30 November 2016

November 2016

Hello everyone,
after last month's photo-filled posting this posting is very lean indeed
as my lovely camera has worn itself out
and it's replacement seems to be out of stock by everyone for the time being.

So just a very few photos this time.





Thanks to Stan Miller for this one,
our photographer-in-waiting on Sunday mornings.



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Fiery November sky over Loch Ewe









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Had a wonderful evening at the new
Ullapool Ferry Terminal building
listening to Philip Hoare of Southampton University talking about whales.





Philip kept the audience spell-bound ,
it is always a delight to listen to someone who shows so much passion for their subject.

You can find him on youtube.




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Have you ever seen potatoes like these before ?





They are "Salad Blue" and "Highland Burgundy",
they look wonderful and stay this colour even after cooking
and they taste great.

Thank you Phil for your home-grown spuds,
might just have to try these ourselves next year.






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Book  of the Month

"Small Steps with Heavy Hooves"

by Spud Talbot-Ponsonby

ISBN 1 84024 072 5


A lovely book lent to me this month by my horse-loving friend Fiona.
This book follows a mother's walk back to health in the Highlands
with her sixteen month old son, her dog and Ben the horse.

















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Quote/Verse of the month



Peace is every step.
The shining red sun is my heart.
Each flower smiles with me.
How green, how fresh all that grows.
How cool the wind blows.
Peace is every step.
It turns the endless path to joy.




This verse is taken from :
















Thank you John and Tania
for giving us a copy of this beautiful book.


It's lovely when friends are tuned in to the sort of books
that they know we will enjoy
and it's always a surprise !






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As the days are getting shorter
it is the season to start to hibernate a little.....







and Wilma and Lulu need no encouraging to do that !!










So with another month over,


*
We
wish
you all a
wonderful
run up to the
Christmas festivities
take a leaf out of  Wilma
and Lulu's book and keep calm.
############################
####################
with
love from
June and
Malcolm
xxxxxxx



30 October 2016

October 2016



October has been a month for glorious beaches,
the very best in the world !!

We spent a week on the beautiful island of Berneray,
a small island 3 miles by 2 miles, between south Harris and north Uist.




Berneray has a 3 mile long white sandy beach on the west coast
and a mile long sandy beach on the east coast
and while we were there the sun shone for us all week.






Yes, of course I had to try out the water.







sand dunes ..





rocks ..






and white sand ..


























I think I've fallen in love with Berneray !






patterns in the sand ..
















We rented a restored, one bedroom, thatched "black house" on the shore,
couldn't get any nearer to the water!








The walls of these old black houses are about 4 to 5 feet thick,
with the window about half way in, amazing.







Hilary and Anna, the owners of the cottage, had thought of everything,
even down to providing Berneray  produced wool and kinitting needles .







The cottage windows looked out onto the bay







where we had fabulous views of the seals lazing around and putting on
the occasional performance for us.





All over the islands and  indeed Scotland you can find abandoned croft houses




and Berneray is no exception









in this one even the kitchen range has been left behind







They seem to be crying out for someone to restore them back to life again














The thatched roofs used to be netted and tied down with stones
to prevent them from being blown off by the strong winds.








Just one pane of glass left hanging on in there








The original roof timbers used, just as they had been felled














Just a short walk from the cottage was the well stocked Ardmaree Stores
and the delightful ajoining Lobster Pot Tearoom
run by Bob and his wife who are now ready to retire.

So anyone fancying a change of lifestyle and a new venture
on the isle of Berneray, here's your chance !








Bob also has a sense of humour,
hence the sign outside









Wilma enjoyed her holiday too,
taking in the scenery








striding along the beaches










and hiding in the sand dunes







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The cottage had a wonderful selection of books, around 300 books,
all on the Islands, Highlands and Scotland,
we need another visit to finish reading them.


One on the books was "The Silent Weaver"













We were so intrigued by the story of Angus MacPhee
we took ourselves off to find his birthplace
at 52 Balgarva, Iochdar, South Uist




Sadly the once thatched cottage on the shore is now derelict,
similar in size to our holiday cottage,
this cottage was home to his parents and 4 children.









Amazingly, on the rocky shore below the cottage,
we were able to find Angus' initials, "AMP"
that he had carved into the rocks before he left to go to war in 1939.





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Another book in the cottage that was also delightful
was "Storm Biscuits"
by the poet and artist Pauline Prior-Pitt











and this poem I thought suited the holiday.








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Views around Berneray

























This must be one of the loveliest youth hostels ever !







While we were in the Outer Hebrides we travelled further south
to Eriskay to see the Eriskay ponies







where the ponies seem to own the roads !







and the hilltops





The beaches on Eriskay are also breathtakingly beautiful.


This beach by the harbour is where Bonnie Prince Charlie came ashore
on his way to the Battle of Culloden
















Driving back through South Uist we stopped for lunch at the
West Kilbride café (great café and open all year round)
and made two new friends, Heather and her very shy friend !
who are now known to us as the "scarf ladies"

Looking forward to seeing you next year x










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Scotland is not short on historical sites
and not far from Stornaway are the 
Calanais Standing Stones















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This next photo is a strange one to include,
the public toilets at Rodel, Isle of Harris

The reason for it's inclusion is that it is the only public toilet I have ever come across
that has a visitor's book complete with a jar of pens !

Thank you to the locals of Rodel who kindly upkeep this facility
for it's visitors, very much appreciated.









The wonderful St Clements church at Rodel is also worth a visit to view
the exquisite carvings there.







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This year's Mod (the annual Gaelic music festival)
was held in Stornaway


The ferry coming  home from Stornaway to Ullapool
was filled with the music and beautiful voices of those competing in the Mod
as they just could not stop singing,
a very uplifting, musical journey.







I'm not quite sure why but the coastguard helicopter
also accompanied the ferry for part of it's journey,
all part of the entertainment.















The setting sun, from the homeward bound ferry coming into Ullapool








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Back home in the Highlands we came across a delicious,
award-winning dairy selling organic cheeses













and with a small coffee shop as well,
Malc's mum couldn't resist a large piece of cake !








October has given us some beautiful weather,
so much so that the sweet peas are still blooming








and the potatoes are growing large








and Jay helped with the stringing up of the onions









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I think I've done my bit for the Scottish Tourist Board this month !









So from me and Wilma




and not forgetting Malcolm


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wishing you all a Happy Halloween
xxxxxxxxxx