Wet and Windy, when to pick up shellfish on Dawlish Beach

 The South West had a weekend of storms

Back to our normal wet and windy October weather.

Except this morning it was a clear, calm morning, too good not to go for a walk along the beach.

It also gave us a chance to try out our new camera.
Freya gives a whole new meaning of burying your head in the sand.

There were more things to keep her occupied than digging this morning. The storm brought in various shell fish, all littered along the tide line.

Some still alive and hanging in there waiting for the tide to turn.

Some were lucky, some not.

The gulls ate a hearty breakfast.

In fact the shell fish seemed to be disappearing at an alarming rate.

Seems there is such a thing as a free lunch after all.

At least until the tide came back in.

Word of warning about shell fish, only pick up the unopened ones, if the seagulls have got there before you, it's best to leave well alone.
Mussels are best from October to March.

But why ask me, I'm not the Soggibottom cook.

You can see Freya over on CATFLAP CAVALIER gibbering  about her toys.You can also see her in her first ever video appearance.  How to pick up a stone with no hands.

Or how bemused am I ...................

Port Wrinkle, horse hair and lime plaster walls.

Port Wrinkle is a place name.

I'm sure it looks more inviting during the Summer months..

Even  the small boats in the harbour were out of the water, tucked away for the Winter.

We have been up to other things than walking Freya along the coast this week.
The cottage is having a wall repaired.

A Cob specialist has been hard at work for weeks. Horse hair and lime plaster for the first coat, then a long wait until the second coat was applied. We are on the third coat now and have to wait at least fourteen days for it to dry before a final coat of lime wash will be applied. Living in such a beautiful old cottage has it's advantages, sometimes it's disadvantages as cob cottages have to be looked after properly, using the right tools and building materials. The dry weather isn't going to last for fourteen days, the wall will be fine even when it rains.....  although we will feel happier when the final coat of lime wash goes on.

Mr weatherman forecasts rain tomorrow.

At least the wall is almost finished, this is when it was stripped back a few weeks ago.

The sound of knitting needles clicking away can be heard during the evening. A sure sign that cold weather is around again.

This little flower is an easy make to decorate a dainty cardy. I know not everyone knits, but this is beginners stuff, I can't go wrong.

A pair of gloves.

You know the kind that are half gloves.

 Then turn out to be mitts after all.

We had to say bye bye to an old friend this week. Not to Freya but to our camera. It's still working, it hasn't gone to the great camera shop in the sky, It doesn't pick up views and distance very well, so we have upgraded to a higher pixel camera.All the photo's you have ever seen on Soggibottom's blog have been from a small pink 10.5 pixel camera. Happy snap stuff. Happy snap stuff is fine by us. There is a mix of old and new camera photo's on this post, wonder if you can tell  which one's were taken with our old camera?....

The new camera has a quicker shutter speed, good enough to show you Freya's teeth which are rounding off nicely. She's not picking up everything she comes across as she used to.Visitors are now leaving the cottage with the same amount of fingers that they came in with.

She will however have a good chew at some things when in a playful mood...

NO ONE TOUCHES Frank's tail,

not even Freya.

Freya is now five months old. Doesn't time go fast when your having fun ?

Freya as usual can be found on her own blog  CATFLAP CAVALIER 
Best not to tell her the tide is coming in.....

The back of beyond.

We've been travelling past my favorite set of stones this week. A slightly closer view than I normally show on here. To get closer you have to pay and walk under a road tunnel that will take you under the wire fence, no trying to duck under it either..

Loads of sheep around as usual.
At eleven in the morning parked along a farm track near the Henge it was cold and windy.
A happy 11 deg Cel.

It never looks inviting enough this time of year to get out from a warm car.
 

There are some that have to be coaxed.

There are some that take the plunge, no matter what time of day or night you pass, no matter what weather, it always seems as if someone is walking around.

We went to see Jake..

Mr Chops,.

 Tilly May,

and Kiann.
We also made the most of our visit and called into Ferry cottage.

Freya can be decidedly pushy at times. .

It's seems a long way back home at this time of year.
Even longer when half way along the road you have to stop.....

You might not be able to see the stones in the photo, but take my word they are there.
No matter what time of night it is, there is always someone walking around !
The wind had dropped it was a balmy 15 deg C. The best time to visit Stonehenge might be at night after all.

You can find Freya Rose Blossom as usual over at CATFLAP CAVALIER
Where ever your heading this weekend, have a great time. 

Apple Blossom in October 2011

It's true we have apple blossom on our apple tree.

Such strange freaky weather over the last few weeks. Our trees and plants aren't sure what to do. Go to sleep for the Winter or wake up for Spring.

