Happy New Year! Farmer and family spent Hogmanay at a ceilidh cum party held at Ulva School - though we did get home before the bells as Daughter was totally exhausted and was not going to make midnight! Members of the community of all ages from 5 weeks to 70+ years turned out on a cold still night, and it was a lovely evening. The snow before the end of term cut short the usual Christmas greetings and parties so it was good to get together and celebrate.
A great demonstration of Fire Poi by Ellie.
Farmer has brought the cows in off the hill. One morning last week when he went to feed them on the hill above Toechtamhor, they were not hanging round the feed troughs but were waiting at the upper hill park gate as if to remind him they needed some more shelter. So now the weather can do what it likes, whilst they wait for their calves to arrive in the dry.
The hoggs had been indoors throughout the last spell of cold weather and snow but they are now turned out into the field beside Shian and Duill. And heads up rushing towards the gate as soon as they hear quad, buggy or Farmer's voice - so they would seem to be well trained to the bag (of food). In the morning looking out of our window these earnest brown faces look up at you imploring you to hurry up with the food.
On Wednesday 5th January the schools story turned a corner - not a full stop, more a pause. A Special Council Meeting called by 9 Councillors (SNP and Independents including Mull's Mary Jean Devon and Gordon Chalmers) brought nearly all of the Councillors into the meeting at Kilmory. The Provost declared that information made public by SRSN (Scottish Rural Schools Network) made a Material Change to the Council Vote on the Proposals in November 2010, and therefore the Consultation period should be halted, the Proposals withdrawn.
There followed some disappointing politicking and posturing but the end result was that new Proposals will be prepared following a review of the entire school estate, not just the 25 schools on the initial closures list. So we are in a time of suspension. We don't know if we will be on the next list or not. We won't know until March 3rd at the earliest, and the uncertainty is exhausting, but at least the 'dodgy dossier' has been ripped up, and for now we can catch up with other chores - like looking for eco paintfor the bathrooms at West, Middle and East, and changing East living room around a bit! Looking, too, for a shower over bath for Duill, though whether that will happen this winter depends on whether the plumber has time to install it or not before the bookings start again.
Ulva School and the turning to Ulva Ferry (where the ferry crosses to Ulva and where the Turus Mara trips leave from).
Still lots of starlings on the bird feeders in the garden. And we have acquired 2 handsome cock pheasants who join the hens at the base of the tall bird feeder waiting for dropped seed from above. We didn't see any bramblings here but have been enjoying lots of golden eagle activity - see Prasad's blog for photographs.