Nearly

 Eve checking this beach is where it should be. It was.

Me, using a film up. Nicely.

The coffee was on when we called in to see Mr Windy today - whilst the wind and rain raged outside. I saw the new bike box, cuddled Harry the doogie and had a chat. A pre-L'Eroica chat. And yes, Eve's bruises are going and the cut knee healing.

We pre-packed Eve's 1961 Eroba-Race bike when we got home just to make sure it fits the old bike bag - it did. Then we panicked a bit since we weren't sure we'd informed the airline about the big bag. Still not sure either. And, since the weather is a tad on the rough side, we are wondering which route to take to Inverness where our air transport will be waiting for us to take us eventually to Italy. If we go by ferry - or try to - the weather just may be too rough and it won't go [depends rather which way the wind is blowing - and I HATE rough crossings anyway - 3 hours] . There's another ferry down on Harris that goes to Skye [1.5 hours] but then there's the little matter of getting from there to Inverness. We could fly to Inverness from Stornoway just down the road, but the planes are small and cannot always take bikes. What to do??

Meanwhile I scan a roll of colour film taken with a point and shoot I found in a cupboard. Not sure I like colour but I do like these two snaps.

This is older. I like it.


Later; Eve found some old currency from my earlier travels - 2.5m Boliviano from Bolivia as it happens. Were rich!!! I think it's about 9 pence these days looking at the devaluation . I remember having to change money every day as the inflation was a tad high - and we think it's bad in the UK now !!!!.

Oh, and now a Chilean Peso note - 500 pesos. Brilliant, that's another 62p then.

I'll hang on to the Guilders, Pesetas and French Francs for when the Euro finally falls over :-)

Another fine day

Not the weather mind you. Tis raining and windy and has been all day pretty much, the forecasts are horrible which is not so good as we are meant to be on the ferry across The Minch early next week!

But, I had a lovely time at the Blue Pig Studio of Jane Harlington who always makes me smile. There's the wonderful welcome for a start and always a creative atmosphere. I hung about soaking it all up, drinking the coffee, eating the cakes and admiring the progress of works in the making. I hung about so long I got roped into catching the geese in the barn prior to transportation to another croft down the road. They were not happy geese either but with some skilful hands, the job was done and I did my bit of shutting the box lid. Someone had to do it!

I haven't a snap to post so go and have a look at Jane's work - it's wonderful.

All Perked up and somewhere to go

I'm all Perked up and ready to go. The holiday is looming and my beloved Perkeo is filled with hope and anticipation of a trip with me - and I think I may take her since she is taking nice snaps these days - whatever I point her at. I'd had a little issue of focus but a little tickle here and there and all is well - well enough anyway. Sharpness is overrated, the preserve of the equipmentologists. Talking of which, I was told by some young but bright upstart the other day that my degree is not a 'proper' one since it is not only an 'ology' but a 'aphy' as well. Of course it's a real one, I had to talk to people AND measure pebbles - what more do you want? Young-uns eh?

Perked

Been to the mainland today. Yesterday I flew over there - broomstick class - for a work meeting in a nice hotel where I stayed. Stayed but not slept much since the rooms are so hot. And comfortable or something. The morning came slowly but I showered in the limitless hot water [although, to be quite honest, I didn't know it was limitless, it just didn't get cold when I used it. The chap who got up at 10.30am and came down to the foyer of the hotel with a scowl may have thought differently] and went  for a short stroll before the Inverness massive were awake

The stroll was lovely, the air clear and fresh and dryish- although that all deteriorated when I started the course in the hotel conservatory as the rain lashed down drumming madly on the roof - as it did most of the day.

I'm home now, all snugged up with the rain still lashing and the wind blowing with Eve by my side.

This is post 1001 too!

Lovely

I've had a lovely weekend since you ask. You did ask didn't you?

Still afloat.

Saturday saw Eve and I drinking tea and eating fancies in a lovely environment with some lovely people who imparted some particularly lovely information. The evening was spent with the The Crofter in lovely conversation and supper then Sunday we took off to see some other wee lovelies for coffee and more fancies while we finished arrangements for our forthcoming lovely holiday. How lovely is that?

One of tubs above is the boat that the net mending fisherman below works on !

Mending the nets

A local fisherman mending the nets - from a short stroll in the sun with William and my Ilford Sporti .

POP

September came around quickly. The sun shone and Eve and I took off for a lovely walk along our beautiful coast to a wonderful deserted beach where we dabbled our painted toes in the azure clear and cold water of the Atlantic. It was fantastic. Being with Eve is like that.

Now what ten disc's would you take?

Then I succumbed a little with something that needn't worry you but meant I had medical people looking down into lots of 'places' - and not finding anything wrong thank goodness. I have been a wreck. That's the way I get sometimes. But now I am on the up with no small thanks to some lovely people who know who they are.

