Category: Food

Keeping Busy – 30 June 2025

Posted on by Zogman

It was a day for tidying up the place, at least a bit.

Scamp handed me a big bag full of stuff that needed to go to the tip and then found another bag that could also go to the same place. Both were going to ‘General Household’, the councils catch-all for things that don’t have an exact skip to go into.

“Were do I put this home-made high intensity laser generator?”

“Err, General Household mate.”

Once that was done and the old dance shoes, cutting boards, broken seats and all sorts of other stuff, I was free to go for a drive and hopefully find something interesting to photograph … I did put the camera in the back seat, and not the boot, didn’t I?

Yes, I did, because when I got to my usual walking path at Fannyside, the black Lowepro and camera were on the back seat. I was hoping to get some photos of dragonflies, but none were flying today. What were flying was a group of Starlings. A ‘murmuration’ is the common name for a crowd of these birds, but I think I prefer a ‘Chatter’. It seems more like the noise they make, especially the young ones. I found that name on the interweb tonight!
The group must have been young birds, because they didn’t fly in the tight groups or indulge in the complicated wheeling patterns we associate with a murmuration.

One of the ‘Chatter’ groups made PoD today spaced out along some telephone wires, like musical notes on a stave … or a stave with three lines, anyway.

Back home we were working in the garden again. More fine tuning rather than the heavy work we’d been doing yesterday. Scamp was redesigning the layout of an awkward corner of the back garden and the changes she made created a totally different look to that area. A great improvement.

Drove home with some essentials. Milk and bread with an Apple Turnover to share.

Dinner was a typical Monday meal. Pasta with Tomatoes and Tuna. Nothing fancy.

It was clammy and sticky today. Not a great day for working, so that was partly why we restricted our workload.  We watered the garden for the first time in ages, and it did seem fresher once we were finished. Hope it’s a bit cooler tonight, cooler than last night at least.

No real plans for tomorrow, although maybe those trainers will still be in Tiso!

An early rise for me – 29 June 2025

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Just after 7.15am I was up and dressed and driving. Nowhere interesting though.

In fact I was going to get some fruit for Scamp’s breakfast. I tried M&S, but they didn’t open until 9am. Instead I carried on to Tesco in the town centre as they have the earliest opening times, 6am I’m told. It’s a long time since I’ve been up that early. My basket today held strawberries and raspberries, plus a carton of blueberries to add to my porridge. Drove home as Scamp was waking up and wondering where I’d been.

With breakfast consumed by both of us, we needed a plan for the day. Scamp wanted to get a few of our flowers planted in pots, or in some cases replanted, and a bit of tidying done to the back garden too, but not until the clouds had cleared from the skies and the inevitable puzzles were completed.

Also, I remembered to photograph a vase of Peony flowers. Alex and Carol had sent them last week when Scamp was feeling a bit low. She had been gently teasing the petals all week to encourage them to open. Today they did. I sent Alex and Carol the photo.

Now we could get started. We mixed up some compost, adding Perlite and pebbles to aid drainage and soon the first plant, Achillea was ready for watering. Next was a white Astilbe, one of my favourites. My mum used to call Spirea. Now that I see it, it doesn’t really look like Spirea, but someone had told her it Spirea many years ago and the name had stuck.

After lunch, Scamp started strengthening the fence between us and our new neighbours and I forked over a shallow bed beneath the back wall. I don’t think anything will grow very well there. Too many roots criss crossing the bed. However, maybe we’ll manage to something planted there.

By then it was time to tidy up and to rearrange the pots to make best use of the space and just change the scenery a bit.

PoD was the photo of those peony roses.

Dinner was a salad for starter, a tuna steak each and potatoes and tomatoes. Dessert was more of Jamie’s rhubarb with custard. You can’t get anything more traditional than rhubarb and custard!

Watched an interesting Austrian GP. Lots of thrills and spills and a surprise exit for one driver.

We have no real plans for tomorrow, but a new pair of trainers is still on the shopping list.

Out for a spin – 28 June 2025

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Today we had decided that we’d go out somewhere because the sun was shining.

It was windy and that made it a bit cool, but we we had promised ourselves that we’d go out somewhere today. That ‘Somewhere’ turned out to be Culross. I know there aren’t a great many shops there that sell trainers (there are none), but in a way that was part of the fun today.  We’d go to Culross, which is Hazy’s most hated, least liked place in the whole wide world and just look for some interesting things to photograph.

