HOUSE FOR SALE!

*Ideal for a B&B or small Guest House*

Well, it's official: our house is now 'on the market'. Here's an idea of the schedule I'm planning.

The view from my sofa:

in mid-summer, the sun sets directly in my line of vision.

Every single night, the sky displays God's glory to me in a different array of colours and cloud formations.

In all my years of living here, I have never tired of soaking in the beauty of the sun setting.

You see? Different ...

but always beautiful.

And then again, we have beauty in the mornings.

On cold winter mornings, sometimes the sky lights up as though it's on fire.

On fire...

On other mornings, the scene is more serene, and even the rams seem to wish to simply savour the peace and tranquility of the morning.

A short walk from the house on an April morning can allow for this beauty ...

and in the evening, the same walk will not disappoint

As you can tell, I seem to forget that this is about our house. We don't own the beach, the sky, nor the beauty around us. We aren't selling them ... but whoever buys our home has the added bonus of all this beauty thrown into the package.

And so I must move inside ...

GROUND FLOOR

Utility Room

Utility Room

Not seen is a door leading to a W/C, and another door leading to a large shoe/jacket cupboard/drying room. The Utility Room also leads into a double integral garage with electric up-and-over door.

Kitchen - Diner

This large kitchen has an integral dishwasher, and large integral fridge. The Rangemaster has two electric ovens, one electric grill, and six gas burners on top. (It's not very formal, but can I just say .... I love it! Thank you.)

The dining area of the kitchen is bright and is spacious enough to fit a large extended table. 

The sitting area of the kitchen has a multi-fuel stove, and is possibly my favourite place in the house (along with my sofa in the Family Room).

Family Room

The large windows afford views straight 'down the croft' and onto the Atlantic.

This is where the summer sunsets are savoured by Moi.

Lounge

- a large, more formal room,

its large windows make it bright, and give views from West to North East - out towards the Atlantic Ocean, across to the Butt of Lewis, and over to Fivepenny, to the North-east.

Main Bathroom

 Office (or Bedroom 6)

Bedroom 1

...and en suite

 (excuse the colouring in the photo. I'm not quite sure what went wrong!)

Bedroom 2 (Guest room)

Bedroom 3

Hallway

FIRST FLOOR

Landing

I love this bright, sunny spot - ideal for a quiet read

Bedroom 4

A large double bedroom, with ample space

for sleeping ...

...and living!

(This room also has an en-suite which is not shown)

Bedroom 5

 And so you have photos of each of the rooms. I have not shown cupboards (large, double, shelved cupboard, and a single, shelved cupboard, both in the downstair hallway). Bedroom 5 also has a large cupboard off it, and though it's used simply as a cupboard, it is plumbed and wired for an en-suite.

Yes, I'm outside again ...

What the house photos cannot show is how safe and secure a person feels living here. I don't think there could be a better place in which to bring up children. 

The district of Ness sits at the Northernmost part of the Isle of Lewis. It has a real community spirit, and boasts a delightful primary school, a sports hall with 10-pin bowling, and a swimming pool. We have a local amateur football team, and there are many sporting opportunities for young (and not-so-young folk). Here in Ness, we also have a wonderful cafe, Cafe Sonas, which serves delicious locally produced and caught food, and a range of other small, local businesses.

There are two shops, selling groceries, fresh baking, petrol etc,, a laundrette, and a delightful Post Office. In addition, we also have a local historical society, churches, and community groups.

Ness is half-an-hour's drive (25 miles) from the island's main town of Stornoway.

 This is not our beach, of course, but it's what I think of as Our Beach. Stunningly beautiful when the weather is calm and also (maybe more so) when the waves crash right over the Eye of the Butt of Lewis.

If you are at all interested in buying this unique home, and wish to know more about it, please feel free to get in touch...

You can Private Message me on Homeschool on the Croft's Facebook page;

You can leave a comment here, and I'll answer you (please leave a contact email if you wish me to email you. I'll delete the email address from the comments section as soon as I use it.)

You can email me at anneemag23@aol.com;

And the official Hebridean Estate Agency can be found by clicking on the link.

Or, if you happen to be passing, feel free to drop by ... that's the Lewis way of doing things after all!

UPDATE: I have photos of the outside of the house now :)

Sunsets, Spanish, and Spending

Yeah, we're doing alliteration .... why do y'all ask? 

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The sunsets are now happening earlier in the evenings, and the sun is setting further to the west. It's amazing how quickly the seasons come and then move on, giving way to the next season.

It's always good to be assured that, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22)

This was what I called the kids to see last evening. As always, the photo simply does not do the beauty justice, but as it's not possible for y'all to land on my doorstep evening after evening, then a photo must suffice.

Just a few minutes later, the sky looked quite different. I was glad I caught it, because the colours didn't last long at all.

You see, it always pays to be close to a window at the time of the sun's daily Adios!

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Can you tell the Wee Guy - who is no longer the Wee Guy, but is Calum Stewart - and I are learning Spanish? Si. We spend an hour every morning with Rosetta Stone's Spanish, and then we spend a shorter time in the afternoon doing some revision.

