Longstone Lighthouse - holiday roundup

A story in pictures.

In the distance, Inner and Outer Farne Isles

A rather small fishing boat and a rather long queue of people waiting to get on.

Fat seals sunning themselves on isolated rocky outcrops far out to sea.

Lazily we are stared at by glossy-coated labrador-eyed seals.

Longstone Lighthouse, perched on the edge of a small rocky island that almost completely disappears under the sea twice daily.

A dark stone built sea wall - even this sometimes failed to keep out the angry sea as waves lashed and washed through the lower level of the lighthouse, forcing it's keepers to retreat to the upper floors for safety.

A slender ribbon of concrete leads from the boat to the lighthouse as it meanders over the bare rock.

Huge cast iron wheels languish in a sea filled gully.

Entering the lower level through the sea wall felt like entering a prison.

A silently rotating lens keeping watch over the lurking danger in the waters.

Bespoke curved cupboards, all that remains of family life in the light house.

Window that Grace Darling watched the SS Forfarshire tear apart on the rocks in the year 1838.

Stairs, stairs and more stairs, the final flight almost vertical.

A retreating view.

The lighthouse on Inner Farne with guano covered cliffs.

I was grateful the crossing was smooth and now there was solid ground beneath my feet.

Phew - back on terra firma.

For more details about the Longstone Lighthouse read HERE about Grace Darling read HERE - her story is really worth the time.

St Abbs - holiday roundup

We woke to a sunny and breezy day - heavy clouds were all around but they seemed to fly over head leaving us dry whilst over the sea thunderstorms raged on the horizon. 

We planned a walk on the dramatic cliffs from St Abbs, just over the border in Scotland. We parked high above the tiny harbour which is a buzzing little industry - not with fishermen but with divers. The coast around St Abbs has a marine heritage order and for the initiated is a glorious underworld of caves and fish with wrecks and unusual stone formations.

Recently (in the last year or two) a rather smart and interactive visitor's centre has opened and it is always on our visit list. One of the delights is the use of their telescope which amazes us every time at the detail we can see that by the naked eye is invisible. You can practically see the whites of the gulls' eyes on the other side of the rocky bay.

Whilst we were inside the centre, huge clouds gathered closer to shore, so we decided we'd not walk over the cliffs to the lighthouse but would have our lunch here near the harbour rather than risk a dousing on an exposed footpath.

We sat in a sheltered stone built viewing area, next to a small but poignant bronze sculpture of the wives and children of sailors lost out to sea. Despite the weather, the sea looked calm and benign - in sharp contrast to the anguish it caused as portrayed in the sculpture. 

The rain was now a definite threat and our plans to do a short meander down to the harbour walls were scuppered. Our lunch was swiftly eaten and a quick photo of a distant rainbow was taken as we beat a hasty retreat back to the car.

We only just made it as huge splots of rain began to fall. We drove up and away over the cliffs when Himself spied some rather wonderfully pink and spotty pigs waiting to be fed. These girls are field reared with their huts dotted about the large hillside. They grunted contentedly and watched us with very expressive eyes and the longest eyelashes you could imagine! Youngest reached over and gave one a lovely scratch on her back and she grunted in appreciation.

We returned to our cozy little cottage in the woods and hid from the rain.

Later, once the skies cleared and the rain returned out to the far horizon we drove back out to watch the tide recede to reveal the tidal road to Lindisfarne. What a way to end a day :)

How to - Cheat's cheesecake - oh yum yum!

Whilst away, I found - be still my leaping taste buds - a cheat's cheesecake - oh my - I can feel the calories as I speak but do I care ? Not one jot, I would make it again (and I will) if my waistline will allow it......

It is a simple and almost instant pudding and one taste is a rich mouthful of instant gratification - stop it! I must stop, my mouth is watering and the weighing scales are trembling but I will reveal this desert this instant, if only to share the pleasure! (***Sensible instructions and ingredients are at the end of this post)

BUT! before I go on, I have to apologise for the quality of some of the photos - something has happened to my flash which I need to sort out but I soldiered on and took photos with you in mind :)

1. Crush digestives and add to.....

2. Melted butter and chuck into the base of a suitable dish (anything is suitable just get it made!) Pop into the fridge and allow to settle into a buttery biscuit base.

3. Whisk together the condensed milk and cream cheese....
4. Until a yummy creamy soft mix is formed.

1. Squish the juice of two lemons into the creamy mix and stir - now the magic begins!

2. The soft creamy yumminess becomes thicker and more 'cheesecake' - ladle this delicious gloop on to the buttery biscuit base.

3. Hull and chop enough strawberries to cover the cheesecake - we ummm, errr, we didn't quite have enough strawberries as there had been an awful amount of quality testing. (By the means of dunking directly into a tub of double cream - but this we will mention no more......)

4. In a microwavable dish add one heaped tablespoons of a suitable red jam (strawberry or raspberry) and one tablespoon of water - soften the jam in the microwave mixing well with the water, toss in the strawberries and ensure they are well coated in this jammy juice. Pour this gorgeous strawberry pile of fruity flavour on to your cheesecake.

Stand back and admire (briefly) then reach for a spoon and tuck in!

Please note distinctive lack of strawberries - already explained, however this deficiency was more than made up for it by the remains of the tub of double cream (mmmmm mmmmm mmmmm)

WARNING: Not only is this cheesecake extremely yummy it is also rather rich - small portions are recommended however, those made of sterner stuff - get in!

Happiness level?        Off the scale
Calorific level?           Ditto!
Alterations and amendments? I didn't use as much jam and added the water to make the jammy glaze softer and easier to coat the strawberries.
Do it again?                Definitely! And that is a unanimous vote from my boys (and me!)

