warm, so in truth I have made a speedy recovery and am back to giving Midge a run for her money when she starts winding me up.

Anyway, folks, Christmas is upon us and I should wish you all a very fine holiday, with lots of bones and snacks, milk and dog chocolates and anything else you can con out of them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ASH

Painting by Anne Mandeville 'The Marvellous Eve'

Winter Drawers On

2008-11-10T13:34:00.005Z

Brrrr, the wind is howling, the rain is disguised as hail and I WANT THE STOVE ON.
Still no central heating in this house, still no new stove that will run it and the hot water - only been on order since July, for goodness' sake. So we make do with a measly electric radiator and then, eventually, the high and mighty ones get round to putting the stove on in the living room in the late afternoon. It only heats the room, no back boiler or radiators off it, you see, and it's at the far end of the house. They are 'doing things' during the day, or hovering over the radiator scoffing food, and have little thought to the comfort of us shivering hounds.
So I am curled up as tight as I can in my bed, with Midge sprawled on top of me, for half the day, waiting, waiting, waiting for the great moment when the stove is lit , knowing I can bake my bones for the next few hours. Ho hum, such is my lot....
He has just finished a commissioned painting and is off to install new kitchen units in the village hall, she is painting walls and doors and the like in the cottage, and pulling out wiring (eek) and in between time loading stuff onto her new online SHOP (aye, she's changed it again and is now with Folksy - for those of you who have no idea what I am on about click HERE).
She is also preparing for the Southdean Christmas Fayre - a feast for all the senses, with lots of crafty goodness as well as soup and bacon rolls, mulled wine and mince pies!

SATURDAY November 22nd

12 noon till 4pm

Southdean Village Hall

Autumn

2008-10-22T11:30:00.005Z

Lindsay stripped the tomato plants, found a few sad leftover spring onions and rescued the last of the courgettes. The carrots got nobbled this year by carrot fly despite her defences (which meant you had to mountaineer over fleece 'fences' to get anywhere near them - not much chance of a sly theft by yours truly then...) Most of this lot went into chutney, I think, though an escapee rolled onto the ground. I didn't want it much but I wasn't going to let Midge know that.

She was too busy posing in her new collar. She outgrew her baby collar and then managed to break my 'spare' one - so whaddyaknow, she only got bought a purple one with white paw prints on it. Favouritism, methinks. L's been swanning about on committees and painting bits of the cottage but Hugh has been looking after us - particulary good walks in the mornings lately when we can really appreciate autumn sniffs and smells. Oh, and hen house cleaning and that sort of thing - mmmm, such rich sniffs....

We did have a mini nighttime safari too, when ALL of us piled in the front of the Land Rover. To be honest, it's time they realised it's pointless letting Midge use up valuable space there as all she does is curl up and go to sleep. That was fine when she was a titch and fitted on L's knee but she's leggy now and spreads herself onto the centre seat which is strictly MY territory. Anyway, as a result of her somnulent habits she missed two separate sightings of badgers, a barn owl and wee moosie that night and we were only out for twenty minutes.

Hoots Mon!

2008-10-04T17:48:00.002Z

Here's the evidence, folks, of another successful Macmillan Fundraiser. Legs included this year, by popular request, and all men clutching ice cream scoops and Macmillan balloons for added, ermm, added style, perhaps? The combination of the Southdean Ice Cream Parlour afternoon and cones made with the leftovers at the evening film showing made for a total of £320 for the charity. Lindsay says a big thankyou to all who contributed in whatever way, not least Niall who phoned to offer homemade mango and lime ice cream which was quickly added to the menu and met with approval by all who requested it.
Midge and I saw customarily little of the proceedings though Joe and Ross, les garcons, did call in at the house afterwards so we were able to judge their appearances in the kilt. We agreed on how fine each of the three looked but thought it wise not to award a first, second and third prize for fear of inducing sulking and huffs. After all, they have agreed to wait for two years in succession and Lindsay is probably hopeful now of collaring them for a third.

Other news is not so rosy. Slow progress in most fields, though Hugh has been cutting up lots of wood to keep the home fires burning this winter. First frost on the windscreen on Friday, can't remember when I was last allowed a bone to chew, and talk of some rather permanent sounding operation for little me next month. To put the tin lid on it, some evil hacker has wiped Lindsay's Border Tart webshop off the face of the virtual earth so she's rebuilding it at www.bordertart.blogspot.com with Tart's Tales moving to www.tartstales.blogspot.com. Still with me? It's not easy keeping up in this house, I can tell you.

I scream

2008-09-22T16:25:00.002Z

Check out the Tart's blog for more info on the Southdean Ice Cream Parlour. Aye, folks, her ladyship is busy busy busy making ice cream this week in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Get here if you can, it's all in a good cause.

Just back from kennels, still v tired, must snooooooooooooooze

Chocolate Dog Chocolate Cake

2008-09-07T10:34:00.003Z

At last, an up-to-date pic of ME - albeit that I had to share with the liquorice dog. Incidentally, I would like to make it quite clear that despite appearances to the contrary, I am STILL taller and stronger than Midge. She may be pretty nippy at cornering but I reckon I could still beat her in a 100m straight dash - it's just that I choose not to demean myself by entering into such challenges. I am after all a pure bred hound with an impressive pedigree while the tyke is a cross breed. Midge still thinks it's pretty smart to obey all commands. I wish she'd start showing some gumption by NOT coming back when called, by indicating that sniffing is MUCH more important and not to be hurried. All that happens is that she gets extra biscuits and I get shouted at and often some pretty rough treatment - even put back on a lead, for goodness' sake

She does, however, wind H and L up quite dramatically whenever we are left home alone for any length of time. She eviscerates her dog bed, and mine, given half a chance. She gnaws through the latest cover and extracts yards and yards of wadding and stuff and spreads it round the house. Blissssss.

Anyway, folks, as you may have gathered by now, it's Open Studio time. Sadly it also a time of excessive rain - its hasn't stopped in days and days and days. This does not encourage people to get in the cars and travel round open studios. This means spare chocolate cake and the merest hint of a chance that some may fall into the laps of the dogs...

Maybe the weather will brighten and we may have more visitors over the coming week, maybe not. Ho hum! It's an ill wind.

This post has been brought to you in Full Chococolour

Showtime

2008-08-28T11:33:00.003Z

Twas the morn before the Show and all was quiet - the first of the tents were up, including the all-important tea and beer one, and the day had dawned miraculously dry and sunny....

By mid afternoon most of the scarecrows had arrived, though sadly this pic does not include the glorious SCAREBABY dressed in a white babygro. It does show the winner on the right - Linda's wonderful glitzy lady with rolling pin to batter the birds with! (We'll say nothing about the tipsy lady in the headscarf at the back which was Lindsay's rather feeble effort)There were several tugs-of-war - this one was a free-for-all, I think. It was noticeable that the teams pulling downhill always won...... Sadly no pics of the jelly races or of the marshmallow and spaghetti sculptures, or indeed of the stripy gazebo blowing away in the wind. But for a little show in the back of beyond, it was a great day and lots of people had fun.
Now that's done, the next GREAT EVENT is H and L getting into a fankle over their OPEN STUDIOS.

Look out for more news very shortly...........

Local Heroes

2008-08-20T12:24:00.006Z

On Sunday a Ladies Off Road Driving Challenge Event was held near Peebles,

in aid of the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust.

Hugh was the prime organiser of this event (he would say no, no, I had lots of help but I know that he did the bulk of it, and the worrying and phoning and drumming up helpers and so on). He and several of the stalwart members of the Scottish Off Road Club allowed lots of ladies to drive their beloved vehicles off road, through mud and river beds, up steep banks and across slopes, all in the name of charity. There was also a range of other interesting vehicles - a mini digger and a road roller for example, and challenges like driving blindfold, relying on your co-driver to give you accurate directions. The ladies all had a great day, gaining much off road training and squealing frequently... and best of all, they raised £7000 in sponsorship to take part!

Big round of applause to Hugh and the boys, and to the Trust.

A Good Cause

2008-08-09T08:02:00.008Z

Bit of promotion, here, for a local event that needs your support...

SATURDAY 16th AUGUST

10 am - 4 pm

Fundraising Day

at 6-8 Canongate

in Jedburgh

in aid of

Chernobyl Childrens Lifeline

tea and cakes (of course)

tombola bric a brac,

a clothing sale, as well as treatments like

reiki, Indian head massage and

neck and shoulder massages

Plus information on CCLL and what's involved in hosting

young children from Chernobyl for a few weeks each summer.

This summer 14 children from Belarus stayed with Borders families for a month. They all live within the area contaminated by the disaster and a month in the clean air of the Borders boosts their damaged immune systems to a huge extent. Host families participate in events with the children, and ensure they leave with suitcases of clothes and other items to help them once back home. This is the fifth year that volunteers have hosted children - money raised through events such as the one above helps to fund the associated costs.

Phew, what a scorcher!

2008-07-25T16:30:00.001Z

Tooooo hot to blog. Must go and lie down again......

Party Time!

2008-06-29T09:29:00.005Z

More adventures for Miss Midge. Her Mum is called Fay and her owners, Jo and Alan, held a BBQ so all the puppies could meet up again. They are nearly six months old already. I'll point out now that although I was invited THEY did not take me. There was a lot of muttering about 'disruptive influence', 'too big for her own boots', 'show-off' and other wounding and hurtful dialogue too painful to repeat here. So there you have it - favouritism.

However, photographs were taken, as you can see. Also you will note from the top pic that Midge really is a midget - she is the littlest of the litter now. That's her and one of her brothers going off to investigate the trampoline. Shortly after, Midge beat a hasty retreat back to the other hounds - bit scary, those boys.

As well as the pups and mum and granny, there were two visiting black lab great aunts. The amazing thing was how fantastically well behaved everybody was - no barking or nipping or bad language from anyone.This statement has been repeated to me ad nauseam, I might add.

