seeing double in Scotland on the North Coast 500 route.

Something is wrong.

I have come back from Scotland with no blurry images

AT ALL.

It must be my course; MA in book art.

Every time I click the shutter I am thinking about what I will be using the photo for. Projects whirring around in my head.

I do have a nice photo of a mug though.

I was staying in Lochinver, way way up on the north west coast of Scotland, near lots of my favourite mountains.

I met a man called Billy in the car park at Stac Pollaidh. We were both planning to climb it. He had spent the night in his van. I arrived fresh from my tasty B&B breakfast. He kindly made me a coffee in his only cup, while we waited for the clouds to clear.

They didn't.

I decided to go up anyway. Billy waited a bit longer.

The mountain looked like this.

The day before the mountain has looked like this.

Stac Pollaidh

I had not had time to climb as I had arrived too late in the day.

That's mountains for you.

So I climbed into the cloud, thinking about a book called "The Mountain that tried to Hide"

I could still see the grass.

As I came down I met Billy coming up.

We went our separate ways.

I had to make do with the photos I had taken the previous day on the lower slope of the mountain.

from Stac Pollaidh on a cloudy day

Stac Pollaidh

Stac Pollaidh

Stac Pollaidh

Stac Pollaidh

Stac Pollaidh

Nearly all the same view, but with different ground surfaces.

It seems to be the style that I have adopted for the present time, as I am thinking about points of view; near and far. What we choose to look at.

I did take loads of watery pictures too, but they are all in focus too.

These from the River Inver.

Och well

I guess I'll get back to blurry sooner or later...........

christmas is coming........

Santa in Bromley

OH ( my other half) is in trouble.

For many, many reasons.

He has been away for a week on business, somewhere warm and sunny, ( India) staying in a 5 star hotel.

And CHRISTMAS IS COMING.

I made a cake

While he has been away I checked the calendar to find out when he will be home. It says today.

Apparently that is not correct.

It also says he will be in for dinner tomorrow evening.

That is 'not correct' either.

Meanwhile, back in the UK I am trying to prepare for Christmas.

a christmas cake

I have collected a tree and sawn it's bottom off so that it can drink water. Outside, in the dark, all by myself witha rusty saw.

I have unwrapped the new Christmas lights ( pressure is on in the street and I have succumbed to the increasing blingness that surrounds me.)

The new lights were in a muddle even before we have used them....

I have chosen a new tap to replace a broken one, and purchased a loo roll holder that I will have to put up myself in out newly refurbished loo.

I have found the washing bin joyously empty for a whole week.

I have lived on what is around, and decided to forgo the 2008 brandy butter, the 2010 christmas pudding and the 2011 chestnuts.

BUT ALL IS NOT LOST

OH sent me a postcard.

Of a Christmas tree in a swanky hotel.

It wished me a Happy Christmas and New Year.

So he has thought of me between his crab dinners and festive breakfasts.

The wording suggests that he may be staying away until 2017........

In which case I wont have to tidy all the very many surfaces in the house that are currently covered in book making materials and scraps of paper.

And can continue to live on toast and avocado, remembering my wonderful trip to Scotland.

scottish cows

scottish scenery

scottish leaf

some photos from Applecross - a journey on the north coast 500 route

I am recently returned from Applecross.

Journey one for my north coast 500 project.

November 2016.

I switched my camera to a high contrast black and white setting in order to focus on shapes and shadows.

Looking for themes and ideas about what draws me to this part of the world.

I have selected some that I feel represent my days in Applecross.

Roads, paths, fallen leaves and markings in the fields. Frosty leaves and snow white houses.

Lines and circles

And a blackbird singing in a tree.

How to make sense of it all for  a small book?

I will start by concentrating on shapes, and see where that leads.

and breathe........ fresh air, a wedding in Braemar and a visit to Balmoral

I can say it now.

We had a wedding.

My beautiful daughter got married.

It was in Scotland. In the middle of nowhere where the midges roam, and the temperature is around 10C in mid July.

It was a long drive from south London, carrying a car full of pine cones, assorted stationary, clothes for wet weather, hiking and partying, a steam generator iron and a wedding dress. Not to mention three baby fawns and the hand crafted 'confetti cones'.

three baby fawns

We covered more than a few service stations, where we bumped into Lochs and Glens coach holidays, and partook of fine dining.

Lochs and Glens

obligatory service station cone picture

old blue car getting some free parking

Overnight in Moffat for a gentle ease into a very different way of life.

doing the tartan thing

the first of many deceased animals encountered on our travels

We breakfasted on haggis and made our way to Braemar.

The weather was very Scottish, with an 'unseasonal' amount of rain. While waiting for beautiful daughter and her tall dark and handsome fiancee to arrive we decided to be tourists and visit Balmoral.

Balmoral

The queen arrives in August. Everything in the garden is geared to her arrival. Vegetables and flowers all designed to be ready for one month of the year. Fresh flowers in every room, every day. Vegetables from the garden.

Balmoral garden in action

the vegetable garden

the vegetable garden cone

red squirrel at Balmoral gatehouse

Beware - squirrels crossing

does the Daimler have a leak?

Scotland is very green right now. 

Ancient birches and pines in abundance.

And then there was the wedding.

A joyful affair.

I even enjoyed the ironing. I will probably never again iron tablecloths ON the table, using an extension lead and my trusty steam generator.

I will probably never again even iron a tablecloth anywhere.

And I will never again iron a brides train or three bridesmaid dresses.

My face was subjected to brushes and attention that it has never experienced before. 

I was 'made up'.

OH said I should do it every day. I thought I looked pretty odd.

It will never happen.

make up brushes

make up 

It took three attempts to wash it off at the end of the day.

The day was perfect.

It even stopped raining for the photographs.

We danced and laughed, and danced and smiled and talked and danced and were filled with joy.

Normal service was resumed the following day, and I was allowed out with my camera between family meals and parlour games.

The foxgloves are rich and and the grass lush and wet.

Ferns and buttercups in abundance.

Lush clover and long wet grass

It was a wonderful weekend in a wonderful place.

I will be back soon.