Advent Journey: On Remembering

Christmas is full of memories. At some point over the season, we will talk about how things used to be. Remember when....? With the current "retro" obsession we have right now, I am constantly being reminded of the Christmases of my childhood. I can scarcely open a magazine or read a blog without seeing something that I recognise from those days. I still have a few things myself - the original Christmas tree fairy from my parents' home, a fabulous black party dress from the 1980s, and this handsome chap in the picture. This is Bernie, one of my very first Christmas presents, and he's been with me ever since. We've done a lot together over the years, Bernie and I - he took the place of a pet dog as I was growing up - his kind face always seemed so understanding. I  remember trying to make my fortune with him, selling rides to the neighbourhood children - a penny to the nearest lamppost, tuppence to the end of the street. I loved him as if he was a real dog -  and to me he was.  When I grew up, my children played with him too - although I do remember Karen crashing into the doorstep and breaking a tooth! Now he is still here with us - a wee bit weather beaten, but always making me smile whenever I see him

Dental emergencies aside - I am lucky that my childhood  memories are happy ones. But, now that the years have moved on - particularly with my mother's passing, they have a bittersweet edge and I can feel homesick for a time and place that is no longer there. We bring all kinds of memories with us on this life journey:  happy, sad, poignant, long forgotten and half buried. We have been shaped and moulded by these past experiences, and in their assimilation we become who we are.

Advent is about memory. As we progress through the days towards Christmas, we remember why we are celebrating. The birth of the Saviour - the coming of Hope to a troubled world. We commemorate the Nativity by coming together to watch our children in those familiar plays and pageants, sing well-loved carols and celebrate with each other. But it is also a time to look forward to His coming - to remember God's loving promise - that He will always be with us.

Advent Journey: On Knitting

You know that God is a knitter? Of course He is. We only have to look at the intricate patterns, colours and textures in Nature to see that. And if we read the amazing words of David in Psalm 139, we know that we too have been hand-knitted by God. That is quite an incredible thought. Each one of us is knitted to a wholly unique pattern by a Creator who knows every individual stitch within us. We come into the world perfectly complete, with our different yarns, colours, stripes and textures. Along the way, though, we pull threads, snag stitches, and wear holes in the fabric - we lose sight of the pattern. Oh - we might try and patch things up - and we might indeed make a reasonable job of it, but only God knows the original design - and - He can put us right again if we only ask.

Today, I am joining in with Ginny for Yarn Along, and  other knitters around the world - sharing what I am knitting and reading.

I am reading Sarah Bessey's inspirational book, Jesus Feminist, and the new edition of The Simple Things magazine arrived today. James and I have just finished reading The Mouse and his Child, by Russell Hoban - a wonderful story, leading up to Christmas, and very much in keeping with the theme of an Advent Journey. 

As Christmas approaches, I am busy knitting a few bits and pieces for presents - a pair of socks, face-cloths, a blue and white striped hat. I haven't knitted for a while, but I am enjoying it right now. The steady rhythm suits the way I am feeling these days - knit and reflect, knit and look forward, knit  - and let the stitches merge with all the knitting from the past and the future - and one day, I might look around and see the whole glorious pattern that we have worked to God's seamless and eternal design.

Advent Journey - On Endurance

At this time of year, in Waldorf homes, a Nativity table is set up, and is decorated over the weeks with symbols representing the Creation story. Accordingly, the first week of Advent celebrates the creation of the rocks and minerals, and so, stones, crystals and shells are placed on the table.  We dont follow that tradition, but It's a nice idea - especially for young children, as it encourages them to think more deeply about the season.

Here, we live on rock that is the oldest in the world - hard rock that has endured since the beginning of the world. Just up the hill is a stone circle that has stood for over 5,000 years - facing whatever the elements have thrown at it over all those millenia. On stormy nights, when the gales howl around the house - thoughts of this are very reassuring.

I've always loved the idea of God as a rock. The feeling that there is something so strong - so enduring at my back, is more than a comfort. One of my favourite hymns is Rock of Ages - one of those tub thumpers that we rarely seem to sing nowadays, and I guess that is where my image comes from.

Advent and Christmas can be difficult times when we are facing storms in our lives - missing loved ones perhaps,  difficult relationships, changed circumstances, or just buckling under the (self-imposed) pressure to make everyone happy. I know that, in the past, I have  often said that I would like to hide away until January. But - life keeps moving, and where I am this December is different from last year, and will be different again next year. The one thing that is always there is that big steadfast rock at my back. Knowing that helps me to keep going forward - sometimes quickly, sometimes one step at a time, and sometimes sheltering in that cleft until the worst of the winds die down.