The sun shone yesterday amid the heavy rain so, trying to forget the last 'probe' required at the Doc this morning I found some old negatives - on x-ray film as it happens - then some old Kentmere Printing Out Paper and made some sun prints. This one is small - less than two inches square but I like it all the same - even if the actual thing is a bit more interesting than it is here. And you can't imagine the pleasure I had in doing it - and that is what counts really.

POP goes the print

***

I think I will be taking a while off taking and developing images as I am a tad unwell at the moment and need to get well.

Apologies.

Franka

 Mr Leica Man

The Harbour

Whilst ferreting around in the cupboard the other day, I fell over this old Franka Rolfix camera. I acquired this veritable camera when my former neighbour in Lancashire found it in a skip and gave it to me. Nice lens and everything. And it has a 6x6 mask still in it. The only down side is that it scratches the negs a bit. Still, I loaded it with film, pointed it at people and places and now I have images. Cool Eh?

Huisnish and beyond

The Huisnish road.

Same road, without the sheeps

The day dawned bright when I opened my still sleepy eyes. Lord Wiesmier, the stuffed rabbit looked at me suggesting I ought to get up and leave the bed to him. I did and so did Eve. We loaded the little car and took off to Isle of Harris and the wonderful road to Huisnish. This, I might add, is probably the most beautiful road on that island - especially when the weather is kind.

We had a wonderful walk - of which more later - then came back in wonderful light. A sheep posed so I stopped the car and shot it's portrait - only by the time I'd sorted things, it had turned away in disgust. Perhaps next time I'll have a camera that's working properly with me!

A Radford

C Radford Esq.

We had a visitation for the lovely Radford family the other weekend. Carl, for this is he, is a very fine Wet-plate collodianist and if you click here, you can see some of his lovely work. I took the opportunity of snapping him up with my little Zorki6 in the summer parlour. I like it. And the Radford family.

More Kiev madness

I was fumbling around in the gloom trying to sort the box room and the mound of old cameras and bits in there. I took the cameras out and sorted them into the pile of ones that are kaput, ones that are malfunctioning in some way and the one that works :-) Actually, I think I have a couple of cameras that are perfect condition but I'm not sure which ones they are :-)

 Tyres

The sky from a dark-place

In one Soviet-smelling leather case I found a Kiev 4a 35mm rangefinder I'd long forgotten I'd been given. Wasn't sure if it worked or had a light leak or something - as they are prone to do. I also found a little bit of APX400 so loaded a cassette with same, chucked it in the Kiev and set forth for coffee with Jason & Mr Leica. It works! Well, nearly anyway. Just the slower speeds are a bit suspect in that it won't fire at those speeds. And it may be that the rangefinder is off - which was just as well since Mr Leica took a pot shot of me with it - and the image is blurred. But coming home the weather was rolling in, I shut down the f-stop and shot this down the road from the darkroom door!

Before I took coffee, I went to Marybank tyre depot where the good gentlemen there took the nail out of one of my car tyres and mended the think with a smile and a warm greeting. I would never use any other place such is the pleasure of going there.!

And while you around listen to this podcast on the filmwasters site - talking to Ilford Harman.

Kiev madness

 Toots Wilson looking pleased with himself

Stump

I have the old klunker of a kamera from the Ukraine called a Kiev 6c. Or it might be a Kiev 60 - I never really worked it out. I had both acquired from a chum on trips to the former Soviet states and from goodness knows where. One packed in completely and i was left with the other one which works. Almost. I'd pretty much given up on it since its a lump and let in light when it shouldn't. Only, my beloved kowa6 is at the Dr so I took a look at the old Soviet bloc kamera again and tried to figure out what was wrong. I poked around with the shutter curtain a bit since that seemed to be where the light leak was. And in the process seemed to make it worse. I gave up again then a few weeks later gave it a last chance to prove itself. and it seems I may have the solved the issue - for the time being at least. How did I do that? So, here for your delectation are some snaps from that Kamera on Chinese gp3 film.

Oh, and I'm still playing with the matchbox pinhole.

 Another matchbox pinhole from the Wilsonian Institute

 A Wilsonian cake stand 

Pinholed Ziggy

Now I'm looking forward to seeing Mr Leica for coffee on Monday :-)

Shrinking Tolsta

Winter is already here - or at least this evening it seems like that. Spent a nice day with my pals Mr Bentham and his side-kick Zig down on Scalpay island checking it out, speaking to the Scalpay massive and all that. Been out to work too since I can hear you asking.

On the photography front, the Collective is working on a project for the future of which this is a test snap. Taken with the Baby Graphic with lots of front tilt. Sounds technical but believe me, it's not.

All without the matches

The Cragro Photographic Collective [me] can now present a new direction in my photographic journey to goodness knows where. Not even sure where it's coming from actually.

