reto

 

look, I paid about £20 for this camera so I am going to use it. Here at the bowls club where we played inside last Wednesday.

Pass the mince pies please

Greetings all

 

Greetings from the mild NW of Scotland. Lovely Eve here would like to wish our reader a very happy festival of over-consumption such as it is. 

The sun has been shining a bit of late so the Reto UW&S camera got an outing loaded with HP5. Lovely camera it is too. People were rushing hither and thither [mainly Hither] while we sauntered along having acquired our sprout and free range neep. 

We shall spend the day doing a little light exercise, eating a spot of lunch and generally being nice to each other.

We do hope you are having a fine day whoever and where ever you are.

pedestrianisation

 

Stormoway for all it's sins, and there are many has pedestrianised the town centre. Well several roads anyway. as you can see here it is a great success allowing more cars to park or drive along there than usual. The town was heaving the other day despite the rain. 

Donald or was it Murdo doing their best to keep the shelves full in the coop. The weather haas held up so ferry deliveries are still happening.

Using my Polypan-f film again.

And I must hereby wish my reader a very lovely few days whatever it means to you. Oh and thank my Secret Santa for the film. _loverly

The crofter

 

I shall call down to see The Crofter et al on Christmas day. It's a tradition now. They will pose in their fancy jumpers while I snap them up.

I took this snap a while back, The tractor is now gone to Donald four tractors to add to his collection. The barn and mud is still there.

keith

 

This is Keith at Christmas [not Keith Christmas ] who was making a right nuisance of himself the other morning. The sun shone after days of rain, the sky red and radiant over the bay earlier. Eve went out for a much needed bike ride and I had decided to go out for a stroll and sing a few off-key carols just to annoy the neighbours. Only Keith decided to come along just as the days cars appeared and luckily stropped to let the furry fella do what he wanted - cross the road [with the chicken]. Keith went across then sat in the middle making sure everyone knew was boss. I was so up-fed I came home.

Boris etc

 This Boris another four legged creature in the village. A lovely fella here with his human taking the air.

Timbukthree loop

 Here's little and quick snap taken on a stroll round the Timbukthree loop. Coming up from Tom Hickmans lovely abode this is what you might see. Sea to your left at the end or the croft - beyond the sand dunes and what have you. You'll pass the plumbers place, the councilors place and Timbukthree - only it's not called that now which rather confuses things, Tis a fine short stroll with plenty of fresh air.

But yesterday we spent the afternoon with Toots Wilson while his wife Anne did necessary things in the a very wet town. Twas lovely. In addition to the tea drinking and cake eating Toots and I discussed the work of Icelandeer Rax [and Faces of the North in particular] - whose work I love and am honoured to have met

cats

 

There are a lot of feline creatures here on the island and this is a snap from 2016 down in North Lochs and a lovely lady who lived with these cats right down in the most delightful spot by sea edge.

Of course we have two of the lovekly things here at home with a third wanting in every day. And in the next village is a lady - who runs fine shoppe in Stormoway - who has 23 cats at home. Ooof

it has been cold

 

Despite our global position we don't get much snow these days. We rarely get a hard frost but, we did the other day which froze the windscreen of our little red car. I'd forgotten how lovely ice patterns are.

sheeps

 

We have sheeps here. Did you know that?

I presume they are still here since we have had another blow the other night. I will go and check.

Yes, they are still here.

NO, NOT D*G*TAL

 

Yes sorry but I won't be using it much if at all. The thing is for some reason I was won over by constant advertising on the web and although it's not quite the Leica I lust after I paid good money for the Campsnap. 

If we're being honest here, it does do what it says on the box - takes snaps, is lightweight and easy to use but the resulting images are less that lovely. Having said that this snap is of my lovely Eve dressed in her Friday best off to accompany Keith the cat on his daily stroll down the back track - in a gale. The cat in the snap is not Keith but Gordon  who supposedly lives elsewhere but spends most of his precious time trying to get in the hoose as soon as we open the doors/ windows. He'll be at the window shouting for his mate Keith in the daytime and the nighttime too if I am in the warming room in the middle of the night. Lovely creature I might add.

