The chickens have more or less stopped laying. Scarlett found a large stash of goose eggs this week which we've tested and found all fresh so we do at least have enough eggs to make our Christmas cake with next week.
The colours are stunning out of the window - purple.s, goldens, greens and oranges. Just breathtaking. I know it will only last a matter of days before everything goes grey - autumn is a blink and you miss it season here on Rum.
The log burner is lit for at least part of every day now, Ady tends to be up first and get a small fire going so that the rest of us get up to a cosy lounge and then depending on the weather and what we're up to it either stays going all day or gets cold and then relit in the evening. Yesterday we cooked the meat for our steak pie dinner on the log burner top afternoon - delicious slow cooked meat, gorgeous smells wafting through the static and money saved on gas too - win:win:win! I also put my proving bread dough close to the log burner and was rewarded with very well risen bread and two lovely loaves. All those house carting sacks of logs up the hill and swinging an axe to split firewood are certainly paying off now.
To get into the crafting groove ready to create a whole stack of items ready to sell next year I have been making lovely things for myself first. I made two hats - one slouchy one using some gorgeous thick green yarn that a friend sent me and one more formal cloche style hat with a crocheted flower on it in some Harris tweed wool I picked up in Harris back in the spring and was waiting for inspiration to strike me. I've been wearing the slouchy one out and about lots already. I've also been knitting squares and rectangles of various yarn to create a patchwork fleece. I've long coveted one of those gorgeous snuggly fleece lined woolly jackets that sell for way more money than I'd spend on a fleece and so decided to make my own. A full on garment is probably beyond me (in patience if not skill!) particularly when things like zips might be involved so I had the brainwave of using an old unloved and unworn fleece (a Tesco purchase about 8 years ago on a cold camping trip when everything else I owned was wet, muddy or not warm enough) and stitching patchwork onto it. The sleeves and neckline may well provide me with challenges but I'm starting at the bottom and pleased with how it looks so far.
Once I am done with it I will turn my crafty attention back to items for sale next season - my scarves proved very successful so I will increase that little range of Moods of Rum scarves and maybe think about some other accessories in a similar vein.
We have been thinking about long term plans for the croft and engaged the help of a fellow Rum resident who just happens to be a bit of a whizz with such things having proper qualifications in such matters. Looking forward to seeing what she makes of my rather rambling future plans.
It's a busy week for meetings including (probably my last) visitor management group meeting as I am retiring from that group due to having taken on more things than I am able to give proper attention to. I have been rationalising my commitments and this was a clear one to step away from so I have done so. Next week is looking just as busy but with social events to mark autumnal festivals and celebrations so that is all to look foward to.
We're planning the various endeavours that keep us busy during the winter months including venison processing and winkle picking and gearing up for the early starts, layers and layers of clothes to combat the cold larder and wet seashore. The wind has returned spinning our turbine round and round and charging everything up for us. We're as ready as I think we can be to face the winter ahead.
"We're as ready as I think we can be to face the winter ahead." is good to hear!
ReplyDeleteI loved those Moods of Rum scarves, they're exactly the sort of thing I'd buy as a souvenir. Other accessories - hats, mittens, socks? Egg/tea cosies?