It was an interesting climb up the cobbled Tanhouse Brae and on to  Kirk Street.  The architecture in Culross hasn’t changed much in the last 400 odd years with pantile roofs and low lintels on the doors. I imagine there are a lot of hoops to jump through before you can get a sniff of a chance to own one of these houses.  Once you own one outright, I imagine that it doesn’t really belong to you, because of many and varied rules you have to abide to.  However, it’s good to see the houses owned and used by folk.

We continued our climb and nearing the top, or what we’d designated today’s top, Scamp spotted a modern looking house offering tea, coffee and cake in a private garden. I kind of got the feeling that we were going in there later.

Our journey today ended at Culross Abbey, an impressive piece of architecture both inside and outside. Beautiful lighting from the stained glass windows and those high, high wooden roofs.

As I suspected, we made a detour on the way back down to Culross village in to Tea Leaf. A tea and coffee shop with cakes and scones for sale.  We had one coffee, one tea and two scones to share, served with cream and home made jam. Scamp was in her element, wandering around the garden, finding ‘things’, lots of things.  On the way out of this fantastic garden she talked for a while to the owner, a florist who gave her names of plants we’d never seen before, but which are now on the shopping list, Jerusalem Sage being a one of them. The owner explained that she splits most of her plants later in the year and sells some off.  Scamp needed  no encouragement to add her email address to the list of those wanting to purchase some of those plants.

With that, we headed down the street to real life and drove home.  We stopped at Torwood to buy a couple of pots for two plants that needed potting up … and yet another interesting plant that I liked.  My fault this time.

Dinner tonight was from Golden Bowl and although the pork in the Chow Mein was a bit tough, the rest of the meat was fine.

PoD was a view from halfway down the cobbled path to the car park, looking over Culross (sorry Hazy) to Grangemouth in the distance.

No plans for tomorrow.  Maybe more gardening.

 

 

Today it rained – 27 June 2025

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I could almost finish the blog there with that statement, but that would be no fun.

We had intended to go in to Glasgow today to get a pair of trainers. I know the trainers I want, but the idea of wandering around Glasgow in the rain didn’t appeal much, so instead we waited to see if the rain would go off. It didn’t. Scamp did some tidying up and I went for a walk in St Mo’s.

While I was walking round St Mo’s looking for inspiration, this wee snail crossed my path. Both of us were very wet and both of us were on a mission. My mission was to get back home and dry again. I don’t know what mission the snail was on, but it knew where it was going.

Scamp and I had each chosen a different meal for dinner. Scamp was having Fish Fingers and Tomatoes, and I chose a Rib Eye Steak with Padron Peppers and Tomatoes. (Thanks for the tomatoes Jamie, we’re working our way through them!) That meant I had to extend my walk and source the steak. I walked on to the butchers and got the steak and a couple of slices of spiced beef ham, which is really a thin cut steak with copious amounts of mixed spice dusted over it. Sounds odd, but it’s a traditional Sunday breakfast item where I come from.

It might be raining, but as one of the weather fairies said, “At least it was warm rain.” That was definitely true. I was fairly wet when I got home, but my, allegedly, breathable jacket had been choked to death and the condensation meant I had to do a complete change when I got home.

My dinner was ok, just ok. Scamp said her’s was fine. Dessert was rhubarb (thanks for the rhubarb, too Jamie) with some custard and some cream left over from yesterday. That was the highlight of my meal.

Tomorrow we’re hoping for some dry weather to get out somewhere for a walk and maybe a new pair of trainers.

The mountaineers – 25 June 2025

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Not us! Not a chance.

Today our son and his wife were driving up to Scotland for an overnight stay before they headed over to Arran for a series of guided walks, some of which will entail a fair bit of climbing. We had we’d stay at home and give encouraging advice.

One thing I must say about our son is that he is amazingly accurate with his predictions of time and timing. Today after a journey of about six hours, he was only TEN minutes outside his predicted time. That’s accuracy.

With a little time on hour hands, we tidied, Scamp cleaned and I stuffed things into cupboards where they will never be found again for months, perhaps years. Finding them will be a great surprise.

I was chef for the day and dinner was Chicken and Pea Traybake. I spent a fair while chopping up leeks, but then there was little else to do before the chicken was roasted and the peas were cooked, so I took a camera over to St Mo’s and found a bunch of pink flowers worth photographing. I was sure they were Red Campion, one of the first flowers I learned about after daisies and dandelions. I checked with Mr Google and found I was right. Ragged Robin and Red Campion are very alike, but the smoothly rounded petals told the story that these were Campions.

