the patchwork dress

5 x 5 x 5

This blog was 5 years old on the 5th of the 5th month of May... just to show what a terrible blogger I've been I haven't even got around to posting until today!

Five years of blogging has opened some amazing doors to me, including meeting lots of other crafters and bloggers, making things, and connecting with folksy and etsy to sell my wares and buy others!  Lately I have got absorbed away from this life into other areas - and that may be what this year is about, mainly my work life and just more downtime for recovery inbetween.  Sometimes I don't feel like saying much - or maybe I don't have much of interest to share!

A habit I've developed is being swayed by technologies hosted by other blogs - over the last 5 years I've tried facebook and scrapped it, (it just annoyed me, I don't 'like' it although can see it suits a lot of people), looked at twitter and couldn't be bothered, started a tumblr but couldnt get it to work or pursue it, oh - and Polyvore - same with Pinterest... note to self "must persevere".. or should I? Do I actually have the time?

I recently upgraded my phone to one that has 'aps' - and passed my old phone onto N - who promptly amazed me by discovering all these functions on it that I never knew it had, or even tried to work out!

So, resolving to play around and explore more with the new phone, I recently downloaded the Instagram ap (which again have seen now on numerous blogs)- and played with the filter process on these 5 pictures from the weekend - which were all taken on my phone.

I really like the effects and wonder if this is something I may stick at - however there is something about having too much technology at hand for instant results, like Pinterest etc which detracts from the process of cutting out a picture, grouping it with others and sticking it down.. I'm not sure if I am a technophobe or not - or if there is something about the satisfaction of hand and eye which trumps all aps.

I heard on the radio today about the futures of 'augmented realities' with google specs that will do this and that for you - and to be honest I am concerned about losing function of the brain and the senses - the subtleties of energies, sixth sense and intuition - all of which enrich life far beyond any ap - giving the sense of wellbeing technology is supposedly freeing us up to find.  But sometimes the best days are the ones you leave your phone in your pocket, or even better your house, while you go out and use your amazing nature given and free aps of the senses!

But don't listen to me, this last shot is often my replacement for the television set.

24/2 : seasons greetings

(view towards Ben Lomond over freezing cloud formation on Loch Lomond 2011)

I'd just like to thank you for following my blog this year if I've not managed to thank you personally, - and for leaving comments and support if you have done - it means a lot to me.

I also hope you've found something of interest, and perhaps inspiration through my ramblings, and hope to see you again in 2012!

Merry Christmas! xx

8 : blackbird cake

The wind is currently gusting round the house. We have 'red' warnings of wind across Scotland today and where we are normally quite protected in a little dip and the wind blows 'over' us - today it is tapping at the windows and rattling the roof - quite ferociously!

I moved the bird feeders to a lower level on the tree - partly for the birds and so that they don't fly off through a window at some point during the day!

Here are the blackbirds and others looking for food at low level during the storms.. You can just see robin in the top left corner, tucked in a bush.  These were taken from Inside! so they aren't all that clear.

If you don't already know this - a great way to attract blackbirds into your garden is to put out apple, pear or dried fruit such as raisins on the ground - they LOVE this and it trumps birdseed and peanuts for them.  Just be careful not to put down where a cat could jump out on them!

Yesterday I made a cake a blackbird would be proud of - and of course the apple peelings and chopping board remnants went out for them!  It's gluten free and dairy free (again!) with the consistency of a traditional farmhouse cake.  The apple and fruit keep it from being too dry, and the ground nuts give a wholemeal consistency.  It's also a good way to use up leftovers from making mincemeat.

Blackbird Cake (for humans... and blackbirds!) - Dairy + Gluten Free

*  *  *

6oz of margarine - eg non dairy 'Pure' (or butter for dairy eaters)

3oz demerara or brown sugar

7.5 oz  g free plain flour sifted with 2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder (see this post for good types of flour and baking powder)

3 eggs

a few dashes of rice milk (or equivalent)

1.5 apples (blackbirds get the half)

handful of mixed nuts - ground up in processor

handful each of plump raisins, chopped dates, cranberries, dried apricots (or to your taste)

*  *  *

• Line a deepish small baking tin with greaseproof paper

• Preheat the oven to 325F/160C/Gas 3

• Mix all the cake ingredients in a bowl and add a dash of rice milk, and keep mixing until the consistency is paler and  loose but not sloppy.

•  Add the chopped apple, nuts and dried fruit - folding it gently into the mix.

• Add to the cake tin, and cook in top third of oven for approx 1 hour - keep looking in after 45mins and test with a knife.  When the top is brown, the knife comes out without stickiness - altho this is a moist cake because of apple, don't overcook as it can dry out the sponge.

• Once cool, wrap tightly in paper/foil etc - as it can dry out quite quickly.