Anyway, not sure why I acquired this less then useful camera. I shall have to give it away.

sleepless in Tolsta

 I don't sleep very well - if at all some nights. If I get too physically tired that stops me sleeping. If i'm not tired enough, that too. It's a pain.

Oh yes I take magnesium supplements, count sheeps [ there are plenty here to count] and meditate but the night carries on without me sleeping often.

Perhaps next year will be better.

and the lights are ooop

 

The lights are OOP! The lights are oop! And Emily and Isabel are getting dizzy.

Paul still has a pile of work to finish and kindly allowed me to snap him in his lab with the totally unsuitable camera and film [XA and foma200] I had with me that day. Gemma meanwhile still has a few more teaching days to get through. Hopefully I'll get down over Christmas for the obligatory snap.

sat sitting

 

I do hope we still have a roof over our heads as last night night was meant to be a bit of a breeze. It wouldn't be the first time we have lost tiles and chimney pots.  

I hear M OoK got over to the mainland safely on the last ferry out for a few days. I am sure she is luxuriating in her own bed this morning. One day she was here we took ourselves off to Valtos to visit her old cycle racing coach Angus, someone I met at their local beach some years aback and didn't recognise him from 40 years ago - although he did remember me! So it goes. Need less to say it was lovely visit - soup and all.

Dave

 

He didn't have a hat on this time unlike eighteen years or so ago at the short lived island photographic club where I think I attempted a 13x 18 large format snap with the old old FKD.

Eve's current coach

 

At this time of year what with the rain wind and sometimes snow, Eve [and me occasionally] take to a bit of indoor cycling in the potting shed. Inevitably Keith pops himself on the window shelf to make sure one doesn't slack. Although of a certain age Keith is still lovely - except for the fact that I am now allergic to him.

BTW: if one is on the island atm, go and see the wonderful Tom Hickman exhibition in An Lanntair. Really wonderful.

Mr Hickman

 

We just having a cuppa when there's a soft tapping on the front door and in walks Tom. An extra cup is found and we sit for a chat. Tom has a got a new exhibition coming up at An Lanntair with the opening on Friday, which to be sure we'll be attending - free drinkies and everything.  What with all the prep Tom has been real busy. I decided to snap him up but perhaps it's not his best side or else it is the excessive grain. It is him I can assure you.

another fine morning

 

Another fresh and fine morning here on the island. There's a busy week ahead so I am up and about earlier than usual.

Lunch date with Eve's old boss who is lovely then preparations for our guest - Mrs Ook?! .

I want to finish scanning this roll of film - HP5+ shot on the EOS & 40mm [it has autofocus so I can usually get that right at least these days]. Maybe Rodinal was not the best developer for the job but it just came to hand at the time. 

Anyway, on with the day,

still love this

 

I mean tandems and everything - what's not to like.

We owned one for a few years - hung the Christmas lights on it as it had to grace the lounge in our tiny Lancs home. And tandems were a large part of my working life at Manchester Velodrome. Somewhere I have a snap of eight tandems in my works office - such as it was. They were ready for one of the Tandem omniums I ran.  Oh, and lets not forget The [two] Fuji tandems we managed to get made for Ellen and Aileen for the Athens paralympics where they won gold. [and again in Beijing].

Then Eve raced a few times on tandems with Paul Hunter and also Vic Possee, the latter in a tandem criterium I organised. She almost raced on tandem with Michael Hutchinson but the weather made the course unrideable which was a pity.

See here for more tandem posts.

Then up here in the windy cool north west Eve rode a 100 hilly and wet mile cyclosportive with Mr WInndy from which I'm not sure Mr WIndy has ever recovered from.

