First report from the edge.

Well - here we have arrived at our new house on the Western Isles (Na h-Eileanan Siar.)  John happily surveys his new territory, while James is just glad to be out of the car.  The neighbouring sheep seems a bit indifferent, mind you, and the tray of lettuce plants look a bit travel sick.  Happily they have recovered, and we have had a very productive couple of weeks getting to know this house and land and beginning the transformation into what will become our home.

James especially loves his new playground.

It was such a special place to be at the solstice.  The druids were very much in evidence on Midsummer's Eve (photo taken around 10 pm)

But, you know - if this is the view from the kitchen sink, well it is going to be fairly special at any time.

Belated solstice blessings and love to all.

Sacred Space

I am still feeling the glow from the wonderful time we spent at The Mother camp.  We began our time together with a moving and beautiful ceremony led by Keeley, where we opened a sacred space around the camp and in our hearts.  At the end of the camp, although we closed the circle, that space - that feeling -  remains in us.  I would never have imagined that 5 days spent in a field could have been so enriching and life-affirming - but it was.

Now we are heading off to begin what will be a change of lifestyle for us - as Crofters on the Western Isles.  the change will be gradual to start with.  Quite a bit of remedial work is to be done to the house we have bought, and we cannot start working on the land for a few months.  Still - lots of planning, organising and travelling back and forward for a few months - I hope we don't lose the excitment of boarding the Tarbert ferry.  It means that blogging will become very sporadic for a while.  We have no broadband - or even phone at the croft as yet - and I am quite taken with the idea of being out of contact for a while  We will be back down in a couple of weeks, and I will post the latest happenings then, but the time away will get longer and longer.
I just want to thank you all for all the lovely comments and support you have given me,and for your own inspiring blogs. While I am not stopping the blog, it may be a few months before normal service resumes.  So, until then I hold you all in a sacred space in my heart. xxx

Developing humour

James:  Is that a buoy?

Dad:    Yes

James:  I thought it was a girl...

Lol :)

June is busting out all over...

Just a stroll around the garden the other night produced this wonderful bouquet.  So many blooms this year - the hard winter has certainly been worth it.  I love these irises.

and the scarlet poppies are so intensely beautiful - they demand appreciation - they are here only fleetingly..

Poached egg plant - limnathese douglasii.  Very cheering ground cover plant which the hoverflies love, but the aphids don't!.

Chive flowers - pretty in the herb garden and tasty in the salad bowl.

A wonderful blowsy paeony rose - I have always lived beside these flowers, and they herald the onset of summer days for me.

Red lupins by the front door is a childhood memory of my husband.  These ones bloom every year straight out of the tarmac drive..  

An early anticipation of our plum harvest - not quite so heavy as last year, but still enough.

And these gorgeous turban lillies.  not sure what the people at the bus stop across the road thought of me wriggling around on my back in the flower bed trying to get this shot , but, hey-ho - I don't care, and it was worth it to see those exquisite flowers close up.  

Pizza night

K is home for the holidays again and has developed quite a talent in the kitchen.  Its become a bit like having a personal chef.  most afternoons he emerges from his room to ask if he can cook dinner!  Well - yes!  So tonight it was pizza night - from scratch too.  I know that picture looks like the dough stuck to the light fitting, but it didn't really.  Some quite impressive pizza throwing there - almost like being in Pizza Express.

His own recipe tomato sauce, on top of a homemade wholemeal base.

And a selection of toppings - this is the margarita one. 

I almost forgot to take a picture of a freshly baked one, as they disappeared so quickly.  Well, that's my excuse for the blurry photograph :)

Little brother seems to like it anyway - and he knows about pizzas!

Sneaking in..

a very quick picture of my short hair cut - hoping it will pass un-noticed among the flurry of posting I am cramming in before our trip.  Bet it wont though :)

La Via Campesina

I love this organisation and enjoy browsing their website.  I was very taken with this story.

10,000 Peasants March against Monsanto in Haiti; Peasant Leader to Visit US

Camp

We had a wonderful time at The Mother Camp in North Yorkshire last week.  Five days of fun, laughter, a few tears, fantastic food, cooked with love in a zen kitchen, and met so many great new friends.  I miss you all already  One of two faces missing - I send all my love and please know that you are in my thoughts.
James and John have both been ill with a nasty virus since we got back, and it is taking it's time to go, so not much has been happening - especially since the washing machine broke down too - ho-hum.  So, it means our trip to the North has been put back a few days.At least it allows us to catch up a bit.
I took quite a few pictures at the camp - mostly of other people. so I won't be showing them here.  If you were at the camp, I am setting up a Flickr page and will post on the egroup, or Veronika will mention it on her blog, when i have the photos uploaded.  It means that others will be able to post their photos too, if they want. Here are some that I can show - above is the wonderful Roundhouse - scene of our morning mothers' meetings, and the mens' circle. Great times of sharing and fellowship happened in this space.

James rushing down the hill towards the camp centre. He thouroughly enjoyed himslef and had a wonderful time playing with the other children.

We held an outdoor Blessingway ceremony for three pregnant mamas - led beautifully by Veronika. We were all connected in our circle by a red thread, which we now wear individually and will do so, until the babes are born.

But mostly all we did was to have relax and have fun.  

I do have some more photographs I can show, so, hopefully i will get a couple of more post up before we go away again, but I can only grab a quick 5 minutes here and there. xxx