Who is the Shewolffe?

I am the Shewolffe.  Not the original SheWolffe – that was my mother, but I am the firstborn SheWolffe.

That perhaps makes no sense to you, so let me explain. My surname is Wolffe, which of course comes from my father. But the name goes back no further – he made it up himself in post War Britain in the 1940s. So, when he married my mother, she became the first SheWolffe. And I am their daughter.

But what else to tell you about myself?

I’m a passionate fundraiser, now working for an international human rights organisation, but with many years raising millions for the arts, culture and heritage in Scotland. This coming year I’ll be working on an exciting development in one of Edinburgh’s most iconic buildings, as a trustee of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, so watch this space to see what we’re up to. 

This website has been my blog for a few years, initially focusing on foodie things (another passion of mine) but in early 2022 I’ve started looking over the last year or so, when we have been in lockdown and Mum was diagnosed with dementia…

I live in Lanarkshire in the Clyde Valley, in a beautiful house surrounded by fields. One of life’s great pleasures is looking out each morning and seeing the changing landscape – sometimes infinitessimally small changes, in the length of the grass, or the colour of the leaves on the trees in the wood at the bottom of our garden. But some days the changes are bigger – sheep (and their lambs) may have been moved into the field, or the farmer has spread muck on the field (eeeeww) or has baled hay, into great enormous bobbins scattered all over the field.

I live here with the Captain. And my cat, dogs and hens.

I love cooking and am passionate about good, local food. There are over 300 cookbooks in my collection (exactly how many over I’m not too sure) and I love to try new recipes. It’s rare that I follow them to the letter though. I also love experimenting and making up my own new recipes – however I don’t always weigh things as I go, or write precise instructions as I go, so my recipes are not necessarily for the first time or anxious cook. For Christmas 2019 I was given a sous vide machine, so I’ll be experimenting with that in the coming year/s; and I also got an outdoor wood fired pizza oven, which feels less alien to me … but will also inspire me to experiment with new cooking ideas.  Edited to add: don’t worry – the sous vide machine has been left in the back of a cupboard for quite some time now, there will be no sous vide recipes on my blog!

To relax I love reading and also making things. Most of my making used to be on two needles (knitting) or with a hook (crochet) but occasionally with the sewing machine. And then in 2021 I started an embroidery project, using an old fisherman’s smock which Mum used to wear as my canvas. 

I also grow things. Or I try to. I’ve been most successful with greenhouse growing instead of veg bed growing (something to do with hens scratching up every seed in the veg bed!) but each year we make a wee bit of progress, so perhaps this year we’ll have more than just new potatoes.

Oh, and I love a list.

There will be more lists. And more photographs.

Do get in touch if you have any comments or questions.

Updated 1 January 2020