Eve was on her way anyway. off to see whatever was over that way just past the ruined 'castle' we visited. To be honest, I was expecting a bit of battling, clashing of swords, splashing of hot oil off the battlements and the like. And all there were was a pile of old stones.
A lovely painting I have had for decades by French painter Michel Maurice of Laval.
Badly phone snapped with accompanying reflections in the summer parlour
Yes, Tom Hickman;s fine gaff and studio located in New Tolsta next to North Tolsta don't you know. A fine artist and home maker feted by the TV program. I would love to show you the inside but Tom prefers to keep a low profile and I'm not about to change that. Needless to say he is a fine friend.
Dearest Eve hails from Leeds. Well, she was brought up there and all. Dad was director of parks and that's why it's so green. I mean have you been to Roundhay park forr example. Lovely grass, just the right green and everything plus The West Riding grass track cycle league where yours truly has graced the back of the races on a few occasions back in the day.
It does rain there though. I think it shows in this snap from 2019
Valasay, such a lovely place but it's a pity for the community that most of the houses seem to be short term rental. It is though a lovely place to rest a while and enjoy the changing light over the water and mountains.
Somewhere on the mainland. Can't remember where exactly but i suspect Aberdeen. Eve will tell me when she gets back from her bike ride in the sunshine.
David, the Crofter's dad who still come and works a bit on the croft. Calls in home here for a cuppa now and again which is really lovely. A chance to catch up on all the local goings on.
He's just had a cataract done and waiting for the other too. We are very lucky up here with the quality of the NHS.
Oh, on another note have a look at the blog of artist Tom Hickman
My Crofter pal just doon the road has some fine sheeps that could make a fine Halloween presentation should they so wish. These are the Hebridean sheeps.
This day The Crofter went down the croft to tell his coows a little story. I think it rained soon after.
I am not sure why I still do this blog. It is a worry to me. I don't know what to say most of the time.
I am not going to write diary here, neither will I comment on the parlous state of the world since it won't help anything.
But, now and again I raid the archives and find a snap from a while back "on the way to Catditz' for example and think, I must show this again. it is, for those who don't know, the road up to the Lighthouse on Point, the other side of the bay here where the cattery is located. Perhaps it will lift my spirits if someone notices the image, the wind howling and the rain lashing down as I write.
Love the use of the stone in Portsoy. The stones on the harbour wall were placed vertically in the belief that this way they dispersed the power of the waves somewhat. They gave been there a while so perhaps there's something in it.
Not quite as spritely as he once was but lovely all the same.
Taken at his home with an old minolta 505 and kentmere 400 film.
Now this was an interesting place to visit.
I have just about recovered from the walk back up from here.
I had this Canon AE1 with me and a 20mm lens and, as you can see it showed the curvature of the earth just like it is at home here. Always like this. Either that of I have one leg shorter than the other.
We have been away.
Off island and everything.
The island was still here when we got back although the ferry bumped up and down down somewhat on the way back while trying to find it.
We went to the sea side. A house by a harbour and not too far from a distillery which we didn't visit. The sea was a tad cool over there too.
It's all happening here you know. where i say here i don't actually mean here in the village [although the bin lorry did come round this morning] but in our small capital Stormoway.
As you may be able to see someone walking IN THE SUNSHINE. Doesn't happen too often and not today especially as it's a minor howling outside. [it was inside briefly the other day when the roof sprung a leak but that seems to have resolved itself I think.]
In the village nothing much has happened to be honest.
You may have noticed if you look back at the non blurry snaps on here that I rather like curves. road, walls and what have you. Anyway, here's one i like.
At last after countless months without a working leci meter, another has been fitted. Not before Eve wrote to an MP up here.
Anyway, I can confirm that the leci stuff seems much smoother than before although seemingly making the meter go around at a previously unseen rate.
Such is the excitement of my life at present I may have dozed off for a few days.
On my return I bring you a boat. There's a lot of boat up here.
Some time ago I had a rush of blood to the head and lashed out a little bit of money for a Minolta A3 rangefinder camera that was made in the year of my birth. EG; a long time ago.
I took it out for a little jaunt the other day and again it surprised me that even in my hands the results are quite good for such a simple camera. I must use it more.
Sorry, not been keeping going of late.
I'm still active here so please bear with me while I reboot.
Meanwhile another "I went so you don't have to " snap.
I'd heard about these ferocious dwarf elephants that had taken up residence in the locality so I thought I'd track them down.
Taking untold risks I found the beasts lurking round The Croft down t'road looking lean, mean and..... rather small. Shaken at the risks I was taking with these beasts, unprotected as I was - except for the fence and their apparent friendliness, I moved carefully. The beasts immediately charged at me and nuzzled my outstretched hand. I had no food but this beast with two trunks on top of his head posed for his portrait. Politely.
I may have misjudged him.
However, today I took a short stroll in the sunshine with Toots after we'd cheered on Eve and others at the Stornoway lawn bowls club women's championship where she gave the last winner a run for her money in the semis. Lovely day out.
