January 2016

January has been the month to do the odd bit of hibernating

and this time the month's storms have left no damage, 

unlike January 2015 !

There has been a light dusting of snow

and our borrowed Shetland sheep 

didn't seem bothered in the least.

 When the temperature begins to drop

and the water in Aultbea Harbour begins to freeze over

you can't beat the the satisfaction of a lovely wood pile.

 But regardless of the temperature 

the Sunday morning Loch Ewe swim 

happens as usual,

well, for Janette and I it does.

With sun on the water, snow on the mountains

and a few patches of ice, 

how could we disappoint our dogs ?

Although Storm has not worked out yet 

what this getting in the water is all about.

Our friend Bryan held a wonderful Burn's Supper,

in the traditional style,

with young Callum making everyone feel very special

as he piped us all in on arrival,

with lots of recitals and fun,

and tartans

and haggis, neeps and tatties

and some lively Scottish dancing

organised by Elna.

Thank you Bryan for a wonderful evening !

Malcolm's Mum's house hasn't quite met the latest deadline

but we are assured that it will be ready in time

for carpet laying on 16th February !

Please keep everything crossed for her.

A clear sunny day on Loch Ewe

with just a little breeze.

The wind in Gairloch on Friday was much rougher,

almost lost mother-in-law Mary Poppins-style ! 

 but the seagulls loved playing in the waves.

Malcolm's book of the month

"The Dance of the Dragon"
by Paul Broadhurst and Hamish Miller
ISBN 0 9515183 5 6
Astonishing revelations about why our churches 
and sacred sites are positioned where they are.
Virtually every single one is on a strong magnetic field
and these energies often "cross" where the cross is!

 Although Malcolm has been reading this book I feel I have too,

as he has read so many of the pages to me.

Quote of the month

Every time you feel yourself getting pulled

into other people's nonsense,

repeat these words :

"Not my circus, not my monkeys"

Polish Proverb

Fun Idea

Maybe I have spent too long in the water

but I came across this imaginative idea for a 

mermaid blanket !

Just for fun have a look at the website:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bulky--quick-mermaid-blanket 

New Year Resolutions 

Instead of giving things up I prefer to take things up

and this year I hope to

learn to row in the Loch Ewe Community Skiff,

learn some of the Scottish ceilidh dances,

learn to spin wool

and might even learn to ride a bike (very frightening !)

Jack of all trades, master of none comes to mind.

Good luck with all your new year resolutions,

whatever they are,

don't give up on them !

June x

December 2015 / New Year

Happy New Year 

to you all !

 hope you have enjoyed your Christmas festivities.

What better way to start the new year

than getting wet in Loch Ewe,

 

and partying until the early hours at the annual
 hogmanay dance in Aultbea .

 A great night was had by all,

thank you Murdo and Willie and the Aultbea Team

for organising such a wonderful event.

 AND

this is what I call community policing at it's very best !

Thank you for looking after us all. 

The run up to Christmas was made special too 

by the ceilidh organised by

the pupils of the local Bualnaluib School. 

 The pupils and some former pupils

 also provided first class entertainment

on the pipes and accordian

 and performed songs in gaelic,
with lots of actions and colour.

 Liam on the pipes

with the youngest member of the gathering...

 and Callum on the pipes.

Brilliant entertainment 

along with ample platefuls of delicious cakes.

There is a whole army of ladies in Aultbea

always baking cakes.

Thank you. 

If you ever find yourself stressed out by Christmas

take a leaf out of Lulu and Wilma's book,

 

lay down, stretch and relax

and wait until it's all over.

--------------------

My lovely Dad, Willam Mansell, who died in 2009,

so loved books and spent most of his spare time reading

and enjoyed making notes of quotes that inspired him.

This is something that has rubbed off on to me and Malcolm

so I thought that a quotation and a book recommendation

each month might be enjoyed by others too.

As the new year has just begun this following quote 

seemed appropriate.

