I don’t know what this was (J would say ancient aliens).  It was like a jet trail in the clear sky only completely vertical.

Haven’t seen one of these in a few years, but this morning there was a sparrowhawk on the bird feeder.  I am pretty sure it must have got its prey because there were feathers strewn at the base of the bird table.  It was gone in a few minutes and shortly after that the small […]

Winter apparently begins on 1st Dec.  I disagree, because I don’t think the seasons fit into the four times three months mould in Scotland.  Winter here is normally well underway by mid November. Today proved itself with some snow – only a few inches at loch level, but looks to be much more on the […]

I made two Christmas cakes this year as usual.  One a conventional cake made with eggs and butter, and one for V made with “vegan egg” and margarine. The “vegan egg” costs the equivalent of about £1 per egg, and as far as I can see, is basically baking powder plus a few other nasty […]

There are no cats in the house now.  This is a first for Donich Lodge, but also a first for R and I in nearly 20 years.  The place feels very empty, and strangely the loss of Tora has brought back vivid memories of Schrodi. We went for a walk to take our mind off […]

Poor old Tora needed to be put to sleep. He was 19, rake thin, sleeping all the time and had got to the point where he couldn’t even jump on the bed. May he and Schrodi wait for us at the Rainbow Bridge.  I will never forget them. Stand here at my grave and weep […]

My birthday today but I don’t have much heart for it.  I think Tora is on his last legs now.

Spooky time again.  I carved a not very expert pumpkin.

I had a go at a technique I saw on GBBO to make a smart swiss roll for my Mum.  Basically you colour a  little of the sponge mix and pipe it in a pattern on to a piece of baking parchment.  Then you carefully smooth the rest of the uncoloured mixture over the top […]

This was lying on the path outside the door today.  It looks like a seagull’s feather but we hardly ever see them up here – although for three consecutive years we did have a solitary one-legged seagull we called Beaky. I suppose it could be an owl feather – we have loads of tawny owls […]