Glasgow

 

Ooof, wee shall be off island again later in the year for a spot of cycle-race watching this time in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow. Really looking forward to it and maybe we'll get a visit to the Necropolis while we are briefly there.

Off island soonish

 

Our pilgrimage to the cycle event that is Retro Velo is happening soon with a stop at various places to see peoples various enroute. Hopefully it won't involve going to place like this which I really hate. 

Hoping to see nephew, partner and baybi somewhere in Yorkshire. 

Hoping for mild dry weather too.

Back in the day

 

back in the day  when I had the energy and drive to wet-print. A fine example of my ouvre - what ever that was.

Lamblets

 

From down on t'croft the other day. A selection of small bouncy beasts exploring an unfamiliar place.  Not sure what there were doing there to be honest but I snapped them up all the same.

South North Tolsta

 

There is such a place. There's also New Tolsta which is confusingly north of North Tolsta. Oh and Glen Tolsta which is south of north tolsta on the way in from Stornoway. Our "Man who does" lives there. The snap is of a part of the village I rarely visit but see often.

spring plumage

 

I caught The Crofter on his croft in his spring plumage. How lovely he looks in the early sunshine, grey hair glistening in the light.

There's order and calmness down there sometimes. The boy helper hadn't turned in, the childlings were at school and Mrs Crofter, a teacher was too.

horsey haar

 

Lovely haar all around the village and gone by the time you reach the  next village. Or else it's everywhere else but here. That's how it is.

two

 

There you are, Sam [right] and Tom. At the 'other' croft resting after planting trees and digging. 

We, that's when Eve and I came across them on a little bike ride so paused to pass the time of day.

There's Tom and Eve sat sitting and everything. I was snip snapping at this time and goodness knows what Sam was up to.

are you awake?

 

of course she does

 

Whilst I was strolling through the village listening to the cuckoo and assorted other flappy things, a lawn mower coughed into life and shattered the blissful sounds. 

Eve on the other hand has cycled down to the community polycrub to throw water about and sing a song to the peas about growing big and fat. It's a lovely song and I'll get Eve to record it and I'll post it here [in your dreams].

The snap was taken THEN not now. It's on film from a little plastic camera.

Oh and don't forget the Giro D'Italia is happening now. As you might imagine, they are in Bulgaaria atm.

bowls

 

When I was young and lived in Bath, Somerset I remember going along to Victoria park and seeing these old people playing bowls. Now aged 70, here I am.

The only trouble here is that it still has a biting cold breeze despite the sun. However, Eve and I played o'er on another island yesterday - and indoors.

racey

 

We may have booked a trip to Glasgow later in the year. There's a big cyclo-cross being held there and I am hoping to sample the bier and frite they usually have on sale at such events. Hopefully there will be a great atmosphere as there is at events over the water in that there foreign.

Here's a snap from a road race in Englandshire some years back. It was cold I recall.

ooof

 

For some reason the sun has been shining. I managed a short game of bowls and two [albeit short]bike  rides since we last spoke and I feel quite good for a change. I might even "push the boat" out and play a game of bowls next week on an adjacent isle where there is a cafe next door. 

The tourists are around the island now, campervans and all. As it happens the main ferry to Lewis is less than perfect atm restricting it's carrying capacity. [saddish face 😆].

another month

 

It must be time for another cuppa since the sun has been shing yet the breeze cool.

Give me a moment while I search for my mojo which I seem to have lost down the back of the settee.

beach

 

We had been to a community cafe, met some people we knew and talked a bit. A lot actually then passed the unfinished house on the hill, past the houses by the waters edge then up a steep narrow road to the beach. That's the sort of thing we do these days. 

The weather was nice. The beach was really quiet with the waves behaving themselves and the bell in the water unrung. We were there at the opening  too but as yet have not heard the bell ring.

cafe

 

A nice looking cafe in Edinburgh we came across by chance. we didn't go in but were told it is rather lovely. Reminded me of the old Floyds Bistro in Bristol.

buds of april

Not sure what Eve is growing here but the buds on sticks are doing well.
 

sisters

From a few weeks back in Edinburgh, my sisters are off down the waters of leith. I wasn't since I had no energy left. If recall correctly, a visit to a cafe was imminently in order.

I was toting a Olympus XA at the time with gifted Tri-x installed.

I think me looking at HCB pictures has me influenced somehow.

A Hickman

 

Here's artist Tom Hickman in his lair awaiting coffee while posing by one of his dolls houses.

while we are talking people

 

Had a fine surprise the other day when Steve Pulford contacted me saying he and his lovely wife wer eon the island and would Eve and I like to meet up for a cuppa. Didn't need to be  asked twice so we can relive my days in and around the Velodrome at Manchester - where i worked for some years. Steve was one of those who flew around the boards at speed winning medals and all that. Lovely chap too. We met at the Ness Historical centre on the other side of the island only to find out that they stayed in a hotel just a few miles from home here !