I am having to make myself keep up. It ain't easy when you're forty-seven ... that is why I'm doing a language with CS now. Young brains an' all that.

For example, the other day, when Jackson was doing what he's doing in this photo, I said:

"Un perro esta come."

"No!" corrected Calum, "He is not eating."

"Un perro esta corre?"

"Noooooooo, mum! El esta durmiendo!"

Okay, okay, mate. I'll get it right sometime ...

*      *      *

Now, talking of Jackson and eating. While we were away in summer, the Builder came back to the house in which we were saying with the announcement that he'd bought Jackson some new bowls.

Fine, I thought. Good thinking, I thought. 

Later, when I went into the car, THESE were the bowls I saw.

MASON CASH?!?!?

For the DOG!!! (no offence, Jackson).

"Honey.... do you know how often I've looked at Mason Cash bowls for the kitchen, but convinced myself that the cakes will taste just the same when made in a plain old £3.99 bowl and resisted the temptation to buy them???"

For. the. dog....

*      *      *


Clearly, the Wee Guy's reading habits are a good deal more useful than the Builder's have ever been.

This is what I 'caught' him engrossed in today. He is loving it! I reckon he needs to sit his father down some day soon and give him some of Dave's and Rachel's (yes, he's on first-name terms with them) advice. 

Summer in Ness, and Summer on Patrice's Porch

Believe it or not, Patrice, I'm reluctant to leave our own weather to come to Virginia today. Yes, we have had a few perfect summer days, and today I'm savouring more of the same. I'm heading off to the beach later today, so I'll answer your questions, have a wee chat with y'all, and then head back to our sunny Ness ....

After all, this weather doesn't happen here too often :)


1. Do you like cucumbers?

Hmmm, I can take 'em or leave 'em. I'm not overly keen on them, but if you put them on my plate, Patrice, I'd eat them. However, I don't like tomatoes at all.

Horror!

I enjoy tomato sauces, but I cannot go tomatoes at. all.


2. How good a housekeeper are you?

Ooh, please may I skip this question, Miss?  No!

Well, 'I'm not great' has to be the honest answer to that question. I wish I was much more efficient, much tidier, much more organised.

I do love having an open door, and would hope that visitors would always feel welcome. I do, however, wish they were always welcomed into a tidy home.


3. Please finish this: To spend a day ___________ would be amazing!

Reading!

That was easy! But I'll embellish it slightly. If I could have a day sitting out in the sun whilst reading, that would be even better.

And if I was being plied with cups of tea, biscuits and cake on a regular basis, my day would be further enhanced.

And if I were to end the day gazing at this view ...

whilst still being fed tea and cake, it really would be the perfect end to the perfect day.

Actually, this photo - taken tonight from my Family Room window - was the perfect end to a perfect day. And d'you know what? I spent a good part of the afternoon sitting outside, in the sun, reading.

The only part that doesn't fit with the 'perfect scenario' is the fact that there was nobody making tea for me.

4. How do you handle times with you are 'down' or 'blue'?

I look out of my window.

Well, that's only part of the story of course, but quite seriously, the view outside of my window really and truly does lift my mood. I think beauty does that. And beauty for all the senses helps.

So, the sound of beautiful music can lift my mood. The taste of beautiful food can bring me more alive. The sight of beautiful views like the ones I'm blessed with on my doorstep. The company of friends and family whom I love soon lifts the blues.

And above all of them, having communion with my Lord, and meditating on His Word... That really does alter me.

I'm aware that answer may be slightly flippant, but for low-level, and very temporary blues, these things can surely help.

I have had times of deeper blues too. That hue is much harder to deal with, and cannot be sorted by reading a few words on this blog. Our friend, Dr David Murray, wrote a book recently called Christians get depressed Too. It can be found here.

It is worth getting if you are struggling with depression - and maybe you haven't even recognized what you have as depression. This book may help you in recognition of it too. 

5. Have you started using essential oils, since they have become so popular?

No, Patrice, I haven't, though I'm coming across folks who are using them more and more. Just recently actually, I was thinking about the amazing world God has made for us to enjoy and from which to benefit, and I couldn't help thinking that I am sure He has created so many herbs that have the answer to very many illnesses and troubles. It's something I'd like to learn more of, and may set aside time soon to do that.

Thanks for these questions, Patrice, and once again I've enjoyed spending time with you this week.

Unlike other weeks, mind you, I am rushing home to our own gorgeous weather now! 

On Tuesday evening, I nipped outside to take some photos - erm, yes, I left the comfort of my chair and ventured down to the machair. The sun was just setting and the beach and machair were so peaceful. Serious therapy.

Can you spot the lone surfer to the far left of the photo?

Marina (my sister) was over with me for the evening, but d'ya know what? It was worth leaving her scintillating conversation to savour the beauty and the smell of the machair just as the sun said its farewell for another day.

After the sun had set, I took this photo from the machair, looking up towards Swainbost and Cross. The warmth of the day and the calm of the evening gave a striking ground mist which added to the sense of peace and tranquility.