The middle pic shows a squirming Midge beside her mother Fay and her grandmother Flora (a full English Setter).Today is a celebration of a completely different kind. This vehicle was acquired by Hugh many months ago and he has been working on it ever since, in his spare time. A Range Rover of mature years and rusty chassis, it was 'bobtailed' by Hugh - that is , the back end was chopped off and refashioned. A demon welder then constructed an external rollcage for it before Hugh set to the seemingly endless patching and welding of the rusty bits, plus many more previously undiscovered problem areas, and other techie stuff. Finally, in the nick of time, it was finished and today he rolled out with Shorty on a trailer, for its first off-road trial. We wait with baited breath to learn how the day has gone....

Rain stopped play

2008-06-17T21:21:00.003Z

There I was, just getting accustomed to waking up to sunshine and the comforting thought of another day to laze in the garden when lo, the rains came down. Well, alright, heavy drizzle, but still, it has rather taken the edge of my early summer.

Hugh took pity on me and I was sole passenger on the brief car trip he made today (ooops, and then another one to his saviour, the blacksmith with the well-stocked workshop just down the road). So at least I had the joy of the back of the car all to myself, without 'Nipper' Midge at my ankles.

The camera has been out this last month, but largely to photograph fancy new yarns and stuffed animal-thingies for herself's shop so I don't have anything that new and exciting to show you. Hugh's cabin is ready for the maestro but he's been cutting grass and washing cars for a living lately so there's no new masterpieces to show you yet.

H and L were down in Northumberland on Sunday, checking out The Art Tour - they saw work by fifteen different artists and craftspeople (out of many more) and had a jolly time. I fear L may feel the need to rabbit on at length about the experience but she can do that on her own blog, methinks...

Beach Blues

2008-05-24T16:15:00.004Z

Greetings from sun soaked Chesters. Blimey, we've had a couple of weeks of warm dry weather and I have to say these [still young] bones will soak up any amount of sunshine given the chance. Nothing better after a walk or dinner than to flop down onto toasty warm earth and just r-e-l-a-x..... zzzzzzzzz

Hugh had a birthday this month so we all took off to the seaside. Not one of the brightest or warmest days, it must be said, but this did not deter us. I tried to introduce Midge to the pleasures of deep water but she wimped out whenever a wave approached. We were inevitably made to pose for photographs again even though I was soaking wet and Midge would rather have been sniffing along the high water mark.

A major highlight of the year happened just yesterday - Lindsay received all the way from South Africa this painting by this talented lady . L has been scheming to acquire one of Arty Farty's artworks for quite a while and when she spotted this one on her blog she knew that was it. Fortunately when it arrived and was unrolled (it's about 1m x 1.5m!) Hugh immediately said how much he liked it too. This means its allowed to grace the living room wall, as soon as he's made a frame to stretch it over. Posh, eh?

Tres tasteful

2008-04-27T12:55:00.004Z

Et voila, the cabin exterior is painted and the floor has been varnished. The curtains are made but not hung yet as H & L need to find a cheap and cheerful way of insulating the roof. Then, maybe, the arty stuff can get moved in and Hugh can splash paint on those walls instead of his current garret.
Fat lambs everywhere which means no running across empty fields for Midge and me. It's either walks along the road on a lead (bah, humbug) or trips to one bit of forest or another. Even that's getting complicated as tonnes and tonnes of trees are being felled and shipped south these days.
Hugh's all pleased as he's got work with the beloved little grey Fergie tractor this week, at a friend's house down the road. Just as well he's finished painting for his new exhibition which opens at the Cairns Gallery in Peebles in a couple of weeks' time.

Artistic Development ll

2008-04-13T17:48:00.002Z

This morning was a touch frosty but then the sun shone and we were off to the forest. L was in snap happy mode so Midge and I were coerced into posing for her.
We are a good advert for 'no-nonsense well-priced complete dog meal ' says she.
Hmm, give us an egg now and then you'll REALLY see a shiny coat, says me.

And here we have proof that three polite Polish cabin kit builders can drive up from London, build a cabin in a matter of six hours, turn round and drive all the way back again for a very reasonable price and two cups of coffee each. Now H & L need to get on and paint it before the unseasonable sleet takes its toll on the raw wood. In the mere blink of an eye it will be magically transformed with Cuprinol Shades 'Wild Thyme' to a subtle 'you don't really notice I'm here, do you' sort of effect....

Artistic development

2008-04-04T10:15:00.003Z

There's been a birthday - not mine, sadly, but it was an opportunity for me to teach Midge how to shred discarded wrapping paper into tiny pieces ready for the compost heap. It all goes well till you get sellotape in your teeth - oh and coloured tissue paper is pretty fine because if you chew it and spit it out you can stain all sorts of surfaces with it...
Last week Hugh had the inestimable assistance of his pal Jim and his mini-digger to clear the site for his fancy new 'shed'. Jim and the digger levelled it and laid hardcore and they both pegged out the area for the concrete to go down. The snow didn't really help. On April 1st (hmmmm) the concrete was delivered and Hugh and Lindsay spread it with the help of neighbour Brian and his little (vintage) dump truck. As I write this the concrete is continuing to harden off and should be fine for the arrival of the fancy big wooden shed next week. Hugh will use it to paint in and will graciously allow herself to use it too.
Today is a wee bit tortuous for canines. We had too many cockerels so two of them were dispatched earlier in the week. They are now being cooked up in various forms and the aromas are killing me... If I am lucky there will be some scraps heading into my dinner bowl tonight. (By the way, lest you think H & L are any good at this sort of thing, this time Joe did the dirty deed with the two birds and Lorraine cleaned them for us - it's great to have friends)

Yeah, well, you might have been right...

2008-03-18T21:26:00.004Z

Ok, Ok, I admit having Midge about is not ALL bad, after all. I try the karate kicks, the sneaky stealing of her toys when she isn't looking, the occasional nip on the back of the neck, but she's a game wee lassie and just keep coming back for more. If she stops nicking my bed at every opportunity we may develop into friends.
She's eleven weeks old now and has had her jabs so in another week she can go beyond the garden gate and meet other dogs and perhaps stop using the flower beds with quite such regularity... Ha, just waits till she discovers the ignominity of being on a lead..... (teehee!)

[Editor's Note: For those of you not accustomed to dogs, the management seeks to reassure you that no puppies were damaged in the course of these pics and that this is normal playing behaviour, honest]

Jumbled Up

2008-03-05T10:49:00.005Z

The Great Annual Southdean Jumble Sale is Imminent!

Sharpen your elbows in preparation for Saturday,

and sustain your strength on the day with

hot soup and sausage rolls, coffee and shortbread.

Saturday 8th March 11 am - 2pm at

Southdean Village Hall, Chesters

This great picture of the tawny owl who came down the chimney in the hall was captured by Martyn Harrison.

Pup, paintings, perseverance

2008-03-02T20:04:00.008Z

Don't know where the last few weeks have gone, though I do distinctly remember spending a few days at the kennels. No complaint there - they are always pleased to see me and my room has central heating to make my nights comfortable. H and L were up in Dunkeld and then Edinburgh, the first to do with off road driving (except this was an AGM so it was in a hotel and apparently included beer and whisky), the second to do with having a break in the city. They walked on hard pavements a lot and had to keep stopping for coffee apparently, though they clocked up three exhibitions. I think L has probably waxed lyrical about them over at Tart's Tales.

Meanwhile, back at Planet Chesters, work has not yet started on renovating the cottage because the Building Warrant application has not been approved yet. Without that H&L cannot show plans to tradesmen and without them they cannot get the big bits of work done. Harrumph!

Hugh's most recent painting (that he is happy with...) is this one of the village from 'down the field' where he and I walk and I chase hares occasionally.

And you'll see, Lady Midge is now in residence. She has been here for four days, though it seems like forty four to me. Have you any idea how many meals she has had in that time? She is small, black and shiny. She bounces about and tries to get me to play but I am holding out. She wees A LOT, but mainly outside, though I notice no-one tells her off about walking over the flower beds. I think they have been taken in by the fact that she still looks cute. I walked into the living room on day two and she was sound asleep on MY cushion in front of the stove. I restrained myself to a sigh and pointedly left the room.

Let's Get it Over With

2008-02-14T21:35:00.002Z

Here is more photographic evidence of the done deed. It may be Valentine's Day but the arty ones' idea of romance is to go and look at puppies. This is Midge. I ain't met her yet but she's coming to live with us in a fortnight. That's it really. Life is complete. No peace, no bed to call my own, incontinence (hers, not mine), stolen toys, fewer meals, less space in the Land Rover. Ach, I'm going off to my bed while I still can. Goodnight!

Suspicions....

2008-01-26T20:19:00.000Z

I am amassing evidence...

I was not there but I sure sniffed his clothes when he came home....

(PS - May I just slip in here a very big thank you to

Wimsey for his kind offer with regard to puppy making

- see previous post comments -

a true gentleman!)

Here I am!

2008-01-16T10:44:00.000Z

Helllllloooooooo! Lady Ash of Chesters has finally got back online. Now I can update you with happenings chez moi. We'll start with Christmas as it was a very fine day for this dog.

Leisurely breakfast on a frosty morning followed by a drive down to Kielder Reservoir. The place was deserted and quite eerie - very still and misty, yachts at anchor, hardly any birdlife on the water though a few little birds in the trees as we walked. I didn't venture in for a swim or even a paddle - a bit nippy for that - but we had a fine outing, culminating in a flask of coffee and flapjacks in the car before we headed home. There we set to with present opening. I had considerately wrapped some bottles of beer for Hugh and even more considerately helped him open the package again, and indeed any other parcels he seemed to be struggling with in the course of the afternoon. H and L then succumbed to a fancy dinner cooked in the Rayburn, including the best roast potatoes herself has ever done (as in this is the second time she has ever cooked them and they were better than the first...). I believe I may have scored for a little left over meat in the course of the evening.

So that was Christmas. The festive tone continued for several days so I had extra interesting walks instead of the same old sniffs around here.

There is a wee fly in the ointment, however.

On Christmas Eve the vet phoned with the results of my hip test thingy. Lo, I have the potential for dodgy hips and am advised not to have pups! Imagine! Me! Miss Fit and Healthy - pah! So there we have it - my amazing bouncing genes are not to be passed on to another generation. No pretenders to the throne of Lady Ash. Or is that really true? I happen to know that H & L bumped into friends in Hawick whose dog had pups on New Year's Day. Can you see where this is going? I, too, have strong suspicions and will report back so soon as I know what's afoot.