•         Do the best you can, whatever arises
•       Be at peace with yourself
•       Find a job you enjoy
•       Live in simple conditions: housing, food, clothing; get rid of clutter
•       Contact nature every day; feel the earth under your feet
•       Take physical exercise through hard work; through gardening or walking
•       Don't worry; live one day at a time
•       Share something every day with someone else; if you live alone, write to someone; give something away; help someone else somehow
•       Take time to wonder at life and the world; see humour in life where you can
•       Observe the one life in all things
•       Be kind to creatures

    

     by Helen Nearing

author of "Loving and Leaving the Good Life"

     
 

~~~~~~~~~~~

The book that we are enjoying at the moment is:

by Dr Wayne W Dyer

Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life.

Living the Wisdom of the Tao.

ISBN   978-1-4019-1536-0

~~~~~~~~~~

In the meantime,

here's wishing you a wonderful, healthy and thriving 2016

from the chilly waters of Loch Ewe.

June xx

November 2015

Another month has whizzed by 

but in between the rains and the winds

November has still allowed me to take some 

photographs to share with you. 



 The Loch Ewe Community Skiff
is coming on really well,
the inside has been painted and the skiff turned over
ready for the 7 coats of primer, undercoats and top coats
to be applied.
 

With lots of helping hands at each stage
  we'll soon be out there rowing !!

Wilma has been a good dog 
and all good dogs deserve a bone....

and this one proved worthy of guarding !

It may have been a bit on the small side
and there was only one .....

but we managed to grow a melon in the Highlands !




The sun appeared to make the water warm 
and so Malcolm decided to make a rare appearance
in the loch this month
and seemingly enjoyed it.

Storm, Jeanette's whippet puppy,
is now old enough to be on the social circuit,
Wilma needed no encouragement to make a new friend
at our Sunday morning beach party.

It was great to see Bryan looking so well again
and to meet his lovely daughter Julie, 
who came up from Norfolk.

    



Malcolm's Mum's house build is coming on,
completion should be at the end of January,
ready for her 91st birthday on 1st February 2016.
 

The sun rising over Loch Ewe ..

... quiet and still

Sunlight on the waters of Loch Ewe,
looking like sparkling stars,
love this one.

From the Highlands

we wish you all love and happiness 
during your festive preparations 
and your Christmas celebrations.
 xxxx

October 2015

Wonderful Highland weather all month !

 The sun shade was even out on 30th October,
our very late summer !

Wilma, our very rough-coated Jack Russel,
has had a busy month, 
she's been helping me with carding wool, 

(can you spot the dog amongst the wool ?)


... she's been helping harvest the potatoes !

 and been busy making new friends with Radar,
a Visla puppy, who lives by the beach where we swim.

 Wilma needs to show him who's boss
before he becomes rather large.

Meet Storm,
 a whippet puppy who has just arrived in the Highlands
and lives with Janette and Alan
 and will soon be able to make friends
with Wilma when he's had all his jabs.

While Janette and I swim Wilma amuses herself by the jetty.



As the weather has been so good 
it has been a very out of doors month,
so we took every opportunity to make the most of it.

 

When the tide is out in the harbour
and Fiona says "let's go and have fun with the ponies",
you just have to go. 

Bringing Fiona's son, Jack ,
back from school. 

On the last day of the season
it was lovely to be able to ride to the Aroma Cafe in Mellon Charles
and sit outside with coffee and cake.

Thank you to all of you at the cafe 
for a great season of refreshments,
see you again in the spring.

Malcolm's Mum decided to get up close to Aken,

I think next time she might get on him !

 Mum's house is progressing well
and really taking shape.

Soon be laying the carpets !

Here we have our neighbours 
Jay, Alfie, Calid and Holly 
just about to go off to collect whelks.



Mum is spending her days while her house is being built
in the conservatory of the cottage she is staying in,
where she can watch the world go by.

Mum was delighted at the beginning of the month 
to have a surprise visit from her very dear friends,
Peggy, Christina and John
all the way from Harrow in Middlesex.

Great to see you all !

Along with Mum's plot came an old byre,
which was damaged in a storm
and needs a little attention,
another rainy day project ! 

The sun going down over Gairloch.

A beautiful crescent moon over Loch Ewe.



Just wanted to share this next photograph with you,
 taken near Stornaway, 1916
of two women bringing home the peats 
AND
knitting at the same time !

Truly multi-tasking.

Photo courtesy of Highland Folk Museum,
Highland History and culture.



To Peter and Paul,
thank you for rewiring our house 
and making such a super job,
sorry you had to spend so much time in the dusty, crowded loft.
It's now time to start some serious decorating,
but hey if the sun's still shining,
what's the rush ?

Will November bring lots of sunshine too,
or is that hoping for too much ?

Wishing you good weather wherever you are, 
June