Since I was feeling a bit flush I lashed out and bought myself a new camera. Well, I bought the bits for one anyway. A matchbox. Plus a lot of gaffer tape I had around the place, and a little bit of tin-foil. I did some less than brilliant manufacturing like so and soon I had a matchbox pinhole camera - without the matches and with film loaded. How good is that??? Eat your heart out Leica lovers, Mamiya musers etc etc..............

I must admit I have not QUITE got the exposures right and there's a lovely little light leak but hey, it's early days yet. I shall be onto my first wedding shoot in no time :-)

Anyway, her's my first shots from this delicious little camera.

 Self-portrait in the Summer Parlour.

Tolsta Boys

Carnival

I didn't get any snaps of the Stornoway carnival so I searched out a snap from the Bridgwater carnival in 2006. Here there are usually about 200 floats and it takes around 2-3 hours to pass. Now that's what I call a carnival! In Somerset since you ask. Lots of info and vids here. And look here for a float I'll never forget

Village show meeting

Service with a smile. [buying with a vacant stare!]

Of course I went.

Actually, now I re-read my title of this post I realise it should have said "Village Shop meeting". Village show does have a better ring to it though. I can just imagine John A as Mother goose, Dorothy as Cinderella, The Crofter as the wicked witch and so on.

"He's behind you".

He wasn't of course, he was sat in front of me at the table chairing the show. The teas were laid out along with a range of home-made cakes and, and this takes me back a bit, Bourbon biscuits - no doubt bought in the village shop. [When I lived in Engerland I worked at the Manchester Velodrome and during one session training up new coaches I came across a Bourbon  snatcher. Eh?]. There was also lemon flavoured sponge cake and chocolate crunch things - made by Irene in Tolsta from Mars Bars don't you know - again no doubt bought from the Village Shoppe.

To be honest, there's an awful lot in our Village Shoppe despite it's diminutive size. My, you can even get Tolsta mugs and postcards [and if you wan't one, let me know and I'll buy one for you - if you send me the money! I'll even address the postcard and post it to you from the shoppe. All proceeds to the shoppe - which I read is a not-for-profit organisation :-) ].

I've been to better shows to be honest. There was no rousing sing-along at the end although Murdo Red did his best to get us all roused up, no curtain call either - although they did deserve one. We drank tea, ate cakes and went home - only for me to have to go out to work again in the pouring rain till 11pm !!

The picture is not of the village shoppe by my late Mater and Pater serving in one of the youth hostels they ran for some years. The old codger is typical of some of their clients at that time. Did I tell you about the Christmas we had at Ironbridge youth hostel with them? No, well .........

Sorry

 At the Taraxacum Collection

The Shed

Look, I'm sorry.

I couldn't sleep, the street festivities in Blighty have been exercising my brain cells too much - what with all the thinking and talking one feels the need to do about it. The night lasted long but in the end I got asleep in my bed. Well, a bit of a sleep anyway.

Now I awake and the PM is being all primemintiserely or something. As if....

It's not quite the same as in England here yet. Granted one of the dogs I took for a walk this morning had a poo in a conspicuous place and then ran around a bit. But it wasn't a riot. Honest.

I'm back home now listening to Late Junction on the Iplayer thing after the dog walk in the sun, a cup of welcome tea at the dogs owners place and a visit to the neighbours. Seems reasonable to me.

Now go and read http://islandcrofters.blogspot.com/ please

Why?

I mean, I'm the one without the television here!

I spend half the day taking snaps, developing them and sometimes printing them in my little darkroom. The other half writing some drivel to go with them when published [if that;s not an overly pretentious term for blogging] here and all I get is "who the blitheration is Adam?"

The last half of the day I can't sleep [like I can't do fractions] - as now, and I wonder why I bother to write the thing at all.

Gratuitous village bike snap

I do have four-seven 'followers' - for which I am grateful - but I think I must have either bored them rigid with my posts, they've have got mugged in the recent  street 'festivities' in good old Blighty or else most don't know how to make a comment. I know for a fact that someone on the island looks at this since they comment to me over coffee from time to time. I've even had villagers comment to me in passing - or to others about what I have posted - so I know you are out there!

Please do say something and thanks for looking here. I might post something interesting soon :-).

Where's Adam?

  Adam's constituency 

Horsing around

 Looking for Adam

 Adam's not here

 Mmm

 Listening to Adam

 Gossiping about Adam

 Gone to see Adam

 There's Adam!!!!

 Bored with Adam

 Cake for Adam??

Seems like I may have a shutter issue here. Another camera to bite the dust possibly :-(

My Kowa Six is still at the menders too and maybe it can't be sorted. Botheration

Charlie

 William

 William and Charlie

William holding the wall up

We went here

We went there and met Charlie.