Happy Days

2007-12-31T16:28:00.000Z

Hello and a very Happy New Year to everyone.
I will be back with stories soon but at the moment our Broadband link is still kaput and we are using dial-up at a speed of two bytes an afternoon.

A Rainy St Andrews Day

2007-11-30T16:55:00.001Z

Greetings everyone! Today I bring you visual evidence of further torment at the hands of my 'caring' owners. On Wednesday I was subjected to anaesthetic in order to have my immaculately slim hips X-rayed. They wanted to get me hip scored to ensure that I will be a fit mother of healthy strong hipped pups. All very well and good but because the vet could not find a vein easily in one front leg I ended up with shaved bits on BOTH! Ruined my street cred for weeks to come. I was a bit woozy when they brought me home but after an hour or two (and a meal or two...) I regained sufficient strength to demand a game with a few toys. Least they could do, if you ask me.

I have been asked to post the next image as his lordship is terribly pleased with the refurbishment job he did on the trailer for his Fergie tractor. The trailer was pretty wrecked when he got it but now, after a mere two years, it has been restored to full working order and is holding some of this winter's wood supply.

Other exciting news in this neck of the woods? Hmmm, Lindsay had a fine afternoon at the Village Hall on Saturday with her Border Tart goodies - they sold well and she came home with a smile on her face. The smile may have been aided by the three glasses of mulled wine she consumed in the course of that afternoon(hmmm, only went out and bought new shoes a few days later AND a new sweater... not so much as a chocolate button for yours truly, though...)

We had frost last week and Hugh took this when we were out for a walk one morning. It is the view to the crossroads in our village and our house is the low one second from the left, with its windows glinting in the sun. Not a bad spot for a labrador to grow up in.

Her ladyship is off to Scott's Selkirk tomorrow to meet a good friend and enjoy some Borders fare. The little village of Selkirk has been laying on this two day event for the last nine years. The author Sir Walter Scott was sheriff there (not with a shiny tin star and spurs, he was a local judge) and there's masses of entertainment laid on for the whole weekend - live music of all (Scottish) sorts, reconstructed courtroom dramas, shop- and stall-keepers in costume. Lindsay has never been so has her fingers crossed that the rain stops at the very least, so she and Susan can wander about dry if not warm.

Oops...

2007-11-18T16:07:00.000Z

Ermmm, I did mean to mention that The Workhouse website has had an update too, with H and L's newer artworks on their respective pages. They have been spending much time in their garrets of late and will have work at The Cairns Gallery and the Overt Gallery over Christmas as well as at Conundrum and Oscar's!

Commercial over.

Big Update

2007-11-09T14:20:00.000Z

At last I've been able to get to the computer in a brief respite from the seemingly endless demands of country life. However, I had better start with the fact that her ladyship has uploaded a whole bundle of new arty things for the festive season, all gracing The Border Tart webpages so please go and say I sent you (anyway, there's some post free stuff so it's worth a sniff). Meanwhile, the glorious autumn weather continues, despite occasional high winds and chillier nights. The plus side to the latter is that the stove gets put on more often. We were all out this morning to enjoy the fresh air although my freedom was curtailed when Hugh spotted a couple of roe deer ahead of us and I was firmly re-attached to the lead. As if....
My fancy black collar has white paw prints on it - a Christmas gift last year - but the white bits are peeling off due to my enthusiasm for forays into the undergrowth.
I can now (not very) exclusively reveal that WE are all moving next door, permanently, at Christmas and H & L will then be working on our cottage so they can offer it as a holiday let from next summer. It will sleep four and will be wheelchair accessible throughout by the time they are done with it. As it is already a quirky property they want to retain all that and make sure there's still lots of art on the walls and some handmade furnishings to delight guests. Then there will be the fresh eggs and home made bread and preserves waiting for them, the walking and cycling from the door, the gorgeous brown hound looking cute in the next door garden - how can anyone resist?
As if that were not enough, they have only gone and acquired a 'mature' caravan! To be fair they were very kindly offered it by generous friends and with a few modifications and some TLC (no, not that one) it will be ready to roll. Sleeps three - that's two arty types and one ME, so I am looking forward to some mini adventures in the spring.

The Big Clear Out Starts Here

2007-11-03T20:25:00.000Z

Lindsay has sneakily pushed this onto my blog as well as her own. She has mega stocks of craft stuff she inherited from her Mum and has decided to sell it off at the Federation Show next weekend - if it's your bag, get along and grab the bargains as they are going for sweeties!
With luck I'll be allowed to post soon about the developments happening round here, though she's threatening to add some of her Christmassy stuff to The Border Tart shop so I'll be lucky to get a look-in at the keyboard.

Clocking up the Miles

2007-10-11T17:46:00.000Z

I've been whizzing round the countryside with the arty types of late - visiting friends, running errands and just generally working hard. Because it IS work, you know. I have to stay alert in the back of the car AT ALL TIMES lest a pheasant stray cross the road, or one of those grey ratty squirrels, or, if we are in a town, a hound dog or two.
Hugh and his pal Joe spent two days walking a part of the Southern Upland Way. It is Scotland's longest walk. It stretches west to east from Portpatrick's romantic seascapes over the Mull of Galloway to the dramatic North Sea cliffs at Cocksburnspath. Tracking through some of Scotland's most beautiful and varied scenery, it offers an unforgettable holiday experience for serious walkers and weekend visitors alike. By the way I lifted that last bit from here
Anyway, L and I dropped them off near Moffat and they walked back to Traquair so they clocked up about 31 miles, staying overnight at St Mary's Loch.
Since then, we have been in Newcastle (my first experience of being in a flat - no pheasants there), down to Washington where I met new friends who have a fine garden full of interesting sniffs AND a big sponge football for me to sink my teeth into AND they let me have some banana - pretty sound all round, that place. Then H and L needed to do some work near Edinburgh so we all went off in the Land Rover for that jaunt. I notice I did not get included in the coffee shop stop on the way back, however.

The brambles (blackberries) in the garden are ripening well now (they are always later than the wild ones) and the first few were added to some apple jelly that L made the other day - glorious colour, methinks. Not content with that, she then felt the need to make a batch of boozy mincemeat for Christmas selling. First, though, there's the Harvest Supper at the Village Hall to contend with, then a Halloween Wool Gathering - more of that on Lindsay's blog

The Tea Party

2007-09-23T11:27:00.000Z

The Crafternoon was a great success and Lindsay was very chuffed to raise £330 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Obviously the main attraction of the afternoon for certain folks was the promise of men in kilts. So here we have:
The Three Graces or
Macbeth's three witches or
Wilson, Keppel and Betty (for those of you old enough to remember your grandmother talking about them!) or
Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod or perhaps
Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil (aye, right)

Seriously, though, Joe, Hugh and Ross did a great job serving tea, coffee, cake and large amounts of cheek, and they did all the washing up too.
Other stars of the day were Lorraine and Anne who stitched and stitched and brought goodies to sell, and Trisha, Queen of Hearts, who supplied the chocolate fountain (which promptly gave up the ghost!) and made the day of children large and small, and brought her own lavender and produce to sell too. And there were other bonuses - Hazel and Sheila and Alison all arrived with home baking to supplement the supplies. Heroes every one!
Little me? I saw a crumb or two of cake from an empty tin. Such is my lot....

Home Again

2007-09-17T18:54:00.000Z

We've all been away - in separate directions.

I was despatched to see my friends at the kennels where they appreciate what a fine canine specimen I am, while H and L went north. They were lucky enough to stay in a perfect cottage in the heart of the Perthshire countryside, with paths from the door, a quality village shop ten minutes walk away and dry weather all week.

Photographs were taken and here's the evidence. Typical southern Highland landscapes, tumbling streams, mirror smooth lochs, solid stone houses, turreted white harled larger 'estate' properties, red deer, roe deer, red squirrels, buzzards and rabbits. The perfect spot for a chocolate labrador, it must be said. They have promised to take me next time....

The cottage was a TV free zone but the twosome had taken their own entertainment

for him, his guitar and a new guitar magazine

for her, more stitchery and books

for them both, a fine bottle of malt whisky

Creating a Stir!

2007-08-31T19:55:00.000Z

CRAFTERNOON TEA

Sat 22nd September at 2.30pm

Southdean Village Hall

There will be tea, coffee, home baked cakes and a

luscious CHOCOLATE fountain.

You can watch

a quilter, a handknitter, a patchworker and a hand spinner

busy being creative and you can have

your delicious afternoon tea

served by MEN in KILTS

all in return for a generous donation to

Macmillan Cancer Support

as part of the World's Biggest Coffee Morning!

Yup, her ladyship has rustled up some trusty textile friends to demonstrate and her gin drinking buddy to provide the chocolate fountain, smiled very sweetly at some kind hearted Scotsmen (erm, and a Geordie) and is hoping for LOTS of support for this venture at the village hall. She thinks the world of Macmillan nurses because the whole family had such support from them when her Dad was ill and this seemed like too good an opportunity to miss.

Sunny Sunday

2007-08-26T10:27:00.000Z

Well, I'd love to be able to post lots of pics showing the creativity of the folks but there's precious little going on that makes for elegant images. Hugh has been verrrrry busy working long hours on things which have nowt to do with painting - mainly putting up and taking down fences for the illustrious Thirlestane Horse Trials (three day palaver at Lauder, forty minutes north of here) and building aviaries for a new neighbour who keeps raptors (lovely word that, and not bad for a three year old labrador). Specifically a buzzard and a Harris hawk for those of you who know about these things. And he's been cutting grass by the acre with the wee Fergie tractor as well as with a mower. As well as all that the poor lad has been working on getting the 4x4 off road event in the forests sorted out and has more of that to come before the day itself on 9th September. Oh, and he's off doing a charity cycle ride today - my hero!

