Let's get a raidin'

Continuing on our lovely bank holiday weekend up in Dumfries and Galloway and still on a high from the wonderfully unexpected proposal in the gardens, another request was to 'Do' the Raiders Road. A forest drive that, in places, feels delightfully wild and magical. 'Off roading' enough to satisfy the off roading drivers in our midst and safe enough to cope with normal road vehicles for other members of our convoy. 

Four vehicles in total - us in our van, Youngest and his lovely girlfriend in his converted ex mountain rescue land rover, Eldest and his fiancé in their land rover defender and my brother and sister in law in their electric suzuki off roader. Plus three rather overly excited and enthusiastic dogs - Willow (Welsh collie) has two 'cousins' (American Labradors - yellow and fox red). So you can imagine the chaos....

We met up at the Clatteringshaws Loch side of the road and carefully picked our way down the forest road - stopping for photos and chats and swapping of drivers. The first park up was for the dogs (collectively known as the girls) so they could hurl themselves into the river. And bless her - Willow was the first in by a country mile - my little silly dog who would not walk through a puddle managed to out do the labs at the first swim!

After a vigorous rub down, the girls were dispatched to their vehicles and we all set off, trundling along. The weather had been promising potential rain and so far it was sunny and warm. 

We eventually reached our chosen lunch spot - Otter Pools - and found a park up that took all four vehicles and cracked on the kettles (yes kettles in the plural - Youngest's van and ours are both togged up to turn into instant cafes so there were teas, hot chocolates and coffees made on the spot) and opened tubs of home made cakes, biscuits and fruit pies and between throwing sticks for the dogs, drinking brews and munching cakes, chatting and batting away the midgies (we were all covered in 'smidge and had incense sticks smoking away!)

We had to retreat to the vehicles once the rain began, Youngest and I had already planned how to cope if the weather went bad - so we had his awning out between the van and landie making a safe dry space.

We must have spent aaaaages there - mid morning cakes turned into a delicious lunch while chatting and playing with dogs - it was wonderful. But it was time to move on, the rain was getting a little more persistent so we packed up and headed off, trundling through rain sparkly trees and gushing streams.

We pulled up into another favourite stopping place (Stroan Viaduct)  and set up for afternoon tea and cake (this off-roading business plays havoc with the waistline!!) and we just about managed to keep out of the rain - but we all agreed that it actually added to the adventure of it all.

This was our last planned stop - as the road was nearly done, so we said our good byes to my brother and sister in law and their girls and headed back to Kirkcudbright to dry off.

What a lovely day - despite the rain - we absolutely enjoyed it 

And in this last photo - it shows you how small Willow is compared to her cousins....

I may have cried

 

A while ago - when the boys were young - we accidently stumbled upon what has now become an annual event - Kirkcudbright Summer Floodlit Festivities Tattoo. It was just a chance comment by a campsite owner that led us firstly to the town then to the tattoo. The only time we have missed it was 2020 (thanks covid) and despite the almost predictability of the tattoo schedule we absolutely love it.

The boys are bigger now, big enough to have mortgages, partners, cats and serious jobs yet we all still come to Kirkcudbright and make a weekend of it all.  This year was no different - well, it was in a way - I shall explain as I go along.

In the town is a lovely house and garden (Broughton House) run by the National Trust for Scotland and again this place is firmly on our agenda - particularly the gardens. Over the years we have been inspired by the planting, taken photos and, certainly Eldest and myself, probably stroked nearly every plant and wished we lived there.

This year we (almost) didn't go as the pricing had gone up and it is usually me who pays, I'll be honest - I hesitated at paying for six adults since taking early retirement - I now count the pennies rather closely. Fortunately that was sorted and on Saturday morning all six of us and a silly dilly dog meandered through the gardens - a haven of peace and tranquillity. 

Except Eldest seemed ill at ease, he was not as engrossed in the plants or the place like he is normally until we all wandered into the central lawn (which we call Tizzie's lawn after the cat we met there) when it became apparent why he was on edge.

He dropped to one knee and proposed to his lovely partner - there was not a dry eye in the garden. Unintentionally (for he is not one for showy IG/FB type things) he had an audience as well as us quietly and emotionally witnessing his proposal. Other garden visitors stood with hands over mouths, smiles and tears in their eyes too.

As a pack we bounded over and hugged and cried together then afterwards there was spontaneous applause and more amusingly - 'victory laps' around the lawn by son and girlfriend - oops - fiancé and they were quickly joined by other son and his girlfriend - with the sounds of laughter in the garden - it was wonderful. 

Certainly for the rest of the day, Himself and I caught ourselves grinning, and as we left the gardens the National Trust staff gently queried if we were the family who were celebrating in the garden as so many other folk commented about the special moment. 

Now - Youngest is under pressure .... the staff told him that he would be next (and his lovely girlfriend agrees - talk about a sweating younger son!)

So - yes, another annual tradition our family keep - but with added love (and tears!)

