It's hot. sunny and still: three unusual things to meet one at 5.30am on a Wednesday morning on Lewis.
In an ideal world I would have had three or four hours in the garden before I toddled off to town to get my bloods done for my cancer review in a week or two. However I decided that I couldnae be earsed wearing my midge suit this morning so would do indoor things instead. That unsettled me because I usually prefer to do indoor things when the weather is less clement (ie more like its usual Lewis self). So I've actually done a fraction of the things I wanted to do. Apart from anything else I couldn't find some of the pictures I needed for birthday cards.
Anyway I decided I'd do a blog post instead. I'd been given the idea by Marcheline's use of 'sitooterie' a day or so ago.
Every place has it's language quirks and, often, its own unique or special name for something. In Scotland a place to sit out in your garden is called a sitooterie.
This is my sitooterie
Love your comfy ecru and wood decor. Beautiful garden. Your sitooterie is lovely.
ReplyDeleteHave to say though, saying that feels sort of personal. Can you imagine saying that aloud in a restaurant, the looks one would get.
lol
Maywyn I understand what you are saying. Anywhere bur Scotland where it just sounds normal.
DeleteWell, you wouldn't find me in your sitinery in 40 degree heat and no shade in your sitootery. (these must be real words as spell check is happy with them) I'll sit in the shade of the tree outside your sitenery and admire the polycarbonated view.
ReplyDeleteAndrew in reality you'd be better sitting at the front of the house out of the sun and midges and looking at the fabulous view.
DeleteI like them both!
ReplyDeleteThe soothing colours and the ornamental birds in the conservatory are lovely
Thanks, Kylie.
DeleteYour sitinerie looks inviting.
ReplyDeleteIt is, Red, but I'd have to have a fan on to keep cool and deter midges.
DeleteI am embarrassed at how long it took me to figure out the difference between a sitootery and a sitinery. *hangs head in shame*
ReplyDeleteDebby, anyone other than a Scot could have difficulty with that.
DeleteYour sitinery looks more suitable for staying snug and warm while enjoying good red wine. Love your view of your sitootery. How on earth did you cool down in 40 ºC ?
ReplyDeleteDamn!
DeletePauline, most of the time up here the sitooterie is simply to keep out of the cold North and East winds.
DeleteOur sitooterie is called an 'auvent'. It's an open sided terrace with a pukka roof. It's where we eat in the evenings, in the shade.
ReplyDeleteCro, that takes me back to summers in the Poitou Charante: good times.
DeleteBoth in and out look like lovely spots to be, but if the weather forecasts are correct you're not going to have to worry about being too hot and midge-dodging next week.
ReplyDeleteJ. given that today I have a very full day away from home less heat would be very welcome. I loved the heat in New Zealand when I lived there and in France when I holidayed there. The difference is that here I have to work in it and contend with midges.
DeleteThe weather is really extraordinary in your neck of the woods recently. It can't last, surely.
ReplyDeleteJabblog, it definitely can't last but I'd like a little less cold north east wind when the heat subsides.
DeleteGoodness! 40C is really, really HOT. We rarely get that here, and we do get hot summers.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, your place looks beautiful, a real home, and very inviting.
Thank you, Meike. It's a comfortable home and after 30 years here the house and I have got used to each other.
DeleteThe things I learn each day. I have had both a sitooterie and a sitinerie all my life and didn’t even know it. Well, not all of my life, perhaps, but most of it.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I'm sure that you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine.
DeleteI expect that the sitinery gets more use during a typical summer up there. Same as here.
ReplyDeleteYo've hit the nail on the head, Maywyn. The sitooterie is used relatively infrequently.
DeleteMy whole garden is about the size of your sitootery, thats because I have a sitinery attatched to the house and a shed. At the moment the 'problem' is sunbathing without causing distress/embarrassment to the neighbours. We don't have midges. Lesley
ReplyDeleteLesley, I'm too old to worry about embarrassing neighbours! But what would I give to have no midges? In fact the usual cold wind is a trade off because the midges can't fly in it.
DeleteI like both your sitooterie and sitinerie. The sitooterie looks to be in sunny and sheltered spot. Xx
ReplyDeleteYes, Jules, it's the one sunny and sheltered spot on my site.
DeleteHope it cools off soon so you can enjoy your sunroom and patio - our names for your sitinerie and sitooteries!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ellen for that information. In the UK in general a patio is just a paved area adjacent to a house - a sitooterie would probably be called a patio in the rest of the UK too.
DeleteLovely! Is that a greenhouse that I also see? Perhaps you call it something else there but how wonderful to have one!
ReplyDeleteKay, it's good to see you again. The structure is a twin skinned polycarbonate tunnel. They are immensely strong. and therefore suited to out very strong winds. I have shortened polycarbonate tunnel to polycarb.
DeleteI've got a white plastic bench outside the backdoor I sometimes sit on in the sun. It belonged to my mother and was outside her backdoor and she would sit on it in the sun. It lives on with me. That's enough for me.
ReplyDeleteRachel, I suspect you have a lot more protection from the wind from your trees. At the front of my house facing the sea I have an outdoor chair/table and that is my preferred seat when the icy wind doesn't blow. After all I've only got one bum to park anyway.
DeleteYou have a nice property and a nice house, looks very tidy and neat, unlike mine right now.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Amy. I've had 30 years to tidy it (and untidy it!).
DeleteYour home looks cheerful, bright and cosy, Graham...a lovely place, indeed.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty chilly and sunny here at present...it's our winter, of course. Take good care. :)
Lee, your winter is probably generally warmer than our summer. Days like this one are rare.
DeleteI love both the "sits" ... how long do the midges stay?
ReplyDeleteJill, the presence of midges depends on many things. They love the warm, sunny, moist air without any wind. A breeze over 5 mph means that they can't fly. They usually start at the end of May and stay until the end of July. In fact they are always in the soil but that's when they are active and breeding (only the females bite but they are all a nuisance because they get in one's ears and eyes and anywhere else they can reach!
DeleteGreat to learn some new words, which doubtful I will ever use myself, Graham. Your "sit" places look warm and inviting despite the unwelcome warm temps. We do miss our front porch which might well have been our sitinerie when we lived in a house vs. the current apt.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice, I suppose if I lived in an apartment with a balcony I would call that a sitooterie.
DeleteNice places to sit but not when it is 40°C. Keep cool.
ReplyDeleteNo, Diane, when I lived in New Zealand i would retreat when it got hat hot. That just doesn't happen here.
Delete