Lindsay - hmmm, bit of admin stuff, bit of painting (walls and doors - she hates painting doors) and quite a lot of destruction of built-in wardrobes. I understand that Part l of the Great Plan is for us to move next door to where the grass is greener and the sun shines longer. This entails much pondering over paint charts, endless washing of brushes, long periods spent contemplating bare walls and muttering over the amount of 'stuff' there is to contend with. When all this gets too much she takes it out on the garden.

I have to report a nasty trend developing chez nous.

Name calling.

They seem to consider that I am unusually inquisitive and a little officious in my attitude at times. In recent days I have been referred to as The Chocolate Policeman, Agent Ash of the FBI (Furry Brown Inspectorate) and even Deputy Dawg. I am plotting revenge....

Crumbs of comfort

2007-08-15T16:28:00.001Z

Her ladyship remembered to take the camera with her the other morning when she took me for a walk so here are her tasteful images taken just up the road from here. We do all realise how lucky we are to live surrounded by such glorious countryside, honest we do. The reason the fields are nice and green and lush is because the blinking rain is back with us again and this makes for more flooded boggy bits in the garden and hens plodging about in mud baths.

Showtime Blues

2007-08-11T20:43:00.000Z

Well, Southdean Show was a success APPARENTLY. You can read a brief summary on Lindsay's blog but AS I WAS NOT THERE it is really only a human account. I understand there were no animals allowed at all - because of some blinking cattle disease - so I cannot give you my usual full report. Perhaps normal service will be resumed next summer. Harrumph.

The Sun Shines Again!

2007-07-30T14:49:00.000Z

Hallelujah! I get longer walks again. The downside is that there is not as much mud to play in but I can live with that - I'm just happy to be investigating all the living things out there, and a few of the dead ones too.

Do you like this painting - it's called Big Sky (yes, really) and it sold on the opening night of the current exhibition. His Lordship was fairly pleased about that.

From the sublime to the ridiculous, I can also bring you the first image of the 2007 Southdean Show rag doll which you have, of course, all been eagerly awaiting. For those of interested in such things, she is a fine example of recycling - brown upholstery remnant cotton body, jumble sale blouse fabric, gifted skirt fabric, hair from silk and linen yarn L has had in stock for twenty years, necklace is a bracelet that she made, ribbons from my late lamented friend next door and pantaloons of the finest embroidered linen which started out in Devon, went to Portugal and made it all the way back to Chesters. Now all you have to do is pay up, guess her name and she's yours, on 11th August at the Show. And I have been asked to point out that it took YEARS to plait all of her hair...

Meanwhile, the main activity round here still seems to be in the form of destruction but L has also been out with paint brushes and rollers inside and Hugh is set to build aviaries for a neighbour outside so there is evidence of constructive work too.

Summertime Blues

2007-07-19T17:40:00.000Z

I am not doing too badly for walks these days but I had expected more opportunities to lie in the garden and soak up some sun, instead of which the place is still a quagmire. There has been some sunshine in between the showers so the fruit is ripening regardless - Lindsay has been gathering it in and freezing most of it to make jam with later in the year. The rest is getting devoured at breakfast time.

I realise you don't all know the layout of my house and that of my late lamented biscuit supplier next door, but the two houses are connected by an internal corridor. If all the doors are open, I can really get quite a turn of speed up running down hallways, doing handbrake turns at the ends and haring back again. Makes a bit of a mess of the carpets and rugs but I am a dog and dogs don't do vacuuming or worrying about the odd bit of damage (I have been known to misjudge things and hit the walls/tables/bookcases/people).

There's a lot of other stuff going on still - not much in the way of ART but stacks of bits for other people, some of it paid and some not - in the last few weeks there has been gardening (paid and unpaid), grass cutting (paid and unpaid), logo designing (paid), preparations for the Village Show (unpaid) and yet more sorting out and letter writing and dealing with officialdom (definitely unpaid), AND only one instance of baking (possibly a record, this) .

H and L are doing much scheming with drawings and tape measures and pacing out and photographing but it's all a mystery to me. If I learn something useful I'll be sure to let you know but in the meantime I think I'll just have to let them get on with whatever it is they think they are doing.

Brave New World

2007-06-29T18:13:00.000Z

I'm back!

Actually I was never away but I had things to do, places to be, humans to comfort and all that unsung hero type stuff that is a dog's lot.

There have been good bits and bad bits in the last few weeks - my neighbour dog Pepper (a bit of a dumb redhead setter type) has upped sticks and gone to live with Lindsay's wee brother, leaving me to make free with her doggy chocs. There has been an awful lot of scene shifting going on next door and I don't think it is done yet.

Lindsay's big brother stayed for a while so I managed to blag some milk and cookies by doing the big sad eyes routine. Now it is all quiet but there's the promise of a visitor lady this coming week so I may try the same tack then.

The incessant rain has caused grumbling by Hugh - can't get out to cut grass with the tractor, can't get to do his regular gardening jobs for others, poly tunnel is flooded, hen run is flooded etc etc. There are supposed to be pics inserted at this point to display waterlogged strawberries and the sad sight of a mudbath where the purple sprouting broccoli should be but someone has failed to load them onto the computer...

Hugh did manage to marshall at an off road event elsewhere in the Borders last weekend - he really enjoyed the landscape on the private estate the club were using

The exhibition is up and running - the private view was last Friday evening which was a very wet and miserable one. But our generous friends came along and livened up the proceedings considerably - and three of Hugh's works were sold that night! Then yesterday Humphrey, our website building hero, went along to photograph the work so that we can get them onto The Workhouse website - images here soon too!

Thank you

2007-06-21T15:09:00.000Z

This is just a big thank you to everyone who has sent cards and e-mailed support. Lindsay and Hugh are doing OK though there's still a bit to get through. The good news is that a stash of dog treats has been uncovered next door and I am doing quite nicely, thank you very much....

Sad Day

2007-06-15T09:30:00.000Z

Bad news at home so no posting just now. My lovely supplier of biscuits next door, Lindsay's Mum, died quite suddenly and we will be at sixes and sevens for a while.

xx Ash

Part ll -

2007-06-06T20:28:00.000Z

Some herby views here, to start with. The healthy bits...
As to slugs, Lindsay has only read about using sawdust to keep the critters off but she has been out today putting mounds of very coarse shavings round the tenderest of the plants. The shavings are sold as horse bedding and we usually use them for the hens if we don't have any straw for their houses and nest boxes. This year, though, the slugs that are doing the damage are titchy teeny wee things which are difficult to spot. So we'll just have to see whether the sawdust idea works or whether they are so wee they just squirm underneath or through the soil. Coffee grounds worked for a while last year but you have to drink a mountain of coffee and also every time you water the plants you wash some more grounds away.

An admission about fennel tea - Lindsay loves its light aniseedy taste but it comes in a paper sachet that you drop straight in the cup! So this was (is?) to be the year when she grows her own and gathers the seeds, dries them and uses them to make her own tea. No research has been done by her ladyship - typical, really - and she's out of Dr Stuart's Wild Fennel Teabags at the moment so she cannot even dissect a teabag to examine the contents. However, this will be remedied and you'll get the full saga before long!

Roll on summer

2007-06-04T19:33:00.001Z

Lots of growth in the garden though not all of it is edible (I know, I've tried...) First we had a sunny April, then a rainy May, so everything is up and running, including the slugs which have found their way to some of Lindsay's seedlings. She's planning to build some sawdust walls to stop the little blighters in their tracks but she'd better be quick.
Either slugs or rabbits have been feasting on the more tender leaf type herbs too - a new wild fennel plant has been eaten to the ground. L was looking forward to drinking it as she's a bit of a fennel tea freak these days (it balances out the less healthy cake and chocolate habits, she likes to think).
Apart from gardening, it's quiet here, as H and L are forever up in their workrooms, slaving over masterpieces - I'll post some work up once we have decent shots. Humphrey who built The Workhouse website will be photographing all the exhibition works later in the month.

Dog Days

2007-05-27T11:56:00.000Z

Yesterday, folks, was a peach of a day! It was obvious there was something up since the vacuum cleaner and duster were in evidence early on - always a giveaway.

Hugh took me out first thing (Exercise No 1) and I was just snoring in my bed (essential when recharging the batteries) when my long lost friends arrived in force. I was fussed over and petted for hours. Louise and Frances had been prewarned so they had jeans on and no-one (except Lindsay - so what?) shouted at me when I jumped up at them.

We did a tour of the garden where H & L showed off the wee hens, the big hens, the polytunnels and willow fences and all that stuff, then more coffee and wine and a huge big buffet salady lunch and more attention.

And then a ride in the Land Rover - 6 humans, one dog (and let me assure you that I was in a front seat, not relegated to the back like L) - and then Exercise No 2 - a run around up and down a forest track and a bit of playing chase with my best pal Dougie.

Home for afternoon tea which included various home bakes and the biggest chocolate cake in the world baked by Frances - oh, and more games with Dougie as you can see from the stylish picture above. He was also quite good for slipping me the odd morsel of cake when no-one was looking.

Sadly, they had to go but L took me out for another walk in another bit of the forestry after my tea (Exercise No 3) before I collapsed into my bed. If only every day could be like this

..........................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The Evidence

2007-05-17T18:27:00.000Z

Just in case there was any doubt, here's the proof of that sorry state of affairs last week. This photograph was taken one lunchtime when we had headed up a woodland track to find a sunny spot. The thermos and coffee are all too visible, along with some paint bespattered legs, but do you see so much as a morsel for me in the back of the Land Rover?

Back from the brink...

2007-05-10T14:53:00.000Z

Well, here I am again after a fairly traumatic time spent in the back of a Land Rover. You're already familiar with the catalogue of neglect and hardship visited upon me by the arty ones - well they have surpassed themselves this time. I was lulled into thinking WE were off on an adventure. We set off, loaded up with thermos and nourishments for humans and canines, and my lead and my bed, and we drove ... for all of half an hour. Then parked up at an unknown farmhouse. I was presented with some water and a dry biscuit and left, for several hours, while they disappeared to paint a stable. They returned. We drove to a nearby footpath where I was allowed a little exercise and another biscuit and then the whole story was repeated, on and off, for three whole days. Admittedly every time they returned there was more evidence of paint and more general rattiness so I don't think it was much fun (not to mention the collection of flea (?) bites amassed by a certain someone) and I know we have to keep the wolf from the door and all that but could I not have been allowed in? Hmmm? Think of the wasted sniffs and smells! Mental cruelty, really.

