6. Mackerel are the new courgette

Sent:    20 June 2007 22:36
From: Stokes, Fiona
FW: Mackerel are the new courgette

Hello!

Mid summers eve is here (happy 5 years anniversary to me and Mark - where did the time go? Oh yeah. we had Austin and Morris and moved to the Outer Hebrides!) and while the beeb seems to think it's only just springtime (Did you watch Springwatch? - on BBC2 or on cbeebies- we did both!), Lewis is generally considered to be 3 weeks behind the south of England on the seasons, so ...err...that makes it...the end of May up here!  One thing that is for certain though - its fishing season!

Gravir pier, perfect for mackerel fishing

After a slow and unusual start - his first catch was a boat...  Mark has suddenly started bringin' home the mackerel. First it was 2, then a dozen, then a large binliner - to beaming smiles from me, but a little grimace when I realised I'd have to gut and fillet them all!  I decided not to tackle the large catch on the first night they arrived, and as the bag was still rustling for a while, it was just as well they chilled out in the fridge. 'Its electricity, they're not still alive'  Mark said as one of them jacknifed around in his hand. 'You should have seen the bloodbath down at that pier, there were 6 on one line all jumping around, I had to batter em quick with the end of my knife before they tangled the line up'...  I am terribly modern and I'm not used to seeing my food still jumping - electricity or not - I don't know what we'll do when we finally get some chickens or lambs, but all those mackerel eyes looking up at me from the sink was 'an odd' feeling.  But YUMM-EE!  Next catch is Pollock - a large white fish a bit like cod - apparently they've been hanging out by some rocks nearer to the sea, and Mark has a clean fisherman's knit jumper to go and catch some with!  Hooray!

Mark practices his fishing 'swishing'

So what shall we have our free mackerel with?  Well, in the garden I have a vast array of onions and lettuce, and the courgette glut is expected in August, but I'm not sure about the butternut squash.  I have had to protect all the veggies under large cloches (old bed frames covered in thick clear plastic) and butternut squash get enormous before they ripen their fruit - its worth a try though.  The alternative is to let things try their luck with the wind - I tell you, we will never need to use our garden vac again - if its windy the night after you've mowed you can wake up to a lawn sucked clean by the exciting Lewis weather! 

And as for the sunshine - its wierd - the sun is so much brighter here.  One argument is that its the lack of pollution in the air, but wowee, its like God has turned up the brightness a few notches!  And then left it on for a few hours longer in the day. We go to bed around 11, and it gets very confusing because it still looks like 8pm outside.  I was planting onions at 10.30 one night and had to come in because it just felt too strange! 

The boys don't seem to have been affected by it at all - Morris has just turned 1 and like most bodies that age he wakes at 6, regardless of light  - but they have a good blackout curtain on their window and if I give him a bottle of milk, he'll usually go back to sleep again.  They're both fine. Austin has mastered toilet training and gets himself to the loo with no help from us now. However he has also developed an 'interest' in peeing in unusual places. Today the dustpan, most days the front step, this evening his blow up boat, and even the other day my washing up powder box. I guess its a phase...I hope so, Marks had a chat with him.

I have to say it over and over, it is really a very very wonderful place Lewis - we're getting on pretty well I reckon.  Mark is busy with work which is good, and bad as we miss him in the day, but at least we're finding the work is here and people are recommending him on to others.  People say to us 'Its so good to have a plumber in South Lochs again' - I  don't ask what happened to the last one...

So a happy summer solstice to you all - remember to 'sprinkle some fern in your eyes, before you go to sleepy-byes, and the day that follows a solstice moon, fairies will appear by noon'. Its worked for me twice, so this year I'm trying in all good faith for a hat trick!!

Keep in touch
With love
Fiona, Mark, Austin and Mo-Mo.