Dinner was a success and Scamp had made a large Tiramisu for dessert. Only half of it was consumed today which will hopefully leave lots more for us two gluttons tomorrow.

A couple of glasses of red for Scamp and me after the climbers made their way up the wooden hill and my eyes were closing.

Early rise for the youngsters tomorrow. We might have a lie in.

A bit cooler – 24 June 2025

Posted on by Zogman

It had been raining during the night and that might be what lowered the temperature today. It was definitely a fair bit cooler.

Rain appeared in the late morning. In one of the dry spells I went for a walk to the shops for bread. We had bought some sourdough bread yesterday in Waitrose. Today it was dumped in the bin. It was definitely sour, but it was also heavy and chewy. It gave the appearance of not having been risen properly. “Bertinet Bakery”. Steer clear. Today’s ordinary M&S loaf was much better.

I felt that I was running ahead of the next shower, all the way home. It never came, but the clouds kept coming, so instead of a walk in the park, I took a few shots of the Primula vialii I’d bought in Torwood. It looks as if it has a bit of a Red Hot Poker in its ancestry, but I couldn’t find a link for the two plants online. Still a good contrast with the red flowers and the greenery in the background. PoD found.

Tonight’s dinner was a Charlie Bigham’s Vegetarian Lasagne. The quality of this range never seems to change. Long may it stay so!

Hoping Jamie and Simonne have a good trip up the road, tomorrow.

Shopping – 23 June 2025

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Today we were going shopping.

It was a day of hit and miss showers. Also, it was much cooler than it has been of late which was great for sleeping in. Those hot muggy days of last week were not the best for trying to get some rest.

Instead of doing the usual Tesco run we went to Waitrose in Stirling for a change. Wow, did we have a big shop today! I was beginning to think the boot wouldn’t be big enough and we’d need to buy a trailer. It’s not often we’re tempted by the variety of goods on sale there, but we were today. I’m sure I heard the wee Blue car groan when we shut the boot.

We had just unpacked when there was a knock at the door and there was a delivery man with what obviously was a box of flowers addressed to Scamp. The card inside was from Alex and Carol. We found out later it was because I’d been saying that Scamp seemed a bit down lately and Alex must have picked up on that. Such a kind thing to do. Thank you Alex and Carol.

After lunch I wanted to go out and get some photos and left Scamp reading at home. I got a few shots, most of which were of insects or wildflowers. Insects always seem to have their own agenda and either stay put for a while, or are off ‘doing things’ immediately you point a camera at them. I must have found the lazy ones today. One was a strange looking red eyed fly and the other was a little pure black insect that I’d have called a ‘Buzzer’ if I was fishing. Both flies were hiding under leaves or sitting on leaves. Either way they were sheltering form those hit and miss showers I was talking about. Of the two, I chose the Black ‘Buzzer’ as PoD.

As usual I’d been carried away with photographing insects and plants and forgot the time. Scamp was going to a dance display arranged by one of the Witches. By the time I got back she was almost ready for Jeanette Witch to pick her up.

I’d had mince for dinner yesterday and today I was converting it into Spag Bol. Not a difficult task and I soon had the feeling that the plate I was using wasn’t really going to be big enough, so I ate as much as I wanted from an excellent Spaghetti Bolognese then put the remainder, regretfully, in the bin. Dessert was the last squat peach. Just as lovely as the first one had been, two or three days ago.

Scamp staggered in just before 11pm and raved for a while about the dancing those girls and one boy could do. I’m glad she enjoyed it, but I’m not so sure I would like it.

Tomorrow I may be going to get a new pair of trainers. The ones I got from Go Outdoors are ok, just ok. I’m sure there are better ones out there.

The day that the rains came – 22 June 2025

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We asked for it yesterday and today it arrived.

It actually arrived overnight, the rain, that is. Varying from light showers to heavy thumping down torrents. All of it very welcome. Every time the rain halted for a few minutes, Scamp was out moving pots and making sure everything got its share. Me? I was doing Wordle, although I did go out once in my bare feet, and in the rain, to right a pot that had fallen on its side. Quite breezy today too.

I think the worst of the rain (or the best, it depends on your point of view) is now past and we have a bit of sun shining on us for a while, but the temperature is a much more sensible 17ºc, warm enough without going crazy.

I couldn’t be bothered with going out for a walk today, so instead I worked inside clearing out some stuff (very little) and reorganising others. In the end I still had the same amount of stuff, but felt better because I’d done something constructive. If questioned about it, I’d argue that it was all down to the rain.

