Half Term Treats

Hello there,

Isn't is lovely to feel Spring on it's way? Cold, frosty nights followed by bright, clear days, I love them. This week has been half term here so today I'd like to share some half term treats with you. It's been a little strange this year as the schools are off at different times so it was unusually quiet around here as the kids in this area have just started their half term today.

My first treat was hooking up some of these sweet little hearts for no other reason than they are so pretty, though I can use them to decorate the house as a nod to Valentine's Day too.

This is from a pattern in one of my favourite crochet books, 75 Lace Crochet Motifs and I used size 10 crochet cotton with a 2mm hook. If you fancy making some hearts too there are lots of gorgeous patterns about. I like this one which I think would be pretty worked in pink instead of red.


My second treat was this magazine, I couldn't resist the cheerful cover of primroses and the article on the gorgeous crocheted blankets by Amanda Perkins "Capturing a rainbow in wool".

I love the bright colours and Spring beauty running through the pages. If you haven't seen this magazine before it has articles about nature, the British countryside and crafts as well as food, just about everything I love. I enjoyed flicking through it while enjoying my next treat with a mug of tea.
 

Stem ginger biscuits. I used a shortbread recipe and added finely chopped preserved stem ginger. Making these little biscuits is almost too easy. We really like ginger so I used quite a bit in the biscuits. This is my recipe if you would like to try them.

175g plain flour
115g butter
60g caster sugar
2 pieces stem ginger, finely chopped
Extra sugar to sprinkle

Sieve flour into a bowl and stir in the sugar. Cube the butter and rub it into the flour and sugar to form a dough. Add in the chopped ginger., roll it out and then cut out rounds. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake until firm and lightly coloured, about 30 mins. Transfer to a cooling rack, sprinkle with sugar and store in an air tight tin, if they don't all disappear before they are cold that is!
 
Unfortunately our planned half term trip to Perthshire was cancelled when N came home with a nasty virus last weekend. After a couple of days of staying in bed (for him) and lots of exercise running up and down the stairs fetching drinks etc (for me), he was better in time for the sun coming out so we managed some time pottering in the garden in the sunshine which was lovely, I really appreciate the happiness in these moments of simple pleasure. The garden is really too waterlogged to do much so we contented ourselves with a tidy up before it got too cold again. There have been more bright days this week which have made it a joy to potter about and spend time crafting in good light. I've done more of my cross-stitch project and sticking to a theme of small projects here is a little peek of my newest project. Can you guess what I'm making from this small piece?

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while might recognise this yarn, it's the same one I used for the tunic I was making last year. I got all the way to the end then decided I didn't like it on me and unravelled it, making for hours of frogging. Do you ever finish something then change your mind and rip it all out again or it that just me?

I hope there are lovely Spring/Autumn days and holidays to enjoy where you are too.

Til next time,

Hx

A Highland Fling

Hello, I'm back after a taking a break for the Easter hols and as you may have guessed, we went North this year and spent a few days in the Scottish Highlands. This is something of a departure for us, we usually head south of the border if we stay in the UK with the Lakes, Yorkshire and Cornwall some of our favourite destinations however there were a couple of places I wanted to visit so north we went. We stayed in the popular town of Fort William situated at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, it marks the end of the West Highland Way long distance walking route.

We had a beautiful drive north passing Loch Lomond in glorious sunshine on the way up the Great Western Road (or A82) with a break at Glencoe for a bit of a potter about and to admire the majestic mountains.

These photos were taken on the walk from the car park just before the National Trust Visitor centre to An Torr and Signal Rock, where the signal to start the Glencoe Massacre was given.


It was much hotter than we expected at this time of year which made for a lovely ramble. We returned to the car to move just a little along the road to the  NTS Visitor Centre  which made an ideal stop for a late lunch before visiting the exhibition and having another wander, this time round the waymarked path outside the visitor centre. I enjoyed the exhibition here, brushing up on the history and geology of the area and seeing how hardy the climbers of old were, I certainly wouldn't fancy walking in hob nailed boots and even shorts as they did.

We left Glencoe in a happy mood, refreshed by the fresh air, food and sunshine and carried on to our destination in Fort William where we were staying the night in the friendly Myrtle Bank  B&B overlooking Loch Linnhe. This guesthouse has a great location with fantastic views across the loch to the hills opposite and with a friendly welcome and very high standards of accommodation I felt very lucky to wake up to the stunning view of an early sunny morning with the mist coming down over the loch.

It is so beautiful I remarked to N that I'd like to wake up to this view every morning. By the time we went downstairs for breakfast the view was completely obscured by the mist and it was very grey however it soon cleared up and as we left to make the short drive to Glenfinnan it was sunny again.

I had wanted to climb the monument at Glenfinnan  for a while, we had planned to go last autumn but circumstances prevented it so I was pleased to be there at last.

There are only six people allowed to go up the monument at a time as there is very little space up there. I happily went in to ascend the spiral stairway and oh my, that was a little hair raising. It is so very narrow, steep, dark and has trip steps. N and I were last to go up in the group, with so little light (the others were blocking what light there was) I was in pitch black holding on to the grab rope with N behind me thinking I needed some help and trying to give me a push upwards! Not being the bravest (or should that be foolhardy?) of souls I opted for patience and waited for the others to ascend so I could see before continuing myself.












Once at the top there was a scramble up through a small hatch to be met with this view, isn't it stunning?

Loch Shiel from the head of the loch on one side





 and the 21 arch viaduct in the other.

Those who are Harry Potter fans may recognise it as both it and the Jacobite steam train were used in the films, sadly it was too early in the year for a trip on the "Hogwarts Express".



After lunch we headed out to follow the Road to the Small Isles. We got a good clear view of the island of Eigg

and a hazier view of Rum, I hope you can see it.

We passed the silver sands of Morar, which looked very white in the bright sunshine before arriving in the fishing village of Mallaig mid-afternoon where we enjoyed a wander around the village before watching the ferry leave for the island of Skye. We then returned to Fort William and our B&B for our last night. The next morning we had a last wander around the town before having a loch-side picnic to make the most of the beautiful weather and returned home.

It's safe to say that my crochet has been sadly neglected over the last couple of weeks, the baby Mary Janes which I decided to make in a summery yellow and red for my friend's grand-daughter are still awaiting completion. As the holidays are now at an end with school going back tomorrow normal life has returned and I will be aiming to get several WIPs finished very soon. I'd love to hear what you have all been doing.

Hx