Windy In Paradise

Another windy day here in paradise, even the weather forecaster said it was unseasonably windy.  My washing is pegged out on the line using double the amount of pegs usually used and it is all doing the loop de loop around the washing line.  We had a quick stroll to the shore to admire the breaking waves and collect some large stones/rocks to use to anchor the bins down. 

 

The frothy waves crashing along the shoreline are mesmerising, the only sign of life apart from ourselves are the gulls.  You really do feel like you are on the edge of the world.  The power and strength in the water is a little daunting but exhilarating at the same time.

 

I have already painted some of the rocks red and black to make  ladybirds and give the front garden a little colour, as a temporary measure.  Two of the larger ones will be perfect for the gates.

 

 

I did use emulsion paint and then a yacht varnish to seal it against the elements.  It seems to have worked quite well, but time will tell.

I also painted a couple of small ones that you can just see on the edge of the plant pot, a little ladybird family.  I also painted  noughts and crosses on some and used a manhole cover for the board.  A little fun for when the children visit.

July is nearly upon us so we are starting to get a little excited as it is July that our first little visitors arrive.  We have been busy ensuring all the familiar toys are unpacked and that we have lots of new things for them to explore.  We decided against trying to fit wardrobes into attic bedrooms, preferring a simple chest of drawers.  I did want a little something so that clothes could be hung if required so I have decorated some wooden hangers and put some hooks on the wall.

Simple but effective storage solution for our guests and made with love.

Back to sheep with a few gulls thrown in.

Back to reality and some dirty windows that really do need my attention.

See you soon.

Lunch Time Treat

Friday we had our lunch break at the Port of Ness, taking our little picnic and our travel mugs of coffee with us.  It was nice to admire the views and stroll along the pier, taking in the beauty.  Thankful that we have each other to share this beautiful Island with.

 

The harbour was constructed  early in the 19th Century.

 

 

The boathouse features in the Peter May novels and tours are now been offered around the area.

The first time in awhile that I wasn't wearing a warm jumper, we reached the dizzy heights of 20 for a few hours.  The bonus was there wasn't a lot of wind either, making it feel quite warm. 

Sadly it didn't last and the winds picked up to almost gale force which meant the cancellation of Ness Gala, planned for Saturday.  Such a shame, when so much hard work was put in to it by the organizers.  It did make for some quite dramatic skies.

There was also the beautiful rainbow to admire.

Just for a change Highland cattle instead of sheep, they have such a majestic stature and are a joy to sit and watch.

Sadly the weather deteriorated over the weekend so it was indoor pursuits.  I have managed to get a little crafting done which I will share in another post.  As always thank you for your wonderful comments and encouragement.

See you soon.

St Moluags Church

We have had another tour around our local area, enjoying the views and getting to know where everything is.  Our neighbour helped us with the rubbish from the outbuildings, it is amazing how much bigger the buildings are now.

 

Several trips were made to the recycle centre, with a lot of the things finding new homes which was good.  We are still a long way off making a start on the renovations out there, concentrating on the main house first.  It is a joy to see the building like this...

 

 

...and dream...

 

Our recent tour took us around Europie, which is about one mile away from the Butt of Lewis.  There in the middle of a croft is St Moluag's Church.

 

 

Church services are only held in the warmer months as there is no water or electricity in the building.  There is a fence both side of the walkway to keep it clear from sheep wandering over it.

 

 

It is believed to be a 13th Century temple.  There is certainly a lot of speculation about the origins, one tradition believes that St Ronan founded the church before going on to the Isle of Rona.  It is certainly a beautiful place to visit and one of great peace and calm.

 

 

 

The lighting is by oil and candle.

 

 

Can you imagine a Carol Service, what a beautiful place to come together and celebrate. 

 

Not much crafting is been done here at the moment we have both been busy outside, painting.  If it doesn't move it gets painted.  We are hoping our little cottage will be looking its best by the end of the Summer with its newly painted exterior.  The plan then is to finish off the interior once the weather changes, one little step at a time.

 

My only craft achievement in the past couple of days is some tags in readiness for Birthday gifts, made using some oddments/scraps of Harris Tweed.  Rather fitting I thought.

 

 

I will close with last nights supper, broccoli soup with cheese and scones.  A wonderful warm up and reward for the painting outside.  The thermometer was reading 21 yesterday but with the wind it didn't feel particularly warm.

Finally, just because...

See you soon.