Advent Journey - On Waiting

Our living room window looks out over the back of the house - down the croft and out to the village. We are quite high up and have a good view of the main road as it comes over from Stornoway or Harris and heads North past the school and on to the coast beyond.
From this window we watch and wait. James looks out for his Dad returning from town, and if we are expecting visitors, or a delivery, we can look out from here. We can see when the school bus is leaving the next village and know how long we have to put on coats and shoes and be out at the gate. From this window we have observed the animals, waited for lambs and calves to be born, and watched the weather change.

Yet - waiting is not something we do well - especially at this time of year. So much frantic rushing around - stores open all hours, internet ordering late in the night, shops bursting at the seams with must-have gadgets, piles and piles of food. Everything is just so accessible.  Children are completely accustomed to instant shopping - "Just google it, Mum!" my son informs me. We can't wait - and if we have to, we do it impatiently, feeling stressed if the delivery van doesn't arrive the next day. I know this feeling - having waited less than graciously on more than a few occasions.

But - Christmas isn't just about struggling through December and collapsing in a heap on the 25th. I remember one year, my sister and nephew came home from Canada for a surprise visit. I had no idea they were arriving until I saw them sitting on our parent's sofa. I was absolutely delighted to see them, of course, but also bewildered, confused and feeling I had missed something. It was the looking forward to their visit - the excitement at seeing them after a couple of years.  So, Advent, then.  is the joyful anticipation of a longed for arrival.
As we move inwards along the spiral, towards the Light, we can reflect on where we are in our own journey. How different are we this year? What has shaped us - what have we learned? It can be scary walking in our own shadow, but,  it is in the darkness that seeds begin to germinate. We can ponder these things - perhaps standing in the checkout queue, watching for the postman, sitting in a traffic jam - wherever we are - let us rejoice in our waiting.

Advent journey: On Stepping Out

This year, I have been thinking about these special days leading up to Christmas. It always feels such an exciting moment when the first door on the Advent calendar is opened and the countdown begins - but I want it to be more than just crossing off the days. December is such a hectic time - and I can quickly get lost in among all the busy-ness of the preparations. Shopping, cleaning, baking, cooking, visiting, crafting, driving - the to-do lists grow ever longer, as the time grows shorter.
Yet - Advent is a slow time - a time of stillness as we wait in the darkening days, for the birth of the Saviour; for the return of the light. I feel a need to honour this time - to slow down, reflect, contemplate and appreciate this time of Hope. As we move through these December days - busy though they will be, I want to reflect upon the meaning of Advent, and find the beauty, hope, joy and expectation that this season brings. Every day I will try to post a photograph, capturing a moment of our Advent journey this year. You are welcome to walk with me. xx

Glasgow

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those killed and injured in the Clutha Vaults tragedy. There are never any truly appropriate words for such an awful happening. We can only send love and light.

#Glasgow.xx

My kitchen in November

I seem to be spending a lot of time in the kitchen these days, and by and large, it is a fine place to be. There's nothing like a warm kitchen, good smells from whatever is cooking, Radio 4 in the background, and a pot of tea on the go. Making the most of what there is, in the garden, storecupboard and 'fridge. I  have the very last of the tomatoes ripening on my windowsill. I'll give them another few days, then I will make more passata with the red ones and try some of Nigel Slater's ideas for the rest.

I am still picking beetroot from the garden, although the leaves are looking a bit wind-bedraggled now, and,  I found a forgotten row of rather large radishes in one of the fleece covered beds - so Beetroot, Radish and Apple chutney was born, and a great combination it is too. I used a standard chutney ratios - 2kg veg/fruit, 500g sugar and 1 pint white wine vinegar. I thought some Chinese flavours would work well here, so added a couple of star anise, a generous teaspoon of ginger and a cinnamon stick. Very nice. Oh - and I cooked the beetroot on its own first.

I needed some cream cheese to make frosting the other day, and remembered how easy it was to just make it. Ok - ricotta is not quite as tangy as a proper cream cheese - but it did the job.

I needed it for these delicious little snowball cakes. The school is having a cake sale today in aid of The Philippines. After raising money for Pudsey Bear a couple of weeks ago, the children felt they wanted to do something specific for this disaster, so cake it is. The recipe is at the end of the post.

I have quite a bit of meat coming back from the butchers in the next couple of weeks, so I have been rooting around in the freezers, using up what is lurking at the bottom. Most of the pork has gone, but there are a few bits - mostly small pieces of belly and hocks. In the past, I have tried various recipes for bacon, ham and pancetta, but never with great results. After scouring the internet though, I came across this method, which is a wet cure, using maple syrup. I followed the recipe completely, including the smoking technique.

