June 2018

The month of June is the month of strawberries
but this has got to be one of the strangest strawberries
 I have ever seen,
the supermarkets would certainly not be selling this one !

The month started off quite grey and chilly
 but we swam anyway

here we look a bit like Anthony Gormley figures
 entering the water.

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On and around the croft

It's a lovely time of year to watch the young birds 
being fed by their parents

while others are still sitting on the nest,
patiently keeping their eggs safe and warm

and the geese are proudly showing off their young

looking towards the Torridon hills from the croft

(message for Janet, remember these that you gave us ?
they are looking great and the bees love them )

 

    

nasturtiums making a grand job as a companion plant

for the tomatoes

mange tout coming on nicely

Just love these next two photos ..

morning dew on a spider's web,
how beautiful !

Beautiful borage flowers;
not only is borage a fabulous companion plant
to grow alongside other plants but the flowers look
amazing frozen in ice cubes
 to add a touch of elegance to summer drinks 

Zara in the early morning mist

a couple of visitors popped into the polytunnel for lunch...

we've checked this one out
and discovered that it is a Brown Tail Moth caterpillar,
with up to two million hairs it can cause severe reactions
for asthmathics and hay fever sufferers.

They now live in a quiet derelict byre
 on the edge of the croft.

perhaps Wilma needs to stand on guard  to repel all foes





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Malcolm had a very special birthday greeting ...

when the Mackenzie clan came bearing 
home-grown veggies, delicious homemade pancakes 
and "happy birthday" piped splendidly by Callum !

Thank you MacKenzie Clan !

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Some local artistic fun ..

this  seahorse is on the gable end of the same house

Brilliant !
I think every house should have one, or two or three.

Perhaps a mermaid, a jelly fish, a shoal of fishes, 
the possibilities are endless.



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Zara came to join us for our alfresco supper

while Tilly just looked on

With the warm evenings I thought it was time
to teach Zara to swim...

almost there with a little encouragement

just need to go out a little further before turning round
and coming back out

Friendship is ..

sharing your yummy garlic lick

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Book of the Month

haven't quite finished it, fell asleep !

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Visitors to the croft this month

Meet four lovely, inspirational ladies !!

(notice that Wilma never likes to miss a photographic shoot)

Rita, Margo, Jackie and Lorna

Margo is a "pyjama fairy"

 and in the last 2 years has made over 200 sets of pyjamas

for children in hospital

"Pyjama Fairies" is the only UK charity

 to make pyjamas for babies and children up to age 16 having surgery

and in doing so bring a little magic to children in hospital 

and helping children sparkle.

If you have not come across pyjama fairies before

do have a look at their delightful website

https://pyjamafairies.org

These four ladies spend much of their time helping others

and having amazing fun,

it was wonderful to meet them and join in with their 

weekend break.

Thank you ladies ! xxxx

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It was lovely to see Malcolm's sister, Barb, again

all the way from sunny Madeira;

sorry Barb that you chose the only week 

when the sun didn't shine very much

between our heat waves !

Malcolm and Barb with Mum at Isle View









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Quote of the Month

from Roald Dahl wisdom






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for me a dream come true ...

be careful what you dream of !

So, from Wilma and all of us,
enjoy your heat wave wherever you are
and make the most of your summer

xxxxxxx

May 2018

Welcome to this month's blog

Things are happening in Aultbea Hall !

        It's now easier than ever to find out what's going on

                    as Aultbea Hall now has it's own

              website    :     aultbeahall.wordpress.com 

              Facebook page    :  Aultbea Hall

              email address    :   aultbeahall@gmail.com

              exterior  notice board and 

       regular updates in the Gairloch and District Times.

Thank you to all those who have made these things happen.

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On the croft

 
Our new polytunnel is now up and filling up !

We're planting as many perennial fruit and vegetables as possible to minimise growing from seed each year;


 the asparagus plants grown from seed last year 
should produce from next season and 
then continue for at least 15 years, possibly longer.

Our Suffolk Red grapevine ordered online
 looked very much like a dry old stick when it arrived
but is now showing signs of life, it may take some while though before we make our first bottle of wine !

Malcolm's peaches are continuing to bloom in the greenhouse!

We also bought some unusual seeds on ebay which we are delighted with; they include 3 sunflower varieties, 
Titan, Kong and Mammoth ! great names !
Wild sea cabbage,
Yellow stuffer tomatoes,
Indian golden podded peas,
Indian strawberries
Chinese watermelon radish 
Giant snow peas and
Kiwi berry.

Enticed by their names we probably got carried away but
time will tell if they grow in our Highland polytunnel.

The seeds came with excellent instructions to follow and if you fancy a go at any of these find Derek on ebay,
trading as elfskins edibles.




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No wonder we were wilting ! 33 degrees !
and that's outside, not in the polytunnel, on 30th May

 

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Quote of the month

"If speaking kindly to plants helps them grow,

imagine what speaking kindly to humans can do"

(found on Pinterest)






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Update on the animals




Wilma has been very poorly, probably had a brain haemorrhage,

but after her get well parcel from one of her many fans

(well some of it was for Wilma !)

 and the outstanding care and attention
from Douglas the vet and his team
 at Conanvet, Conan Bridge
(thank you all!)

she is now back to her usual mischievous self

 

and having lots of cuddles

Zara had her friends come for a sleep-over,
all very relaxed and chilled !!

Our old cockerel is still strutting around in the sunshine
even though he's a bit past his best

This old hen gave me a look that said
"do not disturb, can't you see I'm busy !"

Tilly found a nice cool spot to get out of the amazing heat

and sends you all a "high-five"
(or is that a "high-four" ?)

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Visitors to the croft this month




It was great to see Penny again and her new traveling companion Freya !

Penny recommends 
Inverewe Garden Camping and Caravaning Club Site
in Poolewe
01445-781249




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Hazel and Paul also paid us a visit 
and were able to soak up some lovely Highland sunshine

 
Hazel and Paul recommend
Tranquility B+B at 21 Mellon Charles, IV22 2JN
01445-731241





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Following on from last month's thread about minimising 

the amount of plastic in our bathrooms

I finally got round to ordering some bamboo toothbrushes;

they are lovely to use, help to save the planet and  

a tree was planted for each one !

 All the plastic toothbrushes that have ever been produced
still exist !
and they will be with us still for a very long time.
Time to change.

Why not give them a try ?







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Happiness is .......

sitting with a little ol' pony and a scruffy terrier
in the sunshine





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Wishing you all a sunny June
with all the things that make you happy,

until next month, enjoy yourselves

from June and Malcolm and the gang
xxxxxxx


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