Cu Dubh

Bliadhna mhath ùr!

2012-01-01T05:47:00.001-08:00

as it says on the tin........

Something warm to come back to after a hard day in the office

2011-12-13T04:59:00.000-08:00

I have been feeding, Matthew, my mentor's sheep for him whilst he goes to school.

So armed with 2 bags of hay and half a bucket of "cubes" I make my way to the "reseeding". Shouting "Kirri, kirri, kirri" (there is a reason why) I make my way to the feeding troughs. In ones, twos, and groups they trundle in. Climbing the gate with my two bags (leaving the cubes outside) spreading the hay as best I can with forty-two vying for the prime spot (right in front of your feet) they grudgingly chew the hay knowing that the dessert is on it's way. I get the cubes and they are there.......jostling like school girls after the last JLS tickets, or recovery specialists after a missed impact claim where the Veh Reg. is known, I move, as best I can, over to the troughs, but alas, they are already there. Scattering the cubes (a bit like giant All-bran) whilst being jostled, pushed, and butted whilst still standing does take practice. After the food orgy they amble of for another day........

.......So here is a traditional Island recipe for your loved ones to make for your return. Please tell me how tasty it was, "unfortunately" I don't like fish ;-)

Ceann Cropaig

Fish Livers
Oatmeal
Salt & Pepper

mash the livers and discard the veins. Combine the liver and oatmeal (taking care not to make it too dry) and season with salt and pepper.

Fill a fish head with the mixture and coat with flour so that the water does not get in to the mixture.

Place in a pan with cold water and bring slowly to the boil. Cook for 15 mins.

P.S. Finely chopped onion can be added to the ceann cropaig, and some people are know to add a pinch of sugar.

Enjoy

Weather Watch

2011-11-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

Mid-November and apart from a couple of windy days in October the weather has been excellent (there goes the good weather). In fact, I'd say that I've been windier after a mild curry than the winds up here (so far).

Today saw the first foggy day, but again nothing compared to a Dundee hoar (I know that there are a lot in Dundee ;-) ).

Went for a walk (man goes for a walk sensation!!!) and snapped a couple of these

I saw them, honest, I really did

2011-11-07T06:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been busy doing the David Attenborough stuff (no not sitting with primates). I've actually seen 2 otters frolicking in the water just outside the house. Of course I managed to take a few snaps, but the camera does not have a very good zoom, so they could be anything from seaweed to spacemen, but I know they were otters.

So far I've seen (apart from farm animals) 3 buzzards, 2 otters, and many cormorants.

What I have noticed is that there are fewer seagulls here than where we used to live.

I tried out our new strimmer. It's the "DB's". 49cc of throbbing manhood in my hands. Carlsberg don't do strimmers, but if they did.......

Tha mo bhàta-foluaimein loma-làn easgannan - think Monty Python

Dipping and Drenching

2011-10-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

No, no, I don't mean the weather. Last week I helped drench and spot dip the sheep out at the reseeding. Not easy considering it's best to dip them when there is a full day without rain. After 4 days of shall we, shan't we, we went for it. Rounding up the sheep and getting them into the fank was tiring, but fun. Then the sheep were split into 2 groups ready to meet the rams.

I was a wee bit ill over the last few days, so maybe I should've had the vitamin drip too.

I've finally put the strimmer together and am dieing to try it out. 49cc throbbing away, causing carnage........cannae beat it.

This coming week I hope to start french trenching the swampy parts of the croft and clean the burn out to hopefully accept the increase of water.

The other half is still weaving away and is still enjoying it (I hope).

Nothing much more to report apart from diesel being 150.9p a litre, and you can fill up on Sundays now (you can even sale from Tarbert on a Sunday now).

I will update you all on my french trenching if my calloused hands let me type.

TTFN

The Mod

2011-10-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

The Mod has arrived in Lewis for the 5th time in it's history, so Stornoway is "jumping".

Our 1st visitors arrived for a few days recuperation and have uploaded a few photos for everyone's perusal.

