Did I tell you we visited William in Cromor?

 William, just William takes something nice for the sheeps - with lambs - to nibble.

William was tired as it happened. Been up over the re-seedings feeding his sheeps, the ones that weren't next door to the house on the croft. That means a stiff walk there and back to see his little darlings. But he does enjoy it. And he wasn't too exhausted to accompany us along to the isle nearby over the causeway exposed at low tide. It rained. Wet rain too.

 Eve and William waiting for me to pass out through the gate - in the rain.

Eve on Eilean Chaluim Chille  [in the rain]

It was a fine stroll. Of course, it's pretty well always sunny back in Tolsta.

Tolsta. Another aspect.

I have not really got much to say today but, I will say you must visit Bosse B's blog and see his wonderful salt-prints. I mean, look at this! Just superb. Bosse is from Sweden and we met him when he was over in the Uk and I was living near Manchester. Such a nice chap too.

The Artist is not here

The Artist [formerly known as Jon]

He's bigging it up with the Alaand massive or maybe the Helsinki crew or somewhere like that. Cold and windy anyway - like here really. We wish him well. Hopefully he'll be more focussed than this snap!

Towards Cromor [with light-leak]

We found it that way over in Cromor today. Visiting William and Gemma is always lovely especially at the moment with all the new little lambs leaping around the place. We walked over the Columba's Isle while we were there and got extremely wet. The causeway was out of the water but guarded by a seal who wasn' t real keen on us coming that way. We did thoug and the seal popped back into the sea from whence it no doubt came. 

We drank coffee and wine with Mr and Mrs Holden, ate their food too and then came home. At home I found I have a light-leak in the Graflex roll back. Oh dear.

A Wall; A bird. What more do you want?

 Bird [of some sort] mocking 

Have you ever tried snapping up a bird in flight? I mean a proper flying bird that swoops and whirls on the wind inches from the cliff face - or your face, seemingly mocking your lack of ability to catch an image of the thing in the air. I have. I don't like it. Give me a sheeps or coow any-time - they move slower so I can use a normal lens that doesn't look like I'm some over-financed photographer-tourist prowling. We get lots of those here. You know the sort, more pixels than sense, lens' longer than their 4x4 and a fancy jacket as well. Unless it's the large format mob. They take half and hour to get the camera out and set it up by which time the light has gone and the wind is gusting too much to use it anyway. I know, I've done that too.

A wall [or two]

To be honest, even though you may be aware that I don't actually take landscape snaps, walls are rather more compliant than animules. I caught this one waiting for me today while on a trip over to see The Coelyns at Oiseval Gallery [fine art photography ] in Brue. I like it. Go and visit The Coelyns as they have some fine work by themselves,  James Smith and others. I might add, we did pop up to the Morven Gallery too - their cake and tea is to die for!

Try clicking on the 'next blog' tab at the top of this page. I did, rashly. You make some very interesting discoveries I can  tell you - even if they are in Portuguese or something.

It's not all beaches and Moor; there's a tree too.

 Castle grounds - which is almost as run down as the Castle itself!

Path

Yes, there is a tree on Lewis. Quite a few of them as it happens. There's a wood round the Castle in Stornoway, a few stands of conifers around the island including here in North-Tolsta. I know, I have seen them.

That's the thing on the island, one does have to seek out the trees. And since I was brought up in Somerset and Wiltshire where trees abound - growing tall and strong, rustle in the gentle breezes and filter the autumn sun through the branches, I rather miss them. When I am in town to see William, Alec, the Coelyns, Toots or whoever, I make a point of walking among trees. I'm like that you know.

Why is that on the radio at the moment - Radio 4 don't you know not Isles FM or something - that lots of people being interviewed seem to start their answers to questions with 'So'? As in "So, we have...." . Please tell me if I have missed something!

He's still here

 Don't come too close!

Mmm. Any more please?

I do believe Pushkin is putting on weight. Just as well since the poor man had become a tad too thin. Since he took up residence - and refuses to leave - he does little but eat and sleep. And sneeze, still. Must take a visit to Hector again.

The evening of The Dance

 Mr Windy and Deanne lounge gorgeously in the dance-hall.

 Sonja enjoys a pre-dance meal.

 In the bar.

On the dance-floor.

Yes, yes we went. And enjoyed ourselves but would have preferred to dance more ourselves. Still, one can't have everything and we did have the pleasure of good company. Mr Windy and Deanne were there, Sonja and Stephan too. Not forgetting Toots and the soon to be be Mrs Toots whirling round in her [temporary] wheelchair. All snapped on Fuji1600 in the Kiev rangefinder with Jupiter12 lens. Souped in Rodinal.