I tried to get some chick pix from the latest hatching but they were all out of focus and not worthy of posting here. Herself's vintage image will have to suffice for today. Meanwhile it's time the older lot faced the big wide world and so they'll be going outside to sleep in their own henhouse from now on, instead of in the shed with a big heat lamp for warmth. As long as they work out to take cover when it rains they'll be fine but, if they run true to form they will not work out how to go to bed on their own for at least a week. This means H and L out there at bedtime every night, on hands and knees in the hen run, catching the daft wee souls and walking them up the ramp and into the henhouse, till they finally get the hang of it!

On a clear day ....

2007-04-22T10:35:00.000Z

Hello! How come there's only a week left in April? Where did it go? Since I last posted there's been a Easter Egg Hunt for the local children, a 60th birthday party and then yesterday a Book Sale (with Coffee and Cake, naturally) all at the Hall across the road from here. What a thriving mini-metropolis this tiny village is! I managed to stick my nose in at the end of the Book Sale but otherwise these events happened without the benefit of my skills. Underappreciated again...

The lambs in the fields are getting fat, our little chicks are not so cute any more, although there are more due out of the incubator next weekend so maybe I will get photographs this time round, and the 'new' shed has been painted and re-felted.

On Friday night the arty types attended the private view at the brand new wee Gallery on the Green in Denholm which features Hugh's work as well as a very talented local pastel artist and other folks' too. Looks like it will be carrying some interesting craftwork and I believe Lindsay spotted some fancy locally made chocolate bars with exotic flavours- cue more 'testing'.

So far today Lindsay has been doing paperwork and splattering blackboard paint about (in a meaningful way...) while Hugh and his pal Joe and our neighbour Steve (of birthday party fame)and lots of others are all off doing a sponsored walk up the Eildon hills by Melrose. The pic is a view from the top on a clear day and here's a bit of explanation for you - isn't the internet wonderful?

Eildons, The, a “triple-crested eminence” near Melrose, 1385 ft., and overlooking Teviotdale to the S., associated with Sir Walter Scott and Thomas the Rhymer; they are of volcanic origin, and are said to have been cleft in three by the wizard Michael Scott, when he was out of employment.
Definition taken from The Nuttall Encyclopædia, edited by the Reverend James Wood (1907)

Chocolate Easter Greetings

2007-04-07T10:29:00.000Z

I think we'll stick to purples and yellowy greens for this post, as befits Easter and springtime and all that stuff. It's been quite an exciting week for this brown dog as herself is now based at home. I have had longer walks from her which is A GOOD THING but I've also noticed a tendency to disappear up the metal ladder to her garret clutching jam jars of water only to reappear some time later with paint on her clothes and in her hair. She claims there's some on canvas too but I have yet to see the evidence.

There was a birthday outing to the beach - it was grand fun although I can report that the water was not much above freezing. I ran miles on the sand with Hugh in hot pursuit (some of the time). Then H and L visited The Alnwick Garden which looks nothing like our own humble field. Huge great cascades of water and fountains and groovy metal and watery sculptures and a gigantic tree house. I would have enjoyed the water but for some CURIOUS reason dogs don't get to visit. Ho hum.

However, there were compensations - Lindsay moved lots of aged horse manure into the vegetable beds in the polytunnel, to give them a boost before plants go in and I was of inestimable assistance in this job, as I am sure you can appreciate. My friend Joe was here giving Hugh lots of help with a new (to us) shed which is going to be a very swanky kennel and maternity unit is due course, if L does not take it over as a potting shed first.

One of Lindsay's presents was a great book called Rustic Retreats - A build-it-yourself guide - H and L have over-active imaginations and are always rattling on about making stuff in the garden so it looks like we are in for hut/shack/bower thingy for all those romantic evenings that they (don't) spend out there - ho hum, more wasted time that would be better spent walking me.

I'll leave you with this morning's selection of sunny Borders images. If you see the Easter Bunny, he's mine to chase, OK?

All Fools Day

2007-04-01T09:35:00.000Z

Well, the great day has arrived for her ladyship. The Border Tart is now launched. If you have not caught up with her at her own blog yet here you'll find there's a tea party going on and that some kind folks have already bought goodies from the site. Please help to spread the word - you know how it works - sales means happy people here at home and happy people means BONES...

Meanwhile, the sun is shining and Hugh has drawn the short straw yet again and is outside cleaning out the hens. There are lots of little bundles of black and yellow fluff under the heat light now too so I will get some pictures posted up here as soon as I can.

Now I must return to my assistant duties - I feel the teaparty needs my attendance.

Winter's back

2007-03-30T08:22:00.000Z

The spring weather has been and gone and collapsed - we had a few days of sunshine last weekend which saw great activity in the garden and happy moods all round. Now it's back to grey skies and rain. As a well waterproofed hound I am of course only too pleased to splash about in rain-sodden fields but I do note a marked lack of enthusiasm in the arty ones.

April is going to be busy - her ladyship has now stopped paid employment to concentrate on arty pursuits full time. I hope the Workhouse name does not prove too apposite in the coming months. (Good word that, coming from a labrador, don't you think? I quite impressed myself) There's the imminent launch of the Border Tart and several outings lined up for Hugh's pics.

The ones above are both for sale online - they are acrylics on canvas panels, 30cm x 40cm x 4cm deep, and are £80 each including postage (UK) or £85 (all other countries). The duck is called Giles and he's a richer colour than may be showing on your screen, very orangey at bottom left corner. That's the commercial over with, folks. Update: BOTH SOLD!

I am contemplating allowing Hugh a monthly guest spot on the blog - possibly entitled The Oily Rag - so that he can rattle on about Land Rover adventures. Now don't hold your breath....

Mad March Hares

2007-03-18T16:59:00.000Z

I've been chasing hares - not catching any, I admit, but I have been trying hard. And there was SNOW this morning which as any fule kno, makes for extra special sniffs. However, it was just as well there was fun to be had because yesterday was a very long quiet day with no exercise as him and her set off at five o'clock (without giving me breakfast) to drive down to Herefordshire and back (550 miles) to pick up some unsold pictures from a gallery. They has rain, wind, drizzle and then glorious spring sunshine (that was the farthest south bit) then the same in reverse on the way home.

I spent the day next door with Lindsay's mama - and they eventually re-appeared at nearly nine o'clock. It transpired they had decided to visit the Royal Air Force Museum near Telford on the way home, so they were both spouting bizarre facts about ejector seats, transporter planes and the Cold War. Bit of a mystery to me but they see to have enjoyed themselves, bless 'em.

Hugh's latest landscapes are gathering in preparation for various exhibitions locally over the next few months. The one above is called On the Skyline and is 36" x 14" with lots more detail than you can see here. Bulk supplies of paint and canvases have arrived. Lindsay is all excited because lots of them are for her and she is itching to clear a space in the scrap store up the ladder that she calls her room, and get started.

Meanwhile, she made lemon curd for the recent jumble sale - it always looks and tastes lusciously rich because it's our own hens' eggs - and those girlies know how to eat! There are eggs in the incubator which should hatch in a couple of weeks' time so watch this space for cute chick pics. L is also toying with the idea of offering people the chance to sponsor a chick for a year for a one off cost of £10 - you get chick pics and updates and then lemon curd or meringues made with your chick's eggs when she's old enough to lay 'em!

No Excuses

2007-02-28T20:49:00.000Z

Wow, nearly March and hardly posted anything this month. Must be winter blues, well, that and the fact that YET AGAIN, I was abandoned at the kennels (seven nights in one year now, not that I'm keeping tabs or anything). H and L headed off into the Perthshire countryside for socialising purposes. To be fair the wee van was loaded up on Saturday morning with artworks and other people's belongings as well as their own essential travelling kit of a few ordinary clothes and vast quantities of boots and jackets so as to be ready for any variety of Scottish weather.

They delivered artwork on the way north and a painted parrot on the way south and returned a borrowed book while at the hotel but managed to come home with five litres of stuff for vehicle gearboxes, a bottle of malt whisky, a secondhand bread machine and twelve old German clothes pegs and some gingham ribbon. I wonder if they are safe out on their own...

The main purpose of the trip was to attend the AGM of the Scottish Off Road Club, of which the lad is a committee member. This involved a mini meeting, a proper AGM type meeting and then several hours thereafter, in the company of many other like minded souls and NOT A FEW DOGS in the bar.. so why was I not there? Hmmmm?

In attendance were a Labrador called Mel who is the same age as me, a West Highland Terrier called Roddy, another chap of mixed blood called Archie and my arch nemesis Lucy. I WAS MISSED. People demanded to know where I was. I could have had long and meaningful conversations with the hotel owner's two Bernese Mountain Dogs as well as the rest of the gang and perhaps scored for some extras from the hotel kitchen. But oh no, my beloved owners had to go without me.

They will pay.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch it is all work and precious little play. Hugh is trying to summon up the muse as two more openings for his work have presented themselves in the last week or so, and Lindsay is fussing over her new website plus making stuff for another outlet while studiously avoiding some financial paperwork. She has one month left of salaried employment before the family plunges into poverty so there's a lot of concern in the air.

No new pics because they forgot to take the camera with them at the weekend. Must try harder.

Grey Winter Sunday

2007-02-11T20:42:00.000Z

The day needs cheering up so I thought I'd give you a new action shot of me, an arty image of the forest up the road from here in the low wintery sunshine and finally this delicious old advert from the Robert Opie Collection. I would have shown you one of Hugh's pictures but it was framed up and out the door before herself had time to capture an image for posterity.

Although there's been lots of snowy weather around the country, we have hardly had any here - sadly for Hugh and me as we could have had mad snowball games. Lindsay and I managed to find a wee bit of slushy snow for a walk this morning but we're back to rainy skies now.

