On The Camera

 Another week has flown by where I have easily filled my days.  I am thankful for the harvest the garden room has produced and we have finally pulled the last of the tomatoes.  There were still a lot of green tomatoes but  I didn't think we were going to do any better with them so gave in and made green tomato chutney.  All ready to go with some tasty meat and cheese over the holiday period.

Also from the kitchen is a citrus loaf, meringue, apple and blackberry crumble top tarts, a quiche and finally a trifle.

I have been blessed with gifts not only in the post but doorstep gifts and visits to the garden.  My dear blogging friend  Betsy, sent me a beautifully knitted pair of socks.  I am in awe of her and anyone else that can knit socks it is such a  skill, one of these days I will master the art.  I live in hope that one day Betsy and I will meet up and it would be nice to sit and learn how to master the skill of sock knitting.  They have such an intricate pattern and the colour is a delight, screaming Autumn.  I am so excited to give them a test run and wear them.

Scones, magazines and a family of ladybirds appeared on the doorstep and we have had the joy of over the wall chats with neighbours.

I fill my days easily with a craft project or two, I have several secret projects on the go and am enjoying the process.   Have you started any Christmas crafting?

As  more and more rules are been put into place as the Covid numbers rise, my parents anxiety levels rise so we have decided to go for a visit in the hope that this will be uplifting for them.  They do need some jobs doing so that is also the perfect reason to go.  It will be good for me to know that they are ready for both the Winter and for Christmas.  Who knows what the next round of restrictions will bring so better to go now in case we are unable to later.  A few days away will do us good too.

Hope all is well with you and that you are coping with the Covid regime of restrictions, it is strange times that we are living in.  I do thank you for your visit here and know that your visit and comments are greatly appreciated.  Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.

Port of Ness

 A mixture of weather conditions over the past few days, not unusual for this time of year.  But what was unusual was the downpour of hailstorms making for a frosty few moments if you were caught outside in it.

Thankfully that didn't last long but it was a sharp reminder of what is to come.  The local weather forecast has predicted an Artic blast from Norway with temperatures of minus 10 degrees.  I hope they are wrong.  Not good news...We also wait with abated breath for the new announcement from the government to stop the spread of this terrible pandemic.  There is talk of a 3 tier approach but time will tell.  We had been hoping to see the family but it is not looking good.  There are some places in England that have more hospitalization that prior to the March lockdown so things are not getting any better.  We will know soon enough what the new rules will be.

On a lighter note we are just back from our walk, this time to the Port of Ness.  We are surrounded by beauty so it is not hard to find something beautiful and positive to share with you.  Walking down to the Port was easy but I must admit I was a little breathless walking back up.  It was worth the effort.

Teresa this is the Port and the boatshed mentioned in the Peter May books.

The tide was coming in so it was a delight to see the boats bobbing about in the water.   It was strange walking down the slope to be able to see both the inner water of the harbour and the outer wall to the sea.  It certainly made quite the sight.

It was nice to take a stroll and let the wind blow the cobwebs and worries away.  Another beautiful day and a lot to be thankful for.

The steps lead up to an Art Gallery and to the Beachcomber Cafe and Restaurant, which is a wonderful place to eat.  The fresh air certainly did us both good and lifted the spirits.  Standing at the Port looking out over the sea was stunning.  Each time we visit these little coves and inlets it reminds us of the family visiting and the fun we had together.  We have our treasured memories and that is what keeps us going for now.

Stay strong dear friends, look for the positive.  As always I do thank you for your visit here and hope you found something to enjoy.

See you soon.

Thankful...

 My goodness how time is flying by, it seems only yesterday that I was uploading photos for my last post and yet it was over a week ago.  I am pleased to say that we have both had our flu jabs and are thankful for it.  There is talk already that there will not be enough to go around.  There is also talk of difficulties with blood tests but, again I am thankful that Gerard has had his routine monthly tests done.  Long may that last.  The numbers are still rising of cases of Covid on the Uists which is a worry.  But once more I am thankful that it hasn't reached our little Island yet.  It seems that I have a lot to be thankful for and truly feel blessed.  More restrictions have been imposed by the Scottish government and I believe more to come from the UK government with a 3 tier system proposed for England.  Time will tell.  These constant changes make planning so difficult.  It would be nice to make some definite plans to see the family.

I find it easy to fill my days, as does Gerard.  We always have so many projects that need doing and that we enjoy.  I have signed up for a Bible journaling conference.  I did something similar last year and really did enjoy it and learnt a lot.  I also signed up for a 5 day Prayer and Possibilities prompt, which is about being intentional about developing your relationship with God.  It has given me an insight about exploring some different ways to be more creative with my prayer time and devotionals.  I am at the moment creating a prayer journal which is a great joy.

I am also enjoying my preparations for Christmas, I know its early but with all that is going on I want it to be special.  A start has been made on some of the cards and gift tags.  This years design is a little intricate but worth all the hard work.  Starting early has given me plenty of time to get them done.  We plod on each day enjoy the beauty that surrounds us and are thankful for our little cottage and the security that it gives us.

Hope all is well with you and that you have a lot to be thankful for...

Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.

Stornoway Harbour

 As always I thank you for your visit and comments on my previous post.  Gerard's visit to the hospital was for a routine check up and all went well, thank you.  Your prayers and thoughts were so much appreciated and he thanks you deeply.  It was so nice to feel your love and support.  More blood work is required but this can be done locally at the Doctors surgery.  We have both got appointments next week for the flu jab so that is something else ticked off our to do list.

As we were in town we did go to the supermarket to do a top up shop and a small shop for our neighbours who are self isolating.  Thankfully, it was not busy there were no queues.  There were some noticeable gaps on the shelves, the most obvious one toilet paper.  I can't understand the panic but each to their own.  There were some restrictions in place too, where only three items were allowed.  I am so glad that I have a good store cupboard, I feel  blessed that we are in such a good position.  The pandemic is still very much the headlines on all the news with constant threats of further restrictions.  Time will tell... I find it so strange that there have been no cases on our Island since the original six and yet we face the same constraints as the mainland.  It is getting closer, the numbers on the Uists the next chain of Islands are rising rapidly.  There is talk of a circuit breaker lockdown, where we are locked down for three weeks over the school holidays...again, time will tell!

Again, as we were in town it was a delight to take a stroll along the harbour.  It is always a joy to admire some of the boats.  There was a lot of working boats which are always a joy to see.  We are always thankful to the fisherman for their work as we are such fans of fish.  

We were lucky with the weather, it was dry and the sun appeared for a short while which enhanced our experience.  The weather is so changeable here on the Island so it is always wise to wear layers and always have a waterproof. It was a lovely walk and so nice to see the shadows on the still water.  As we walked further along the walkway the leisure boats/yachts could be seen.  Gerard and I (I have shared this with you before) love to chose a favourite and make plans for a trip away.  If only...

Hope you enjoyed our little stroll, there is a lovely place to sit and watch the world go by and a coffee house nearby.  Lets sit awhile and enjoy the music.  It was wonderful to be out and about and so nice to catch up with some friends from church quite by chance.  There was a musician playing , such a nice reminder of pre-Covid days when this was a regular occurrence.  A bonus to our morning and really did give us a lift.  These days, its the little things in life that give us so much pleasure.

Time to get a few jobs done and then back to crafting.  What are you working on?  Take care and stay safe wherever you are.

See you soon.