The aptly named Toots

Had a visit from The Artist formerly known as Jon today - the day before he departs to the Aland islands for an artist residency. Would love to visit :-) Look forward to seeing his work when he gets back.

there

Some days a snap of a road is enough.


But then you scan a solargraph that's been up for a few weeks, invert it and see this;

At the darkroom door

Nice :-)

My dearest Eve.

Yep, really. Took this snap with the newly assembled plastic recesky camera [acquired for a song on the auction site by Mr Windy for me.]. The camera is yellow. How good is that? Very as it happens. It lets light in all the places it shouldn't at the mo. Gaffer tape will be added soon. Still, take the lens thing apart and shoot it wide open and hey presto, this is what you get - assuming Eve is stood in front of t'camer at the time.

Had a fine evening last night at the Big Band concert/dance thing. Wonderful local dancers but too much competition and not enough free -for all dancing for us. But well done to all; the winners - they were excellent and the band and singers who were brill too.

Quads; Eh?

 Murdo [no, the other one! ]

Hector; worried about his lambs

Hector already has three lambs. Three little things bouncing around the croft enjoying the cool weather that has followed our early and brief summer. Autumn is on it's way already no doubt. There's lots more lambs on the way and Hector needs his quad to get around the crofts to make sure the  little beasts are ok.

I found Hector hunched over his quad - a Foreman quad I'm told only it won't start, on account of the damp weather, the state of the wind and sod's law no doubt. Murdo [no, the other one! ] happened along on his working quad to lend a hand, pass the time of day or something. I took their picture with my Kiev II loaded with Fuji 1600 and promptly over-cooked it in Rodinal.

Ronde

Apologies for this but I just love this ad for a fav bike race of mine. Enjoy.

The Secret is out

 I've been trying to snap up the soon to be married lady of that parish but for some reason the image rarely appears. I was beginning to think she was un-photograph-able - appearing merely as a space in the room or something. But, I was in An Lanntair with Anne - for that is her name - and managed to arrange a sort of image with this 'ere Soviet camera. Anne is the one on the left as it happens.

And then one develops a new film to me - Orwo N74 in Rodinal after coming out the now dried out Zorki6 after a dip in the local river/stream with me, when out pops another Anne snap complete with stookie!

I have taken one or two snaps of Eve over the years. One or two on  this bench next to the beach. And why not, it's a lovely place.

Looking

He just sat and looked.

On a day like today

 A Coelyn

 The Artist formerly known as Jon

The single man soon not to be who is called Toots.

I probably had too much caffeine. Maybe I did. Maybe I just got carried away. I like clicking the shutter -especially when I'm using a camera that I can click and click without having to wind on. Saves energy and all that. Probably. It was an Ilford Sporti. Cost me at least £3.

I did that today. Met Toots [see the Bands] and a Coelyn then The Artist [fkaJ] came along and we all sang a song in celebration - or should have done. The sun was shining again you see. That's several days in a row - unprecedented these days.

The beach and other things

Yes, we went to the beach again.

"Please stop pulling that face Eve. If the wind changes,,,, oh it has!"

Anyway, we tootled down the old track between the bottom and top of the Crofts nearby. Over the gates a crofter had put across the path to let his sheeps through, past the rubbish blown from the new house whislt it was being built, through the quagmire and down the machair to the beach.

We sat and enjoyed the sunshine. Then walked home again. That's what we do.

And no, we didn't go in the car. This snap was from Thursday last!

To Reef for a stroll in the sunshine

 Bhaltos ring road

On a day like this anywhere on the island is wonderful. Eve and I once spent a night in a tent here - flippin heck it was cold I seem to recall. It's on a peninsula called Bhaltos/Valtos just the other side of the island and this day it was warm and wonderful and hardly a soul in sight all day. How good is that? Very good, trust me 

From the rock to the beach

I mean, just look at the place. White sand, clear blue sea, islands and rock. What more does one want?

 Gratuitous Sheeps on Reef machair snap

There were sheeps, but then there usually is. And they make nice little tracks around the place.

Eve enjoying the day

Eve liked the place and the day. So did I. Despite my aches.

 Inland from the top

 Seawards from the bottom

Down there

Just before I hit the rocks with my now heavily bruised body, I took this with the Kiev 60 which banged down on top of me as I hit the water. It saved that camera from getting wet but not me!

Argh!

