Breezy

Been a bit of a hoolie here the last day or so and looks like it might continue some more too. I did venture down, well wrapped against the cold wind, to a beach. With a camera. And a hat which almost disappeared in the Minch. I know not why I went but I did. Snapped with the camera too although I didn't like the snaps much. This was one.

I was there

This popped out a camera when I doused it's film in some ghastly chemical or other. It proves I was there I think, mixing it up with the good and worthy as if I belonged there when I so patently don't. I have the snap though.

An Artist of my acquaintance

Her name is Angelica Kroeger. Remember that as you are going to see her work about I am sure.  Oh, go on, have a look her lovely images here. Isn't that lovely. I mean, really lovely.

Anyway, since we have an acquaintance of some years we stayed with Angelica the other night we were on the mainland. Lovely it was too -especially since we got to go to the excellent Dance Festival she was doing the lighting for.

Here's Angelica, being;

All sorts of Wildfire

Yes, there and all.
Was at the opening supping orange juice and everything. Shooting the breeze and preparing myself for a curry [lovely since you ask] and 'music' - less lovely even if you didn't ask.

Scaped

Postboxscape

BigBinScape

Seat and tablescape

And my fav, MultiBinScape.

Kronos/Waits will tickle your ears

Yes, you have seen here before

If I'm going to stagger out the house when I'm not at my best, one can't ignore this track to make a snap or two with the Hassie. Yes, I have snapped here before and no doubt will do again. I like the place.

The place reminds me of the Kronos Quartet for some reason. And that's a good thing, trust me.

I have some friends

There's this one. It's ok he's not here at the mo. I caught him with the Pentax Espio Mini as he checked to see if anyone was talking about him on Faceplant. They weren't although the man in background was wondering about it all.

Then this one came along and wondered what all the fuss was about. There was no fuss as it happens - and no Mahler. He is not on island at the moment as it happens.

Then there's this lovely. TYA trying to keep out of things and sup her flat brown. She's not on island either at the mo.

I'm here though.

It's cool

Sometimes a nice stroll along a cold beach is just what is needed. Especially if someone has an Olympus Trip 35 to record the occasion.

Although not as cold as it was on the mainland the day before.

Trip

The Young Artist I have been working with had a lovely little camera the other day. I was so impressed, I got one. It's an Olympus Trip 35 and so far I rather like it for casual snaps - although it's far too good for my blurry shots.

See, Mrs Toots and Eve strolling in the sunshine and very cold air.

Don't even think it!

I am having a little break from blurry things. I mean, I love blurry things but I guess I needed to see something else. Only, my pal Angelica has persuaded me to have a little exhibition along with her lovely work - somewhere, somewhen so, I will return to the blurr soonish. I need to explore the blurr more.

By the way, I am allowed to post this Fay Godwin esque image of stones since they are not the main stones but merely a side show.

If you don't like snow, don't open this post

These are trees. In snow. On the mainland.
Nice, but one can have a enough snow for one year.

We did get to go to the Ullapool Dance Festival though.
I might have to go again.

No !

Things didn't really go to plan last weekend. The Eastern Beast saw to that. The road we wanted to take had been closed because of a dumping of the white stuff. This was on the mainland - the island was completely clear.

We stayed with the lovely Angelica and then came home again. I did manage to take this snap though. With a Hassie don't you know.

TYA finds little twiddling to do on her Olympus Trip 35

William, my pal

Ooof what a lovely man he is with an equally lovely wife down there in South Lochs part of this island. A few ago taken with a Kiev60 monster

Perked up

One of my fav snaps of EVe taken here near home on an uncharistically hot day and taken with the Voigtlander Perkeo.

off island

Yes, gone for a little sojourn elsewhere for a day or two. I've taken a camera too. Might try and out Godwin Fay - if such a thing was possible. I shall be shooting 6x6 anyway. like this one I shot a years ago just out the back of where I sit writing this.

TYA prepares to take a snap

The dodgy Soviet camera, up-rated German film, PQ developer and a young artist

I went out to play yesterday and The Young Artist formerly known as Katie came too. We went out to the moor in the sunshine wondering what the women who lived in the sheilings in the summer got up to. TYA had a lovely little Olympus Trip 35 to play with which I covet very much. I had a Kiev 4a with a slow working shutter. and film I'd uprated from asa 100 to 200. Later the film was developed by me in PQ print developer - quickly. This was one of my snaps of TYA on the moor while she was considering whether to make a huge enormous arty something or other I didn't really understand out there. She didn't.

oh, why not?

Tempted to go here again on this boat. Had such a nice time too.

Sheeps on a hill

The Crofter's sheeps on the hill at the back on the nearest beach from here as it happens. In the low sun. Eating, mainly.

Someone forced me to take it

the next day

I managed the talk in an Lanntair and enjoyed the others immensely - even if I didn't give a good one myself. Ah well..

sheeps

Did I tell you?

