Magical Tour

 Its a beautiful day, the sun is shining and the temperatures have improved it was reading 11 degrees C in the car.  There is a little breeze which makes it feel cooler so grab your jacket and I will take you on a little adventure.  You have been here before but each visit is different, it is an everchanging land/seascape.  The constant movement of the sea and clouds in the sky make for a different picture each time you take a photo.  First stop Port of Ness.  The road down to the port is still closed so we parked near the Breakwater, a lovely restaurant/cafe overlooking the port.

Back into the car for a short drive to Stoth beach, one of the family favourites for when the children visit.  It is a small cove with steep cliffs on either side, it has a few caves so perfect for pirates and boisterous boys to wear themselves out.  Today we just stood at the top and didn't venture down, but it was a joy to marvel at the beauty.  We also had the feeling of being watched...

Watching me, watching you!

Our final stop before heading home is the Butt of Lewis and the magnificent lighthouse.

Let me take you nearer the edge of the cliff, make sure you have a firm foothold its a long way down.  I marvel at the beauty that we are surrounded by and feel blessed to live on this beautiful Island with it's unique beauty and splendour.

Back to the cottage for coffee and crumpets, hope you enjoyed this little adventure just as much as I did.

See you soon.

Fun In All Weathers

 What a mixed bag we have had with the weather, storms one day bright sunshine the next a typical day in the Outer Hebrides.  A start has been made in the garden, a few moments at a time the bright sun lulls you into a false sense of security it is still quite cold.  The tyres have been cleared and are ready for future growth.  The rhubarb is already starting to unfurl its rich red stalks and pale green leaves, a lovely welcome to a sign of Spring a change of season and a shift in the weather cycle.  The mint is starting to poke through the soil, along with some of the other herbs.  We are making plans for the garden, always an exciting time of year.

Saturday saw me in the kitchen doing a mammoth bake for the freezer, a quiche, sausage rolls, egg custards to use up an abundance of eggs.  I also prepared a bolognaise sauce and a curry ready for the days we have hospital appointments.

I spent a few hours immersed in a project of dying some wool, what fun I have had.  I intend to crochet some flowers to make wreaths and a twig arrangement and needed some extra colours.  I want to use all Hebridean wool so dying some wool made this possible.

It was soaked in cold water along with vinegar for 20 minutes prior to adding the dye.  This was then heated until just before boiling and left to cool to room temperature.

A good rinse before it was hung up to dry.  I am looking forward to seeing the end result once it is crocheted up.  The colours are good with an even spread so I am quite pleased with it.  The bonus I had so much fun with and enjoyed the process.

I have once again pursued the experimenting with water colour paint.  This time a mixed media approach of painting, decoupage and sewing.  I had so much fun with it and will certainly be doing this style of art work again.

This is the back of one of them to highlight where I have used the sewing machine to stitch an outline.  I have been looking at other forms of mixed media and will let you know how I get on.  As always I thank you for your visit, support and comments.

See you soon.

Bible Journaling

 Once again storms have hit the Outer Hebrides meaning more rain and wind not conducive for the great outdoors.  I can easily entertain myself indoors so I set up a little studio in the corner of the lounge.  This means that I didn't have to heat another room and that the stove was the main source of heat.  We have just had our oil tank filled and the bill was eye watering.  We are so thankful for the stove and as it is multi fuel it does make it easy but it only keeps one room warm.  I am trying to keep hopeful that the hike in oil won't last forever...

Anyway back to my cosy corner to share with you what has kept me busy.  This is Psalm 117 the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.  I did prepare the page using clear Gesso and I was pleased that the paint didn't leak through.  I am not sure if I painted it on a little too thick as the page wrinkled a little.  A round brush and watercolour was used.

Next up was  Numbers 6:25 May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.  I tried watercolour pencils for this which I quite enjoyed.  They did take a little getting used to it was hard to not using them as colouring pencils and just colour in the the lines but after a few attempts it got easier.

Romans 8:28 A simple crayon drawing.  I intend to go over the lettering as it is not standing out as much as I had hoped.

The next example is Romans 12:9-10 and was done using acrylic paint and a baby bud/Q tip it was fun experimenting with colour and how much pressure was needed.

This was a mixed media example Luke 18:14 Those who humble themselves will be exalted.  Both water colour paints and pencils.  I am never going to to be a great artist but I do like the process of Bible journaling and indeed studying the word.  It has been fun experimenting with different process's without having to spend a fortune on supplies.

Finally another watercolour paint with once again a layer of clear Gesso used to prepare the page prior to adhering the paint.  I really added lots of water so that I could paint without erasing the words.  Once again the page has creased a little so I do need to do some research to see why this is happening.  

I really have enjoyed the process and will certainly be eager to have another go.  The art element kept me focused on the study so was certainly worthwhile.  I intend to have a go with other mediums to see what else I can enjoy.  Thankfully the weather forecast is looking better for the weekend.  The numbers of Covid on the Island are increasing rapidly which is a little disconcerting.  We were so lucky throughout the pandemic that there were so few cases but it is certainly making up for it now.  Whilst we are not staying indoors we are still trying to stay as safe as possible and staying away from large groups once again.

See you soon.

A Break In The Weather Means A Mini Tour

 The majority of the time I have been back on the Island we have been blasted with wind and rain, making the most of the stove and getting the cottage into shape.  Finally we have had a reprieve and the weather, dare I say it, has improved.  The sun has been shining, the wind has slowed down and not a sight of a rain cloud to be seen.  Long may this last...but just in case it didn't we made the most of it and had a drive into Stornoway for a walk around the harbour and town.   It is still a little chilly, you will need your coat but make yourself comfortable and come along for a stroll.

The name on this vessel certainly made me smile, Gratitude and prompted a conversation of how much we had to be grateful for in the grand scheme of things.

The reflections in the water were a delight to see and had me thinking of some of the amazing artists that we have locally.  We decided once we had worked up an appetite we would go to An Lanntair for lunch and to see if there was an exhibition.

The naked trees gave us the opportunity to see the castle through the branches, a glimpse here and there teasing us with a promise of things to come.  

By the time we had walked around the harbour, we had certainly worked up an appetite and inspired by the beauty wanted to check out Ann Lanntair.  We were not disappointed.

A interesting exhibition thought provoking but well worth the visit.  We did of course enjoy lunch in the restaurant, it was so nice to be out and about again.  Back to the car and then a whistle stop drive to the sea at Baile an Truiseil.  It was a joy to have a few moments looking at the beautiful walls and thinking about the generations before us that have spent the time collecting the stones and making them. We are surrounded by so much history, tradition and beauty and don't always see it.

I hope you have enjoyed this mini tour whilst we had a break in the weather.  I was hopeful that this was a sign of things to come but the wind has picked up and it is a dreary overcast day today.  Hopefully this will blow over very quickly and we will get out for another tour soon.   Hope all is well with you, I am visiting but not commenting on your blogs for the time been until I get back into a routine.

Take care.

See you soon.