I'll chat later about other lovely parts of our jolly away - I just had to share this moment💚💍🧡

Autumn slips in uninvited

I've just stumbled back in from a dog walk - we, Willow and I, definitely needed the air and now we have returned, she has fallen asleep at my feet and I am contemplating a brew - hmmm - yup, I agree with myself, I do need one.

Thank you everyone who commented so kindly on my last post, I won't go in to details how awful these last few days have been especially as it seems we have come through from the other side and I don't want to dwell on what has happened.

Has anyone else noticed the nip of autumn in the air? I know that trees have shed their leaves early this year due to water stress however, that metallic scent of decay that comes with the cooler weather seems to be swirling around first thing in the morning when I take Willow out for her first piddle before breakfast.

I am not ready for autumn. I never am.

I watch for the swifts and mourn when the skies have been left empty and then when the swifts go a few short weeks later - I can feel my heart crack. I have been scanning the sky today - nothing. They have left whilst I was sinking in the mire of moving house and truculent parents. 

It doesn't seem that long ago I was all nerves and white knuckles while I was learning to paddleboard with a dog who hated water (which as we all know turned out to be a fallacy and this woofing lunatic loves swimming after all!) 

Life

 Life has a funny (not so funny) way of turning things upside down. 

There are things you know will eventually happen but until they do - that day seems far away.... until it is not.

We have just helped my parents to move into sheltered accommodation - which is something they have been trying to get into for the last two years and now that it has happened - their lives, or rather their health has just evaporated. 

So - if I am a little quiet on here for a while - there is a reason. Or many reasons.

Shuttling aging parents to doctor appointments, hospitals and collecting scripts from the chemist. 

Dealing with the wound clinic, the memory clinic, the council.

Organising the council tax, change of address, getting the gas turned on, arranging for the tv aerial man to connect said aerial, meeting well meaning new neighbours and their very yappy dogs, dealing with the original rather unhelpful landlord, moving a greenhouse, emptying a shed - and so it goes on.

Helping those who used to be independent to get dressed.

Trying not to sigh or to snap when a simple question is answered and then asked again, then answered, then asked and answered, asked and answered ..... - all day......

The absolutely terrifying thing is - this sudden deterioration of their health and of themselves - has been so rapid that I feel like the wind has been taken out of my sails.

I'll be back, but not just for a little while.

Of sun and moon and rounders in the park

Yesterday was rather silly busy - and if I am honest - I was regretting getting involved. Well, I say involved, I had originally suggested then ended up organising a picnic and game of rounders as a birthday treat, then discovered that I had double booked myself and suddenly my parents needed help moving into their sheltered accommodation. I did not know where start!

However, it turned out to be such a laugh and to see folk who'd not played rounders since they had left school having such fun - it was certainly worth it. It was, I have to say - rather a scorcher of a day so we found the biggest tree we could and spread out our picnic feast on three blankets and then tucked in to some rather delicious food and birthday cake.

We chatted and caught up - this lovely group of folk were the volunteers I'd worked with at the walled garden and they, when I left, were made to feel 'surplus to requirements' so drifted away. I could not bear to see these lovely people feel cast off, so we now meet once monthly either to celebrate a birthday or just in a pub for a natter around a table. And they are genuinely a lovely group of people.

The rounders game was definitely a sedate affair - I did not want to be responsible for over heating any one and we stuck beneath they shady tree and fortunately Willow did most of the outlying fielding - she was marvellous at it. I also had to make sure I didn't over heat my dog too so she was doused in copious amounts of water and silly girl absolutely loved the attention.  What ever happened to the wee timorous beastie I brought home six months ago?

Then we hugged each other good bye at the end of our afternoon and Willow and I drove home with the air con on full - my hot and sweaty dog was definitely pleased about that! Shortly after we arrived home, Himself did too and within moments we had to eat, shower and dress up for .... Othello at East Riddlesden Hall done by the Lord Chamberlain's Men. What a performance!

The Shakespearean play was delayed by 15 minutes so that we could watch the eclipse and all the lads in the company came out in their costumes and watched through glasses or pin hole boxes like the rest of us.

The theatre group was excellent and there must have been over 600 folk sitting on the lawn watching them - and at a particularly poignant moment - a skein of geese flew overhead in the evening sky with their bellies lit up by the stage lighting and it was just.so.magical.

And in the late evening cool air, we left feeling that our souls had been refreshed - what a day indeed.

A teeny wee sun and moon shadow in my home make viewing thingy which worked far better than I had hoped!

During the play, Othello says ....

Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse
Of sun and moon, and that the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration.

How very approriate.

Swindale - remote, wild and beautiful

Last week we had a few days away - we keep having these mini escapes and they are rather addictive! The weather was a little damp at home (we 'joke' that we live near Mordor* as it is usually overcast and driech a lot of the time) and although we need the rain, the urge to get out drives us to pack the van and head off. We stopped at Glasson Dock for a walk and lunch before heading up to Swindale a remote valley in the eastern side of the Lake District.
 

And it is remote.

