Around the garden.

Beautiful day today, after yesterdays continuous rain. Mike cut the grass. It was 15 degrees, not bad for the Nor East, but along came the wind. Which you can see is pretty strong from the angle of the leaves on the tree below.

This bed is in the middle of the side lawn. The Hostas are magnificent. But I think they need splitting. I will see what flowers we get from them. Two very large clumps. A couple of potentillas and, of course, a cherry. You can just make out some solar lights. We brought them with us, but fear some have not survived the move. I keep forgetting to go out and check which are working when it gets dark. It is getting later and later now, and next month will hardly get dark at all.

This is a picture of the first sunset we have been able to see from the house. Another reason for getting rid of those Leylandii.

This is in the evening at the front. Still a big sky!

Mike is now planning the garden. Starting with the extra we have now the Leylandii have gone. He has drawn up a design which includes lots of ideas from my friend Lynn. We are to terrace the slope. Have climbers up the fence, and he is going to make a pergola. Parts of that part of the garden, along the fence, get sun most of the day.

For me today has been a bit of a wasted one. I went to see the practice nurse to be weighed and measured etc. at our new doctors. That was mid morning. Before I went I did manage to vac throughout downstairs and mop the laminate floors.

On my return I phoned the joiner supposed to be fitting us a cat door. Apparently the size of panel required to replace the glass is not standard. So he hasnt had it delivered to him yet. Not sure I believe this. And I am fed up of sitting with outside doors open and wind howling round my ankles so the cats can access the outdoors, and get back in again.

Then I phoned the decorator. He is to come and quote for painting the summer house. I want it to blend in more with its surroundings. Not scream "Look at me I am a log cabin." Because it isnt. I also want him to paint the inside of the summerhouse as I feel that will vastly improve it and make it feel even more spacious.

Then I spent goodness how many hours looking for a library book I had borrowed on my first visit to Cairnbulg library. I have a dreadful feeling it has somehow got in with the stuff that went in the paper recycling.....and it has been collected. What is worse I think it was one of those limited editions efforts done by a local person. So may well be irreplaceable. I may have to offer my first edition of Pratt's Buchan in exchange....

So a wasted day in that I didnt seem to achieve very much. Nothing you can see and feel satisfaction looking at it and thinking, I did that.

Next is to get quotes for a patio door in the dining room. Then for fitting laminate in the rooms where it isnt. Dining room, our bedroom and bathroom. With three cats I do prefer a hard floor as opposed to carpets. Then change the interior doors downstairs as they are that awful plain sapele, boring and dark. By then I will have no money left, probably before then!

Might have to start offering bed and breakfast again.

Lilacs in the Spring.

Well, actually in our sitting room in early May. Note the solid oak table. We had an hour to spare the other day and went in to the furniture shop at Mintlaw to have a browse. Came out with a set of three tables. Well its just a bit too much effort to reach to the floor for me wine glass. This is the smallest of the three.

I had chosen a set of three tables from Dwell. Shaped like minimalistic toadstools. I like to be different. Although I wasnt too happy that they were made from veneer. I was even less happy when I checked the delivery prices. For our post code it was £65. John Lewis its free. Do these people, Dwell, think the roads stop at Glasgow? They have a shop in Glasgow. Stagecoach from then on? So they can Dwell on, they havent got me as a customer.


This wreck lies off the shoreline at Cairnbulg, our nearest village. It went aground on the 18th December 2005. And its still there. Apparently the only way they could remove it is to build a wee road out to it and then crane it out. But all that costs. So it remains.

This is the harbour at Cairnbulg being built. By hand. In the 1920s. I am sorry. But my first reaction is to laugh. My next is to admire the men and boys who actually did it. They look like an extended family having fun on the beach, building a dam, a pond, just messing about! But there is a harbour. Recently the village has obtained funding and begun work to clear out the silt and make it back into a proper harbour, albeit for small pleasure craft. Presumably lobster fishing also.

Just up the coast is Fraserburgh, a proper working harbour. There is a narrow strait up this North East Coast to get to Fraserburgh and there have been quite a few ship wrecks despite it being on all the charts and having warning lights/bouys.

