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.