and this was then

 

Back when somewhere in t'village. Another stove bits the dust.

took me while

 

Took me a while to figure out which way this snap was meant to be upwards let alone what it was. I think it is now properly orientated. I am sure you know where this was and who I was channeling at the time.

coffee

 

I don't often drink coffee these days on account of me feet. However, since I shot this with d*g*tal it doesn't count does it? And the pills, maybe I should have shares in the paracetamol factory as my back is still refusing to work properly without the oohs and ahhs. I think it went orff because someone mentioned Christmas in the near vicinity and shock was visceral [I looked up what that means and it fits perfectly.}.

We/I managed a little trip out yesterday and took a light lunch at the very lovely Hub cafe and had a fine conversation with the patron therein. Fair made my day.

secret

 

It's no secret that Eve and I have been off island this year. a trip to England and another to mainland Scotland. I can only image this was Leeds or somewhere like that and no, we not go in. I don't even like football.

I developed this roll of polypan the other day after finding it unfinished in the XA.

haircut

 

I hate having my hair trimmed despite having a nice haircutter in toon. My hair is long and I'll keep it that way thank you very much. However this lady seems to escaped the clutches of the good crofter and is going for the soay look. I know the crofter here has some soay sheeps but not sure they would be in this croft rather, they would probably be on display in his little petting farm.

crook

 I'm a bit crook [adj] staggering around bent over as my back has decided to haunt me. The muscles, such as they aren't are screaming at me. My spine is not playing either. I shall be back [!]

orses, orses orses

 

Since there is a pony trekking place in the wider village - up near Tom the artists lovely abode - their ponies / horses billeted in various crofts around here. I rather like the clip clop in the morning as they go off to work in the morn.

The Traigh Mhor Pony trekking has grown over the last few seasons and that's lovely to see. I might add I don't ride horses here or anywhere else although I do seem to recall riding a donkey in the dim distant past - probably in Weston super mud.

cats on a warm fibreglass roof

 

I may be slow uploading these days but that may be because I've recently passed three score years and ten.

Horsing about

 

free palestine

 

Of course we supported the free palestine gathering in Stornoway.

no blur

 

I must be off me 'ed since I didn't do the blur as with other of my wedding snaps. Still I did do a nice snap of the signing of the papers bit.

minstrels

 

Wedding minstrels do their stuff at the lovely occasion we attended recently.

I was working with the perkeo so I'm pleased I managed to get the subjects just about on the image.

and another one meets the mud

 

Soon to be Mrs

 

Masha begins the walk with her give awayer Andrej Shevchenko that led to her marriage to Neil. 

What a lovely day that was in the lovely surroundings of  Prestonfield House in Edinburgh. Taken with the trusty Voigtlander Perkeo camera.

I usually dislike weddings but this one was lovely - as ws the last one we went to. Maybe as I get older I am mellowing or something.

did I tell you?

 We have recently been to the mainland and a whole lot of galleries and what have you to accompany the fine wedding of Masha and Neil we attended. We climbed these steps too don't you know. I think we had to sit down afterwards and have a cup of tea.

Fav galleries / museums of this visit;

Scottish Portrait [of course]

St Cecelia. 

bicyles

 

no Bicyles here - or anywhere come to that. Anyway, what is a BICYLE

edinburgh.

 

No idea what part of the place this was but I rather like it. 

Another shot with the Reto plastic camera

the landlord

 

Coming back from a  little stroll in Stockbridge where we had taken fine lodgings for a few nights, i spied this being crouched. I at first thought he was down on his luck but in fact he is is the landlord of the St Bernard Bar, a fine if odd establishment which we duly visited one evening.

On several mornings we took in the delights of Patisserie Florentin for exquisite coffee and pastries. Next door was the over hyped The Pantry which we also visited but found somewhat lacking in charm and, people willing to talk to me. Apart from dearest Eve, obviously.

And, there are still snaps of mine to look at here

Свадьба

 

The vital part of the wedding was the tying of hands or something. Not sure exactly what that was all about but Chris, the grooms son did it with skill and much humour - apt for someone who works as a comedian.  

As we arrived we were greeted by someone whom I first thought was an ICE man but I was assured he was merely an over-dressed and equipped photographer. The only thing i don't think he had was a taser. I on the other hand had plastic fantastic toy camera - and that seemed fine enough

back home but not organised

Back home after a less than excellent trip home in an autobus on the top deck that could pass as a hot sauna. Nevertheless, the whole trip was a success. I managed to drag myself round Edinburgh, saw some great [and less than great art], enjoyed some fine cafes and an excellent and enjoyable weeding with a Russian flavour. 

We stayed in a lovely apartment as well in the fashionable end of Stockbridge don't you know.

I have a film awaiting development so you may see something soonish.

away

been away at a wedding on t'mainland.

I have taken a camera

i was there too once

 

this time last year

 

passing through

at the bus stop

 

headrow

 

I do believe this is in Yorkshire. Leeds to be exact , out The Headrow

Florence

 

Florence showing how to do a manual in her back garden. Flo is the daughter of Jon Norfolk who is head honcho of British Cycling 'fast bikes going round in circles division' . I may have got his title wrong but you get the idea.