Somehow, in this day and age it is surprising that ships ground as recently as 2005. But then there was the nuclear sub that did just that even more recently, and that was probably more embarrassing!

A few years back we were on a tiny fishing boat which had more technology fitted than most modern homes. Sonar to see the sea bed, the shoals of fish, the pimple on the nose of the octopus, so how come ships still go aground?

I guess the man on the deck was having a wine down. Like me.

Now what do we do?!

Garden to the left of us.

And garden to the right.

Down at ground level, one feels like shouting, "Houston, we have a problem."

In some places there is seven foot more garden to have something now done to it. And its at the bottom of a slope. A gentle slope, but still a slope. Also because of the conifers the soil is pretty well dead.

So, yes, we are aware we will have to do some manuring and putting some goodness back into the soil.

But theres a fence needs smothering. Clematis Montana springs instantly to mind. Having used that successfully many times before. The one I dare not suggest is Russian Vine. That is considered on a par with Leylandii by Mike. But I do still have a sneaking fondness for it. Again it was a plant from my early youth. The Family Home had added to its garden a plot of land which had had a house knocked down at the end of a terrace of cottages, not sure why. But to cover the end wall Russian Vine was planted, last seen covering the whole row of houses!

Putting things into perspective - we cannot see the extra bit of garden now created by the removal of the Leylandii, from the house, or from the rest of the garden. But we do want to cover that fence. Soften it.

But just picture this. Heres our sitting out area above. Few glasses of wine and step over the edge and you will be viewing the extra bit of garden! At the end of your nose. So it might as well be a pretty view, as you roll down trying to keep your wine in the glass.

Can you see the road? To the right of the gorse, which edges the field behind us. This is our road to Tesco, to Fraserburgh, to Cairnbulg and Inverallochy. Titchy isnt it!

And on the right of the picture, the Laburnam is just coming into flower.

Today has been a gardening day. I have planted herb seeds. Flower seeds. A trough now has an anemone and night scented stock seeds, the trough under one of the opening windows of the summer house.

The summerhouse is slowly being sorted. All my materials are in the old drawers in there. Sewing machine at the ready. Sketch books in a storage box under a table. Where the side windows are there is a shelf/seat and the one getting most sun now has tomato plants and a home made propogator in which are chillies and something else I forget what!

Its exciting int it.

Who's got a new camera then?

Not me! The dawn walker has decided to compete with me. Of course he can do better, its a better camera...... Makes you sick, mutter, mutter.
Anyroads, this is a Whitethroat, would have thought that was obvious. Although some bird names are not so accurate. Hooded crow. Hmm. Do they hang out by the chip shop? Always think Puffins should be struggling for breath. And Swallows, do they? Blue tit, I leave that to your imagination. When its cold.



More importantly, and this one is by me. This is what we have from the dining room now.
Instead of this.


Isnt that amazing! Conifers all shredded too.

Gardens quite a lot bigger. Although one now has plans to have a decking platform and glass doors from the dining room. This room is so much lighter its already hard to remember how gloomy it was. Our new dining set is now gleaming in the light, and reflections bouncing off the walls. (Not sure we really wanted that.)

This morning I took Puzzle Cat to the vets. He was the only casualty of the move. When we got here I had to put the three cats into a bathroom while the removal men did their stuff. Our largest cat, Sith, was by far the most nervous of all the happenings. At some stage he took it out on poor Puzzle and sunk his teeth into him. It was healing quite nicely. But then some infection must have been there. I wont spoil your tea with any more - so off to the vets. Two injections and pills and potions and £40 lighter returned with fingers crossed he gets some fur growing and stops looking like Quasimodo.

Its been a dull, mizzly day today. But as the Leylandii came down the sun came out. See - even Mother Nature approves.

Hangmans Hill.

I have passed this woodland many times. It has always fascinated me, this circle of coniferous trees, ringed by broad leaf trees. Why would anyone do this? My husband maintained it was to protect the conifers, which were a cash crop for the farmer. But it has been there for the nine years we have lived here and just got bigger. No-one has harvested the 'cash crop' of pines.

Today I finally found out what it was all about. In the middle is, what was allegedly, the place where the gibbet was, and the miscreants of the area were hanged. The name of the hill was actually given to me in Doric, but translates as Hangman's Hill. I still do not know why the woodland is still there.

