September 2015

Summer did arrive and the sun shone on Loch Ewe
and is still shining on the last day of September !

The next arrival was Malcolm's Mum

who flew up to start her new life in the Highlands,

at the grand age of 90!

Malcolm's sister Barbara flew over from her home in Madeira

to fly with Mum and made the whole transition to Scotland

super smooth.

Thank you Barbara for all your hard work

to make it happen.

As you can see Mum has settled in very nicely
and Wilma is making sure that 
she gets the best seat with Mum.

Mum on her first walk up to our house...

The next few photos were taken on a drive out
to Applecross.


 A real romantic, red-roofed cottage 
nestling in the hillside

Even in the remotest part of the Highlands

you can earn a living ....

 

Some of the locals taking it easy.

 

The scenery on the way is staggering,

the route is the highest council-maintained road in the UK,

supposedly.

 and when you approach Applecross ,

it's breathtaking !

When you get there the Applecross Inn

is one of the friendliest inns you will ever find !

A new cafe has opened in Aultbea,

called Oran Na Mara,

Gaelic for "song of the sea"

with lovely views over Loch Ewe,

delicious cakes and coffee 

 and a sense of humour !

 This is Wilma, the chickens and the geese

enjoying themselves

 in the freshly-collected, smelly seaweed !

On a beach near Ullapool

we came across some fun, stone sculptures ...

 

  

It was so good to see Penny and Len this month,

who travelled all the way from Suffolk 

by motor bike, brilliant !!!

 Lunch was at the Aroma Cafe & Perfume Studio

in Mellon Charles (excellent as ever!)

as our kitchen was out of bounds 

while the house is being rewired.

Great to see you both, looking good in the leathers !

Enjoy the rest of your trip.

Mum's house is coming along,

the chimney is up....

 and the walls are starting to take shape.

Young Duncan helped Malcolm to bring home the peat

from the common grazing 

ready to be dried for the winter.

Malcolm's sister, Barbara, could not be tempted

to join Janette and I for a swim in Loch Ewe,

preferring to stay well and truly wrapped up warm !

but Janette and I love being tumbled around by the waves

and while we are gone 

Wilma finds something to amuse herself with. 

After many years

 I found my way back into the saddle again !

All I need to do now is remember how to steer again 

and to stay on !

Thank you Fiona for getting me back on !

Seashore colours of September....

Hope you have enjoyed your September, too

and wishing you a wonderful October.

June x and Wilma

August 2015

Hello again, another month gone
 and still waiting for some summer sun !!

Instead we have been bringing in the logs
to be cosy by the fire !! 

The annual Produce Show
was held at Gairloch Community Hall this month
and our lovely hens' eggs won 1st prize !

Fed on organic feed and left to roam all over the place
the hens reward us with beautiful, large brown eggs.

Aultbea is building its own community skiff, 
in a wonderful shed at Aultbea Lodges,
to be used for either social rowing or competion rowing .

Big thanks to Mark and Emma ,
who took over the Aultbea Lodges last year,
whose shed is being used for the build.
Anyone interested in short breaks or longer have a look at 
their web page :
 http://www.aultbea-lodges.co.uk/

The final plank, known as the whisky plank,
 was fixed and toasted to with a wee dram
together with lots of cake !

 

The skiff has now been successfully turned over .....

... with another wee dram and lots of cake !

and is now back in the shed for the next stages.

Loch Ewe Community Skiff Group (LECSG)

have their own Facebook page

and have some great photos and videos

showing the progress of the skiff,

well worth a look.

The weather has been so grim that the geese...

 

and the sheep take it in turns to get into the shelter.

We've had three lots of lovely visitors this month,
all from our time spent in Auchencairn, Dumfries and Galloway.


It was great to see Leslie and Barbara,
looking as young and vibrant as ever !
( retirement suites you Lesley )

and April and Doug with Sophie the KC spaniel,
thanks for the musical entertainment ...
 

Sophie in the front row

and the walking in the wind !!!!!

 

( still think Doug could get a job modelling 
with Littlewoods catalogue )

Up on a windswept hilltop ..
 

and Brian and Pauline....
 

 

with Wilma's friend Jaz

who loved the afternoon on the beach.

(we promise not to mention the episode with the car keys !!!!)


August had its silly moments,
with hoola-hooping on tables....

and sack races to the barn......

and funny adverts from our great store in Aultbea !

Sunday mornings still see us wild swimming
in Loch Ewe...

Janet and Janette
 on one of the calmer days just floating around.

Janet showing that some jelly fish

are quite harmless ...

not sure about the next two...

this red one looks as though it could do some harm

Wilma with her friend Cruso,

from the Isle of Ewe Smokehouse,

(see their Facebook page)

just dipping their toes in the water.

The next photos are just some colours on the shores

of Loch Ewe ...

 

Sunset..

morning mist ...

and rainbows 

and abstract art beneath the water

Malcolm's Mum is moving up to the Highlands

on 9th September,

her house is not quite ready for her...

but won't be long !

Perhaps our summer is just around the corner, 

so until next month 

have a very enjoyable September,

June and Malcolm