I once sat and tried to ride a BMX bike in my hometown of Bath. It ended badly I recall.

Hub Less Cameron

 

The delightful Cameron has done his time at the Hub cafe / bespoke bikes and gone his own way. We wish him all the very best, thanks for all the help and hope we will see you around soon.

Al Fresco

 

No idea who Al is, but I rather enjoyed the company of these peeps as we sat outside next to the sea just down there [pointing a little south of here]. No midges either

It's not my favoured place to eat usually if I'm honest but I must admit I did enjoy this occasion. The Hostesses , the lovely Rupa and Ashoka were organising at the time.

forgive me if I go a bit quiet as the tour de france  and the Giro d'Italia women are happening at present.

biking

 And here we have Mr Windy and Eve after their enjoyable VeloRetro ride in the lake district. 

car

 

There we are another holiday snap from somewhere we were when we were on holiday. Probably, but I can't really be sure if we were what I actually call being "on holiday" at this point.

Seems like a dark old day though. It is on film I can ttell you that much.

crofter

 

Crofter Paul of 2a with some of his sheeps.

Dad crofter

 

This is dad crofter, otherwise known as David. Lovely chap who we see often and who pops in for a cuppa from time to time which is lovely.Now over 21 but still going strong helping round the crofter's place.

This was on foma400 @ 800 in rodinal. eh?

chimney

Local point of interest.

Not sure why it's not in the guide books to bee honest.
 

yorkshire

 

Yorkshire somewhere. Possibly Clapham, gateway to the north or something. North of the north bit of the northern line - probably

I notice they have tractors there - albeit rather newer models than live on the island here. 

foreign

 

There we were looking for shade after exiting the train in some unknown to us place and we found this place. It wasn't much though the overgrown yard di contain three classic cars of a certain vintage is a less then brilliant state of decay. 

The best thing about this place was the nice cool cafe serving food and cold drinks

sun-bather

 

I don't indulge myself on account of not liking it and already having a small skin lesion removed. That doesn't stop others doing it even on the island where the sun sometimes shines.

I happened upon this scene whilst strolling between beaches as one does in ones dotage with the Perkeo in my possession loaded with the new Kentmere 200 film which I later developed in Rodinal.

Orses, orses orses

 

There we have horses and everything in Tolsta, albeit New Tolsta. Lots of them here and there, particularly here. For riding it seems by customers of the riding school hereabouts. See them on the beach sometime trotting and all.

That village

Patterned sun on walls in Clapham, a Yorkshire village.

A nice place we had been too before which was just as well as I was shattered when we got here this time so I rested on the bed while Eve took in the evening sunshine. This snap, taken with the Perkeo was taken the following morning.

ysp

 

dressyuppers

The VeloRetro is a good chance to drees up a bit. Since it's a cycling event most wear racing kit from pervious eras. These two are wearing kit from Belgium and France and looked great. Eve, my partner wearing a Bedouin CC / Floyds Bistro kit from a Bristol club i ran in the 80s. And no, I have not snap of her in that !

1940s - apparently

 

Another cyclista at the RetroVelo cycle event in Ulverston we attended recently. He tells me this was 1940s cycling garb, but I'm not convinced.

ysp

 

this willow sculpture by laura ellen bacon reminds me of the sculpture that was in the Lewis Castle Grounds in  Stormoway some years ago before the vandals got to it. A quick but tiring visit to the sculpture park in Yorkshire revealed this in the church there. The iron tree that was outside the church by Ai Weiwei has gone.

Yes, tken with the Viogtlander Perkeo and Kentmere 200 film - handheld.

the retro ride

 

There she is. Eve that is. Pedalling at the start of the 2025 VeloRetro cycle event in Ulverston. Eve was on her Mike Mullet made bike which she loves. 

It rained. A lot. 

look where we have been

 

Right past this entrance with nicely lined up trees. Can't remember where it was but we definitely passed it. I can remember stopping and snapping it up. 

We have been on the mainland and everything. That's what we do from time to ime.

the crofter @ 2a

 

before the hoardes

 I shall not tell you where this as these days it is overrun and I am sure the locals will be demonstrating against tourism here soon.

floating flats

 

Granted it was sunny but Stornoway was heaving . Two ships, one of them huge,  disgorged their inmates onto land.

This one here parked where old freight ferry did. I snapped it up with the Perkeo and the new Kentmere 200 film. I had not times for Rodinal developer [only have that and FX39] so winged with an hour at 1;100 which worked fine.

reto

 An all action shot made round the corner with a newly acquired reto UW&S camera to replace my very tired Vivitar UW&S. Both cameras are the same only the reto one is not broken [yet] and is pink. The Viv is grey. Either they work without fuss.

a triumph

 

Saw this swish looking car the other day outside the rather up-market shop that is the Coop. Apparently it is a triumph tr2 [I looked it up]. looks marvelous and much nicer and classier than the Ferraris that were on the island at the time.

picnic

 Here we [or Eve anyway] were having a picnic over there [gestures out the window across the bay] in memory of my mum's passing. It was warm but breezy. the gulls were flying around then we met someone from our village. Like you do.