April 2016

Lambing time again.

We are very privileged 
to have some of our friend's ewes on our croft,
so we get to watch the new lambs 
from our kitchen window.
Such nobbly knees !

Lot of proud mums around.

Just in case the weather turns

we had 23 tons of wood delivered

   

Once it's sawn and split it's my job to stack it !!

It's a great job actually, it smells so nice

and it's quite rythmical and satisfying.

The night sky has been really beautiful during April,

sometimes a bit eerie,

sometimes romantic,

and sometimes with gorgeous colours.

It was great to have Malcolm's sister, Barbara ,

fly over from her home in Madeira to see us all
and stay for a few days

Any excuse for Mum to celebrate 

with a huge slice of chocolate cake

at the Aroma Cafe & Perfume Studio
 up the road in Mellon Charles

and Mum's first trip to the beach so far

at Mellon Udrigle 
on a bright, sunny afternoon.

The first lot of snow to land on Malcolm's Mum's house.

We didn't have much snow at all

but it always makes for pretty photos ...

the local geese practising their synchronised swimming

Our geese doing their daily tour of the croft.

 Sheltering from the weather .....

This photo is especially for Elaine,
 can you spot our cat Lulu ?

she's sort of in and under the stove !

Lovely and warm.

Wilma having her own version of a duvet-day.

After a hard morning playing chase 

with her much larger friend, Radar,

Wilma was ready for a hard-earned rest

Always seems to be a lot of sleeping going on.

 Janette and I had to share the loch this month

while the navy were here on manouvres,

we soon frightened them off though

but then worried
 that they might use us for target practise !

peaches growing in our little greenhouse !

One of Malcolm's latest ideas,
a key-hole planting bed,
the idea being that you can reach a large area
without trampling all over it.

Some wonderful colours found during April ....

lichen in Poolewe

rocks and seaweed at Mellon Udrigle beach

daffodils from the croft

The Blood Transfusion Service 

has decided to come to our neck of the woods

only twice a year from now on,

so by the time I've given my next 50 pints 

I'll be 86 !!

Quote of the month

The following quote was sent to me by my friend,

Karen Searson,

and I thought it was lovely. 

"The secret to living well and longer is :

eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure"

A Tibetan Proverb

thank you Karen

~~~~~~~~~~~

Book of the month

"My Favourite Place"

This little paperback book is a special collection of writing
about Scotland by the people of Scotland,
beautifully illustrated,
with inspiring stories, poems and songs
by members of the public ,
alongside well-loved writers
including Michael Palin, Alexander McCall Smith,
Makar Liz Lochhead and Aidan Moffat.

The contents of this book were collected 
as part of a national project
run by the Scottish Book Trust and
BBC Radio Scotland in 2012.
(doesn't seem to have an ISBN)


We are very lucky here in the Highlands
because lots of our services are mobile, 
like the bank, a cinema and the library
and come right to our doors
and are all friendly and become a social event.

One of the entries in this little book is called
"The Mobile Library Man"
by Howard Swindells
and I thought it would be fun to include it here.

~~~~~~~~

I am the mobile library man
I drive the mobile library van
I bring you books wherever I can
To Lairg, Drumbeg and Badnaban


Falls of Shin, Clachtoll beach
You'd think these places out of reach
But the yellow van it must get through
To bring some sex and violence out to you
I drive by mountain loch and glen
Down single track roads and back again
And the only thing that makes me curse
Is meeting a camper van that can't reverse


I am the mobile library man.....


I think of where I used to be
In a primary class of thirty-three
I'd lose my temper every day
And wish that I could simply run away
But now I drive this big yellow bus
And shelving books is the biggest fuss
Along the byways roaming free
This really is the only job for me


I am the mobile libray man .....


When I beep my horn I'm at your gate
Come on out I'm running late
Then at Mrs Gunn's I stop for tea
With cakes and scones and jam she's made for me
Then off again along the shore
Take Mr Parker's books on war
Then Kinbrace School, but no need for fright
There's only three kids there so that's alright


I am the mobile library man ......


Mrs Leith comes out in slippers
scours the shelves for bodice rippers
Jamie and his brother Neil
Bring the books in an old wheelbarrow with 
a squeaky wheel
Mrs Rose says I've baked a cake
Can you take it down the road to my brother Jake
If you do I'll give you a chocolate bun
You can't call this job work it's so much fun



I am the mobile library man .....


Last week I had a bit of a glitch
And dropped a front wheel in a ditch
Behind my head I heard a roar
When I looked, 500 books were on the floor
I nearly drove straight to the tip
It was less like a library more like a skip
It took five hours to get things straight
I'm driving slower now I might be late


I am the mobile library man.......


(If you want to hear this song sung go to Youtube)
~~~~~~~~~~

Ssssh, don't tell anyone but this is

the start of the May bank holiday weekend

and the sun is shining in the Highlands

AND 

there's no traffic jams !

and not even any traffic !

With so many wonderful beaches to play on,

it's goodbye from Wilma

and goodbye from me

and Malcolm

until next month.

Enjoy your bank holiday weekend

wherever you are.

xxxxxxx