Garry

Summer has arrived. We have to take it when it comes even if it's a few months early. So I took a couple of cameras out for a stroll. Up onto the hills over-looking Garry Beach in greater Tolsta. Snook this snap with a dodgy Kiev 6c and then descended to the beach.

That was a big mistake.

No, not going to the beach but trying to cross the river across the beach - the bit where it's all stones was where I made the mistake. I mean, I could have gone a few hundred meters up-stream and crossed on the bridge but I didn't. Instead I found myself lying full length in the cold water having slipped ion the rocks. My Zorki rangefinder camera in my bag was under the water, it's metal lens shade bent all over the shop. The Kiev camera was weighing me down and not helping in my attempts to get up out the water - even though the strap had broken.

I did get up and out, bruised, battered and very wet. Strolled nonchalantly as I could back to the car left up the road, thankfully noting no-one was around [apart from Murdo-Red who was out on his quad chasing sheep nearby but behind a hill] and my little fall went un-noticed.

I called into the vilage shop on the way back where I was called something in Gaelic [which I was informed was not all complimentary] by 'Up Yours' McIver for dripping on her floor. 'Her' floor? I thought it was a community shop and being one of the community I have a right to drip there - so I did!

I'm bruised and battered this morning. Black and blue with some red bits. The Zorki has dried out nicely and the Kiev strap mended so no harm done. I shall take the bridge in future!

Pot Noodle Peter takes in the fun at the PO/Shop

Sometimes you have to take a photo

 I saw this surfer coming out of the water on Traigh Mhor. 

 He was happy to pose

Then he went off with his pal

Birthday stroll

Rodel church tower

Yep, we went that way. Down to Obbe and then to Strond before a stroll over a lovely path to Rodel.

And yes we stopped on the way to eat our snacks. Near here to be exact.

Just above here we stopped, sat down and enjoyed the sunshine. Nice innit?


And no, I don't like Tri-x. At box speed pushed or pulled. I must be only one!

Underwhelmed

The Essence of Stornoway Town

I was surprised that Stornoway was not made a city this year. I mean, what has Perth to offer that Stornoway hasn't? Does Perth have the aroma of dead fish and diesel?

No! 

I rest my case.

My recent masterpieces seemed not to elicit the response I'd rather hoped for. Anyone can make sharp and obvious snaps. Eh? So, I present to you The Essence of Stornoway Town for you to coo over. Please.

I hate to inform you that Monster Pushkin disgraced himself last night after refusing to go out into the wild weather for 'relief'. I can't really blame him for not wanting to got out but he could have chosen a better place to use. Like the cat-litter! Maybe he doesn't know what it's for.

Monster Pushkin has taken up residence

It seems we have a new tenant with Monster Pushkin moving in. At least while the weather is a bit rough - as it is at the moment. Not sure where he comes from or whether he will stay but he is welcome while he is here.

Sunday saw much better weather than today - so much so that birthday girl Eve and I took ourselves off to Harris for the day. What a  wonderful day for a stroll from Strond to Rodel and round about. Even if the cafes and pubs were either shut or not serving food. Good job the sandwiches had been packed.

Master Leica

I'm not sure Master Leica would have been overly impressed if there had been nothing to eat - just like he was less than impressed with my Olympus OM1n - and just like he was less then impressed with my Minolta before.

A Stookie and all that

Coffee with a Stookie

I never even knew what  stookie was. I had to ask. Being born in Bath Spa and brought up in the south west of England doesn't prepare one for such utterances. Now Anne is sporting one on her ankle but it didn't stop her taking coffee.

Masterpieces one after another!

 Lee Friedlander wasn't here 

Sometimes, just sometimes I take snaps. Most of the time to be honest. And I'm liking the snaps like these more and more. OK, I can just see your hearts sinking at the thought of it. I think I've been spending too much time talking to The Artist formerly known as Jon. Jon is always enthusiastic and thinking of new ideas of how to use materials to interpret the landscape of histories. I just look at something and try to capture the, the .... well, the emotion I suppose. And look above. see, if that doesn't emote something in you then, ............ well, I don't know.

And this. This image - or snap - has a whole story. Is a whole story. Only I don't know what it is yet. It hasn't realised itself to me.

Did I mention that I was training on my bicycle this morning? No, well, I was with a group of riders riding at speed though a tunnel. I was wearing wellingtons which did not fit on the toe-clips of my bike [yes, I am that old]. As a result I got left behind. I then received a nudge in my back -from Eve and I woke up ! What was that all about then?