August 2014 happenings

Hi to all of you looking at this latest posting, enjoy.

We have been up in the Highlands for a year now,
 how time has flown !
Our first winter was kind to us, although
the wind can blow more ferocious than in most places, 
don't even think about garden ornaments.
The summer has been grand, 
some days it's even been too hot to sit outside, 
very unexpected 
and the dreaded midges have been almost non-existent.
The local people have been very kind
 and welcoming to us 
and it is amazing how many wonderful things are happening here.

Malcolm has been trying his hand at peat cutting up on the common grazing,  just need a few warm days to dry it.

Very peaceful and beautiful up on the common grazing with just a few sheep for company.

A sun-filled evening after heavy rain from the croft.

It was lovely to see April up from Auchencairn with her very special companion Sophie. We had some terrific beach walks and ..

we found a relatively high hill for April to climb to prove she had been to the Highlands.

Sophie and Wilma after a hard day's walking.

A visit to see Trevor Leat's new willow sculptures at Inverewe Gardens was a must and we weren't disappointed, absolutely beautiful as we knew they would be.

A small creature we found up on the common grazing.

Actual size only about half an inch although he does look a bit ferocious.

Great to see Pat and Peter,too, from Norfolk on their first visit to the Highlands, with Wilma ever hopeful of a biscuit .

Kelvin promised that on his visit to the Highlands he would join me for a swim in Loch Ewe.

Kelvin very quickly wished that he had not made such a hasty promise !

Kelvin and Sue up from Norfolk. It appears that our new central heating system may be working too effectively.

After a lovely meal at the local Aultbea Hotel. The new owners are making some lovely changes and the food is superb.

Our first onion harvest.

Scented geraniums, looking good, smelling delightful and the edible flowers really liven up a salad.

Borage is such a beautiful plant, evidently it is a fantastic companion plant for almost anything and the flowers are edible too.

Busy insects love the pollen of borage, too, I think this is a friendly hoverfly.

All around the blooming heather, the Highlands are looking a wonderful shade of purple at the moment. In the background is Ghoblach on the shores of Little Loch Broom.

A cruise ship in the harbour at Ullapool, dwarfing all the houses .

Our croft showing the replaced roof on the stone barn and the new polytunnel.

View of Loch Ewe from Mellon Charles about half a mile from the croft.


This month we are about to start some serious changes to the house,
 so a few weeks/months of brick dust and chaos coming up.

Images of July 2014

The annual Aultbea Raft Race , great fun !

 A team of  four is needed for each raft and recycled materials must be used.

Ours was made from the inner tube of a tractor wheel tied into an oval shape,

it was the smallest raft in the race.

Onlookers could not believe that we could get four people on it

let alone paddle it for half a mile !

BUT WE DID !

The race starts at the harbour pier (on the right) across the harbour to the Aultbea Hotel (on the left.)

Matthew (middle) and Jake (right) willingly made up our team of four. Thank you both for your great spirit !

Matthew looking worried as he could hear a hissing noise before and during the race.

The rafts came in all shapes and sizes, from 3 wheeled car chassis to...

oil drums and pipes !

Malcolm demonstrating green-woodworking (ie working with newly felled wood) at the Aultbea Fun Day.

Getting the spectators to put square pegs into round holes to make pegs for a garden rake.

 

and then the rain came to put a dampener on the day 

but the pipers played on

and the dancers kept on dancing

some just sang in the rain, nice one Phil !

I joined the kids and had my face painted

June and Pauline came up from Paisley to see us and what we get up to up in the Highlands.

always fun

Wilma always enjoys a paddle with friends

still laughing after 55 years of friendship

Joanna from Auchencairn came to see us for a lovely, lovely day, good to see you Joanna !

The poly tunnel is coming on, not bad as we started later than we had hoped for.

My first attempt at growing courgettes, I'm hooked.

The beginnings of cucamelons, or "mouse melons", these will grow to 8' high supposedly and the fruits are grape-sized and taste like cucumbers with a hint of lime, supposedly.

The start of many pots of Chinese Lanterns, that I love, ready for flowering next year.

14 ton of logs now waiting to be seasoned and cut ready for winter 2015, best I get the bow saw ready. Malcolm has kindly made me a saw-horse in readiness.

Two large bags of fleece kindly given to us, Malcolm is going to make a peg loom, I'm going to sort the fleeces and then it's "rugs r us", another little project for the long winter evenings.

June 2014 happenings

Hi everyone, another month has passed so quickly 

and the days seem to roll endlessly into the next one

as it stays reasonably light until about 23.15

and gets light again at about 3am !

You have to look at the clock rather than look out of the window 

to see when it's bed time.

Here's a selection of some of the happenings 

during the month.

Malcolm's sister Barbara and Mum flew up to Inverness to see us for the first time

Mum liked it so much she is coming to live up in the Highlands ! A big change at 89 !

Our other visitors this month were Helen and Malcolm from Norfolk, who think we are absolutely "bonkers"

Just had to fit in some beachcoming  at Big Sands between Gairloch and Melvaig

Farewell meal at The Aultbea Hotel, recently under new management

Green-moustached aliens found wandering on the beach

At the Aroma Cafe / Perfume Studio / Photographic Studio at Mellon Charles, always worth a visit

Wilma's latest beach find, hours of fun

The polytunnel in it's very early stages, top soil was brought in and seaweed edges the beds

Unusual white foxgloves on the croft

Scottish orchid growing on the shore

Lulu enjoying the sunshine

and trying to make friends

Family evening outing passing the croft

I have never seen such vibrantly coloured seaweed, must be something in the water !

An old, nearby, derelict, stone barn

A clear evening looking out from the croft

Looking out on a  peaceful evening