July / August 2017

July has been a very sociable month with loads of community activities !

Our team, "The Bearded Ladies", (a motley crew!)

ready for the annual Aultbea Raft Race across the harbour,

starting from the pier and paddling across to the

Aultbea Hotel.

( Thank you for this one Stan Miller )

You may be thinking that we're sinking

but we did make it to the other side of the harbour !

( Thanks for this one Stan Miller )

Our team, "The Bearded Ladies", didn't win the race

but we weren't last

and despite the midges being out in force

a great crowd turned out to cheer everyone on.

(Thanks for this one Stan Miller )

Just in case you didn't recognise any of us 

from the left "The Bearded Ladies"

were Lorna, Moira, me, Nibby and Fiona,

only one beard made the crossing.

This year's raft definitely will not make it for next year,

back to the drawing board.

Just in case any of you were wondering about

'elf and safety issues,

Lorna was in charge in case of accident !

It was Moira's first ever raft race but she needed no persuasion to join the team

and loved every minute of it,

so much so that she's ready for next year's race !

Even in the rain it's great fun watching all the various rafts arrive...

getting ready to enter the water

A big thank you to Willie, Murdo and team 

for organising yet another wonderful event.

Even though it was a wet and windy evening

for the raft race

Malcolm's Mum was still up for coming out to show her support. 

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At the Aultbea Fun Day

Mum was a good sport and at 92 had her face painted

for the very first time, 

well done Mum !

The pipe band came to play

and there certainly was no shortage of homemade cake !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Wester Ross Growing Group

have planted several fruit trees 

at the Clapper Bridge in Aultbea ,

with a long term view of growing food for free,

wood for fuel and growing communities

in this and other locations.

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Round and about the croft...

Malcolm's potager is growing well

and there have been about 65 full-size, juicy peaches 

on the three year old peach tree in the greenhouse, 

not bad for the Highlands !

Zara's hay store/field shelter is now complete

and both she and I love it !!!

Malcolm amused himself making and carving

a really great gate;

from the left is me, then a chicken, a goose,

Wilma the dog, Zara the horse, Lulu the cat

and finally Malcolm !

Lots of young sparrows and starlings wanting to be fed

fennel

Across the loch

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Wilma entered into the spirit of the "Doggy Fun Day"

in aid of the Munlochy Animal Rescue Centre

organised and run by Janette and Lorna

and

walked very nicely to heel with her young handler Maisy

Not surprisingly Wilma didn't think too much of

the fancy dress outfit for the occasion,

but she tolerated it for a while.

~~~~~~~~~~

My nephew James, wife Caroline and daughter Charlotte

 wanted an authentic Scottish holiday

and they joined in with everything !!!

They are the most up-for-anything visitors we've had so far! Brilliant !

They danced the night away at the Poolewe Ceilidh

and Charlotte looked so pretty

as she twirled in her salmon pink dress

and they barely missed a dance

Thank you to The Poolewe Ceilidh Partnership

[on Facebook : The Poolewe Ceilidh Partnership]

and

[www.pooleweceilidhnights.org]

and

Two Lochs Radio, the smallest radio station in the UK

who hosted the evening

and 

Full Tilt Ceilidh Band

for a fabulous evening.

They joined in with the Sunday morning swim ...

Caroline joined the band of "life guards" 

Charlotte learnt to kayak,

no sooner had the paddles touched the water and

she was off

James was up for swimming to the island...

everyone was up for marshmallows over the camp fire

zip-wiring

playing "Wilma-in-the-middle", Wilma won most times

throwing stones into the sea, always a great sport

So, James, Caroline and Charlotte

come back to the Highlands again soon!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With licks from Wilma, who's had a hectic month,

and me

and Malcolm

we'll sign off with Wednesday's beautiful sunset

over Poolewe 

xxxxxxxxx