• Should last a couple of days.  Yum.

 

october colour

It's been a grey old October here - in fact generally this year!  So I caught a bit of colour the other day with my new (!tadah!) camera (before it started raining again). I've wanted a new camera for ages, and although I love my compact (Canon Powershot A80) - bought in 2004 for a trip to New Mexico, has started me up with all the photographs so far on this blog, and captured images for the photocards etc - I felt I was missing a good landscape camera, plus generally wanting to broaden the scope and quality of my photography.

I'd been hanging about with this idea for a couple of years, moving it from desire list to desire list, and decided to treat myself this year after a run of hard contract work.  

I wanted to stick with Canon, and when I first started looking it was a blur - too much info to take in!  Then I saw a promo for the Canon EOS 600D and it just sort of called me.  I also checked out two of my favourite blogs whose photography I admire to find out what cameras they were using.  Both were using a version of the Canon EOS, known in the US as Canon Rebel T range.

At school and college I used a basic Pracktica SLR, so felt a bit overwhelmed by the technology of this new camera.  I will have to teach myself how to use it, refresh on all the SLR settings for focal lengths etc - another task for winter evenings going through the instruction book.

I don't think the potential of my old compact was realised, so hopefully by relearning on the SLR I can go back to the compact and over-ride some features to capture SLR type shots with it.  The settings on Canons are very similar and use the same symbols etc across the range.

Hope you find some sunshine and colour this weekend, wherever you are!

touchstones 4

...seaside towns (this is Ayr) - fairground style graphics and painted villas..

- have you thought about your 'touchstones' yet?

touchstones 3

the (local) landscape...

...part 4 tomorrow x

 

touchstones 2

...natures details, stumbled upon in close up..

the peacock butterfly was one of many observed on one single walk a few months ago, when they seemed to be all over the local nature reserve - don't think I have ever seen as many butterflies in one day - just amazing!

part 3 tomorrow!

say cheese...

I thought of this post title after taking this group portrait who had come over for a nosey at people walking past today...  I think they may be related.

I was then looking back over the past 12 months of photos, and realised, that aside from being many photos taken and meant to share... there are also several random cow portraits, so thought they could all feature together here.  Say cheese!

 

...this wee ginger guy was actually mooing, maybe he was saying cheese.

...beautiful face and nose ...

... a favourite from the summer, you can just about make out the wingnut head of the cow towards the left. who only just made it over the crest to see who was going by!

 

my creative space

I had an interesting conversation with Suzanne yesterday, and following her post 'my creative space' - I have snapped mine this morning!

This is one of my favourite (bar my garden bench) places in the house, and failing good weather this is my default position for daydreaming, interneting, drinking coffee, shopping online, etc.  It is also where I prepare dinner, bake, and unpack shopping.

The window looks out onto a small tree which is somewhat of a bird theatre.  It is where I hang the feeders, put out seed, or apples and berries down for the blackbirds.  Maybe I love it because the view is always changing as the birds come and go - just watching their antics and behaviour is a gift.  New life is always springing from the garden.  It is also where we buried Murphy (so he can torment the birds - or vice versa!).

As I write, a cheeky jackdaw, who has learned to pull up the wire on the feeder, so that peanuts are dispensed from the bottom of the cage - is trying to do his 'trick'.  This leads onto a rugby type game by the sparrows who are opportunist looters once the deed has been done.  There is then much chasing and stealing of nuts in various scrums around the garden.

The reason I wanted to post this place is its simplicity and 'un-glamour-ess-ness' (?) tucked between the cooker and the washing up bowl, perched on a stool by my recycling containers.  I have been ruminating on why I have this blog, and whether I wish to continue.  It has been 4 years (May 3, 2007!) - and although I do want to keep and continue it, I feel a change is needed.

A need for simplicity and authenticity is prime.  I feel a deep need to stop trying to be what I'm not, and I'm terrible for hiding what I am!  And so I shall bring a change to my posts.  Posting when I want, rather than through a need to keep the blog going.  

The next 8 weeks will be busy for me, so free time will be minimal.  My posts may reduce, or I might need this as a sounding place for what's going on.  Anyway, change is afoot - so I hope, if you do read this, you will find something in it for you in future posts.

Thanks.

earth day offering

As a special thank you and to celebrate Earth Day on 22 April, followed by Easter... I am offering a 20% discount to any purchases made in my OneGoodMarket shop until midnight (GMT) on Monday 25 April.

Just enter the code EARTH11 at the checkout.

10% of sales will still go to Scottish Wildlife Trust, and postage + packing is still free in the UK.

Can you see the tiny sliver of moon in the top left corner?  This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago when the sun was setting on the horizon and sending an amazing beam of light up into the sky.