We have, today, been out all day. First it was to register at our new doctors. In Fraserburgh. Appointment made with the practice nurse to go through all our ills, mostly mine, in fact all mine.

Then it was back to our old village to vote.

Here in Scotland we were presented with three ballot papers.
One for the AV - alternative voting system.
One for the parliament.
And one for the - do you know I really dont know what it was.....but one was about three feet in length. I managed to put my cross on what I considered the right places. And shoved them in the three boxes provided.

I was very sympathetic to the returning officer who helped me colour code into the right boxes. He must have to repeat this ad infitum.

I sometimes wonder what I present as. I like to think I look like a late teenager, fashionably dressed, and then I get someone like this lovely chap leading me by the hand as if I am an old crone.....

My husband has actually just explained to me the last one, which if I could get him to explain it to you is actually better than the AV. Trust the Scots to be in there first - and better.

We then went to our Garden Centre to spend the voucher a dear friend had sent us. We bought two buddleas. Never managed to get one to grow up here. But I have high hopes for these two. Also two carnationy things for the front garden and a lovely anemone. A few other bits. Got to the other side of the check out - I then remembered the voucher..... Have to go back again!

Then on to our friend Kath's for 2p.m. for a meeting of the local tourism group. Having had lunch at the garden centre, it was quite a deep breath moment to be presented with a large buffet type spread, typical of the Scottish hospitality, "You'll have had your tea?" Mike did it justice but I had to mutter about small stomachs, and hernias, and grovel, grovel, grovel. There was even three bottles of red wine - which I really struggled to say no at! But I was driving. Have to go back again!

Now here is my husband looking as if all his Christmasses have come at once.

His new bike, well as far as our married life and before is concerned, his first bike.

His first trip was not very far. He went to the local farm shop that sells 25 different varieties of potato and bought carrots for a carrot cake.

The Formartine and Buchan Way is what was the railway line in this area. The railway was closed when Mr Beeching said so, (google him), and has now become a walking, cycling track, all over the North East of Scotland. It went through Longside our last village, and is near to us here. Once on it we could go down it to near our friends and in the other direction to Fraserburgh. This was his second bike ride. All the way to Tescos!

Coming back from both unscathed he then cycled to the Loch of Strathbeg, though this was on lanes. But quite a bit further. He is now showing a healthy tan, and hopefully, soon a more toned body.....

Call Centres and Conifers.

Not sure which of them annoys me the most.


The above photograph was intended to show what view I would have if it were not for the conifers. Here they are a bit spindly, but even so the camera and therefore the eye is drawn to the conifers .....

There would be a lot more garden to use were it not for the conifers.
The one below shows a bit of what we could be looking at. Space, fields, and the big sky.

Below is what we get out of our dining room and kitchen window.

So, sorry, but they have to go. The chap came and quoted. He is to take them to just above ground level and cart them away as well.

So - call centres. This morning I had every intention to go into the garden. I found some plant labels and was already to go. Then the phone rang. Our new incumbent at Greenbrae has been struggling since moving in to get our old number, as it appears on all advertising and web sites, you can understand the importance of this. He had phoned our provider of the phone line and they had refused to speak to him saying that the phone number was still active and in our name. So - would I phone them.

Surely someone who works for a call centre should speak clearly? And slowly?

I had to ask this woman to repeat everything she said as she gabbled on.

I am not deaf, and I am fairly intelligent. To receive a deep indrawn breath and silence every time I asked her to slow down and repeat was downright insulting.

First off it was "URSTILLCONNECTED."

"No, I cancelled on the 14th April."

"oldon"

Music. Faint music.

"Iseefromourrecordsudidcancelonthe14th."

"So can our buyer have the old number?"

"Dontseeanyproblems."

"Well what does he have to do?"

"fonebt."

"He has already done that and been told the number belongs to you. Oh and am I being charged for the line rental?"

"udbestcancelyrdirectdebitandheneedstogetback tobt."

This was actually far longer, as I had to ask her to repeat so many times.

"eersareferencenumber." Well giving me that took at least ten minutes as gabbling numbers is even worse than gabbling words.