There are a couple of places to park both big enough for several cars so we tend to choose the quieter. This time we used the one further up the valley. We arrived late in the afternoon as folk were leaving and after we'd eaten we donned boots and took Willow for an evening wander. It does feel isolated and wild and forgotten. There are houses along the valley, a number we think are privately owned homes with a couple of working farms - we suspect they are tenanted farms from the water authority with the RSPB very actively involved.

We discovered a nature trail that we'd not known about and gave that a gentle try - it was getting dark and we (well - me) didn't want to get to far out on an unknown path and have to stumble back when the light was failing. So I ushered back a reluctant husband and dog to the main track and we headed back to the van for a hot brew and to pour over the maps to see more about the trail for the next day.

After breakfast we set off with flasks of tea, nibbles, dog biscuits and cameras and re-joined the new trail - which was a delight! (especially to a dog who discovered revolting things to roll in - I was SO cross!) The path followed the now 're-wiggled' Swindale beck which had been straightened 160 years prior and within six months of returning the beck to it's original state had filled with salmon and trout and natural gravel banks, eddies and deep sections have given space for nature to return. The wild flowers and insects were lovely to see and (despite a stinky dog) we loved heading up towards the head of the valley.

We met a few folk about - a woman checking on her Dalesbred ponies (which were beautiful), a group of RSPB blokes checking on the terrain and a couple of lovely older chaps who were just resting for an early lunch just before heading up for the tops. They were chatty and fully of joy for the area. They pointed out a waterfall we had spied and encouraged us to check it out - and so glad we did!

There were multiple pools and drops each the more lovely or dramatic and I was tempted to shed my boots, roll up my jeans and dangle my feet in - I made it as far as my toes - it was definitely chilly mountain water! However a small, stinky and sweaty dog threw herself in with glee and swam and paddled until she smelt sweet again! Happy dog (happy me!)

The falls were the furthest point of the trail so we crossed the footbridge and returned back down the valley on the other side. This was more treed - so cooler but also boggier, can see why it is used by the water authority as a collection point for water. A bit of skipping over mud and forging through shoulder height bracken was called for but it was still a delightful walk.

I want to go back and do it again.

The one small thing that irked me - something that still makes me tense up - I'll explain. 

A quick back story - Willow is afraid of men, not all, but something triggers a reaction. 

A voice, a stance, a smell, a look - something makes her react. We are working through it and with patience and time I think we will get it to a stage where she will be wary rather than reactive.  A couple a weeks ago I had an incident with a man who despite me asking him to step back and his wife telling him to do the same, invaded both my space and Willow's and she tried to both be protective of me, of her space and her need to hide really rattled me and obviously her.

On this lovely trail, we met a family of four, mum and dad and two teenagers. 

And their puppy Archie. The dad was in charge of the dog - let me rephrase that - dad was holding the lead and had absolutely no control. The pup leapt up at us, charged at Willow and as before despite me saying please keep your dog away - he just let his dog bounce on its hind legs trying to leap on to Willow, I retreated and (this is where I can feel my hackles rise)  he...followed.... being dragged by the pup.

It was his teenager daughter who stepped in and sharply spoke to the dad before he stopped, and like the previous man's wife - I made a point of thanking her - but this is where I feel my blood boil - why do they think they know better, why do they not listen when I ask them to give her/me space? 

It is not all men - but it is always men.

And to change the subject - here have a picture of our lunch in the van 🌞

* - Mordor is a reference to a place in Lord of the Rings - always covered by tempestuous clouds and grey skies

In which walking, gardening and friends feature

Yesterday was absolutely delightful.

We met up with some of our favourite people who we don't see nearly enough. We met at their new home and wow what a lovely house they have. Willow, who can be a little shy, very quickly settled and soon wandered around as if she owned the place!

We had lunch in their garden and were surrounded by butterflies, bumbles and could hear a frog croaking in the little water feature.  We all stopped mid mouthful to listen 😊they were delighted - they've been trying to encourage wild life into their space which had been a barren gravel only 'garden' when they took it over and now it is filled with perennials, climbers, pots and planters in the most delicious shades of blues, whites and lime greens.

We walked after lunch and although we do know the area, it was lovely being taken around and shown around 'their patch'. Willow decided that she definitely liked walking and playing ball here.

And I have to leave you with what must be my favourite photo at the moment, Moss and the lady who's garden I work in on a Tuesday. There is a ball down there 'somewhere' and they were discussing (as you do with a ball obsessed dog) how to retrieve it!

This week has been filled with things to do from our jobs list including getting solar panels up on the roof - we are trying to work towards a carbon zero home - not easy for an old house but we will do what we can, all the climate news is definitely scary and we need to act.

glimmers

 Three gentle moments during a rather unexpectedly cool and damp day.

That one moment my back is turned and a small finger sized yellow courgette suddenly becomes a huge baseball bat of a thing!  Fortunately the yellow variety stay tender and sweet even when rudely oversized and almost marrow like!

The ballcock from zinc water tank - discovered by a dog who insisted on carrying it around with a silly look on her face - precious.

And a sigh of relief as I hear the water barrels filling up.

What little things have made you smile today - go on share, let's spread the gentle joy of glimmers.