Something on the formatting on Blogger tonight is acting up so I might end up doing all the writing here if I cant fix it. It is jumping all over the place. So apologies for the mess on this posting. You will have to guess which photograph goes with which words.
Farmer is getting used to the new daily routine now that the cattle shed is full. The cows seem happy to be indoors. The other night when we had raging winds it was good to think that they were indoors, and had there been a calving problem Farmer wouldnt have had to go and look in the dark for them. Mind you, we did have a power cut so he would have been in the dark - but dry at least. He has started going up to check on them before he turns in, as we expect the first calf any day now. An appointment for the bull to be examined again has been made so hopefully we will know more then.
Farmer still managed to find some time to do some baking despite spending alot of time this week with his animals. This time he made a fruit cake. It was delicious and didnt last long!
Work has been continuing well with the cottages. Studio is beginning to look really good. It was really nice to show it to two of our regular guests who were staying at Haunn last weekend - they have booked 7 out of 8 of the cottages later in the summer for their wedding party and wanted to remind themselves of what it was like inside! They will use Studio for the wedding feast should it is too wet for the 'marquee'.
A minor set back, for us, in that the new bedroom window is too small and too high, but the ever helpful builder has ordered a new one, and is going to take this one out and replace it all at the right height before Studio is let at the end of March. It is only annoying as otherwise Studio would have been finished weeks before then.
We have completed the first step of Shian's new kitchen - changing the cooker and fridge/freezer positions, putting up some new shelving and installing a new ceramic hob cooker. Relatively small changes but it looks great, and was all ready for guests who arrived yesterday afternoon for a week's holiday. Next winter will see the bigger phase 2 - which is going to be lovely, sunny and warm. (thats a hint)!
The Neils are busy working away in Duill bathroom. The Mermaid panels are installed as is the new bath, and our first guests arrive on Thursday! So only the shower, the loo and the basin to finish then. Easy!
John, our architect, is coming over to see us on Thursday next week, when we will be looking at plans for our eco-camping/glamping project, which will open in April 2014. This is a really exciting project for us, not just because it is on a fabulous site with great views - but it will be low-impact in every way. It will be appropriate in scale so as not to impinge on the balance already here (both in human and wildlife terms!); it will enable us to re-use/upcycle materials we already have in stock; utilise local & natural building materials; create an interesting new wildlife habitat and finally have a turf roof! Watch this space!
We have some tups with bad eyes. This is a highly infectious infection so Farmer has seperated them from the others and brought them in to the wee shelter in the Stack Yard so that he can treat them more easily. Farmer has been ordering some additional 'cake' for the sheep as we are going to scan this year - in a week or so's time. I will blog about it soon! The price of animal feed has gone through the roof, and it is worrying to think what the prices will be for our lambs next year. We are still looking around for a new bull and they are alot of money.
There have been some great skies. I guess because of the storms. Windy and wild at times. Rough seas. Dark grey skies. The neighbours tups found good shelter down in the lowest bit of the field to the left of the track down to the bridge onto Treshnish. And then these perfect still moments with pale puffy clouds catching the sunrise light glowing over Coll or the dying sunset light on the Treshnish Islands.
Farmer, accompanied by Jan and Cap, checking the hoggs - their favourite pastime is to get stuck in brambles at this time of year. Nice little green shots to entice them into the throttling briars. And it takes a fright at best to get them out or a sharp penknife to cut the briars away from their wool at worst.
I can't do anything to make this display any better, and dont really like publishing it like this. Hopefully it will be better next time.