"What is the reference number for?"

"itssoyoucanreferwhoveruspeaktotofindmy notethatuvecancelledonthe14th".

Right......

I then checked my bank account and sure enough the direct debit was down for going out today. So then I had to phone the bank.. What a difference. A lovely man called Dave who patiently listened to my rant and then informed me he would put a stop on it.

I really had had enough by this time and went out to buy the daily paper with Il Divo blasting out and it took me all the way to the shop and halfway back before my stomach unknotted.

And then , and then, John Lewis delivery men came with my beautiful dining set. Mike put it together. I stood and drooled. He said, "It'll do." Which means he likes it too. The colour choice for the chairs was down to him anyway.

What you also see in the room was marked down by me as REMOVE, on the house details. But it sort of grew on us. More Mike actually, don't men love their gadgets. Behind the picture of the stone circle is a t.v. bracket which I really did draw the line at. I do not want a t.v. on the wall in a dining room. To the right is a fridge freezer. Going left we have display cabinets, the wine cooler, more display cabinets, another wine cooler and furthest left two very useful cupboards, all lit in what could be neon? Awful really, but as I say, it grows on you. Go with the flow. Different! Just need a new dinner service now. Plenty room in the cupboards.

Spiders webs in the early morning.

Another picture from the dawn walker.

We have just returned from taking afternoon tea at the Manse. Genteel or what? And yes we did have cucumber sandwiches. And coffee and walnut cake. Yum. Walked round the walled garden. Everything so far on and in bloom, beautiful. We then sat in the sunshine by the house.

Strangely enough when we first looked in this area to buy a house, this house was one we looked at. We had just been told we could not have the one we did subsequently buy, and had gone to view this one in desperation! It needed an awful lot spending on it, although it was then very beautiful. It is now extremely beautiful. No way could I have got it to the stage it is now. We never thought then that we would be buying a totally different, much younger house, just a stones throw away, as we have now done.

Yet another beautiful sunny day. Though we had the wind today which cooled things down quite a lot. I zoomed off to the garden centre and wearing blinkers went straight for the potting compost and home again. Wearing blinkers so I didnt buy anything else. We have promised ourselves a thorough browse later in the week with a gift voucher, from a friend, firmly grasped.
Although there was a lonely bay tree sitting by the check outs so I shoved that in the trolley! I also got a very nice young man, who they said was 'free'. He got me another bag of compost as the one I had got nearly felled me as I dragged it into the trolley, and I darent risk getting another. He pushed the trolley to the car and loaded it up, but he wasnt that free that he was coming home with me. Huh.

I had dropped Mike off at Lucy's as she wanted her computer sorting. I dont know why she phones him up as he just stands there and tells her to do things and basically its down to her expecting things to happen in seconds and pressing again and again and saying it is S****. I went to pick him back up and also stood(Lucy's computer is in what is basically a cupboard, so theres not much room) and said, "Give it time, Lucy." Which she did and up everything came.......

By which time it was far too late for me to do anything other than pot up a few pots of nasturtium seeds. I couldnt find the plant labels so couldn't really do any more as I wouldnt know what was what. Well that was the excuse. And I had to get ready for me tea at the Manse.

Tomorrow our dining table and chairs are due to be delivered. So it will soon be in use for us to return the hospitality.

Bon Appetit.

My dear friend made a very valid point re the conifers protecting us from the wind. So far there hasnt been as much as at our previous home, which was mostly constant! When it is windy here its from the front of the house to the rear, where the conifers are. So they are protecting the field beyond! However, come the winter when the wind will come from the North, they will indeed be protecting the house and garden. On balance I shant much care then as I wont be in the garden and I also find them very oppressive. I will put some pictures up tomorrow to explain how oppressive they are. They also prevent the late afternoon, early evening, sunlight from shining on our outdoor seating area which otherwise would be in sunlight from dawn to dusk. Plus I really need my open view my soul cries out for it!

At the front of the house and side there also leylandii but these have been kept under control. Today Mike had his first go with the new battery operated hedge clipper. At last he has found something he can do well! No swearing, a quick short back and sides sir? Something for the weekend? He really has missed his calling.