At least it gives the bees a last minute boost.

I've been trying to get some plants undercover for the Winter.

The only things I expected to find on our apple tree this morning were Amie and Mew's wind chimes.

I also found some roses, Autumn can't be that bad....

It was 17 deg C. at lunch time today. A bit cooler than the last few weeks, still great weather for walking on the beach.
You can find Freya at  CATFLAP CAVALIER
She's starting to have an attitude, just like another Cavalier I used to know. Must be a Cavalier thing !

soggibottom

Here she is. Soggibottom Cottage as you see her.

We have been asked so many times why we called our cottage  "Soggibottom". It makes you smile and laugh right away doesn't it ? Well, maybe, it's an aquired taste, it make's me laugh...

Who in their right mind would call a beautiful, old cottage "Soggibottom" ?
Someone, I would hope who has a good sense of humour............

.... this dear 1668 cottage won our hearts when we first saw her. She needed so much tender loving care. More inside than out. nothing you see about Soggibottom is staged, she is as she is..

After moving in and stripping her bear (pun, not a spelling mistake) of her last inhabitants... it has taken us years of making her ours.  Here, I have to say, sorry, I have been neglectful of our hanging baskets... it is October in England. we have had a strange heatwave....

When we first moved to Devon, we left so many of our friends and family behind. It seemed only right that they should know what we were up to.  The reason for starting our blog.

No nipping around for tea and coffee. Our kids spend hours travelling along the A303, the road to the South West of England to spend time with us.

We spend hours travelling backwards and forwards to them. For all our friends we left behind,
HI GUYS... you know who you are.................
We also know that just because you don't leave a comment, you visit... that is what this is all about.... just being there........

This is the bridge we cross every time we need to go out into the big wide world.
The big wide world is "somewhere" on the other side, You can see it... although there are times that being an island is heaven. There aren't many people that find us down here.
If your trying to find Soggibottom, you need directions. 

Some make it here, there are some who don't know how to get here. You only have to ask.
Hi guys...postcard................ ? ? ?

This little bridge was one of the first crossing places along this route.  The road at one time used to be called Monk's Way. I want to tell you more, but by doing so, it gives our location away completely.  It is however, one of the lowest crossing points in our village. The stream  in the Summer at low tide, is fine,  in Winter or at a high tide, it tends to get a bit wet. It's a tidal stream/river... it was classed as a river a few years ago... I wonder how many river's are able to just cover your toes in the Summer...We love living here.

We have shared our cottage with our beloved pets over the years, I know you all know Amie Soto Blossom.
It makes me smile to add her to this post, because Amie was always a very big part of Soggibottom.  So many that didn't really like dogs, fell in love with her, ... her snoring was just apart of her beloved nature... I joke, she had her own charm.. There could only be one Amie Soto Blossom...
 Just as some still ask me about out very first dog, called Lucky, Amie was intended to be our very last...

There can be only one, Frankie de tabby ...  Frank is still around, he is "my lad", mum's boy....  If you ever  have lunch here at the cottage, watch your legs, he is a very well renowned scrounger at Sunday lunch times...  he is however a bit of a wimp when it comes to visiting the vet or any time a fox is around late at night visiting our very well stocked bird table.

There can only be one Hannah cat.....

One Sneaky and Mew.

One dear Fluffs, my blogging buddy....

I haven't forgotten Fluffs.

Soggibottom is a beautiful cottage, it tends to get wet now and again.. The last time it was flooded, a dyke was build around the stream in the park behind the cottage...
Who ever would have thought that we would spend another Winter with wet feet when a burst water main pipe came up through our kitchen floor..... ..  Soggibottom always has a surprise. but, we love her.

Visiting Soggibottom .... You have to have directions ......
Just let us know....

Time moves on, we are lucky enough that we live in one of the most beautiful parts of England.  Frank is still here, Freya has taken Mew's place by the fire, she has taken over Amie's toy box, Amie wouldn't mind...she has also taken Hannah and Sneaky's place, sitting on the settee. No one has yet taken Fluff's place beside me when I blog... It's open ... We smile a lot... the secret of a happy cottage.

I am sure there is a reason why you have named your blog a certain name... I have tried to explain why we call Soggibottom , Soggibottom... We love Soggibottom, but it's not just about us you know !

We can give you directions :-) you just have to ask ................. We are full for November and December :-)

Thanks Dawn, you are at star ... I won't be able to see your star,  living in this part of the hemisphere, just because I can't see you, doesn't mean your not there... x x x

dawnhaydesigns.blogspot.com/2011/10/whats-your-name.html


Freya Rose Blossom can be found as usual at   The Cat Flap Cavalier