Time of regeneration and new generation.

Walking on Treshnish at this time of year is particularly exciting for us. Looking to see the old favourites, like the carpets of pink thrift, or giant clumps of marsh marigold, or clinging orchids on cliff tops, and discovering new waves of wind blown natural regeneration.

Early purple orchid and primrose.

Sea thrift and lichens.

Sea campion.

Farmer could not find Brownie yesterday and I went with him to look. Thankfully we found him safe and sound in with the cheviots and the other zwarties, having clearly decided that he had had enough of being with the rest of the tups. This is definitely the time of year to spot the natural regeneration. The freshly unfurled leaves seem to light up in the sun. And it was really nice to see how well keeping the stock out of the various areas was working and that the young trees were beginning to attain a mass of their own as they spread out from the seed source.

The foreground of this photograph is bracken coming through (unfortunately) but the mid height fresh green on either side of the older trees are young native broadleaf trees. Successful natural regeneration!

Farmer built this wooden tree guard a few years ago, having seen a tiny birch appear in the Black Park field. I am sure all this time people walking by have wondered what on earth it was doing - but this spring finally it has reached enough size, and the protected tree can be seen.

The barn owl box, with natural regeneration appearing beyond the fence.

Shelter for the sheep in winter, not much regeneration here!

Lichen like blossom on blackthorn trees.

Looking down into sheltered gully between the farmhouse and the sea. Bluebells.

Blackthorn blossom. And lichens.

Young self sown rowan tree appearing above the heather.

Early purple orchid.

These lonely isolated trees, clinging on - holding up against the winds in the winter. For how much longer is any one's guess. But in the distance you can make out the new growth appearing in areas fenced off for natural regeneration.

I love the shape of these trees silhouetted against the sea - up near the cattle shed. Regeneration is appearing here too, which is fine to see, for the health of the woodland but I will miss the shapes the older trees had created.

A new generation. Bottle fed lambs.

Sunset two nights ago. The wall of our office is painted white, so the yellow glow is from the sun, which then did this to the sitting room window.

Rocky walls of climbing thrift, down near the Ensay Burn mouth. Curlews calling. And an oystercatcher.

It was difficult to photograph this to show what a huge clump of marsh marigold this was, down by the boathouse beach.

Beltane and the Bull; leaping lambs, patches of primroses with wall to wall sunshine

Been catching up with what has been happening whilst I was away. Lots of lambs everywhere, and now 3 bottle reared ones. (called Kitcat, Shortbread and Twix - guess the theme this year?)

Today is May 1st. Beltane. The day the bull goes out. Hard to keep up with him along the track as he ran to meet up with the cows.

Here he is re-acquainting himself with the cows.

The calves, his calves, are more interested in the dogs sitting on the buggy on the other side of the fence.

Wood anemone.

Jan and Cap playing in a primrose filled gully, above the landslip on the north side of the Point.

Looking north.

Primroses in foreground with Rum in the distance.

Farmer securing the gate open so the cattle can range the fields.

Love these violets.

Marsh marigolds.

More primroses.

The cheviots down by the boathouse, a good place for watching out for otters.

No not triplets. Somebody else's lamb following a set of twins!

Absent with leave whilst lambing continues

I am guilty of abandoning the homestead during lambing. It was all arranged some time ago, with Farmer's full support and backing. Mobile phones mean that I have been kept in regular contact with Daughter and the trials of pet lambs being fostered on to new mums, but thankfully there are now 2 pet lambs to occupy the caring/looking after requirement of being a Farmer's Daughter.

I did manage to pick up a few useful farming/crofting tips whilst away to redeem myself - alternative uses of drainpipes and fenced fanks in corners of croft fields, feed your sheep so much they are easy to catch at lambing time as they will walk right up to you. Photographing tin sheds raised a few eyebrows and led to some interesting conversations. One or two photographs I didn't take, as I confess to being wary of barking dogs circling the car. I was told that Lewis collies don't bite! And I was frequently mobbed by sheep thinking I was going to feed them.

I have also been kept up to date with the exciting news that we have a pair of barn owls at Haunn. Prasad has good advice about keeping a distance so as not to disturb them.

It is my last night tonight, I get the ferry home tomorrow. I am in Castlebay, in a single hotel bedroom overlooking the dustbins, but it does seem to catch the internet signal so I am not complaining. Late afternoon, having spent most of the day in the car, I had 2 hours on my favourite beach, in full sun, watching gannets and terns. Bliss.

Stone enclosures, Isle of Lewis

Scarecrow (scarehen?), Isle of Lewis

Beachcombed rope fencing, Isle of Bernera

Tin shed detail, Isle of Harris

Stockinish harbour, Isle of Harris

Murdo MacLean & Sons, Stornoway

The Bays, Isle of Harris

Feeding station, Isle of Harris

Geocrab, Isle of Harris

Name the Band, Isle of Lewis

Use whatever you can find to fence the fank, Isle of Lewis

And the garden, Isle of Lewis

Near Tolsta, Isle of Lewis

'Isle of Rust' (Jonathon Meades)

Scarecrow, Isle of Great Bernera

More creative fencing, Isle of Lewis

A feeder, Isle of Lewis

More feeders, Isle of Lewis

Highland Lewis.

Another feeder, Bosta, Isle of Bernera

Last years peats, Isle of Lewis

Wall, Port Ness, Isle of Lewis