Sunday 29 July 2012

Filling in the gaps!

The problem with blogging is when you haven't blogged for a while it's difficult to know where to pick it up again!
Nothing and everything has happened in the last month - no wonderful pictures to illustrate that of course! We were down in the south of England recently to celebrate my aunt and uncles 60th Diamond Wedding Anniversary - a very special occasion indeed. Before that we walked with friends to raise money for the Highland Hospice
The south has the good weather now, but up here in the frozen north we have endured one of the driest summers ever

cracks appear in what  normally would be extremely soggy peat bog
rivers can be walked across without getting soggy socks
A boy
and his dog.
The Highland Hospice walk was a long walk - 17 miles we think . Here we are on the homeward straight
We passed one or two desirable residences on the way that could have made a killing selling cream teas!
 We've had a lot of visitors. Oliver came from Denmark with his Mum and Dad.
A Viking he may be - but from time to time it gets chilly without your clothes on
Robin (son) came to visit and helped carry the canoe up the garden
back                                                                        to                                                                         front
A trial run to see if it would fit on the  roof rack of the car for a planned (maybe) river trip in September on the River Spey.
 When Robin wasn't lugging the canoe (and his Dad) up the garden path he went for a walk with his aged parents
We climbed Beinn Alligin. It was brilliant. We didn't complete the circuit, as we left it far too late in the day to get going - my short legs and general faffing I think, are to blame.
but he was very patient (Robin that is - and actually, so was the frog)  and waited while I photographed reptiles
and dragonflies
 and sunsets 
More friends arrived and we went to Handa Island (my favourite Island)
And finally, I've attempted to paint a picture 4'' x 4'' It's tiny. Seen on the left I painted it from the photo I took on the right. An Talla Solais,  a visual art centre in Ullapool is holding an auction in August. All members were invited to take part. A tiny piece of plywood (driftwood) arrived in the post and we were asked to create from it an object or picture that related to the sea. I chose the sea - I'm not very imaginative! 
And that I think brings my life in the highlands up to date, although I've still left stuff out, it's a start and therefore makes it much easier to start next time.

13 comments:

ju-north said...

Such lovely photos of an amazing part of the world! Was hoping I hadn't lost your blog!

Dartford Warbler said...

Your highland scenery is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your long walk and some snapshots of lovely summer days.

I do like your plywood painting. There is real movement in those waves.

Diane said...

Thank goodness you are back blogging! I've been quite worried! However, I can see you have been busy and I love your picture. Hope Jo is now fully recovered. Take care. With love from, Di xx

S. Etole said...

I've been missing you and your beautiful photos.

ADRIAN said...

This is a good round up. I like the painting. The small Olympus are fine but I suspect you will want a view finder. For the Pen range they are not cheap. Enjoy the new camera.

Anonymous said...

Hi Annie, so good to hear from you again. Like many of your fans I was getting a little concerned, but you seem to have been out having fun. Love the painting. Do let us know what happens to it. What size was the plywood, as it is hard to tell from the photo? Assume Jo is a little better. Love to you and Niels. Brenda (Guildford)

Mac n' Janet said...

Missed your blogging, what a dry summer you're having, doesn't look like Scotland at all. Wonderful to have visitors, our daughter was just here.
As always i enjoyed your photos!

Anonymous said...

Lovely to see all these beautiful things you've been doing. We've been drenched with Aberdeen and it's the first summer we haven't been to the West Coast for the past 16 years. Naturally, it's the first summer we would have been guaranteed sun for a holiday there! Your sunset photograph is particularly stunning. And I think your painting is amazing! Do you do a lot of painting? Are you a trained artist? Very beautiful indeed.

I, too, hope Jo is feeling a lot better.

Anonymous said...

I've enjoyed your catch-up. The best photo has to be the little naked boy - it brings back happy memories of my son at that age (he's now 33, 6ft tall and bearded!!)
If only we could have swapped weather for a while - we have had so much rain here in the borders.

Lucille said...

How lovely to get out and about in the Highland air again! Love your little painting. Do some more and you could sell them for the hospice. I actually rather like it as a diptych with the original photo.

Em said...

Hello Ann and Niels,
I'm glad you're back too!
Stunning photos and looks like you've been having lots of fun. It makes me want to organise a trip up soon :o)
Although I think we'll get to see you a lot more often now that a certain someone is moving to Leeds - Whoooooooooooooooop whoooooooooo
Lots of love

old_black said...

As usual, such a wonderful set of images it would be very hard to pick out my favourite. I'm so impressed by the amount of outdoor activity which is always apparent in your life!

A Garden of Threads said...

I think your painting looks fabulous. You are a talented artist.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...