February 2016

A lot has happened this month
and the sun has shone and the chickens are laying well.

Malcolm's Mum's house is now built !

and the removal lorry cometh !!!

The all important armchair and foot stool 
came off the lorry first

and then the pack of playing cards !

Mum looks like she's got a good hand.

Lots of boxes still to unpack and sort out
but at least now Mum and possessions 
are all in one place
and solar panels and building regulation insulation
means that she will never be cold again
even in the Highlands !




When the pond froze over and I filled a tin bath 
for their drinking water
I didn't think they'd bath in it !
should have known better.

Wilma tries to make friends with most animals,
including our borrowed sheep...

she's not so sure of this one though.

Wilma prefers her band of boyfriends..

but all that chasing about is very tiring

and rest and relaxation is then the order of the day !

You can see why she is a rough-coated terrier !
always has that
 "pulled-through-a-hedge-backward" look.




Some images on a sunny day
driving through the Torridons.......

a long forgotten trawler

and a long forgotten petrol pump

a lovely harbourside stone wall in Diabeg

a local heron

anyone fancy a building project ?




Malcolm's book of the month

"The One-Straw Revolution"
by Masanobu Fukuoka
ISBN 978-1-59017-313-8

"This book is one of the founding documents
of the alternative food movement
and indispensable to anyone
hoping to understand the future of food and agriculture"
- Michael Pollan

"Every now and then you  read a book which is so inspiring
and such a pleasure that you feel impelled
to stride down the street shouting "read this!"
Well, I've just read The One-Straw Revolution 
and I urge everyone to buy or borrow a copy without delay"
-Tom Hodgkinson, The Idler






Quote of the month

"Look deep into nature and then
you will understand everything better"

Albert Einstein

Thank you for all my birthday wishes 
at the beginning of the month,
I enjoyed my birthday swim in the loch
not in my birthday suit
you'll be pleased to know !

I just love this next photo and caption,

sent to me by my crazy, Sunday-morning-swimming friend

Janette !!!

We're just off to buy 

matching hats and sunglasses !

Enjoy yourselves in March,

go really crazy !!

June xxxx

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