Sunsets and swims

There have been a few relaxed moments swimming at Calgary this week. It has been hot and the sea refreshing. Even I have swum, first time in years.. A few evenings ago Farmer was taken to the Cairns of Coll, which looked amazing from the photographs I saw. It was such a still and calm night.  They swam with seals.

We had to drop in at Pennygown Farm near Salen to get James's phone number (oops think we recycled the Red phone Book). It is time to start arranging transport for taking the lambs to market later in August or early September.  Selling lambs is always a lottery. Do you sell early before the price falls, or do you hope that it will go up as the season goes on.  Apparently the lamb price is going down at the moment - this usually happens just as the west coast start preparing to sell their lambs, or so it seems.

The cows moved up from Scoma to beside the house last afternoon, as tomorrow a bullock will be going to the slaughterhouse. Always a difficult time, when the reality of eating meat becomes emotive, and farming seems hypocritical.  But the fact of the matter is that Farmer does care about his animals, despite rearing them for the food chain. 

The new bull seems to look after the herd now.  There is a sense of him looking to see where everyone else is.  When they were put in the field by the house with access into this one opposite the cattle shed, they ranged all the way round the boundary of their space before settling down.   Getting a sense of the territory and finding their water supply, before going back to the importance of eating.

Down at Haunn, the Field Gentian have come out. 

And the yarrow, so pink.