out and about on a Sunday

It has been one of those days when life just appeared perfect. Such days do exist, honestly! A leisurely morning reading books, drinking coffee and generally faffing about was followed by a traditional Scottish fry up with Lorne sausage and all. I do love gently fried mushrooms but do not like baked beans with my fry-up. I don't ever like baked beans actually. Then, amidst plenty of bickering, we piled everybody in the car and set off to the Loch Ardinning Nature Reserve, on the road between Milngavie and Strathblane just North of Glasgow. It is a great place to walk and it is never overly busy because there is no parking other than a couple of lay by's. There is wetland, moorland, woodland and grassland all in one small area, easily walkable in a couple of hours. What else could you want from a walk? Good weather I suppose. This was a mixed bag and we experienced more or less all seasons in the two hours we were there. Ok, it wasn't snowing but there was some icy rain.

We walked through woodland.



Many trees were covered in moss and lichens.



We admired the skies.


Up on the moorland the views were fabulous. Can you see the snowy mountains in the distance? These are the Trossachs.  



And we even managed to fit all children in one photo without shouting murder and abuse. It is very difficult for them to face in the same general direction at the same time and coordinate their 'cheese'  moment.



It was particularly nice that Sam came with us. He fancies these family outings less and less and often chooses to stay at home, no doubt preferring his Minecraft buddies for company. 

Back home, Richard had to head off to Edinburgh, where he is leading an outreach event for adults at the Science Festival. It is the 'Ginomics' event,  discussing molecular flavour components in different types of gin. The participants are making their own preferred variety from spice and herbal infusions and can take this away. 

I was treated to dinner and pudding by the magnificent four. Sam made pizza with Alistair's help, Annie baked a Victoria sandwich cake with James. There was a lot of abuse hurled across the kitchen and of course the kitchen was unrecognizable after it was abandoned by the offspring. I had tears in my eyes and not from joy. However, a good scrub later, I am no longer hungry, the kitchen is back to almost normal, the little boys are scrubbed clean and the big ones have retreated to their respective caves. Did I mention that Annie had a mouse in her girl cave? It must have lived their for a while judging by the evidence. Anyway, I wonder if it is greedy to open a bottle of Prosecco just for myself to celebrate a successful day? Does it keep?

Thank you all for your comments on my past few posts! I enjoyed reading them all. It is good to see so many of you enjoying my blether. 


Wishing you all a good week! Cx


Comments

  1. I'm new to your blog and very much enjoying your blether! Don't stop!!

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  2. I enjoy your blether, Christina! I think I would need to drink the whole bottle of Prosecco before dealing with that mouse. Good to get out and have a walk in all that weather. The Ginomics thing sounds most interesting. We had a gin tasting one New Years Eve which was most illuminating (ahem) xx

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  3. I always enjoy your blether, Christina. Thanks for making me chuckle with your amusing tales about your family life. Your kitchen might have looked like a bomb site after you kids have finished but at least they've made an effort and you had a great meal cooked for you. Now I hope you've opened that bottle of Prosseco. You deserve it. Enjoy! X

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  4. It won't keep, you'll have to drink it all. I had no idea there was science in gin, no doubt it will be very popular. Well done you on letting them all loose in the kitchen. I'd have tears in my eyes as well. Your walk photos are gorgeous, especially the lichen and the ones of them all together. Wishing you a very good week Christina, although of course you may be off to a rocky start if you have all of the Prosecco. CJ xx

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  5. Hey Christina,
    Pop a fork in your opened bottle. That should keep it fizzy. I've no idea how. Your Sam is looking very grown up. They change so fast when they turn teen. As for them cooking you tea...I would put up with a kitchen in uproar for that.
    Have a good week my lovely.
    Leanne xx

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  6. Such a funny post, all the wholesome family togetherness but you are still the one rebuilding the kitchen. Ah, its lovely though and I am sure you wouldn't change a second of it. Kids grow up very fast so best to enjoy and get out the cloths and mop. Eeek to the mouse, I'm sitting with the patio door open as boy cat was playing with a big back lump which buzzed and flew off when I lifted it, cue big girl scream. Cats evicted and now cant find it.... may have to seal off dining room till the end of summer.
    Ps tried your eggs in cream, delish!
    PPs Know fact prosecco doesn't keep, must be drunk in entirety esp in case you need the bottle to stun mousie-mousie.

