The Hebredians & Shetlands.

 

Where's the sun gone?

 

And how it can suddenly change.

 

Well we have been nearly 5 months snow-free.

 

Although we did have snow a months ago, so I guess it's only 4 months snow free.

A Black And White Day

 

Where's all the colour gone?

Last week it was all russets and golds.........

The Spooky Saw Mill

 

Do you ever go somewhere & get a real spooky feeling? Well the saw mill at Dundonnell does it for me. There's something strange about the place. Maybe if you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see something in the botton left had corner? Let us know.

At The Saw Mill

 

We went over to the saw mill to order some wood for henhouses.

It was a cold day, is a cold night out there.

Another Dreich Day.

 

It's Cold Out.

 

Wee Mon

 

Wee Mon - alias fat cat relaxes beside the stove. You can just see that his injured eye isn't quite as reflective as his other eye, but he did make a remarkable recovery.

Today we had Harry & his brother down to make me some hen runs for the new monsters. We did manage to get them up the scaffolding to lift a couple of panels that Jim reckoned would take 5 to lift. The two of them managed - no sweat. I expect throwing staining posts up mountains for a living makes things like that easy.
Incredible moon out again tonight. Gales are forecast - so will have to go out & nail things down once our dinner has settled.
All in all been a great day outdoors. The sky went bright white as it got dark - gonna be a chilla.

Jim.

 

Coming Down To Braemore.

 

On The Road Back From Opinan

 

The wee black giants.

 


I have 6 wee black orpingtons - young ones. One seems to be not good today - wasn't that lively since it's arrived here.

Very cold day but the snow seemed to glow on the tops - looked rather stunning.

A cold, beautiful day.

 

What a chiller today. It seemed to get right inside you, to the bones.

Some of the new hens seem not too good. I know they are regarded as hardy but I do wonder if they've been kept indoors - in a shed - possibly. It has been very cold.

One of the young black ones was just stood apart from the others & went in the house early. It didn't eat when I was looking. I did't like the look of it at all.

I wish they could talk, tell you what's the matter, what hurts............

3 Of The Newbies

 

Selling Off The Jewels.

The Scottish Government has sold off most of the only remaining shetland keys in the world at an open auction. It is a complete disgrace on our politicians that they have done this & then spun it in the media as if they are helping to save the breed.
The Federation only knew of the Government's intentions 6 days before the sale having raised questions & written letters for over a year. Shame on you Roseanna Cunningham. http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/2010/November/news/Shetland%20kye%20sold%20at%20Dingwall.htm

I was at this rare breed sale in Dingwall to buy poultry & have a general look see. I hate to see all the poultry in cages & the noise is horrendous of over 500 birds under the one roof. There were some magnificient specimens as there were of sheep & cows. I bought right at the start so we headed away to get the birds home, settled & fed as it was a long day for them - and us too being up at the crack. But I did watch the Key being sold - It is so sad & awful a thing for to be happening in this country.

Well it's been blowing a hooley all night & this morning - the poor hens must wonder where they've landed.

It snowed today.

We were up at the crack to go & fetch neighbours from the airport & it snowed. It hasn't lasted, however they are feeling cold after Tenerife. Throughout the night we had terrific thunder & lightening - I hardly slept as it sounded as if we were under seige. That's the thing with living in a metal box, you are very aware of the weather outside.

On Friday you may catch a glipse of me on Landward, but I kinda hope not: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006m994
At the Crofting Federation's annual gathering there was a crofters tasting menu ( food produced on crofts & by crofters) & a plate of mini mutton pies passed around beforehand - absolutely delicious, I could have eaten the lot but I was being watched!
http://www.crofting.org/index.php/conference
The night's have fairly drawn in - dark just after 5pm & it's too cold, too soon. We feel cheated out of a Summer.

I've been hauling dead wood up out of the gorge & up to the caravan. It's all a bit slow, but it will get the fat off me a little - hopefully. I've had a slothful Summer in some respects - but not in others.

Before going to the airport we went to see a guy who has just had another dose of chemotherphy. He is shockening thin & so nice & so planning ahead it was very humbling. His two dogs were glued to his side & even Billy - the dog from down the road came to see him as he keeps biscuits for all the dogs in that hamlet. His friends were there from down the borders & they had an elderly dalmation that sat at this man's feet. It was quite something to see but nobody commented. I felt richer for being there, seeing that. Also, selfishly, being a writer, I've tucked it away for later.