In the creativity department there's painting going on (well, there HAS to be, really), rebuilding a trailer to go with the little grey Fergie tractor, muffin making (trust me, some of the flavour combinations have been 'different'), crocheting, small scale felting and lots of swearing at the computer as herself battles on with her grand website project - hope it doesn't all end in tears...

Winter Drawers On

2007-02-01T19:40:00.000Z

Hello Folks! We've had all sorts of weather here recently but right now we are having it mild and springlike, and the days are stretching out a bit. Hugh's been attacking a bit of garden with a rotovator and adding compost as there are plans to move some fruit bushes from A to B - blackcurrants, a red and a white currant and gooseberries too. He's also been doing some maintenance work for an elderly couple a few miles away. Lindsay approves because he comes back laden with interiors magazines that the lady of the house is finished with.

There was a Wool Gathering last weekend (more here) which had to survive without Hugh's presence as he was doing vital Land Rover off-road things in Perthshire with the Wee Cherub and Baby Face. Like a good boy, though, he left a great pan of broccolli and stilton soup for them to enjoy in his absence.

Tomorrow he is off to recover some unsold work from a Borders gallery and Monday he and L will be heading up to Fife to hang a new selection in the coffee shop in Dalgety Bay. I suspect I will be relegated to the kitchen.

By the way, I have been tagged to spill the WEIRD beans. But, I ask you, what would a model of perfection such as I know about it? Hmmm? So I thought it would be a wizard wheeze to tell tales on L and H instead... (pity help Hugh when Baby Face and the Wee Cherub read this)

1-If Hugh cannot remember the name of something he substitutes the name 'Henry'. So we live with nonsense like - I can't find the tea henry, have you seen it?

2 - He invariably calls his long suffering wife 'son'. As in - I can't find the tea henry, son, have you seen it? L has lived with this for so long that she takes no offence and indeed has been overheard to call herself 'son' when she's talking aloud to herself.

3 - Lindsay is not the most delicate of creatures and probably walks into more items of furniture than your average labrador, not to mention the frequency with which she suffers burns from the stove, the oven, the gas ring, the iron etc

4 - If Lindsay was to win a trolley dash she would want it to be in a stationery shop - she can spend longer hours and more money on paper goods and unnecessary pads and notebooks and cards and pens than anyone else this dog knows, and is ALWAYS seduced by packaging.

5 - Hugh's musical taste is stuck in the 1970s and 80s and he is still in love with Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy and the like.

6 - Perhaps Lindsay's taste is scarier - she likes everything from Tom Waits to Welsh Male Voice Choirs

7 - Oh, alright then, my favourite food is bananas - just don't tell all the other hounds or my street cred will be blown.

Winter Woes

2007-01-18T20:44:00.000Z

Just a quiet little post from me today. Fed up with the weather and the mud. Hugh took me out yesterday and I could hardly stay on any of my feet due to slithering about in so much gloop in the fields. I'm resting up this evening, though, in preparation for dinner guests tomorrow night. Obviously I shall need lots of energy in order to pester them and ensure I am fussed over for long periods. Hmm, maybe short periods, actually, or I may find myself shut out of the living room. Oh well, another time.

Herself has been taking photographs for her shop so there are NO new ones of me to post. Here's a wee pic of Hugh with his beloved little Grey Fergie tractor and a bale of straw that we purchased so the hens could have somewhere dry to perch their weary bottoms.

Brave New Year

2007-01-04T12:59:00.000Z

Happy 2007 - may it be a peaceful and rewarding year for everyone

Right, well, that's got the good cheer out of the way... to business!

And that business is BONES!

No?

Heard it all before?

OK, what about the fact that Lindsay's mother, my best friend next door, organised for me to give her a dog treat recipe book, together with a set of bone shaped cookie cutters . Subtle enough hint, do you think? The recipes are all full of good stuff, no junk, and I cannot wait for her to start experimenting. The only fly in the ointment is that she has been full of misery and snuffles and aches and pains all week so cooking is not on her agenda.

Before she succumbed, we had some good walks over Christmas, with great sniffs due to the heavy frosts. There was also the attraction of helping people unwrap presents and destroying any cardboard boxes that came my way.

There has been precious little creative work done here of late although we did deliver a painting of Hugh's on Christmas Eve. Himself is now back up in his garret with brushes and acrylics and herself is fed up being feeble and wants to get on with her next ptoject too.

I'll keep you posted on developments.

In the Bleak Mid Winter

2006-12-16T19:35:00.000Z

Rain, wind, rain, wind, big wind, power cut, dark, dark, dark, more rain. Early starts for Hugh mean Lindsay walks me in the rainy dark in the mornings before she goes to work. If I am lucky Hugh takes me out again in the rainy afternoon before it is dark again. It's all a bit tedious and I am not overly impressed with December so far.

Mind you, the decorations are up and cards are strung about and there have been mincemeat goings on in the kitchen today so the festive spirit is creeping in. I've seen some gift wrapped boxes but none looks like a new bed for me which, given the sad state of my beanbag, with flattened beany bits which leak out if you shake too enthusiastically, is a pretty poor show.

I AM FAMOUS! Well, nearly. I have a whole page in the new winter edition of 'Border Life' magazine. I was asked twenty questions and I gave full and forthright answers. They have shown a fairly attractive profile shot of me in the snow and all in all I think I come out of it rather well. I did mention himself and herself a few times to ensure an easier life chez moi.

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Season's Greetings! Festive Good Wishes! Love from ASH

Wild and Woolly

2006-12-03T11:08:00.000Z

Busy old life - Open Days have been and gone - and I was only allowed to see the select few visitors who don't mind being bounced at. Otherwise I was next door with Lindsay's Mum, throwing a tantrum because all the fun was happening without me! Bah humbug.

However, H and L had a fine time talking to friends and new visitors, and selling goodies to them. Prints and originals both sold as did Lindsay's big collage in black and white that you can see on the wall in one of the photos. Jam and chutney and other edibles left by the basketful - thankfully, otherwise we might have drowned in the stuff. Hugh's fresh baked bread was a hit and now he wants to open a bakery!

After the weekend they abandoned me yet again to take pictures to a gallery an hour from here - I would have been more than happy to squeeze into the wee van with all those big fragile canvas panels and framed pictures but it was not to be. I don't think Lindsay has got over me removing one of her wee teddy bears from the 'shop' and nibbling its handspun jumper off, ever so delicately, as I lay in front of the stove one evening...

The weather here is grim - lashing rain and wind and lots of flooded fields (and garden). I've been out for a run and a paddle this morning and am now debating whether to stay in the kitchen where Hugh is making soup or in the living room beside the stove. Kitchen first, I think.

Madhouse Doghouse

2006-11-18T12:59:00.000Z

At last, dear readers, I bring you an update from the sticks. The internet connection and I have not been seeing eye to eye for some time now and I fear the problems are not over yet. However, Blogger has graciously allowed me to post these pics to give you a little taster of what's been going on.

What do you think of Hugh's lovely duck? Sorry the image is dark - he's actually quite a bright white, and 70cm x 50cm and will be gracing the walls next weekend.

The first Wool Gathering, run by Lindsay, ably assisted by Cairi and catered for by Hugh, was a success. Twelve happy textilers gathered to spend a merry day dyeing yarns, learning about hand spinning, mastering knitting techniques and comparing creations. They repaired to The Workhouse for a fine homemade bread and soup and cheese type lunch so I got to meet them all too. The pic is some of the dyeing experiments steaming in front of the open fire in the Village Hall!

Lindsay's wee handspun and knit wristwarmer gloves are next down - destined for Christmas presents.

I have been forced to take refuge by the fire or in the path of any wayward ray of sunshine which manages to percolate through the grimy living room window. It's a lonely time of year for a dog because there's less interesting outsidey stuff going on and the arty types keep disappearing off to their respective garrets to create masterpieces for the impending OPEN WEEKEND (on 25th and 26th November)

Actually, to be fair, there's been a lot of kitchen activity too, since Lindsay likes to use a mountain of sugar and spice to create edible goodies to tempt next weekend's visitors. In fact, I think I hear the rattle of a saucepan. Must dash...

Risen from the Ashes

2006-11-10T22:14:00.000Z

Hmmm, in the nick of time, I have been re-instated. She's still messed up her new blog but that's not my problem...

Disaster!

2006-11-10T21:23:00.000Z

Her smartypants ladyship has only gone and updated me to Beta Blogger without so much as a by-your-leave and managed to lose my profile and overlay her new blog profile - Tart with a Heart.

She'd better get it sorted out v soon or heads will roll. If I disappear in a billow of blue smoke you know it was NOT MY FAULT!!!

Ravenous Hound

2006-10-29T13:07:00.000Z

H and L had a late night. Clocks changed this morning. Result? I had to scratch a claw down the door to get them up to feed me breakfast. I was weak with hunger but made a speedy recovery and demanded back outside so that I could get on with a rather tasty bone I was bribed with yesterday.

The social whirl that is life in Chesters meant that this weekend's sleep patterns have been severely interrupted.. and worse, my space was invaded by another labrador OVERNIGHT!
A friend had been working not far from here and asked if he could stay overnight Friday ... but he didn't get here till 2.30 am Saturday! And he brought Lucy, my nemesis, his black labrador. And she got to sleep in the same room as him. And she played with my toys and had two biscuits from my personal supply. Bah humbug!

Yesterday started well with a walk in the woods but went steadily downhill as I was confined to barracks for a large part of the day. Admittedly the stove was on and I did eventually get the bone outside too. They were too preoccupied with the Harvest Supper at the village hall. Lindsay was barmaid for the evening and Hugh did some waiting on tables. The band were apparently pretty fine too. But it was another late night and the oldies cannot take the pace, hence my late breakfast.

Today the first fifteen of the table chickens are off to meet their maker, courtesy of a friendly gamekeeper who lives down the road. I think I will probably be banned from taking any active part, but perhaps I'll get a scrap of cooked chicken later in the week. These birdies are mostly already promised to people but a few have been reserved for H & L so they can find out if the expensive diet of mixed corn has been worth it.

The other pic today is Lindsay's yarns , now washed. She has been knitting dinky little wrist warmer gloves so they'll no doubt get displayed here soon.