Introduction to a few "locals":

Lucy the lamb - was found lost after her birth. She was also born very late in the season. There were no obvious mothers in the village, so our neighbour became the surrogate mother and has hand fed her. Her bleating (Lucy's) can be heard inside the house, especially when it's bottle time. Lucy has lost a horn and lost one of her ear tags, and all because the grass seems greener on the other side of the fence.

I know it sounds like a WWF charity advert " just £2 a month can save.........", but all true. So if you still want to send £2 a month I can guarantee Lucy will not receive a penny of it.

More soon

A Long and Windy Road

2011-10-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

A long and windy road indeed, both metaphorically and literally. I am finally on Lewis after a very long and protracted journey.

We decided to stay in a village about 8 miles from the croft. We will still work our croft in Lemreway, but for the time being we will live in Cromor. We have been given a really warm welcome in the village.

The weather at the weekend was great (photographic proof provided). On Saturday we were invited to a community lunch to aid two people traveling to Uganda to carry out some charity work. All those lovely homemade desserts (not that I had any, of course) and on Sunday we went to the beach in Luskentyre.

One of the crofter's sons (14 years old) has agreed for me to shadow him whilst he tends his flock and I'm sure the "Lambing Live" that I watched earlier in the year will stand me in good stead...........not!

Luskentyre

All is well

2011-08-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

Thought that it would be about time I updated the blog.

We are finally moving up after a few hiccups that I won't go into in detail about, suffice to say that options A,B,C, and D, along with plans A,B, and C did not go to plan. No fault of our own, but sometimes other peoples fears of leaning out of a window stops them from admiring the view (figuratively speaking), waiting for officialdom to get all the bits 'n bobs in order.

We are renting a house about 8 miles from the croft until such time that we can build our house on the land. We will still be working the croft as normal, just means I'll have to get up a wee bit earlier.

Promise I'll post more often once up there

Blagging the blog

2011-03-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

As I tend to ramble on in both writing and verbal communication I'm going to make a valiant (probably fruitless) attempt at brevity in my blogs.

Although Cu has written a wee bit at the beginning of this blog, I felt the need for me to write a wee personal story of why I got here. The how will follow.

To have a dream is glorious, to rebel against complacency is couragous but to maintain grace, humour, and sanity regardless of society is truly enviable. I got envious of those people who live simply, expect little, who value love and respect above everything. After a time of combined trauma's, in my employment, my health and my family I had an epiphany. I had just faced the worst things that could happen in anyones life simultaneously and I was still breathing. My functioning had changed, but I had nothing left to be scared of.
What was the worst that could happen, because I had virtually nothing left to loose. The friends I have left are true enough to be keepers, I have 2 glorious young adult children (plus one daughters beloved) and I have Cu. Oh! and one dog (Cu's inspiration, Ming) and two cats (Fang, the gay ginger, and Flea, the well-worn fighter).
Kudos, status, job titles, stress, ill-health, clock-watching, yes men, suits, cruel selfish ambition, jargon, pressure, HR Departments, budget meetings, policies, strategies, theft, neds, chavs, pollution, flavour enhancers, greed............... Nah! not going to miss a thing!

Stevies Photos

2011-03-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

Since I tend to ramble in my blog attempts I'll restrict myself to posting photos. After all a picture says a thousand words! These words are forwarded by my daughters partner,

Another Giant Step For Roosters

2011-01-29T12:56:00.000-08:00

Well, yesterday was a significant step for me. It's getting serious. Now a man of "leisure", although Lis has other plans. I'll probably be busier now than in my last "life" (awaits sarcastic comments). Looking forward to it though. It has been a long time coming.

2011-01-06T13:53:00.000-08:00

Commitment

2011-01-06T13:46:00.000-08:00

Well, the time has come.Commitment. Commitment to being part of Scottish tradition. Commitment to the environment. Commitment to soceity. Commitment to nature. Loving it.