WI and Falkland Palace gardens

 Yesterday evening I went with Tina to join the WI. It was a taster evening and quite a lot of people there. You could try your hand at a couple of things, I did aa arrangement in a tea cup and made a card. We had tasty refreshments and I met a few new people.

Today Dee picked me up outside the church to take me to the Falkland Palace gardens where other members of the garden club would be ready for a guided tour. We arrived early and had a wander round the town, which was lovely. Then we had a quidditch tour of the gardens at Falkland Palace.

I may make a couple of comments, but photos to follow now.

This next one was the site of the original place and well.

The ones in the glass house were more for my benefit as some plants I liked, but will post them.

Especially this next one.

We went to a farm shop and cafe for tea and cake before coming home. Dee, the lady who gave me a lift was very friendly and welcoming, and I got to talk to a few more different people. I was weary when I got home but it was a great afternoon.

An easy day, out this evening

 I didn’t feel at my best today, decided to sort out edge pieces for the new jigsaw and was bout to put them together when I was somewhat hampered!

But Darren and I did do the edges a bit later in the day, I only missed two!

It is good that this one hd the full sized image.

I did a few basic chores and went to the post office to send off my packages. Such a palaver now that they won’t accept my filled in customs form, they have to do it on the computer and charge an admin fee! I fill one in anyway so that they can just copy it all instead of asking me how to spell things!!

I set about watering the plants, now I lift them all I have trouble putting them somewhere else while I reach the ones t the back. I used. To had one large saucer for water and do them individually, but today I used four saucers.

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I made Lange for tea, haven’t made that for quite a while. It disappeared okay!

Writing early tonight as I am joining the WI this evening. I wonder if they still sing Jerusalem. 

Usual groups and locked out!

 Garden group this morning, I walked therewithanothervolunteer, so bit quicker that usual! I cleared the are I usually do and swept up leaves, that will be an ongoing job for a while. One of the ladies offered me a lift back, which I gratefully accepted. Had lunch and got changed then sorted out my back to set off again. Only about half a dozen of usage the knit and natter group today. I finished the pink of the dress and will do the dark brown edging details next. Then it will be the wool and working on them mouse features.

I walked back via the river path so took some photos.

I knew Tina and Darren were going for a walk at around four, and I thought I had the house keys in my coat pocket. I didn’t! So sat in the garden for a couple of minutes then it started to spit withering, lucking there was a stool in the shed. Luckily I didn’t have to wait too long.

I have wrapped a couple of presents to be posted this evening, so will get to the post office on the morning. The latest jigsaw has arrived, one that all three of us like. Darren nd I will get started on it tomorrow.

Not a lot of evening left but will do a bit to the embroidery.

A kitchen day and a silent film!

 The problem with blueberry picking is needing to do something with them. We also bought butternut squash sweet potato and carrots when we went shopping so soup to make as well. We had also bought some low fat Greek yogurt to try the making the blueberry bagels again. The second and last time as far as I am concerned! Slightly less sticky this time and although I attempted to make the holes they closed anyway!

I made to soup this morning as well and bagged it after lunch.

Had a couple of  hours doing crosswords and embroidery then got on with dinner and of course blueberry crumble!

This eveningI went to Birnam Arts and joined the Film Society. They show some unusual films, this evening was Finis Terrae, a French silent movie made in 1929. It had been restored so was very watchable and two live musicians who had written a score to accompany the film played it live while we watched. It was pretty loud so I had to take my hearing aids out. It was a story of seaweed collectors who had spells on an island with just four of them there, very interesting. Next month it is a modern film, I 

Swear, about a man with Tourette’s Syndrome, that that should be good.

Life drawing and a leisurely walk

 I didn’t have a good night and wasn’t really in the mood for the life drawing workshop, but did go and I enjoyed it. We started with 5 minute sketches, then ten minutes and a a couple a bit longer. He was obviously an experienced model and when the timer went immediately took up a different pose. Some were quite challenging but I settled into it. I will post four of the later ones as the first ones were pretty iffy!

It was relaxed and I sat next to a lady who hadn’t done life drawing for a while like me. We may meet up again if we both sign up for the next one that has a tutor.

After lunch I took a slow walk to Dunkeld along the river path, I had a present I needed to buy and although I was weary need to keep getting out if I can. Took a picture from the bridge but from the opposite of the road so the bridge was in it!

Walked back even more slowly through the village, had a quick drink and then went to Blairgowrie with Tina to do the grocery shopping. We did get some low fat Greek yoghurt so I can try to make the blueberry bagels again!

Maybe some embroidery this evening.

Quite a busy day

 This morning I went to Blairgowrie with Tina, we were going to the charity blueberry picking but called in at The Nest on the way. I got another embroidery, but it is very delicate so I will do this one t home a the light isn’t good as the knitting group. It says esy, okay for complete beginners. I beg to differ those thin bcods in the kit need to be embroidered down, nd gold twine and seed beads It is only 5 inches square.

Then we went to the farm. The owner allows a variety of charities have sessions of taking donations from the public wanting to go and pick blueberries. Tina was going to be a steward to show people where they were allowed to pick and I was given my punnets on a string which was round my neck and went off to pick, I did give a donation. We had a particular row that we could pick from on both sides. But not on the adjacent ones. There were bramble bushes in some places so I ws a bit scratched.

I picked over a kilo, and that made the string round my neck quite uncomfortable, but it is quite a lot of blueberries.

I had a walk round the farm, lots more bushes in poly tunnels.

When the sun was out it made the drops on the grass really sparkle, but it doesn’t on a photo!

There were from workers cottages, but imagine they are rented out now.

I don’t know where the water came from that came down the large pipe near the back of this picture, but the stream was very clear.

After lunch I decided to have a go at a recipe Tina hd been given for blueberry bagels.

I have never got into such a sticky mess. We bought full ft yogurt which was very thick, practically solid

And it just did not mix well with the flour. I used extra flour to get them it into six balls, but got completed in ever more sticky mixture. There was no way my finger was going to make hole in the middle, but I did try! So nothing like bagels but we have eaten them, a bit doughy but edible. Maybe I will try again with low fat yogurt As I have plenty of blueberries!

Had a busy spell in the garden with Tina. Should have taken photos. They moved the cars and we set about cutting back the bushes which were getting seriously out of control. There was also ivy coming out from under the bushes and working its way over the ground! I am not sure how long we were out there, but well over an hour and the two empty garden bins re now filled to the top and we had to keep pushing the contents down. Quite enough exercise for my hips and me, so feet up name maybe, or maybe not some embroidery.