Link for the Strawberry Cheesecake HERE

Lindisfarne - an island love - holiday roundup

Sigh.
Just writing about this sandy little tidal island makes me wish I was back there. Not that I would like to live there, too many tourists (!) but just to wander through the secret dunes or beach combing for choice morsels of shells or sea glass along the huge stretches of sand.

Of course, lots of photos were taken - I am sure my freckles on my nose were multiplying happily.

Eldest reverted from neanderthal teenager to a fun loving holiday lad, using shells to make silly faces.

What a view whilst drinking tea.

Lindesfarne - I love you.

PS. Thank you for popping in and saying hello - I have missed you, 

hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Guess where we've been? Holiday roundup

It has been a bit quiet on the blogging front - initially due to work, but latterly to a glorious combination of a holiday cottage in a woodland, the nearby sea, miles of pale sand and endless blue skies - bliss.

Last Saturday, we'd set off early in the morning with the idea of having lunch in Northumberland - oh how wonderful that sounds.... Lunch in Northumberland.

What a wonderful setting we had - a deep purple heather covered valley at the foot of the Cheviots. It would be silly not to partake in a post prandial potter over those hills - so guess what we did? Yup, it was wonderful to feel that breeze blow over us and make us so ready to go and find our cottage.

 We drove up to the small hamlet where we found our home from home for a week - a small but perfectly formed wooden log cabin (we found out later that it had been imported from the USA)

We lacked for nothing - every little homely touch had been catered for. (I have taken loads of photos and will share at a later post) We explored each and every room and were delighted with all the extras that were there for us to use. Youngest adored and now hankers for (well - if I am honest I also had a teeny weeny dose of the wanties) for the wonderful woodpecker door knocker. I don't think a day went by without one of us pulling the cord making the woodpecker tap a noisy welcome!

Then, once we'd unpacked our meagre belongings (an exercise in minimalism - another story) I went to explore the garden - a whole acre and a half - just for us! Squeeeee!

Then, just when I thought it could not get better, in the evening when Himself and I took giddy dog for her final evening constitutional walk - we were gifted the most glorious slash of evening sunlight - aaahhh.

What a wonderful end to a wonderful start of our holiday - more to follow :)

love hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PS - good to be back blogging

Ta-da!

It has been quite a while since I have done any crochet, knitting suddenly seemed to take over and work filled up the rest of my time.

Then yesterday evening, I sat outside with Himself in the evening warmth and felt an itch. A crochet itch.

 

 I almost tried to suppress it then I decided that I would give in and soon ruffled around in my cotton yarns and found several shades of blue....an idea began to formulate.  I washed out an olive jar that I had already designated to the recycling, removed its label and lid and started crafting.

The next morning, with help from Pepper, I crocheted a few more rows then it was time to pack up for a walk. Of course I took my WIP with me and when I could, did a row or two more.

Then, on the way home in the car, I finished the last few rows.

 Filled with a sprig of alchemilla mollis and a few sweet peas it make my heart skippity skip 

and I am happy happy happy :)

Oh crochet - why have I left it you so-oo long!?!

Ta-da! A quick how-to and a happy me :)

A little while ago, Jak (aka my mom) sent me an image she had found on the tinter and I was inspired! It was using an old plastic pop bottle and with a snip here and a cut there it makes the most wonderful mini propagator. The picture she sent didn't have any instructions and I am sorry that I can't credit it as I now can not find it - if you know who/where it comes from - let me know so I can link to it and give credit where it is due.

Until then - here is my version!

You will need a large plastic bottle - wash it out and remove all labels and the lid 

including the little secruity band below the lid.

 Once it is clean cut off the top flared piece before it begins to become the main body,

 then measure it against the base of the bottle.

Cut the middle section of the bottle away.

 Insert the 'funnel' end of the bottle into the base and trim until both pieces are the same height

make sure the mouth of the bottle reaches the base.

Pour in water until it fills just the neck of the bottle before it widens out, pop in your cutting making sure it just reaches the water and fairly quickly roots appear. The cutting sits in the 'funnel' part without rotting in the water and the water seems to stay cleaner and clearer for much longer!

I have a row of these mini propagators and they are rather pretty when the sun light shines through it them in the morning. A vast improvement on the motley crew of jars and glasses I used to use.

Happy happy me :)

Today

His eyes were glassy with tears.
She's just died he whispered.
Oh, Oh I am so sorry I managed to say before feeling my throat restricting at his pain. I reached out and briefly touched the back of his sun tanned hand.
He turned gruffly away and stumbled back to the waiting room, only to get up again and say..
My friend, he is coming to collect us, the nurse...his voiced cracked....the nurse is..... wrapping up her body for me...his voice faded to a whisper.

All the time he could not raise his eyes as a lone tear quietly ran down his cheek.

He turned and sat back down in the waiting room.



20 minutes earlier a young man had dashed in, the blood drained from his face, and grabbed my arm
Excuse me, I have just run over a dog - I have it here with his owner!

I looked up to see an older man with a shocked and dazed look on his face. He was struggling to get out of the front seat of the car as he clutched a blood soaked towel to his chest. All I could see was the snout of a small dog poking upward, it's jaws agape as it was gasping for breath.

The vet was soon out and bustling the owner and the towel into the surgery and the young man stood pale and trembling.




The phone screamed an interuption and I was dragged away from this small but intense dama. When I returned the waiting room was empty.

There are good days.

There are bad days.

All days are busy.

All days have mini dramas, incredible highs and moments of tear jerking sadness.

Today was no different.