That's why I am attracted to images of tandems. Does that make sense>

I may have fallen asleep

 

Sorry, old age etc, I may have fallen asleep and everything. 

meanwhile down at the croft

 

A wonderful morning at the croft meeting the new hired hand and chatting with the family. Perfect condition for a stroll but less than perfect snap from the Campsnap camera I have. I bought the thing on a whim and rather wish I hadn't now. Having said that I like the popping reds.

I was

Was in the darkroom the other day - sloshing chemicals around in the cold. My old heater has decided not to heat out there which made for a cool experience.

I think the snap was from Glasgee in 2018.

in the meantime do visit a pal of mine blog for some fine b&w from the sarf

the snow

 

Snow has been here. It's ok it's melting now.

Of course we had trips to town to make, me to have my feet tickled by the nurse and Eve later to write things down at a bowls club meeting.

dog day morning

 

Had a lovely stroll with coffee stop the other day with Eve and the artist that is Christine Morrison. We do have one of her works hanging in the summer parlour. A wonderful piece. 

On our stroll we made a short deetour in to a new shoppe in Stormoway where Christine works. It's called Isle Inspire which I might add was a mistake. Too many lovely things to buy and even though we had no intention we came away with a fine Gareth Watson an artist whose work I have long loved. Now we have our own, albeit small work of his.

That man again

 

So, we did go into Stormoway the other day. Bought presents for Christmas [please don't remind me I hate the whole thing] and then had a light luncheon in Beckets. as long as you like eggs then you'll be ok here. Best thing is surprise meeting of pals in town and at the cafe. Met so many this day and it was lovely

No idea who the fella in the snap was though.

I'm not done yet!

 

Despite recent setbacks - like me getting out of the house much and the like - I still have taken a snap of three  mostly with the XA2, a fine little camera only, when loaded with old Polypan-f film it's not at its best up here in the cool climes at this time of year.

There's  the usual things happening up here; rain and coolish breezes whilst over on the mainland snow has arrived. Since the tub that passes for a ferry from Stormoway is under the weather getting over there is a bit of a trial unless one wants to fly.

So I am here holding the fort fighting off the hoards of cats and hoping Eve gets back safely from here morning cycle ride.

things

 

Not had the best of days of late. Eve us away in England seeing family and I'm rattling around here trying to find some energy to do something. I mean, I have been to the dentist this morning to replace the temp filling that was too temp. and I have made and eaten lunch so cant be all bad. Only tis pouring down with rain and I am going in to bowls this evening to accompany Peigi - only I hate driving in the dark and rain these day.

Three cuties

 

Three pals on the beach the other day watch patiently as their humans play at being Andy Goldsworthy

latest tech

 

I took this snap with a box brownie camera on the cycle path just near our old house in Moseley, Lancs. I have always loved this snap and it reminds me that one doesn't need a fancy camera just need to be there and aware.

All growed up now

 

here's a nice snap of my former dance teacher [ Karmiena] and her dad a day or three back. Karmiena is now a trainee paramedic on the mainland - and how brilliant she will be.

Had a nice wee stroll on the beach midday and me some lovely peeps. Had a conversation about andy goldsworthy and his work which we enoyed a lot. Hope to meet Peter and his partner again soon.

yes i spoke to her mum

 

Time paasses so quickly as young Lucrecia here is getting married in the not too distant. She is somewhat older now and sporting unlike when I took this snap at work at the Manchester Velodrome while Ma, Pa and fred her brother played on the track.

self portrait [with Eve]

 

There we are all reflective and everything. Maybe this is my genre, self portraiture. Good enough for Rembrandt after all. 

That's me on the right - or is it the left? One of them anyway depending what you are looking at.

That stroll

 Wandering down this lane I am always drawn to the way the road curves. Obviously you can't see it in this snap, that would be too simple.

still here

 

DON'T talk to me about weather!