 I love my stovetop smoker, I have to say (oh yes - I thought I might have mentioned it). So, anyway, after a couple of hours gentle smoking over crumbled peat, my hams emerged golden, glistening and delicious. Not too salty either, which was always the issue I had had in the past. I can't see these beauties lasting for long.
I have plans to do a corned beef tongue at the weekend too - yep - we know how to party here!


Snowball cakes.
4 oz butter
4 oz caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
5 oz self raising flour
1 oz shredded coconut

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add vanilla and eggs,fold in sifted flour and coconut.
Bake in 2 sandwich tins at 170 C (325F) until a toothpick comes out clean - about 15 - 20 minutes

Make cream cheese frosting with

8 oz cream cheese
60 g soft butter
2.5 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Then - put frosting and cake into a food processor and pulse until amalgamated.
(yes - you are going to turn your sponge cake into crumbs!)
Roll out the mixture into small balls, lay out on a sheet and freeze for a couple of hours.

Melt 2 or 3 bars of white chocolate over a pan of simmering water.
sprinkle coconut onto a tray - add edible glitter and muddle it through to mix.
roll each cake ball in the chocolate and then round the glittery coconut.
(this bit is fun - like rolling a real snowball along)
place on a wire rack to set.

I ran out of chocolate before the end, so I mixed up some glace icing and they tasted just as nice. And they do taste nice - very very nice - and they look so pretty there, in their frosty coats.

The possibilities for variation are endless here - chocolate cake - orange, lemon drizzle, chopped nuts - chocolate and peanut butter frosting!!!  I've just imagined a Christmas pudding one too - think I will do that for the Sunday school party.

I'll keep working on it...xx

Seven Days

A snowy blustery start to the week gave way to mild, shining days, where the stillness was so thick you could touch it. I had a birthday - it was very happy - and there was cake (of course there was).
I started curing some ham, we visited one of our very favourite places (and people) to decorate gingerbread, found a hairy caterpillar. and walked in the golden light.
And off we go into another week - how fast they roll by! Wishing you a calm and sunny Seven Days ahead. xx

Let's hear it for the boys!

We are now at the end of the Crofting year - or is it the beginning? It's tupping time. Time indeed for the rams to go in with the ewes, and hopefully the results of that visit will be seen in the Spring. We have two rams, (or tups, as we call them) this year - meet Rocky and Rambo! They have just come down from the hill in the last couple of weeks and are currently building up their strength in the field by the house. They will go to join the ladies at the end of the month as we want our lambs to be born in late April or early May.  They are quite a pair, though - let me introduce them properly.

Rocky is a three year old, and is very mild mannered - a bit like his Dad, who was our tup last year. I like him very much, I have to say - he has a lovely face, and I am sure we would get good lambs from him. John is not convinced that he is up to the job, however, and it is true to say that he doesn't seem to be showing any signs of - well -  machismo, I suppose! We'll see what happens.

This chap, on the other hand, positively bristles with testosterone! Rambo is certainly ready for the task. Look at him there - pure attitude! He escaped last week, when we were moving the other sheep around, and we chased him round the village three times. He would not stop, even for the cattle grid. Eventually there were six of us tearing around in various vehicles trying to corrall him. He ran into someone's garden and we all followed in hot pursuit, hoping to get him in a corner. He ran straight at John, butting his leg on the way past (causing quite a nasty wound), turned round and stamped his foot at us, then took off round the village again. At last, we got him in a gateway and managed to pen him in, before getting him in the trailer. By this time he was absolutely wild, panting, stamping his foot, butting the trailer sides, prompting some hilarious comments about his vim and vigour!
Yes - I have a feeling that next year's lambs will come from him - hopefully his temper will have calmed down a bit by then.

So - for a couple of weeks it is boys only, then we will let them through the gate into the bottom field, where the girls are waiting. I'll keep you posted if there is any progress -in the meantime, I don't like the look of that sky - time to get inside! xx

Colours of my week

As Winter approaches, and the days shorten, the weather has seemed pretty grey and stormy this week . Yet, as I look back over my photographs of the last seven days, I am struck by the beauty of the colours I see there - almost as if I have been drawn to capture the brightest moments.

:: The sea-loch mirrored the pinky-brown skies on a day where the wind blew in from the North.
:: I remembered to pick the vegetables and herbs from the garden before the darkness fell.
:: The shelf underneath the coffee table has been de-cluttered. I so love a tidy surface.
:: James wore pyjamas to school for a fundraising event.
:: Setting the table for a relaxed lunch with friends.
:: I picked the very last of the tomatoes - hoping some of them will ripen on the window sill.
:: Beautiful orange sunset accompanying our work.

I hope your week has been bright and colourful too. xx