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  7. I think whether the prosecco keeps or not, you've earned a glass (or two) today! Allowing children into our kitchens is one of those things that need to be done or else how do they learn - but I'm sure we all question whether the resulting mess is worth it. Still, I always say that if I'm not cooking I'm on holiday so perhaps today was a brief holiday for you too! Loved the faces in your family photostrip, and even I could be persuaded that a science fair is the place to be if it involves gin :-) xx

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  8. I always enjoy your "blether". I hope you enjoyed your Prosecco!

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  9. Wow blast from the past. I lived in Scotland for 9 years with my first husband (I'm on number 2 now. A much better one :) Anyway husband1 and I got married at the church in Strathblane as I was bridesmaid there for my Auntie when I was 9:) Funny to think back now, it seems like a different life altogether.
    I too enjoy your blether being a professional bletherer myself. You are one of those bloggers I woud like to drop in with for a cuppa :)
    Jillxo

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  10. It's always a treat to read your bletherings, Christina. And your pictures from your walk are lovely. Congrats on getting all four of your children in the pictures. I don't think I have a single picture of my boys smiling when they were teens. They specialized in glares and stares. :-)

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  11. A good blether is a real Scottish thing! Great photo's and well done for getting the children to agree to go in front of the camera! X

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  12. Fabulous photos Christina, what a lovely walk, I particularly like the photos of the mosses and lichens. 'Ginomics' sounds interesting, I quite like a drop of Gin, but very rarely these days. Don't know about the Prosecco, better drink it up just in case :o) Have a great week. Jane xx

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  13. I enjoy your bletherings & Prosecco must be drunk all in one go when faced with such a mess! Ginomics sounds like huge fun & just my thing too. Take care xx

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  14. Loved the shots from your walk, especially on the moors! I remember these boisterous days from my own youth when my parents dragged us all unwillingly to some remote trail for an all-day hike. Of course now I look back on those days with great fondness. I think it was very thoughtful of your kids to whip up a meal and a mess for you at the end of the day ;) Wendy

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  15. Love those mosaics of your nature walk. Absolutely stunning! We walked yesterday too. It was nice to get our kids and the dog out of the house for some fresh air and exercise! How old are your "littles" They look similar in age to mine!

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  16. Love those mosaics of your nature walk. Absolutely stunning! We walked yesterday too. It was nice to get our kids and the dog out of the house for some fresh air and exercise! How old are your "littles" They look similar in age to mine!

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  17. I really enjoyed seeing your photos from the walk. It's really looking like spring there now. I know how you were feeling by the evening; my husband is away this week and I'm already feeling a little frazzled and we just started! I hope you're having a better day today. Take care and have a good week.

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  18. What great views on your walk! Lovely photos ;) A bottle to yourself sounds like the perfect finale to the kitchen cleaning and a great way to start the week........

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  19. Wonderful photos Christina, love the mosiacs, my favourite is the skies as I am a sky
    watcher.

    The flowers you like are Bellis Daisy (Pompomnette).

    Thank you for your comment on my blog.

    irene
    xxxx

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  20. Ah life with children and husbands is never very easy is it? I am so glad you tell us the good and the bad because we can rejoice with the good and understand the bad. Today on my way to my second patient my eldest child called and told me he is quitting swimming, we had a big argument, I am not against it just want him to think it out. He was yelling, I was yelling and I missed my exit twice! It never stops.
    Meredith

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  21. I love the lichen photos, I think I should have liked to go to the gin making!

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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