Author: Bungalow Blogger

The Light

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Witch hazel flower
Witch hazel flower

The light today in Edinburgh was amazing.  It was an incredibly bright clear day with pure clean light. It was one of the days that reminds me how absolutely stunning the city is and how very lucky I am to live here.  I took some phone photos this morning at Inverleith Park and they hardly begin to show how incredible the skyline was with piercing sun in one corner stretching on past the castle to the other buildings that make up the fabulous view from the park.  I so wished I had grabbed my camera before we dashed out.  The photos are not up to being published I’m afraid but I will be straight back there the next bright day.

Introducing Lennie, our other dog, who does not stay still long enough to have his picture taken very often.  He was sitting on the earth beside me, enjoying the sun, when I was photographing the witch hazel and I managed to catch him being still for once.

Lennie, the hardest dog ever to photograph.
Lennie, the hardest dog ever to photograph.

The witch hazel is the only colourful thing in the garden at the moment, it is a stunning yellow burst against the green.  I did spot these snowdrops coming through though and if you look really closely you can see some white petals getting ready to burst.

The first snowdrops are getting ready.
The first snowdrops are getting ready.

Just in case you thought that I had totally forgotten what’s happening on Tuesday, I haven’t.  We have spent hours moving boxes about, treading carefully down those perilous stairs with heavy loads and have just about cleared the upstairs now.  It feels ever so slightly wrong to be ripping what has been there for so long.  There are some before photos coming this way soon.

For Mum

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Raspberry, Banana and White Chocolate Bread
Raspberry, Banana and White Chocolate Bread

Just a short post to show you the cake I’ve made in honour of my mum who would be celebrating her birthday today. I’ve made it in her loaf tin. Mum was not so bothered about presents but I knew exactly how she felt when I once forgot a card, she was not impressed to say the least. I think I was about 19, I never missed another birthday again, no matter where in the world I was.

My sister and her daughter will be up later to share the cake, it’s raspberry, banana and white chocolate.  I have adapted it from the banana bread on The View from the Table blog.  I hope this link works.  This is a brilliant recipe, the first time I tasted it it was the curlywurly version. Amazing.

http://www.viewfromthetable.co.uk/2012/05/big-bad-banana-bread_17.html

I added a handful of frozen rasps, one banana and half a bag of white choc chips (well what was left after H checked they were ok).

Better go and stop the cake being eaten before my sister has arrived.

Stuff

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I’ve been getting rid of lots and lots of stuff lately so that the builders can get started next Tuesday.  It’s going ok but I seem to be missing something…the emancipated, light feeling that all the ‘declutter your life’ propoganda promises. In fact, I am simply finding it hard and a bit depressing.

Some of the stuff belonged to my parents and their parents.  These things have been carefully preserved and treasured for years. It is so sad to think that whole lives can be whittled down to  a few (hundred) photos and  some key possessions. It certainly makes you think about life, death and what really matters.  There are memories too, of course, and they come back to you in a flash when you find particular things, it is a warm, familiar feeling that often transports you back to childhood.

We have enough old china to open a teashop, lots of artefacts, including a fabulous set of 3 shire horses and lots of home videos that I have promised to transfer to digital media. One of the videos documents the work that was known in the family as the ‘millennium dome’ – a garden room at the back was constructed in 1999.    My parents started the bungalow’s regeneration for the 21 Century then I guess.  I will share some clips when I can.

This is just one of the things I found amongst our boxes.  It is so pretty and I love the little flowers at either end to hold conserves or butter.  It belonged to my paternal grandparents and dates from the 1930s. I just love it. It’s staying with us for sure.

grandma's toast rack
grandma’s toast rack

There have been several trips to the dump, the charity shops and friends to reduce our clobber.  I am not sure it is working, there still seem to be lots of boxes ready to come downstairs.  I have doubled the amount sitting there since this  photo was taken.

jan 213

Bear in mind that we have to get everything down these steps, not easy, in fact, very tricky.  Thought you might like to see the view downwards.  Best approached backwards with a box.

looking down the stairs

So, are possessions important or are they just clogging up the space we inhibit? I don’t know the answer but I do know there is another whole big load to go through and sort out – the sooner the better.  Maybe I’ll get the fantastic feeling once the last box hits the ground floor.  I’ll keep you posted but don’t hold your breath.

Other stuff -We’ve had hardly any snow here but I managed to catch Lucy our snow dog in it – she absolutely loves playing in the snow. Lennie and Lucy had a bath earlier today and they are looking great, it’s amazing what you find to do when you’re meant to be tidying!

Lucy loves snow

So, more boxes tomorrow and they’ll all be downstairs by Monday morning.  Hopefully.( keep your fingers crossed there’s no stair incident.)