I'm giving a little talkette in an Lanntair on this Thursday.
Entitled The Crofter's Covfefe it's a phycho-social longitudinal ethnographic photo study of an English crofter in North Tolsta here on the Isle of Lewis. Basically, I tootled down the road and snapped up my pal Paul.

Starting at 7pm there are some excellent talks by proper artists too Gill Thompson, Pearse O'Halloran and Margaret Ferguson.

The Crofter's long necked duck things show what they think of me

A cat

Him again

A monochrome world is just lovely

It is sometimes anyway

It's not like this now

I'd had a nice stroll with the Tootsmeister in the snowy stuff and I took a snap with the OM1n and Orwo film. So, if I go to all that trouble plus developing in and the like then I'm going to post it.

The sun has been shining as I write.

Mr Toots tunes his 5x7 squeeze box

"It's the process"

that day

Oh dear

So pleased my dear Eve is back home again after her visitation to mother. Eve got stuck in Glasgow airport again on the way home. This time it was a combination of the weather and the wing falling off or something. Long hours of waiting did nothing for her mood - then she couldn't sleep well at the hotel the airline had EVENTUALLY arranged.

It's always lovely to have Eve home again. Makes my life complete. But there was an additional reason this time - something smelt like it had died in the fridge but my nose wouldn't let me get close enough to find out what is was. Eve's is inured to such things and soon found the runny Camembert in the back. Now the fridge smells not at all and i can even open it's door :-)

Portrait of a local place

I have not been down there so often recently despite it only being a few hundred metres away. So I thought I'd have a look again and see The Crofter's sheeps.

The sheeps were there but I shan't show you. They are shy.

Sheeps on the road

I was out accompanying the Alex of Boyd on a little cafe stop afternoon. We'd been to The Stones where Mr Boyd lay down on the wet muddy grass for some reason. We'd had coffee at the cafe and then came across the pentland road where we met these gurls. Oh how lovely they were, being walked back to where they should be - out on the moor.

I must say the light was lovely out there  so the OM1n loaded with Orwo400 film coped quite well.

Bin and done it again

Thought I'd present my take on modern art. The Museum of Modern Art binscape, Edinburgh.
Looks prewtty eh?

Resting

Wee boat

That#s our wee boat awaiting a sail in the marina at Stormoway. Took the snap with the baby Graflex with tilt. Do I like it? OI'm unsure.

Still, it's go to be done.

Charabanc

The buses in Edinburgh/Leith are excellent I must say. Especially since we get to ride on them for free - the only thing good about being older. We went here and there on the buses, said thankyou and everything. Was great fun I must say.

The darkroom went better yesterday too.

Harbour

Oh love a duck. This was the harbour the other morning after the tide went out. A layer of ice-ish stuff laid upon the seaweed below creating this magic effect.
It's gone now.

At the time of writing this I have just had a most unsuccessful time in the darkroom with nothing much to show for the effect and cold with it. There is a funny falling ice stuff coming from the sky and the darkishroom is less than excellently heated or insulated. It is times like this I do wonder why I bother!

That City

There it is; that city doon soof in Scootland. Nice castle and all.

Just one in a while you get a snap you like - and this is IT.

oh I say

 Oh I say, a doggie, a personage and sunshine with peeps looking all interesting. Grain too - a result of over developing I shouldn't wonder. I love the lot of it.

My oeuvre - whatever that is - is almost complete. Possibly.

You don't think I'm going to waste my snaps do you?

I had planned on Lithing this up as I write, i have not got round to it. My intentions were honest mind you but the realising of those intentions less so.

Urban inanity

It's not always sunny in Scotland - despite what you might have read. See here, the rain was falling from the sky bit, umbees were up, faces drawn as if Lowry got there first. It was dark, dark like it can be up here on the islands when the clouds roll in.

Influenced

Have been influenced evero slightly from our recent trip and, as you may well see have adopted a completely new style. When I say completely, I do still use a camera and film. I still snap up but it is with renewed and invigorated intention. I am, as you might already have realised, trying to express my inner feminine self through the filter of memory and experience of memory. If only I could remember, but you get the idea I am sure.

This is one of the Urbanity in Scotland set. As was yesterdays snap - although I didn't know that then.

Edinburgh

Leith, near Edinburgh is where we stayed and right nice it is too. They have crossing places where, if you push a little button properly, the traffic lights change colour and sometimes you see a green man light up. You can cross then. I did, since I seem to have a proper knack of pushing the buttons - at least for the first day anyway. No sheeps though. Funny that. All them people with money to waste and not one of them I could see had a sheeps.

Yes, I took some snaps while I was there. This is one of them. Even looks like Edinburgh though I doubt it was in Princes Street - that's a main street there - you can see a castle from there and everything. 

Took tea at the Portrait Gallery while we were there, lunch at the Museum of Modern Art. Saw some mighty fine arty things too. I so love the Portrait gallery and the expo When we were young was well worth a visit as is the BP portrait prize thing, and I might add, the Modern Portrait. The cafe at the modern Art place is exceptional - salads to die for. and plenty of interesting arty things to contemplate too.

Ooh, and we saw the Turner January exhibition at the National.