Monday Morning Bike Ride.

These photos are from a bike ride I took on the bank holiday Monday last week. Some are from the route I drive to work. Every day of the previous week I'd been aware of how lovely the countryside has been looking but from the car you only get fleeting images and I wanted to get out on my bike and see what it was really looking like. The weather had been great all week but it wasn't quite so nice on the Monday - lots of scudding clouds made the light change dramatically and very quickly.

The gorse has been in full bloom and on the bike you also get to appreciate the gorgeous coconut scent when nearby. I saw lots of lambs and some cows and horses too. The views across the firth were a little hazy for my liking: a few days earlier and I would have been able to catch crisp and clear views of the mountains with Ben Lomond completely covered in snow, however, I'll settle for what I got, it's better than it often is!

 

The house does seem to sink a little towards the road. I notice it now when I drive past it each day.

A favourite corner from my drive to work.

Interesting tree.

Now we're about to pass through the Formakin Estate. I've been this way before on the bike but not for a long while. Here's a link to a really old post with some more information. 

After this point I turn away from my commuting route and enjoy some scenes of the Clyde and the hills beyond.

Ugh, I don't like the hill that's round this corner. It's short but it's right at the end of a ride when legs are tired.

I took my new camera along for the ride. Well, I don't think the photos are as crisp as the ones I used to get with my old camera. I'm actually looking out for a cheap version of my old camera on ebay as I liked it so much. I thought a new camera would be an upgrade, but I think I seem to have been very lucky to happen on a very good model the first time round.

And, we've had an election. I thought it worth posting some images of the results just because they have been so dramatic, partucularly in Scotland. I certainly didn't expect to wake up to this result on Friday...



And the contrast with the rest of the UK is rather stark:

What will the future hold, I wonder...

Souvenirs and Other Stuff.

While on holiday I finished the shawl made with the chunky Noro yarn I was given by my SIL. Not only was it not quite the colours I had anticipated but I'd also requested sock yarn when she'd asked what I'd like. Still, it was very nice of her to go to the trouble of getting the yarn and posting it to me. I sewed in the ends sitting on a bench in the garden once back home. It's a very simple triangular shawl, the pattern is "Morning Has Broken" and it's available (free) on Ravelry.

Also while on holiday I bought more yarn. Not only does Pittenweem have pretty cottages, a harbour, a beach, an ice-cream shop, a chippy, a chocolate cafe and great weather, but it also hasa very nice wool shop! I bought three balls of lovely soft Amitola 80% wool, 20% silk for yet another shawl though without a specific pattern in mind.

Beautiful texture and gorgeous colours. I decided it deserved a new pattern rather than one of the ones I've done before. I spent a pleasant hour or so seeing what other people had used the yarn for on Ravelry and decided I would attempt to make one of these. The pattern is 16 pages long, gulp! I started it at a craft night - not a good idea, plenty of chat and cake is not conducive to figuring out a new pattern, however I had another bash this morning and it's coming on much better now...

My only other holiday souvenir was this little pot on the left which was from Crail Pottery. I've been having a massive clear out of pots and vases so it's only ones I really like which I have kept. Having said that, the one in the background with the little flowers is another new purchase, but hey, I really liked it (Asda, £4)

 Nice to be home, especially when the sun is shining.

Some baking for craft night...

Chocolate brownies (absolutely loaded with sugar)

Iced biscuits.

I liked the rabbits.

Our shattered rear windscreen.

The cat is always desperate to get in the car - not sure what she thought of this. Anyway, it's now fixed, thankfully.

The garden is bursting into bloom. We've had some beautiful sunny weather recently and we've all been needing it - people, pets and plants!

Well, it's been lovely to catch up with the blog. School starts back next week so spare time will be much restricted again but it won't be long till the summer holidays (eek!).

Happy weekend...