Donald 4 tractors

 

I may not be up to much at the moment but I did have the recent pleasure of bumping into Donald 4 tractors on his croft as he prepared his second best tractor for a bit of light ploughing. Potatoes this year - and last as it happens. He likes potatoes especially shetland blacks which he is intending rom somewhere else I'm told.

not always deserted.

Keith has to share this road with David amongst others. This is David Rowlston father of the crofter down the road. Lovely chap too.

The old Minolta 505si got an outing for this snap with Foma200@400. Eh!

As you might realise I have not been far from home of late. Perhaps my darkroom requires a visit.

Tourists

 

Lovely.

Bicycles and everything .  A pleasure to see instead of the camper vans that plague the islands. Having said that, the weather has been a tad breezy of later making cycling a one-way pleasure.

Sam

 

Recent incomer to the Village and nearby neighbour Sam on his other plot of land at tother end on the village planting some of the hundreds of trees going in. Helping was another villager Kate her of the 'emu' / chicken cage and community polycrubber.

By the time you read this I will have square eyes on account of watching the wonderful Paris - Roubaix cycle race on the pooter.

Edit; the races were just wonderful, exciting and if you have a chance go and watch them

Keith

 

Keith. following down the road in the morning. late morning or should I say midday? Ok, one pm as it happens. I'm retired and falling apart so I'm allowed to be lazy. 

Keith is currently asleep beside in the summer parlour since he was out galivanting last night. Hungry is alspeed in his bedroom aka the box room.

Yes it's that 20mm lens again.

Horse power

 

I've gone wider. 20mm to be precise. Used a lens that was given to me attached to an old canon slr of some sort. Does mean that if you use a faster film you don't have to focus for snaps such as these. Look, there are those horsey ones doing a bit of beach walking. I might get used to this.

The memorial

Another island snap you don't usually see on the interweb. From the toon towards the memorial.

Agin fomapan 100 @ 400 in Rodinal. Not too bad me thinks.

On another note, Dave was a wimp.
 

we have them

 

So pleased we have these defibs around the village. We are all getting ancient and just perhaps there would be an able person to put them to good use.

Perked

 Something to do with Lady Matheson I shouldn't wonder and restored somewhat. 

I don't know what I bother with the hassie or Bronnie when the little Perkeo does the track. 

Have you noticed that my typing is a tad better than it has been. I knocked over a mug of green tea over the keyboard and despite drying it out a new one was required. Thanks to Tech Mobile I have another .

hail, April is here

You can tell spring has sprung by the fact that I got hailed on three times in one day. The last time I was taken pity on by a kindly delivery driver who happened by and transported a soggy me the last 800m home. The second time I curtailed my stroll from home on account of not being able to lift my head up to see where I was treading. The first time was on the beachside with Eve. The hail so vicious I felt like crying.

Nevertheless the sun did show it's face so i snuck in to our capital and took a few snaps with the Hassie. Unfortunately I thought it was 400asa film in it but alas no it was 100 so I pushed the development somewhat.surpringly the negs were not too bad and definitely printable if I could raise the energy.

This is I might add a snap of the fuel depot near the centre of the town.  It's next door to a short-lived brewery bar.
 

Catditz prison

 

When I mention that Keith goes to prison whilst we are off island, this is where he goes. A nicely ventilated place out on the eye peninsula.  Hungry doesn't go on account of his reluctance to be caught.

self portrait with horses

 

Hebridean prayer flags

 They are everywhere here. 

Me by Her

Eve snapped me up on the last frame of the roll of film. I'm the one with the coat and bag. The other ones are sheeps.

This is how I looked this day. It's an island look trust me.

sisters

 

These are my sisters. One doesn't like her image portrayed the other only too keen to pose. There becomes a slight problem so I just snapped them up on a whim outside the nice hotel we stayed in Edinburgh the other weekend.  I am expecting phone calls.

down there

 

We like many places have had wonderful weather for a few days. Eve is out riding her bicycle in the sun as I write [and watch Milan-San remo race on pooter]. 

Such a lovely day when we took a light stroll down the road here. The birds were singing and everything. Keith was holed up at home for so he couldn't follow us down. He gets out whenever he wants usually but sometimes it is nice not to have him with us on a stroll.

Anyway, I had the Perkeo with me with the end of a roll of kentmere 200 inside so I took the opportunity to give you another angle of the village such as it is.