It was a tad damp this day recently when I dragged out the Reto UW&S with HP5 for a wee stroll with Eve. Since we passed the lovely Thompson residence we popped in for a fine coffee whilst the rain heaved down. Refreshed we continued our stroll in the welcome sunshine.

Jayne moves on

 

Another lovelee from The Hub cafe moves on and will be greatly missed. However the loss at the cafe will be a gain for others as Jayne moves on to work with those with special needs. 

Not the best snap of jayne  I could have done but it was taken on the spur of the moment during a busy day at the cafe, She really is the most delightful person.

awaiting

 

Ken

 

The EOS 50 I have [gifted to me] fancied a little trip out since it seems to like the 40mm lens I married to it. Eve and I went to meet Gemma and Bill in our capital then trotted off to a place we like for a light snack. Lo and behold our ppal Ken was there perusing news in a proper newspaper and everything.  After we ate Ken joined us to help put the world to right. However, having heard the news on the radio this morning I think another meeting is required.

Not sure II have got the hang of this camera as yet.

late afternoon in the Glenn

 

Apparently this is where witches show themselves so tales have it. I've seen a coow in a ditch down here helped out by friendly digger driver and The Crofter. However, the witches have evaded me.

Twas some fine light over the bay and Point beyond the other evening on my stroll. I snapped it up just because.

two poles apart

 

Took myself out and met Eve near as she cycled there.. I took the little car we have and the Perkeo camera loaded with Kentmere 200 to amuse myself. Despite having strolled down this way a myriad of time I still found something to snap that pleases me.

Eve took rather longer to get there than she thought she would on account of the harsh headwind that bugged her. It meant the ride home was swift though.

found film

 

A wonderful neg taken at Manchester's old fallowfield stadium, the forerunner to the indoor velodrome.

I was told it was taken using Leica glass .

Dave and Eve : grapes in the polycrub

 

Yes, that Dave, the former blacksmith and cheesemaker and now novelist takes Eve on a tour of the polycrub. He lives with lovely Jane in Vatisker not a million steps from Christine [see previous]. We get eggs from here when the creatures that prooduce them oblige. and jam too. Well worth a visit should you wish.

drier days

 

And here's Eve with good pal Artist Christine outside her lovely current studio. When I say current I mean contemporaneous rather than dried fruit based. Her work is lovely as it is varied and we have a fine example hanging beside me in the computer/living room as I tap out this nonsense.

Most of the night it has been getting very wet outside [ and in the cooking room too as we have a minor leak]. Amy was /is here and she is angry. wind blown and dam I would say although we seem to have missed the worst of it. Keith the cat and Hungry have not ventured outside at all.

yes this is an image from a pixel collector but I'm sticking to that for the moment on account of my creakyness.

october already

 

The year has fair flown by. 

The world is on it's way to hell in a fascist handcart it seems. One thing I am grateful for is that the orange clown did not invest in the castle here. At least he has no real reason to visit again.

3 houses

When I say three houses I really mean two houses and one that remains to be finished - should funds allow apparently.

You'll be pleased to know I'm a tad more mobile these days although an ebike ride on less than flat road drained my energy for a day. At my ancient age and a former cycle coach I should know better.

and then there is this

 

And no I don't remember where it was and if I did remember I might now tell you anyway just so no-one else goes and snaps the place up.

slowly

 slowly i feel the creakiness in my back that has been causing me agony is gradually subsiding. At least I hope it is. The other day after a short ebike ride, my back felt great; not much pain and somewhat bendable too. It hasn't lasted sadly. Yesterdays attempt at another short ebike ride resulted in crippling pain this morning. As a result I still have no new snaps to show so, here's another from a previous September. a fank scene in the village.

 Still crook bur soldiering on.

I might even get down to this beach again soonish, once my back is playing ball etc.

old road

 

There's a few old roads around the place like here alongside the new one that boy racers go up and ridiculous speeds.