Where has the time gone!

Can't believe it has been 6 weeks since my last blog. In that time we had some lovely friends to stay and made a trip down to the Island of Harris and visited the Harris gin distillery. I had been once before but this time we did the tour and it was fascinating. I have learnt new things about gin! They are also making whiskey, although it isn't ready yet. Well worth a visit if you get the chance.

The gin is amazing - its my favourite gin ever. Not just the flavour but I love the bottle also - which has been designed with the sea in mind and you see the waves of the sea and also the green colour of the water. Some shops are also selling the bottles which have been converted into lamps with a Harris Tweed lampshade - They are lovely and great presents. 

The Isle of Harris has more mountains and beautiful beaches. Tarbert has the ferry terminal which crosses over to the Isle of Skye.

It was great to travel south in July for Jonathan's graduation and a visit to see my parents. I felt very proud of him as he has passed his degree with good results. Its the beginning of a new era in his life.

It was odd going back to Bath. I was on a tight schedule and unfortunately didn't get the chance to visit my old work colleagues, but it felt strange wandering up through the town - a place that I had been familiar with for so many years and to think that it is no longer home.

We had an evening meal at the Hare & Hounds pub up in Lansdown and the view from there is amazing.

The weather was great whilst we were down there. They'd had a heat wave for several weeks and it was hot. We did have a spell of great weather in Scotland, but it had been dull & overcast prior to heading south so the sunshine was welcome. It was good to see my parents and I am unsure when I will be going down again. 

My candles sales are going well. I have increased my production as the shops are selling out quickly, which is great for me. I was only thinking the other days that I should be thinking about candles for Christmas !!

I have also got a little job a couple of days a week helping in the Scallop Shack down on the jetty at Miavaig. They have recently started doing food during the lunchtime and providing scallops with a roll and skink - which is fish soup. Well worth a visit before the season end at the end of September.

There has been such an abundance of flowers, even on the lochs. The waterlilies are amazing with their beautiful, delicate flowers and are found on most of the lochs. There aren't as many birds at the moment as a lot of them must have migrated. The starlings have gone and there are just some wheatear's around. The cuckoo has long gone and the herons haven't been around that much lately either. Still seeing eagles occasionally flying overhead.

The outside of the house is nearly finished. We have been painting it white but due to the weather being unsettled, have been unable to finish it. 

There are different festivals going on on the island this time of the year. The HebCelt festival was on whilst I was down south  - which was unfortunate for me. The ferries were packed and flights on and off the island fully booked. You had to book the ferry even as a foot passenger and Calmac also laid on extra ferries. Tourism is one of the major income for the island and the HebCelt festival is very popular. It had the largest number of people attend this year that it has ever had.

The Stornoway carnival is on this week and there are also stalls with products set up around the harbour with a fair. The schools have now broken up in England and more tourists will be coming. The schools in Scotland go back in August.

There have also been gala days on the various beaches around the island. The gala day in Uig was the first Saturday in July and the one in Bernara was last weekend. Its a time when the community raises funds for different local projects and its a good way to support the area that you live in. It is run by volunteers who are locals. It is great how there is a lot of funding done through the community.

This is looking from Bernara towards Uig. The heather is starting to come into flower. The different shades of pink are amazing.