April Showers bring May Flowers……
Hello
We have had a very settled month, while a lot of the rest of the country suffered. This is not usual! Today things changed and we have had some sunshine and many short, sharp showers, at least one being of hail. This was bad timing as a friend is finishing painting some exterior wood, having spruced up the interior of the porch – it all looks very good!
Windows, painting and floors have been the theme recently. I had several double glazed units, including the large picture window (that cracked when a bird flew into it) replaced and the paintwork refreshed. My painter should have come at Easter to paint the dormer windows facing the drive, but he has been ill. However, I have the windows ready for him – and in so doing, found one original sash and case window needing replaced….. Dolan made all the windows nearly 45 years ago, with Oregon pine. An old village lady always called the wood “organic pine” so that’s what it has been since, to our family!
The new carpet is down, on the hall, stairs, landing and sitting room. I am delighted with it, as it is going to be very easily kept!
Daniel was here for a week – a lovely time we had! He’s only seven today , so stayed the course very well! Catriona was to accompany him, but badminton called her away. Then Sam came and spent several days, quite a lot of the time with his head in his study books.
Sean’s hamster died the other day, so his Mum said he could have a budgie…. “Perry” has joined the household and, if there ever was a thought that Amber the cat would return to Edinburgh after her holiday here, that is gone and she’ll keep Ruah and me company for good. I am pleased as Ruah and Amber are good friends and more or less the same size – Amber IS big!
I’ve been in the garden quite a bit and the weeds are more or less at bay for the time being. The daffodil leaves are now tied up and the boat “flower pot holder” will be planted up soon (it is a real old clinker built boat, by the way – but quite beyond ever being launched again). As anticipated, the lawns are really enjoying growing, though the Red Barberry hedge is colouring but not yet needing trimmed. I had fun pressure hosing the slabs and the drive, the latter being very satisfying, when the tarmac colour returned, as the moss disappeared!
There are several visiting yachts in the bay and “Ocean spirit”, the Gordounston School training yacht, sailed out yesterday. The huge “Hebridean Princess”, Isles ferry turned cruise ship, anchored well out too. The strong north east wind, a very cold one, is keeping everything, including all of us, under wraps, but visiting yachtsmen are not complaining. A long-time friend is bringing his yacht out of her winter mooring and “Jespa” will sail in to the bay on Saturday, having been on a week’s cruise to get from Inverness to here.
Angela and Richard Hough return also on Saturday, for a week’s walking. It will be lovely to have them here again, their sixth visit, I think. There are quite a few visitors here from France, Germany, Holland and Spain and Australia too. Two nights ago a couple stopped by and their home is in Dundee, New York State. Tonight a young couple from Marseilles has joined me – they left temperatures of 30C. The temperature tonight is going down to 3C…. They have all been lucky with clear dry days, while further south there has been a lot of flooding.
Perhaps you will drive into Plockton this summer? If so, please look for Heron’s Flight and say hello!
Ann
I was wandering around with Ruah yesterday and took this photo on Cooper Street, near the top of my driveway. The
blossoms are cherry and apple - and the blue sky is real, not a
painting. Isn't it a wonderful time of year?
