This is the decorations in the kitchen, over the years they have been on the fireplace no demoted to the kitchen.

Although we have not put up a tree this year I had to get the Nativity set out and the rusty alternative Christmas trees.

I had decorated the fire place back in early December as the little houses are advent calender's, and the carpet fitters would not have to move them to lay the carpet.

This simple design is just some dry twigs in my lovely vase and a variety of little ornaments and snowballs.

Well fed birds

I took these photo's from the car when I was sitting waiting to get get through the road works going to work. There are so many ducks and birds here at the moment but the local people feed them and take left over bread. i believe the pet shop do well selling bird feed. This week the lake was completely frozen over the locals say its been many years since this happened last.

The snow has caused havoc

I know there are lots of photo's out there of the recent snow but scampi looks so cute. It was deeper than she was in height, but Robert dug out a tunnel round the house up the track to the road and to the back lane where we always go for our walk. Over the days and more people got out we were able to walk round the church where I took some photo's below. I cant believe what a stand still our country came to because of the snow. Everybody needs the gritter and the snow plough it must be a nightmare for the person in charge deciding where to send them. I was supposed to have such a busy week two demonstrations at flower clubs, york minster to hear handles Messiah, doctors appointment and Sunday should have been my flower clubs big demonstration by a dutch florist all cancelled. If you have been on Bobs blog you will know about our bathroom flood which has wrecked our sitting room. The assessor still hasn't made it to see the damage, the company who riped out the carpet, took the curtains to wash and have to come back to clean all the sofa's say they are unable to come as they are a now a week behind.I want to put up the Christmas decorations as I know the next three weeks are going to be busy and only one weekend off. It all sounds like doom and gloom but what I feel most sad about is the real reason for Christmas is slipping away. I had planed an evening with my friends from church down loaded a Christmas quiz but will have to be cancelled.

Its not to deep here yet

We have had some lovely sun sets this is the cricket field.

My poor little new car we had to dig it out, I was nervous last year even more so now in my new car she has done very well so far.

When it first snowed I went round the knocking the snow of the shrubs as the weight snaps the branches off, but the snow was deeper than my wellies and some of the shrubs. I'm trying to keep up with the wild bird food there is a blue tit hanging on the nuts.

Scampi's tunnel to the church yard.

Looks very picturesque

Lots of icicles around the house

First Christmas wreath

Sorry for not writing for a while there's no real reason iv just been busy and not much really has been of much interest. We have had a poor seven weeks at the shop due to major road works. You would not believe the difference the roadworks have made to the shop, having to wait 20 to 30 minuets to pass through the village has made people bypass and go the long way round. November is usually a poor month anyway and along with all the other shops we have been on the brink. And then this week with the snow things have got no better. The shop is decorated for Christmas but people are being cautious. I'm not sure if they don't like what we are selling or whether its that there is such a variety in any shop anywhere. We try to sell different things that you cant buy everywhere and when people come in the shop they are full of admiration and love what we sell its just the customers are so few.I know the next three weeks are going to be busy with wreaths and fresh table centers.
A change from the usually ivy, holly,conifer and other evergreen foliage I have made a wreath from eucalyptus and gyp with a few white berries and bows. This was an order for one of the neighbours.

This one was evergreen fresh foliage and artificial flowers.
This was for the cemetery

Scotland holiday 2010

Although its a few weeks ago since our holidays I took some nice photo's Id like to share. Robert drove from our house to Callender in Scotland so while he has a rest in the car I take Tom for a walk.

Tom longing to go in the water but we still had a long drive and a wet dog in the car isn't ideal.

how could I say no with those longing lovely eyes

Heading back to the car park. It was such a lovely hot day and after a walk round the high street we got some fish and chips and sat by the river people watching. there were a lot of fishermen, canoeist and lots of dogs taking their owners for a walk. It was so lovely we sat there for a few hours before we carried on with our journey to our holiday cottage.

The view from the front garden of our holiday cottage

It was still a lovely evening warm and sunny and the sea was so calm.

Robert and Tom having a cuppa

We went for a lovely walk, the evening was delightful

On the Wednesday it had rained all night and day so we knew the river at Killin would be fast flowing and we were not disappointed it was breathtaking, although we were wet through.

We had a great holiday it was good just to spend some time together.

Crinan canal

whilst on holiday we visited Crinan Canal. It was opened in1801and runs from Crinan to Ardrishaig basin and is 9 miles long and was made as a short cut for sailors and fishermen to avoid the treacherous journey around the Mull pf Kintyre. James Watt surveyed the route in 1771 with backing from the Duke of Argyll and work started in 1794. With a few problems in 1811 Thomas Telford suggested a number of improvement and was then completed 6 years later.600 men blasted and cut the canal out of the land.
200 years the canal was the workplace and the home for hundreds of people. 100 people worked near or on the canal. Queen Victoria passed in 1847 and and big boats with tourists became popular.

Robert with Tommy it was a hard job to keep him out of the water but the sides of the canal were strait and he would not have been able to clime out and hes a bit heavy to heave out.

Some of the fishing boats

The first lock or the last if you come from the other way, we sat outside the cafe and the nice lady came and gave Tommy some bacon bits and a drink of water. People stopped to talk to us because of the dog. Tom is a good subject to get people talking.

The house like this one was home to children along the canal who would open the locks and bridges. The would make and sell lemonade and milk to hungry visitors and would swap homegrown vegetables from the gardens for coal from the passing boats.

This is the other end and as you can see by the sky its another day we walked for a mile or so and by the time we walked back the sun had come out and was a plesent evening.

Christmas puddings and Knitting

After our lovely holiday away in Scotland it been all go since we got back. The one thing I needed to do was getting the Christmas puddings made yes its that dreaded word Christmas. The shop is getting full of Christmas decorations and I'm running out of space to store it all, but we have to get Bonfire night the beginning of November out of the way first before anything can go into the shop. ( saying that I have left an angel out its so lovely).
I mixed most of the ingredients a few days before cooking so that the alcohol can soak into the fruit. Raisins, currents, sultanas,prunes, zest and juice of oranges and lemons, cherries, grated apple, walnuts and almonds, grated carrot, black treacle, demarara sugar, breadcrumbs,beef suet, ground almonds salt, nutmeg, mixed spice, fruit peal, stout and rum. after a few days this was mixed with the self raising flour and eggs.

I have made so much I had to mix it in the jam pan then left it in the crock mixing bowl, but had to put it back in the jam pan to mix in the flour.

As is our tradition each member of the house has a stir with a wish, but there is only Robert here Fallon is away on holiday. He will now say hes made them.

I usually steam them in a crock pot but I treated myself to these plastic containers with lids so I don't have to cover them with layers of tin foil to keep out the water.

Ready to cook




The cooked pudding
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I have also been busy Knitting. When I was at home in the summer getting over my operation I knitted my great niece Hannah a cardigan and when Robert saw it he said "I remember when you used to knit for me" so when I was well I went to the local wool shop who happened to be moving to a smaller shop and were having a sale. I got enough wool for the sweater below for an incredible £4.00 and its Arron. I'm not really very good and its years since I knitted anything this big only a few scarfs. It has a 16row patton, my friend who knits a lot said the patton would have shown up better in a plain wool as it doesn't really show on the flecked wool. I think it will be warm as when I was knitting it it made me warm.

Robert modeling the finished jumper