Four years ago today I wrote the very first Highland Line, de-scribing our chaotic period prior to moving to Scotland as well as the first month in our new village. It seems like only yesterday we were settling into our rented flat and looking for a new home. Don had yet to swing a golf club, and I was just starting to meet members of the local sewing community. Our small shipment of goods from the States hadn't even arrived yet. Look at us now!
Sincethe renovations of our wee bungalow are completed, we are quite enjoying our snug nest as we turn our attention to making a few changes to our quite extensive garden. Many of you know that gardening was never our forte and so it has been a long and gradual self-education process to discover what plants we have and what to do with them. We are dealing with quite a bit of over-growth but have a fellow lined up to come later this month to take out a few large fir trees, top and trim a few other firs, and dismantle and remove the utterly overgrown rock garden near our front door. The removal and topping of the fir trees will give us increased light and better views. We'll put gravel down where the rock garden used to be until we have decided what will replace it next spring. I'm thinking "water feature."
Last month I must have handled thousands of Victoria plums from the tree in our back garden. There are now two large bags full of pitted, halved plums in the freezer and 12 jars of plum butter in the pantry, not to mention the various containers of plums we gave away to friends. Now our attention will turn to getting apples off the apple tree that sits just outside the utility room (see photos). Last night we had apple sauce made from the first of this year's apples, which are quite tart but interesting.
My oldest friend (we met in September of 1947!), Karen Armel, has been visiting since Sunday, 22nd September. Today we will spend around Comrie, browsing the shops and visiting the Dalchonzie Strawberry Farm shop. Tomorrow we will drive over to Argyllshire (north of Glasgow) to the Loch Fyne Oyster Hut for a fresh seafood lunch. On Wednesday we're taking Karen to Pitlochry for lunch and a matinee performance of "The Magistrate" at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. She will fly home on Thursday morning.
Karen's and my trip to Aix-en-Provence from last Wednesday through Saturday morning was wonderful. Tomorrow I'll put up some photos from that trip. We had a great time sipping coffee and eating pastries or baguettes each morning in the café across from our hotel, browsing the shops, drooling over the fresh produce at the daily markets, buying souvenirs, snapping photos, and especially eating marvelous meals. We went at our own pace, slept in when we could and napped when we needed to. It was a lovely getaway and it was fun to do together.
Yesterday Brian and Patricia Rose, our friends from, Edinburgh dropped in for coffee prior to heading home after a weekend in St. Fillans. When we introduced them to Karen, Brian and Patricia both took one look at her and pronounced that she could be Brian's sister's twin. Because of this—and because we're all such sociable folks—we had a lovely visit, if a short one.
Messiah rehearsals are going on without me for a couple of weeks. (There are few people in the Crieff Choral who don't know the piece backwards and forwards.) I am also taking a break from Writing Group, Pilates, Aquafit, and the So and Sews as is Don taking some time out from golfing, but we'll be back to our activities by mid-week and will just have enough time to catch up before we take off for our annual autumn visit to New York state. We fly into Buffalo on Thursday 18th October and will fly home to Scotland 10 days later.
This really is home and we love it. We'd love to share it with you.
Our trees are turning the most wonderful colours and there is a nip in the air. Has autumn showed up in your neck of the woods yet? We'd love to hear from you when you get the chance.
Love,
Lynn and Don
Sincethe renovations of our wee bungalow are completed, we are quite enjoying our snug nest as we turn our attention to making a few changes to our quite extensive garden. Many of you know that gardening was never our forte and so it has been a long and gradual self-education process to discover what plants we have and what to do with them. We are dealing with quite a bit of over-growth but have a fellow lined up to come later this month to take out a few large fir trees, top and trim a few other firs, and dismantle and remove the utterly overgrown rock garden near our front door. The removal and topping of the fir trees will give us increased light and better views. We'll put gravel down where the rock garden used to be until we have decided what will replace it next spring. I'm thinking "water feature."
Last month I must have handled thousands of Victoria plums from the tree in our back garden. There are now two large bags full of pitted, halved plums in the freezer and 12 jars of plum butter in the pantry, not to mention the various containers of plums we gave away to friends. Now our attention will turn to getting apples off the apple tree that sits just outside the utility room (see photos). Last night we had apple sauce made from the first of this year's apples, which are quite tart but interesting.
My oldest friend (we met in September of 1947!), Karen Armel, has been visiting since Sunday, 22nd September. Today we will spend around Comrie, browsing the shops and visiting the Dalchonzie Strawberry Farm shop. Tomorrow we will drive over to Argyllshire (north of Glasgow) to the Loch Fyne Oyster Hut for a fresh seafood lunch. On Wednesday we're taking Karen to Pitlochry for lunch and a matinee performance of "The Magistrate" at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. She will fly home on Thursday morning.
Karen's and my trip to Aix-en-Provence from last Wednesday through Saturday morning was wonderful. Tomorrow I'll put up some photos from that trip. We had a great time sipping coffee and eating pastries or baguettes each morning in the café across from our hotel, browsing the shops, drooling over the fresh produce at the daily markets, buying souvenirs, snapping photos, and especially eating marvelous meals. We went at our own pace, slept in when we could and napped when we needed to. It was a lovely getaway and it was fun to do together.
Yesterday Brian and Patricia Rose, our friends from, Edinburgh dropped in for coffee prior to heading home after a weekend in St. Fillans. When we introduced them to Karen, Brian and Patricia both took one look at her and pronounced that she could be Brian's sister's twin. Because of this—and because we're all such sociable folks—we had a lovely visit, if a short one.
Messiah rehearsals are going on without me for a couple of weeks. (There are few people in the Crieff Choral who don't know the piece backwards and forwards.) I am also taking a break from Writing Group, Pilates, Aquafit, and the So and Sews as is Don taking some time out from golfing, but we'll be back to our activities by mid-week and will just have enough time to catch up before we take off for our annual autumn visit to New York state. We fly into Buffalo on Thursday 18th October and will fly home to Scotland 10 days later.
This really is home and we love it. We'd love to share it with you.
Our trees are turning the most wonderful colours and there is a nip in the air. Has autumn showed up in your neck of the woods yet? We'd love to hear from you when you get the chance.
Love,
Lynn and Don
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