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.

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.

Stornoway Harbour

 Time has been flying by which explains my absence.  We seem to have settled into a routine and live each day as it comes ticking each job off the list as it is completed.  The unpredictable weather dictating which jobs get done, inside or outside.  Our self isolation came to an end so we have had a few trips out and about ensuring that we are walking a little further each time in a bid to keep healthy.  Friday we had a drive into town to do some shopping and had our usual walk around the harbour.  It was a delight to be once again in Stornoway taking in the views.  The trees around the castle ablaze with colour letting us know that there is change in season.  The slight chill letting us know that there is a shift in the weather pattern.  Although not as busy as usual, maybe a lack of tourists (not sure) the harbour was still busy with boats enabling us to peruse and pick out a favourite.  There was also a fair few working vessels used for fishing to be seen.

The fisherman standing patiently by, watching over the proceedings always a joy to see.

The lifebuoy there as a reminder of how dangerous it is to be by the water.  A reassurance for those working here in the harbour.

A wonderful addition is a mural made onto the outside of a building, brightening up the square and adding to the ambience along with some trees with white lights and coloured bunting.

We had a wonderful stroll and called into the chip shop for a fish supper, our first since before lockdown.  It was a delight to sit on a bench and enjoy the simplicity of it.  It is suggested that you pre-order your meal and then you are given a time for collection to avoid queues.  We didn't but thankfully they were taking orders from passers by.  

We did go onto  to look at the display at An Lanntair but I will share that on another post.  We also called into the supermarket to do a top up shop.  I was amazed how much some things have gone up, not least tinned fruit.  I do like some in my store cupboard for the Winter months but was surprised to see the increases which in some cases were quite substantial.  Have you noticed the rise in prices near you?

Hope all is well with you and that you are keeping safe.  This pandemic does not appear to be ending anytime soon we have all already adjusted to our new normal.  As the children start going back to school it will be interesting to see if there is any marked changes in the numbers.  There seems to be a mixed reaction to the changes around which Country you need to self isolate from, it is hard to keep up.   We have decided that no travels plans is the best way forward in the short term and we will look at again in the new year.   A very warm welcome to a new follower, I do hope you enjoy my little adventures through life.  A big thank you to all those who visit and leave a comment, it is a delight to know that you find something of interest.

See you soon.

This and That

Finally, a glimpse of sunshine to brighten my day.  The persistent rain and howling winds have passed over for a few days so time to get out and about.  A stroll around the harbour in Stornoway is always a delight.  There was a couple of fishing boats just in so there was plenty of seagulls watching over the proceedings.  There was also a couple of seals taking their chances for a free feed, what fun they were but elusive and so difficult to photograph.

The carved fisherman overlooking the walkway is a joy and always makes me smile.  I do wonder how many tourists having a stroll have taken the very same photo.  You can just see the castle peeking though the trees.   The spring like weather will soon be bringing all the trees into bud and the leaves will be unfurling to make a green canopy over the area and the castle will be once more screened from view.

How wonderful to be out and about once again taking in the glorious views and picking out the dream boat. 

A short walk through the town brought us to An Lanntair where we soon found our way up to the cafe for coffee and a BLT,  a tasty treat.  We never have bacon at home these days so it was quite the treat enjoying such a wonderful treat and taking in the surroundings and natural ambience.  We then went back down the stairs to enjoy a browse around the exhibition.

It is an established art/science project led by contemporary artists Gillian McFarland and Ione Parkin as part of the Hebridean Dark Skies Festival.  Sadly my photography skills were lacking so the pictures do not portray the true standards.

We are so fortunate to have access to these wonderful exhibitions for free.  There is always so much going on when you consider how small the population of these Islands are.  Living life on the edge on the Outer Hebrides has lots of challenges but the lack of artistic talent is not one of them.  Do you make the most of what is available in your area?

Our hens are black rocks, a wonderful hardy breed suitable for the harsh conditions of the Island and produce lovely brown eggs.  We have been so blessed by them, they provide us with hours of entertainment as we watch their antics around the croft.  As always I thank you for your visit and for your uplifting comments.

See you soon.

Se