Happy Picture

2006-10-16T11:34:00.000Z

Yup, finally got the latest groovy picture photographed, and here it is in all its glory - It's about four and a half feet high so it packs a punch in our living room at present!

The weekend whizzed by in a flurry of garden duties and moving hens to pastures new. I did score for a few forest walks too so it has been a better than average few days.

And, it is rumoured that we are going out this afternoon, first to deliver pictures and then to my friend Jack's folks for dinner....where I will finally get to meet new four legged friends too - Eddie and Sam. At last, proper company!

Spinning Frenzy

2006-10-12T18:37:00.000Z

It's not all jam round here, you know! The spinning wheel was dusted off (literally) and placed in front of the stove on a chilly Monday and Lindsay got on with some work to build up yarn stocks again. She's been making other stuff up in her garret but I cannot get up the ladder to see what it is. There has been some raucous singing along echoing down from there, though, so maybe it's as well I stayed on the ground floor.
Hugh has been persevering with drains, poor lad, but has also produced a lovely landscape which deserves a blog entry of its own (in other words, it ain't been photographed yet).

Monkey & Sofia

2006-09-29T11:15:00.000Z

Now you may not have appreciated that a chocolate labrador would have an interest in knitting but today I have to tell you creative types out there about a new design book that is NOT going to be in all the shops - much better than that, you have to go sniff it out for yourself.

Maureen and Phil have produced this wee treat which you can see here
Lindsay, who is a privileged soul, has just received a copy hot off the press.

While I am at it I had better tell you about Wool Gatherings. Lindsay and her friend Cairi (a girl never without needles and yarn) are running a series of days for textile minded folks here in sunny Chesters. They'll have mini workshops, tasters in spinning and dyeing, yarn and fabric swap shops, help and advice on as many different textiley crafts as you can think of, a chance to share information and swap techniques and ideas, and coffee and homemade cake plus Hugh's wonderful soups at lunchtimes. The first one is on 5th November....

Jamming again

2006-09-24T13:21:00.000Z

The bountiful fruit harvest is still being converted by the jam and chutney queen. These dinky little crab apples smelled delicious - herself was taking photographs of them artfully spilled over a lovely patchwork textile when I thought a spot of quality control was called for.

The jam pan is full of plums and elderberries and I am fairly sure I saw a port bottle being tipped over the top later on in the cooking.

Yesterday was summer sunny and hot - here's the early morning sun through the willow hedge and the little russet apple tree. The grass got cut later

Today is autumn rain and clammy - no pictures as the job for the day involved drains... 'nuff said. I stayed indoors for that bit.

Butter Paws

2006-09-20T19:23:00.000Z

Been trying to get my paws on these pics for days...I mean I KNOW how much you've all been dying to see them...

Anyway, Sunday dawned misty and chilly but I had the pleasure of rushing around the makeshift campsite in the half light, leaping at unsuspecting souls as they staggered from tents, and giving them a big smacker on the lips. Not my most popular move but worth the reprimand.

Back to the caravan for a quick breakfast before the action started. Off road vehicles of all shapes, sizes, colours, and ages rolled up to sign on for their big day. Drivers paid up their money, signed to say what good responsible souls they were, had a briefing from the Big Cheese and then headed off to explore the forests. Out there already were club members who were acting as marshals for the day, posted at different areas of the forest to guide and advise the participants...and in a few cases to tow them out when they got stuck!

Himself was Clerk of the Course so after everyone had signed in for the day, we set off into the forests ourselves, to make sure that all was well. It was grand fun, sitting in the middle seat of the Land Rover as we drove through the wonderful Borders landscape and climbed high up on to the moors. I discovered that wherever a few souls are gathered for an hour or two or three, they carelessly leave unguarded sandwiches and snacks as they stop to talk with one another.

We stopped often so I was out and about (on a lead, sadly), doing what any good sniffer dog does and lo, I stumbled over crusts and apple cores and at one point a full spilled packet of hula hoops. Never tried the things before but managed to get several mouthfuls down before I was rumbled.

It was a tiring day so I was not too upset when Lindsay whisked me home to my bed. I was oddly thirsty through the evening ..must have been the fresh air.

Heaven is not a caravan

2006-09-14T19:36:00.001Z

Hello! So much to tell from last week's events
Well, it all got a bit tense and stressful (that word's there just for my friend Ross who tries to be firm with me -SIT DOWN, ASH! - but eventually gives in and lets me jump up anyway - he leads a VERY stressful life just by being Ross, really) anyway, the tempers were a bit frayed by the middle of last week as Hugh's great project built up to maximum velocity. He's been organising this great big (big for round these parts) off-road driving day called Wheels in the Woods in the forests north of here and had lots of worries about the Forestry Commission, the Scottish Off Road Club , the participants who were paying good money to do the event and, well, everything else under the sun that he could worry about, really.

He disappeared up to the venue on Friday morning complete with a borrowed caravan, a sleeping bag, lots of outdoor clothes and a substantial supply of bacon and coffee. Lindsay and I set off on Saturday afternoon to meet up with him and the other Club members who had been working away all day and I was introduced to the delights of caravanning. Hmmm.

Fortunately I was sustained by an early dinner before they pushed off and left me in the dark in the caravan and all I could hear was a party going on without me. However, when they re-appeared to crawl into sleeping bags for the night I did not seek petty revenge by howling, scrabbling or trying to get up onto the bench/bed thing even though it was infinitely softer than the floor. To tell you the truth I was a little weary myself having spent some of the evening harassing a black labrador called Lucy and being restrained from tipping a twelve week old spaniel called Mack upside down. Ho hum.

I still have still not got to the event itself, have I? I'll post about it tomorrow with some of Ross's classy photographs so you can see what it was all about.

Show Time

2006-08-28T20:46:00.000Z

The annual village show took place last weekend - we borrowed a posh new tent for the teas and beers, there was funfair stuff and a plant stall, a book stall, a couple of craft work stalls all the 'guess the such and such and win it' things, children's races and vintage machinery - all this and it was still the 'littlest show on earth'! The sun shone, then it rained, then it dried up - basically we had a little bit of everything. Four Italian motorcyclists dropped in - and I dread to think what tales they are taking home.of the strange customs of rural Scotland.

Here's the dolly that herself made - it was won by a little girl who guessed her birthday correctly (4th August - same as yours waggily). The sweeties in the jar was won by one of the biggest kids there - our friend Ross who took lots of photographs on the day while his wife Jane sold her plants.

For example, here's Jane learning to drive Hugh's little grey Fergie tractor, under 'instruction' from himself, at the end of show. Nice backdrop, eh?

The final photo is a perfect one by Ross. This is Fergus's pram - he is latest addition to the village but was off taking some air at this point so not really an abandoned baby.

Although I missed the early part of the show as I was on house guarding duty, Hugh came to retrieve me so that I could do a lap of honour and meet my adoring public. Lindsay's crowning moment was beating her mother in the fruitcake class, although they were both outclassed by Fergus's mum, Linda.

Since then H & L have been to a parish barbecue, looked in on a coffee afternoon at the village hall, sneaked out for an Indian meal in the excellent restaurant in Jedburgh, and been to a much bigger show south of the border today. At least on this last one they took me too. They have also both been working, I hasten to add.

Hugh has been moving and raising fences at Thirlestane Castle where they hold big important horse trials (well, important if you are a horse or a horsey type - I don't care for the things myself, too flighty and scary kickers). Lindsay has been at work and been busy with the jam pan. She seems to have some sort of recurrent (redcurrant?!) addiction which runs for a few months from mid summer onwards. This weekend's efforts have been a rowan berry and apple jelly and a gooseberry jam - she tells me the rowan jelly is a stunning colour and Hugh thought it would make a good colour for brake lights - Hell, humans, what are they on?

Don't look now...but

2006-08-12T20:51:00.000Z

This is going to be the blog entry where I master links to my e-pals

So, let's begin with the lovely Coco, at Muddy Red Shoes - where Sarah paints a mini masterpiece EVERY DAY as well as living a blooming lively life in Brittany. Coco is my chocolate labrador blog younger (but probably more sensible) sister!

Over in the US of A there's Jack who is an exotic Labrador - Rottweiler cross and lives with the talented TLC, illustrator extraordinare.

And today Chigger and Woody at Blogdogs introduced themselves. Woody likes my coloury text so I feel justified in making this a particularly virulent mixture.

There, now, I didn't do too badly.

Craftwork

2006-08-10T19:00:00.000Z

Birthday was quieter than a girl might have hoped for but I didn't make a fuss or anything as childish as that... well, not that day. Thank you, folks, for the kind wishes.

Plenty going on hereabouts. Herself has made a rag doll for Guess the Dolly's Birthday for the great Southdean Show which is only just over a week away. She's already filled a jar very artfully with sweeties to rot small teeth and only she and I know how many are in there. Wonder who will guess right and make a dentist very happy.

Hugh was doing vital off-road work last weekend with his fellow Caberston Brothers - an 'in' joke among these tough macho 4 x 4 boys who had to dig themselves out of a minor 'incident' deep in a Borders forest - but all in the line of research, you understand. Meanwhile Lindsay was busy with the microwave, dyeing (and tie-dyeing) rainbows of yarn for her Easy Peasy Knitting kits.

Monday was a good family day, even though I was abandoned for part of it while they did unaccompanied walking. Hmmm, not a habit they should adopt. If you walk ten minutes up the hill from our house you get to look back at this view - we're pretty lucky folks to live round these parts.

More important recce work for Hugh and the boys coming up on Sunday while I think Lindsay will be being creative with a jam pan full of fruit and vinegary things, making some chutney to enter into one of the classes at the show. I'll ride shotgun for that one, looking out for escapees from the chopping board.

Just chillin'

2006-08-03T20:16:00.000Z

I'm conserving my energy for what I am sure will be a great day tomorrow. I shall be TWO! (which is pretty damn grown up, by the way). I imagine there are bones and treats and extra walks planned, maybe a swim and a rabbit or two to chase.

