Up on the Roof

Almost a year to the day since our expert builders finished the bare bones of the roof on the house, we have finished putting the salvaged slates on the front - hooray!

Much celebration is in order, even if we're only half way there.

it is lovely to see the clean lines as you approach the house, and this means that we can get the scaffolding down from the front - a big visual improvement.

Here's a few pictures - old and new - of the progress.

up on the roof - a spellbinding view!

work in progress - about half way

pretty much there - this side

A sorry sight, once the ivy was cleared away - October 2013. Note the left hand bay, which was raised up later, has smaller slates

Arguably even worse that the last pic! This was all we were left with, once the unstable bits were removed - October 2013

Looking better, brand new chimneys, eaves, and a steel ridge!

November 2013, watertight - more or less, waiting for the slater!

November 2014 - complete! not that all the slates are fine big 14 by 24 inchers. 

Not up to a professional's standard, but a tidy job nonetheless

A Misty Evening

The sky was clearing rapidly this evening, bringing on a distinct chilliness - quite nice and seasonal actually.

As it did so, the evening mists were coaxed out of the fields:

November - Autumnal colour remains, and we have our first sloes!

November already!

The woeful lack of posting on this blog speaks more of the lack of time, than the absence of activity....

Still, not good enough and priorities will have to be changed!

We have had days of wind and rain, causing much flooding in the local area, 

The odd gaps in the deluge reveal the garden still ablaze with points of colour, mainly form the berries barks and vestigial leaves.

Ernie - our new cat (7 months) on his daily expedition into the garden

our wee river in spate after the rain

all that's left of our mighty willow - rain and winds have taken their toll this year

Ernie on the prowl

subtle reds of the willow hedge

Charlie

the last of the rowan leaves punctuate the mountainscape

Charlie catches some welcome sunshine

day lilies - more spectacular than they were in summer! that's a flock of starlings rising from the field behind

the felt studio- behind fuchsia bush

tight-rope walker!

rose hips

guelder rose hips (viburnum opulus)

Vincent's Oak

another vibrant willow

at the bottom of the garden

more, different rose hips!

looking across the valley

our first sloes - from the blackthorn hedge we planted in 2012

changeable times

the more I look at this field wall the more I see a circular enclosure

A Dramatic start to August

Today is the first day of August.

This evening we're sitting outside after another full day at the Gallery (wonderful!) talking about what's in store this month - more of which to follow.

Meanwhile, our Magnificent Mournes present us with a portentous vista:

High Summer

It's hard to believe that we're at the end of out 3rd week of 'Summer Hours' - open every day.

The time as flown by, filled with exciting visitors and events.

With more to come, not least the Benraw Creative Convivium on 23-25 August and temperature, at the moment of 25 degrees C this could be the hottest summer so far!

Here's some pics of Summer in Benraw and a little bit beyond:

campers at the 30th birthday party we hosted

band - and garden

Glastongerry!

Elaine & Kay

Good Vibes!

The scene this Monday morning - fantastic

redcurrant harvest

the garden and the mountains

this flowerbed has taken on a wonderful life of it's own

sunflowers beginning; foxgloves ending

pots at the Gallery entrance

the view back home to the Dromara Hills from Newcastle - at sunset on Wednesday

the terrace form the old tank

new flowerbeds

Thanks to Paul & Caroline, we are almost finished

Lavender barrow

Ernie - our latest addition to the team!

Panorama of the new Terrace. Without the sterling effort of our friends, this would have been an insurmountable effort - thanks to Paul & Caroline et al!

High Summer

Celery in the raised beds - wow!