Cuddy Point ...

As the Facebook followers of Homeschool on the Croft know, the Wee Guy and I took a run over to town the other day. We were actually chasing the sun - it was cloudy in Ness, but having seen blue sky to the south-east of us we decided to head in that direction.

Okay, so that wasn't the only reason: the Wee Guy loves the Castle Grounds and wanted to take me too see some of his favourite spots.

We had chucked some sandwiches into a bag before heading over, so we ate these at Cuddy Point once we arrived.

This photo looks out to Arnish Point - see the lighthouse?

The lunchtime ferry has just left Stornoway, beginning its three-hour journey to the mainland.

Now, it may have been the warmest day so far this year. And it may have been just a wee picnic, miles away from my kitchen. But there are two necessities in life: a flask of hot tea, and a china mug.

The place matters not: these are still essential.

After our lunch, we took a walk up to the monument to Sir James Matheson and his wife Mary. Sir James Matheson owned the Isle of Lewis for some time: it was he who built the castle and who planted the beautiful grounds surrounding it.

Cuddy Point from the memorial

The Wee Guy then acted as my guide and was there to fight off any dangers that could come our way.

Y'all will be glad to know that none did.

After our walk, I sat at Cuddy Point with my book. Calum was fighting with his 'weapon' (a large twig he'd found on the ground. The Castle Grounds are good, apparently, for supplying an endless supply of weapons, small and great). At one point I saw him firing an arrow from his 'bow', so I commented,

'Cowboys attacking?'

I got The Look. (Mothers, y'all know The Look, don't you?)

'No,' he replied with some incredulity. 'I'm Bo Duke'.

And he was off again.

Give. me. strength.

And to brighten the rest of your day, I'll leave you with some more photos of the harbour, all taken from Cuddy Point.

On Patrice's Porch, with a Couple of Detours

Good day, Patrice. We are having some lovely weather here right now. It really does feel like summer, and everyone seems to smile more. 

The Wee Guy and I went over to town today, and spent some time in the Castle Grounds. He loves it there, and normally leads some army through the forested areas, and waits to ambush the enemy. Today at one stage, he was fighting with a bow and arrow, so I said (thinking he was a Native American), 'Cowboys?'

'What?', he replied, with that look that made me realize I was way off the mark. 'I'm the Duke boys'.

Oh, give me strength.

Normal service was, however, resumed later when he informed me he was fighting the Romans: charging down the beach to prevent them from coming ashore.

I had taken a wee lunch with me, and we had a lovely time eating our snack at Cuddy Point, watching the ferry leaving Stornoway.

Even though it was our warmest day this year, and even though I was eating far away from my kitchen, there were two things that were still necessary:

Hot tea (supplied in the flask), and a china mug.

No, these are not preferences. These are necessities. 

Here was my guide: another necessity, because at this time we were heading for deep jungle.

I'll post more of the photos from the Castle Grounds tomorrow. For now, Patrice, I think we'll get on with our porch chat ...

1. When it comes to vegetables, which do you use more often - canned, frozen, or fresh?

At times, I use frozen brocolli or cauliflower, but no other frozen veg. I've never used canned veg, I don't think... Oh, hang on - yes, I do! I use tinned peas! Most of our vegetables, though, are fresh. Of course the best of veg are the ones that have come out of The Plot.

Oh, the difference in taste!


2. Do you sew?

Nope. I did make some of the curtains for this house, and for the home we had in Glasgow, but apart from that, sewing buttons onto clothes that have lost them is about my limit.


3. Do you have a common fear, such as the fear of heights, spiders, snakes, small spaces, flying, etc?

Erm, yes, I do. My fear is none of the above. It's an animal that some people choose even to have as a pet. HOW CAN THEY????

I just can't understand why anyone .... bleugh! I must move onto the next question, Patrice.


4. Is there anything you recommend for cutting your grocery bill?

Oh, well, I'm not sure about the costings, but I have one thing to say: Grow your own vegetables! Without a doubt, that is a fabulous way to:

a) eat more healthily
b) eat the tastiest food you've ever had
c) cut your costs. A bit. I think. Maybe.