Lucrecia

 

We will be going to Lucrecia's betrothal in the not too distant future - all being well. So looking forward to it. Her mother Ellen had the most wonderful birds nest head dress at her own wedding [I have seen the snaps] and I am sure Lucrecia won't let the side down. 

This snap was taken days / years ago at Manchester Velodrome as Lucrecia's Ma and Pa were in the training as tandem pilots for the Athens Paralympics. They both both won medals with their respectively partially sighted stokers - Aileen and Ian.

Now, I am not one for telling on people but Eve had two pieces of cake on her birthday. One Coffee and walnut  Made by Gill Price and one "Tom Hickman orange cake".

pixeled fences

 

After a recent meeting with fellow cafe goers we took a short stroll around part of the castle grounds. The air was lovely, the birds chirped happily and all was well. I had even remembered not to forget a card for Eve's birthday [today; happy birthday to you etc]. I or in fact Eve bought the card I chose as my purse was elsewhere at the time. I do hoped she liked it. I did buy her a new laptop too ! Not sure how I got conned into that.

I noticed these partial fences had been constructed. I presume they might have been practicing since they enclose nothing and no livestock is kept here that I am aware of.

this ubiquitous thing

 

That house

 

On one of my local strolls is this little place now seemingly abandoned but lovely all the same. Snapped up with the om2 and Hp5 @ 800. Nice eh?

I notice we are becoming more localised as the other day I popped by The Crofter with his birthday card, tickled the new dog Max then promptly drove into a ditch outside the croft. As it happens only one wheel was incapacitated and soon Mr and Mrs Crofter had pushed the thing back on the road with the car attached- which was just as well as we had an appointment at a cafe in our small capital to fulfil. Then a few moments later we were disastrously held up by a mini flock of sheep being walked from there [ pointing] to there [again pointing] by following a man with plastic bag which may or may have held sheeps food.]The urgency of our plight was acknowledged by said man with bag and sheeps were encouraged to one side of our single track road allowing out little red auto to pass. We made our appointment on time and cake was consumed.

seaing things

 

As an island, the Isle of Lewis is surrounded by sea - apart from the bit that isn't. That's the Isle of Harris bit which in fact joined by an isthmus.  Harris is also surrounded by the splashy stuff so there's plenty of the wet to photograph. Here it come close to the shore at Brevig so I snapped it. In this case from the car window as it was blowing a minor hoolee.

house

 I like snaps like this. We were out on a stroll this morning [with camera] and I was looking for such images. Only where we were wasn''t playing ball. I did however geta snap or two and I shall see what that looks like soon.

Toots Wilson

 

Here he is snuggled and everything at home.

Known the fella for some years now but we don't get in his lovely darkroom now as he [and I as it happens] are not so mobile and active as we were.

squarials etc

 

I'd forgotten about these dishes. In the Faroe islands decades ago I first saw a plethora of them. Now I see them again here. Are they still in use?

We did have a little one for local tinternet but that's long gone.

Now, please don't bother while I watch the Strade Bianchi cycle races.

pre wedding

 I think it was pre wedding. 

We sat among the departed here in the sunshine. We have been here before and no doubt will go somewhere similar again.

the other place

 

After the wedding in whereeveritwas, we tootled off to a bigger place and settled into a nice hotel where my sisters, one older and the other younger met us after taking a flying carpet from the west country where they reside.

Ooof, lots of peeps there. Not at the hotel -which was a lovely Georgian building but lacked lifts on account of its architectural listing. The stairs were grand but staggeringly long and I was hoping to see a chair handily located halfway up. I did not.

We had a fine time catching up with the gossip and going from cafe to cafe via galleries until my energy was sapped [about 11 am] .

No idea where the snap was taken with the Olympus XA . I presume it was in the same place . It certainly looks like it. 

the wedding photo

 

As you may have realised by now, I like photographing weddings. Outdoor or indoor I don't mind - although I rather wish I had thought about location this time as not only was it indoors it was dark. Never the less, despite the shortcomings of not having a suitable camera with me [Olympus XA - no flash and Ilford Ortho film @ 80asa] I managed a veritable masterpiece as you can see.

To be honest I wasn't sure whether they were waving their hands in celebration or drowning in happiness. I took the snap all the same and I'm sure they will love it. I hope so since some of the others actually were in focus.

The occasion was lovely and what have you although my tinnitus was a tad hash at bedtime.  There was a 3 week old babe there all the way from Knoydart [ he had not actually been there yet but Ma and Pa baby live there so he will] maybe he'll grow up to be a sound technician!

bin off island

 

Back now after a nice few days away

them there

 

Machair or dunes or both.

Just behind the big beach hereabouts, called Traigh Mhor. The path here is usually a bit sheltered from the wind and the wind has been been bitterly cold of late.