However, there do seem to be a few other things happening round here so I am not the centre of attention presently. Hugh and I collected thirty little day old chicks this afternoon. These ones are not for egg laying but for the table, ultimately, so they will get spoilt with extra corn rations, I suppose. Meantime they are in luxurious accommodation in the shed with a red light on to keep them warm and chick crumbs to munch through ( and probably poo on, knowing hens).

All is not lost, though, as Lindsay baked a cake and flapjacks this evening - looks like a tea party may be on the cards. Best bit was, she cracked an egg and missed the bowl. The whole thing slid gracefully off the edge of the worktop and onto the floor within only a few feet of my bed. I did my duty and now there is not so much as a morsel left. Yum.

Just Rewards

2006-08-01T05:38:00.000Z

Books were sold. Bone was bought (and devoured).

Abandonment

2006-07-21T21:22:00.000Z

Well, I survived the weekend while H & L set forth into North Yorkshire to their favourite B&B at Beck Hole and took H's work to the Grosmont Gallery. They were roasted in the sunshine but enjoyed lots of walking and visits to the Birch Inn which consists of two titchy bars sandwiching a sweetie shop, thus catering for this pair perfectly. For example supper one night consisted of butties, jelly babies, two pots of tea and several pints - I'll leave it to you to work out who had what...

Pics are of Jasper, B&B dog, posing in the courtyard and Beck Hole from up t' hill.

My new kennels was pretty fine and I enjoyed walks and games with a ball in the garden - no great hardship, then, especially when mine host told H & L I was a 'wee cutie' and was welcome back any time!

Since we have all been back the garden has demanded a bit of attention. Loads of blackcurrants were converted into jelly (which didn't set, tee hee..) and jam (which set like a rock).

We're into 'village show' time of year hereabouts now and things are hotting up for the Southdean Show on 19th August. Lots of wee stalls are planned and herself is making a posh ragdoll for Guess the Doll's Birthday while himself will have to polish the tractor as it will be on display too. Presently, though, he's out with tractor and finger mower on the back, cutting small fields and paddocks around and about for neighbours.. with a big grin on his face!

For any knitters out there, Lindsay has just put one of her Alice Starmore books on ebay and the other one is going on tomorrow - tell your friends - sales can mean only one thing - a new bone or two!

Aftermath

2006-07-13T18:52:00.000Z

Well the dust has settled round here after a busy weekend. Despite being exiled next door, I was able to see lots of strangers in my garden as they did the grand tour, stopping to admire the sculptures and the willow trellis and the wee partly hidden bird's nest full of sweets before returning indoors for coffee and cake. Herself had been busy baking to tempt the masses and it went down too well for my liking - precious few leftovers.

On my return to the fold I could spot a few gaps where the prints of Hugh's pictures had been and one of Lindsay's swagbags was missing too. Cards definitely sold. As for the jams and chutneys - wiped out, clean shelf, all gone. Same with Hugh's freshly baked loaves.

I think they were tired but happy at the end of it all.

Rustic scenes here of gooseberries and strawberries just picked and an artistic pile of carrot thinnings.

Rumblings in the jungle .. they are off south with some paintings. I fear another kennels trip is imminent. I must step up the smooching and see how guilty I can get them to look....

Panic Stations!

2006-07-04T06:41:00.000Z

Only a few days to go until the 'Open Weekend' here at The Workhouse. The invitations are out, the posters are up and the artists are in a flap. Opening times are Sat and Sun, 8th and 9th July, from 12 till 6 and the sun is going to shine and everything will look lovely. That's the theory, folks. So the garden is weeded and tidied, the vegetables are standing to attention and some of the plants are even considering flowering for the occasion. The various welded sculptures (Stumpy Cockerel here is the latest) will be placed around the garden and there will be seats and benches in quiet corners.

Inside the house will be paintings and collages on the walls, bags, cushions and other bits and pieces artfully strewn about, and lots of cakes and lemonade and a little alcohol to help the day along!

I am moving next door for the afternoons where I will miss all the excitement but probably get fed tidbits by Lindsay's mother - a silver lining after all..

Ain't no sunshine...

2006-06-06T21:39:00.000Z

This weekend we had excellent weather for doing nothing but bask in the sun but if you don't have a fur coat round here, you have to 'get on with stuff'. It was mostly garden 'stuff' and they have made a good job of the old place. There's new sculptures by H everywhere you turn and herself spent some happy hours making a mini-beach. (Don't ask me why, she just thought this garden that is an hour inland needed to be in touch with its marine alter ego, or maybe she just had too many bits of driftwood and stones kicking about)

That�s Hot

2006-06-06T21:21:00.000Z

That�s Hot

Herself found this site tonight and will probably be off on another flight of fancy having spotted the PlayDoh fragrance! What can I say? Give me a nice seasoned old piece of stick anyday

Portraits

2006-05-29T09:58:00.000Z

'Bitch and Ball'

and

'Eric the Scots Grey'

Community Spirit

2006-05-29T09:34:00.000Z

A fairly green weekend, all in all - mainly due to the rain! Attached is a wee metal bird sculpture beside the sprouting willow trellis fence. Quite good for a wind-up these fences, as I squeeze myself through the gaps while herself has a canary, convinced I will uproot the whole construction....

Saturday night was a drama dinner over at the village hall, and it was a sellout! About sixty guests and the drama group all ate in the big hall, served up with dishes home-cooked by the hall committee, before the entertainment of the evening got underway in earnest. It was a really good night and a boost to both the hall and the Denholm Drama Group (who recently lost EVERYTHING in a school fire) - so I reckon there will be a similar event later in the year. Mind you, attention has been pretty scant these last few weeks while H & L have helped refurbish bits of the hall and then sort out for the big 'do'.Perhaps twice a year is enough or I shall begin to play up and be difficult (on second thoughts, maybe I will anyway, it's such fun to be bad and then do the big 'sorrrrrrrryyyy' eyes!)

L has been knitting up some of the hand dyed wool hanks. A single hank will yield a pair of baby bootees or a baby hat so she'll be packaging them up with patterns and getting them onto the website very soon.

Coming soon, to a country near you...

2006-05-28T17:34:00.000Z

Dog Days ll

2006-05-15T13:41:00.000Z

A few pics from the weekend. The 'boys' all played with radio controlled Land Rovers but the young willows seem to withstand the crashes OK. I was excluded from their game but got them back later on when I went for a dip in the pond and then shook while in close proximity to various legs. Revenge is sweet.

Dog Days

2006-05-14T18:26:00.000Z

Phew, it's been a busy weekend. Duties have been strenuous but I have not strayed from my role as leader of the pack (well, if you discount the temporary aberration when I sniffed out a fox den and became curiously deaf simulataneously). Yesterday I spent navigating a cross-border route into Northumberland from the centre seat in the Land Rover. This incorporated an impressive ford crossing which I suggested we went back and examined on foot. Just as I suspected there were yet more fascinating smells to check at the water's edge and some muddy water to paddle through too.

Onwards to Alnmouth where I was placated with biscuits while the greedy twosome went off to find a coffee shop for a birthday (his) snack or three. Then it was back down the green lane and through the ford again, just because we could, really. Abandoned again in Alnwick before the trip north. Fortunately this involved an outing and some more paddling at Yetholm. I was relegated to the rear of the vehicle thereafter which seemed a little harsh...

Today was party day here at Chesters, with some old friends and some new. There was one of those baby things in the gathering but he just seemed to eat and sleep so he's OK by me. (I have always found it a sound maxim to live by and he must be learning early.) There was a lot of eating and laughing and some present unwrapping that I was not invited to participate in but I have a new friend called Jack who played a lot of foot-and-mouth-ball with me in the garden and one called Robbie who later helped me round up hens in the garden.

I have only energy left to post this before retiring to my beanbag for the rest of the evening. A girl needs her beauty sleep, for goodness' sake..........zzzzz

More arty holiday pics

2006-05-07T10:35:00.000Z

Holiday snaps (l)

2006-05-02T21:30:00.000Z

Home to roost

2006-05-02T21:10:00.000Z

Blimey! Time I updated you all on life in the chilly Borders. Well, as suspected, I was driven off to kennels and abandoned for a week.
To be honest, thought, I had a pretty fine time. En-suite heated room and access to a run where I could see everything that was going on with the other hounds. Some of them looked a bit scary on first sight, even to a bitch of my fine breeding, but the family of three German Shepherds turned out to be lovely boys and the Dalmation couple on the opposite side of the square were not as stuck up as I had feared. Anyway, the staff were lovely, made a fuss of me and walked me three times a day so all in all I had rather an enjoyable time. Didn't want to let on, obviously, when H & L came to retrieve me on Sunday but I think they sussed that I thought the place was pretty fine.

The arty couple clocked up a lot of miles in a week since they went to Devon, then up to the Welsh coast and to Herefordshire before heading home. Plenty of pics were taken so I shall include a few for your delight.

Just desserts

2006-04-16T16:38:00.000Z

Red Letter Day? I'm not so sure. Easter and I finally make it into print. The Sunday Herald Magazine to be precise, two page spread, mostly of the house and garden and arty stuff and some unfortunate pics of H & L. Lindsay scowling and Hugh posing awkwardly with brushes and paint spattered shirt. My pic is the first one on the page and I am looking rather regal, I think, beside the spinning wheel and a landscape of Hugh's (close-up section in here somewhere).

It's been an interesting week - the arty pair took lots of work to Thirlestane Castle to hang on the walls of the tearoom for the season, H helped to hang an exhibition of work by Bernat Klein. chopped up a cherry tree, dug over a raised bed ready for pea seedlings, Lindsay's been dyeing wool in the microwave - that's what the pictures that look like pizzas are, plus a shot of hanks drying in the sun, and two of L's paintings with gold leaf and suchlike on them.

More mutterings about kennels again - I think they are scheming to go down south at the end of next week. Spare a thought for me, please, in my poor lonely little cell while they drive off without a backward glance..........ho hum, it's a dog's life.

Saviours of the Universe

2006-04-07T19:46:00.000Z

Lindsay was in work avoidance mode this evening, again, and stumbled over the parallel world of Savage Chickens - Chicken Cartoons by Doug Savage. April 3rd was a good cartoon day...