Yes, it is a lot of work, but the benefits are immense. As most of you know, I had never grown anything green in my whole life until we began growing our own veg about four years ago. I was sure everything would die - after all, every house plant that had ever dared cross the threshold of my home had paid the ultimate price. But growing stuff outside is a different kettle of fish altogether. 

And once you taste home-grown carrots, you'll never want to go back to store-bought ones. We eat many store bought carrots - at best, our crop will last only part of the year - but having had our own, the shop bought ones are so incredibly bland and tasteless ...

Did you even ask about my veg, Patrice? Oh, I remember - you asked about cutting the grocery bill. Well, to be honest, I've never really found a way of cutting that very much. I think you Americans would be shocked to know what we spend, on average, each week on our groceries. It really is expensive to live here! But having our own veg has given me endless supplies of thick vegetable soups over our winter.

That is priceless.


5. Tell me something that made you happy over the past week?

You know, Patrice, I could probably give a long list here, but I'll stick to one thing.

On Saturday, seeing the potatoes being planted made me happy.

The Wee Guy took my bucket and began planting.

It looks as though he's the only one working!

See the tatties lying in their row. This furrow will be covered in soil as the tractor moves down making the next furrow.

Almost there. Seeing ploughed ground always makes me smile.

Have a great week, Patrice! And thank you once again for hosting us ladies on your porch for our weekly chat.

A Day in Town

I had to go to town today. You see, it's Friday, so my cupboards needed re-filling. If I didn't absolutely have to go to town, I wouldn't, but the only thing more important to this family than having Mother in the kitchen all day, every day, is having the cupboards in the aforementioned kitchen full of food.

And so, on a lovely November day, I headed to town.

While driving on my way to town, I did what all normal people do: I stopped the car in the middle of the Barvas moor to take some photos.

You mean, this is not normal?

Well, it is if you're a blogger.

This photo is looking towards town. It's grey.

But look at the next one...

This is looking back to the place from whence I came. It's blue and bonny.

I was on my own today. I have four kids laid up with coughs and colds. This is not good news considering what they'd all be hoping to be doing tomorrow.

Bonfires are needing built, and I have a feeling we're gonna have some very disappointed kids, looking out windows at others doing what they will be desperate to do.

Anyway, back to my trip to town.

The harbour was almost totally empty of fishing boats. Our local fishermen would have been glad of the good weather.

The Castle ground trees are almost completely void of leaves.

To the right of the photo, the Lews Castle is seen clearly through the clearing.  

It must be a welcome sight to fishermen returning to harbour after their toil.

On the other side of the harbour, the ferry was loading up for its return trip to Ullapool.

And shortly after, she could be seen from the Battery disappearing beyond Sandwick's cliffs.

This is Sandwick, the graveyard to the left of the photo.

On my way home, I popped in to my sister's for a cuppa, and took these photos from her Lounge window.

Just to show y'all... we have trees!

In the Big Smoke

I normally link up with Everyday Ruralty on a Wednesday for her Words of Weightloss, or something ridiculous like that. But I haven't been around today.

For the second day running, I was in Stornoway. Twenty-five miles from home. Two days running.

I'm now in therapy. Yep, I'm back home and that's my therapy. 

I took a couple of photos of Stornoway Harbour. See, even in town, I'm thinking of you guys. I'm good like that :)

 Most of the fishing boats were out, but the lifeboat can be seen in the harbour.

 Here's Lews Castle. The castle was originally built by Sir James Matheson, who owned the island, in the mid-1800s. He'd made his fortune from the Chinese opium trade and had bought the Isle of Lewis for £190,000.

Sir James Matheson sold the Castle in 1918 to Lord Leverhulme, who gave it to the people of Stornoway in 1923. Over the decades, it has fallen into disrepair, but there is hope now that it is going to be refurbished.

(And no, not by anyone's standards can Stornoway be classed as the Big Smoke :)