Yet another wet day here in the Scottish Highlands I have been doing my accounts which is not my favourite task, luckily my husband keeps me on the right track. I have been adding the new soaps that I mentioned here last week but seem to be having something of  problem with the pictures not sure what the problem is but I will endeavour to put it right very soon.

I have been considering ways which we can reduce the amount of rubbish that goes into the dustbin weekly. Its not easy is it? So many items that you buy seem to be needlessly packaged in polystyrene and clingfilm. I'm thinking about some fruit such as nectarines and  vegetables like baby corn. We are growing a fair amount but I am going to strive to grow more next year. I make all our cakes, biscuits and bread so no packaging there. I save ice cream cartons and so on for freezing left overs and we use cloth bags so don't add to the mountain of plastic that goes into landfill. I usually b ...

Hello again from Sones Towers! I have been in the far reaches of Wick today and got back rather late but I though I would log on and say hello. Just finished packing up a parcel to send out tomorrow and sorting out stock lists etc. its a bit problematic keeping track of everything when there is a sale on and sizes are running out.

I shall be bringing two new soaps into the shop next week from Strathpeffer Spa Soap aimed at the Mum's Rose and Cream and Billabong I do hope that you will like them they smell delicious!

Anyway that's my home news! I have been reading about a recent story in The New York Times about womens rights which suggested that advancing women's rights is about advancing human rights. I could not agree more. I have heard an argument put forward that if other cultures mistreat women it's not something we should be concerned about  because it is their business basically. Women and girls are hit hardest when it comes to the worl ...

Finally after what seems like days of squally wet weather its been beautiful today. I have been gardening this afternoon its been a bit neglected what with the rain and midges to contend with. Someone said to me the other day that a weed is simply a flower growing in the wrong place, I am hanging onto that thought! I have just shucked another load of pea's to be frozen as well and dug our first potatoes. All in all a satisfying afternoons work.

I wanted to share with you a couple of pics that I took of the kids when I was in Devon the other week. I can't seem to catch up with them to get a really good picture these days they are always on the go and just as I click they have moved away! Never mind you will have to humour their proud Granny!

This is Jacob on a pony for the first time, ...

Another wet day here, I took the dogs out this morning and Shula had great fun jumping into all the ditches and burns which are pretty full at present with rainwater. She seems to exude a permanent peaty smell from her constant immersions! One thing we have learn't since we moved here is that you just can't let the weather stop you from doing anything otherwise you would just vegetate indoors. I was having a blether to a man that is doing some building work for us and he was saying that he was out picking pea's a couple of days ago in full oilskins!

I have been reading an article which poses the question "Why do we dress children like tarts?" It was discussing a case of a 20 year old man who raped a 10 year old girl and was spared jail. The judge caused uproar when he suggested that the child was dressed provocatively. This little girl was badly let down by the law but what about her guardians who happened to be the local authority did they thin ...

We are having some horrible weather here at the moment lots of rain and a very high wind on Saturday night. It was dry this morning so I thought I would take the opportunity to do some much needed weeding in the veggie patch. I managed about an hour and a half before being hounded in by midges and that was wearing my midge net! My chickens enjoyed pecking around at all the weeds that I dug up though.

Joe Duck Egg now reduced to £14.00

I rearranged the shop a bit yesterday and put everything together that has been reduced in my Clearance Sale you can find it all here. I hope that you ...

Well I'm back from Devon! It was lovely seeing the family we had a day at the beach and went to an adventure park the next day. All in all a bit of a whistle stop visit I can't believe how much the children have changed in a couple of months they are growing up so fast. Back to reality this week I'm afraid.

I have been watching all the media stories about how there will not be enough food to feed the world with interest and feeling a bit cynical about how the story evolved. Firstly we were presented with a dire problem and a day later along came the only possible solution yes you've guessed GM food. We seem to be going headlong to a time when about 4 or 5 multi national companies will have complete control of the food chain. Is this a desirable solution? In my opinion no it isn't. There seems to be too many vested interests involved here and if it carries on our governments will be puppets.  Science and technology, seems to be eulogising technol ...

I'm all packed and ready to go to Devon for a couple of days to see the family. Not at all sure how I am going to manouvere my suitcase when I get to Bristol airport as I am going alone, Peter will help at Inverness. I have just never mastered the art of travelling light and even now I am wondering if there are other things I should have packed. Luckily there are quite a few bits and bobs for the children so should be a bit lighter on the return journey. Did you know that there are whole websites devoted to the art of travelling light? I had a look and there was lots of good advice but none of it seemed to be helpful to me, I think I'm a lost cause. I'm only there for 2 days plus travelling days and what we get up to is dependent on the weather. If its sunny we will go to the beach. Ah yes cossie and beach towel needed. If its a bit chilly I will want a jacket, sandals if its hot, and trainers are more comfortable for walking, and so it goes on you can see my dilemma I'm sure. My yo ...

I've just finished packing up parcels finally so better late than never to sit down and write my thoughts. Its been a beautiful day here with lots of warm sun, I have been on the east coast most of the day and enjoying the weather even though I have been working.

I have been on a couple of forums too this evening which I am a bit addicted too I must admit. Anyway a blog caught my eye about a GM crop of potatoes being grown in the UK a year after protesters tore up the previous crop. As I understand it the public have not been informed of this and the exact location is not known. It has been suggested by environmental groups that this is somewhat underhand. Could it have anything to do with the biotechnology companies lobbying the government with their conclusions that the world will starve unless we allow GM crops? Friends of the Earth say  that the potatoes could contaminate other plants near the research site and that farmers ...

A tad disappointing today the forecast led us to expect sunshine which has not been much in evidence but at least its fairly warm and dry. I have been busy baking this morning as I am away for a few days at the end of the week visiting the grandchildren, can't wait to see them it seems like ages since I was last in Devon. My suitcase is packed with organic clothes for them! At least I can go with a clear conscience now my husband is well provided for in my absence.

After my post yesterday I have been giving more thought to organics in general and ethical that much bandied word. I remembered a blog post that I got sent from Ethical Pulse and revisited it.

Organic food is likely to always be more expensive than non-organic, animals have more space and the intense battery and shed systems are banned; the avoidance of pesticides and chemical fertilisers means that more human labour needs to be utilised for the same kilo of production so organic fa ...

An absolutely beautiful day here enough breeze to keep the midges away and wall to wall blue skies and sunshine. I had to go to Tain today to look at kitchen units and decided to kill two birds with one stone and take the dogs along the beach there. It was lovely we only saw one lady metal detecting with her dog for company. Shula was highly suspicious that it had designs on her toy so was not inclined to play but Minnie was willing. Just as we were getting near the car Shula found an extremely smelly bog to go and roll in so I arrived at the kitchen showroom a bit spattered with mud to say the least!

This afternoon came the job of bathing Shula. Can somebody explain to me why a dog who practically has webbed feet she loves water so much hates being washed? In the end we had to rinse her in the river becuse it was impossible to keep her in one place long enough.

I have been very interested in the report undertaken at considerable expense I understand by the FSA ...