Dinner was potatoes and ratatouille for Scamp and potatoes with mince for me. A sensible and enjoyable dinner, especially when I knew there was a coffee cake that Scamp had made for dessert.

We spoke to Jamie and Sim in the evening and discussed the final details for an upcoming visit. It will be good to see them both again. It’s about six months since we last saw them.

PoD was a view of the Campanula that dangles from a hanging basket all year round. Such pretty wildflowers.

Tomorrow I think we may be going shopping.

Soaking up the heat – 20 June 2025

Posted on by Zogman

25º+ today and we’re promised more tomorrow.

How much more can this old planet take before we all just melt in the sunshine. I must say that I enjoyed most of it, but towards the middle of the day I was beginning to fade a little. Too much heat, not enough water and definitely not nearly enough alcohol!

Scamp was out in the morning to Fit Steps. I don’t know where she gets all the energy from. I stayed home and read for most of the hour she was sweating (Perspiring – Ladies don’t sweat, they perspire). When she got home and after a coffee, we went out looking for some bright shining plants to add to our garden. I say ‘our garden’ but you know Scamp does most of the work in the front and back gardens. I’d like to say that I’m the brains of the operation, but you know me too well to let me away with that! This time we went to Torwood for the plants and we were more restrained than we usually are. I picked two that I liked – don’t ask me what their names were. Scamp chose three. Five is a favourite number in the house.

We had lunch in Torwood. Usually a cosy, comfortable cafe, but today the Toasties were over toasted. Red Hot some would say. Almost got blisters on our lips – that’s how hot it was.

While Scamp was planting out two or three of the new plants, I was preparing for a walk over to St Mo’s. I’d sunscreen on and a coating of insect repellant on top, just to be sure. I also had a pair of shorts, a tee shirt, and a skipped cap. The cap was to keep the sun out of my eyes, but in retrospect, a sun hat would have been better and more sensible.

While I was out, Scamp had dragged out her seat and was reading in the garden. When I got home I realised just how dehydrated I was, but two glasses of water later I was back on an even keel. The next time I’m out in the sun, I’ll wear my sunhat DV and carry some water. We Scots are not built for the high 20ºs centigrade. Roll on the end of June when we return to cold rain.

Later in the evening we eventually dragged our seats back in to the house, ready for another hot day tomorrow if the weather fairies are to be believed.

PoD today went to a field of Eryngium Planum in Torwood, which Scamp managed to avoid bringing home. I’d definitely have had the lot in the car if I could!

We’re intending going over to Larky to see Crawford & Nanacy for tea.

Another day at the horses – 19 June 2025

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Only nine days ago Scamp and I went to see the Kelpies. Today Alex and I went visiting. Scamp was meeting Isobel for coffee.

I didn’t want to go on a photo walk in Glasgow. I’m just Glasgow’d out for now. Too many days trailing around our second city. I gave Alex some suggestions for destinations and he asked if we could go to the Kelpies. Not his fault, he didn’t know I’d been to see them just over a week ago, so I agreed. It’s not a long drive from Cumbersheugh to Helix Park where the Kelpies live and my other suggestions would have taken a lot longer, besides, there is always a new angle on these magnificent steel masterpieces.

I picked Alex up at the station an we drove over. I wanted to take a shot looking through the cleats where the boats tie up with the Kelpies in the background. Also, I’d offered Alex a loan of my 10-18mm f2.8 ultra wide angle lens as he was considering buying one. We did both manage to get some good views with Helix Park producing some lovely skies as a background. Lunch was a sandwich and a bottle of juice halfway through the day. Then we split up and found some different subjects. I walked under the canal bridge and took some photos looking back, but the pylons behind the structures rather spoilt the view.

We met up later as I was just finishing my attempt at the view through a cleat to the Kelpies behind. Alex seemed happy enough with his collection too. However, he needed to be back home earlier than normal because he was looking after the kids back home to allow their mother to go out to a concert. It was a tight run back to the station, but we made it with a few minutes to spare. Dropped him off and agreed to have a think about our next destination.

Dinner was a salad with a trout fillet each. A lovely bit of fish and the salad was so much better than I could make. Afterwards we sat and read in the garden, making the most of another beautiful warm day.

It was later in the evening I found that there was a green cast at all the shots taken with the A6500/10-18mm combination. I’d not seen this occurrence before and will have to look out for it. I doubt if there is an easy solution, other to shoot in mono.

Tomorrow Scamp is hoping to go to the FitSteps class in the morning, the last one for a few weeks and I’m maybe going to relax in the sun again.