Uists

 

cemetery road

 

the cemetery is down there overlooking the beach. 

family outing

 

famed

 

the island here is famed for it's views. Here's one to savour for our village taking in the fank

island horse

 

that time we went away and we had a coffee

 

sunshine again

 

delightful stroll in the sunshine looking for tadpoles on a favourite track in the village.

No tadpoles found.

feeding time

 

reflective mood

 

at it

 You see, I can still do it.

back to it

 

As I post this I'm just preparing myself for a little studio shoot with my pal Toots. It's going to be flowers - specifically tulips and daffs in the conservatory. 

self portrait

 I think this captures the essence of me very well. from 2016

the state of things

 

This was round a lighthouse has seen better days but the lighthouse of most of the associated buldings are still  upright.

I must show you a local caravan park soon too.

the crofters gaff

 

it's been so very mild and sunny in the daytime here. the crofter's house on his croft looks fine and dandy as the stove is lit and the smoke trickles up into the clear sky.

friday - on the wall

 

A print of work by the late Willie Fulton who resided at Drinishader.

We were cycling past his former place the other day on Eve's birthday cycle ride. Such a lovely place it is too.

Golf

 

I really hope Donald John doesn't come to the rock again. He really isn't welcome.

Up there in Ness

 

love the lines in this snap. had a nice day out tother day with birthday girl Eve. It didn't rain and everything.

showing the best part of Stornoway

 

The wonderful telephone exchange. Well worth the time to see if you ever up this way.

Taken at great expense on HP5 but developed in FX-39 which i rather like.

on the way to see bill and gemma

 

40 years and everything

 

an lanntair, our arts centre has been going for 40years and in celebration there is an on going exhibition of some of the artists that have been featured there. we went to the opening - as you do.

this was that.

coows

 island coows enjoying life while they can.

did I tell you we visited the mainland?

 

well, we visited the mainland.

sunshine and trees. walks in the cemetery, cafe stops and art gallery visits.

oh, and we visited the shops quickly 

friday - on the wall

 

If we are being honest this one is so new to us it is not actually on the wall yet but awaiting hanging.

It's a lovely Peter White piece in oil, acrylic and wax. And yes we did get it from the Kilmorack Gallery, a place we visit regularly.

sunk

 

Inverness marina on the Caledonian canal.

tomnahurich

 

We had a wander round the mound of the dead in Inverness since it is amazing. Eve here wondering where the gravestone for the "lion tamer" was. we never found it.

caravan

 

near the canal and everything.

forgive me, i have been off the rock

 

this should have been posted on the Friday last but I was too busy coming back to the rock after a few days seeing trees and things on the mainland.

This drawing is by Tri-athlete, photographer and all round Majorca based person Lucrecia [aka Flynn]Hunter. I would link to her work online I can only find this

not another one.

 

From back a couple of years up over on Point area of the island across the bay from here

Toots and a big one

 

This was back in 2014. Never get to see the negs from this 

lovelee

  Mainland barn near Beauly 2024. 

We stayed in a nice rental opposite and it was lovely.

it's been windy

 

And wet. Played longer mat lawn bowls on friday which rather wiped me out so I rested and saw the bike races on the computer on Saturday. I did manage a wind swept stroll though.

This is a Polypan-f shot from the XA camera

Friday - on the wall

 

This time an earl painting by Chris Cyprus. His style has changed a lot. His studio was/is opposite our old house in Mossley, Lancs and it's well worth a visit. Nice chap too. Here he is on film in years past.

tyred

 

Another little Hassie snap. Just finishing the film really. Completely lacking in originally currently and just going through the motions,

wheeled creature

 

Was trawling through an old film when I came across this  which I love.

peat track pole

 Poles for electricity and telephones are all over the island. Makes the place what it is I think.

old road

 

Further down the old road I wandered enjoying the radiating warmth on my back. The camera, the Hassie, was heavy and I felt it. There's a fank up o'er here on the left as the crofts that abut nearby seem well used.

uw&s

 

I dug out my old and very cheap Vivitar UW&S plastic camera [the one with the broken rewind handle], loaded it with kentmere 400 i didn't realise I had and took some snaps in the winter sun.  Developed it with rodinal 1:50 and here you go. a delight from a winter stroll.

Friday - on a wall

 

An incompetent phone snap of a wonderful pinhole image by Mark Tweedie. It hangs on the wall by our bed so we can gaze and wonder. Love it

old roads

 

Had not been up here for years - although it hasn't changed as far as I remember. With the Hassie.

cat snap

 

I have taken cameras out and exposed film lately although the bitterly cold air has been a little restricting. I didn't have to go too far from home as Keith was posing on top of the potting / indoor cycling shed enjoying the unexpected sunshine.

Hass 5900cm / 50mm FP4.

grass

 

Yes it is a phone snap from my stroll yesterday in the warm [ a relative term] sunshine. 

Friday - on the wall

 

Another phone snap of a large painting I have by French artist Michel Maurice - former husband of my elder sisters' late pen friend Danielle

Had it for years after he gave it me. Lost touch with him sadly.

recent wandering

 

Another lovely day out this time up north of the island. On the way to Dun Eisdean came across this fine water tower. 

Oop at hilltop

 

 

It was over lochs way. At Crossbost, the ancient cemetery there on the hill. Eve and I had a good mooch around the place while I took some snaps. As I do.

well there you are

 

A sheeps behind a wall. 

Down in Lochs where we had a fine stroll in the unexpected warmth [12c] and sunshine. Bumped into Mike the stage electrician man from an Lanntair who has a lovely wee house overlooking the loch there.

I had an EOS camera with 40mm and brownish filter with me at the time and HP5 @800 to make for it.

Friday - on the wall

 

Not sure what this is called. It's by Colin Myres here on the island and depicts skyline outside Stornoway's Criterion bar - presumably as you have come out of it after a sesh. It was a reflection from a curved window opposite.

Keith is sulking

 We took advantage of the dyer weather this afternoon and took a wee stroll in the cool sunshine. Yes I know, sunshine and everything. It was lovely to be out [although we had had a short morning stroll earlier] as Keith [the No1 cat] is sulking at the moment. I seem to have acquired an allergy to the poor fellow so have had to ban him from the bedroom and I have stopped close contact in the main. That was so I get to stop itching and can sleep a  bit. Keith has no idea what he has done wrong which is nothing so he has been sulking despite Eve efforts to cheer him and Hungry's efforts to annoy him.

Such is life.

another tree

 

Down there

 

Not been down here for a while, but hey, the sun is shining so I won't go there today either. Howeverr, I have been there.

Friday - on the wall

 

In the summer parlour, the walls are hung with some art collected from artists I know or have known. This first gem by local artist, teacher and all round good egg Christine Morrrison . It's called "fissure" and I love it.

Apologies for the bad phone snap.

I shall show you other pieces I have in this room soon. if I remember.