Highlandhearts

We dressed up in our finery and went to our friends wedding on Saturday at Cromarty on the Black Isle. It was held in the old Courthouse, the cells were downstairs, now converted into exhibition areas and a shop.  We walked up the old worn stone stairs, very carefully in my high heels,  to the main room where these three judges sat overlooking proceedings. It was quite strange as when i entered the room i didn't realise at first that they were waxworks. Apparently there are models of prisoners too but they must have been removed to make space for the wedding. After the ceremony and photo sessions we all congregated in the olde worlde pub across the road.  I expect that most wedding parties end up there as its so convenient.  Cromarty is such a pretty fishing village, beautiful cottages with some interesting looking little shops and definately warrants a planned girlie day out.  The only things that marr the views are the oil rigs, interesting but not attractive! The reception w

I stepped outside this morning and it was so quiet.  The turbines were still, the sheep were quiet perhaps still asleep as there are plenty around.  The sky was cloudy but there was still warmth in the air along with a slight breeze, enough to stop most of the midges coming out. OH had to work today so its just me and the cats. Both came outside with me and Bonny has a habit of just flopping directly in front of me wanting a tickle!  The times I nearly step on her! She meows at me until I do it. Alex meanwhile just strolls around his estate He is still a bit thin after his illness but is now eating well Handsome boy! I just stand awhile and look at the view over to the West.  A nice way to start my day, just being in the moment. Bonny is always on the lookout for a movement and has left us little presents of dead mice the last few mornings! Mums going back indoors now, it must be breakfast time! Terri X

Over the past week aside from the normal daily things, I have finally sorted my whole outfit ready to go to our friends wedding next weekend. I just have to iron the dress but this whole outfit including shoes, jewelry and bag, has only cost me £9, bargain! I was just so lucky to find this little jacket and I am wearing the green wedges that I showed you in a recent post so no last minute panics over what to wear. A morning was spent delivering the calendar project to a few shops locally.  It has turned out well and we also made 2 sets of blank cards.  There will be a few occasions to sell them in the village I.e. at the gala week and at the crofters show and plenty of time before Christmas. We sold quite a few on the first day when the community came together for An evening in memory of WW1, poetry readings, a film slide show of family histories and memories and a youth theatre project. The midges were out in force as we were down by the loch and i have some nice blotchy legs now. I g

Today we woke to the sunshine so it was the perfect day to take a stroll.  We drove about 16 miles and parked up near Oykel Bridge. There was a good track to follow and for a while it was so sunny that it kept the midges away.  OH showed me Bog Murtle, a plant that smells slightly perfumed, he said minty but i thought it smelled a bit of wee!  He said it was used in midge deterrents and I could rub the leaves over my face and neck if I wanted, I declined to do that though! There were small rapids and we walked until we came across a picnic table and decided to sit there and have a coffee, I had to take my shoes off as my heels were starting to rub sore, it was a relief to get them in the air. The view from the bench of two rivers joining together. You can see the line in the water of them joining. The worse part was having to hobble back to the car and I had a big blister by the time we got there. ouch! On the drive back home we drove past these new gates Someone has built the most fab

We were promised a lovely warm day today and they didn't lie but they did not tell us it was going to be blowing a gale! I wanted to do a few more jobs in the garden but needed more compost so we had to drive out and get some.  We decided to have some breakfast at OH's favourite cafe, mine was a bacon roll but he had chocolate orange cheesecake with coffees.  There seems to be a few tourists about now, usually its very quiet first thing but we had a job to find a parking space today. I picked up the compost and couldn't resist the little plant above,  Its called Abunda. I called into the charity shop but i only brought this little ornament for £1. After a wizz round the hardware store, brought some oven cleaner for when i feel like tackling this job and some wooden kebab sticks in readiness for the barbecue that is arriving later next week.  We have been meaning to buy one for ages, every summer we talk about it but this week I planned to finally get one as we have

 We have had some lovely warm weather the past few days, Friday, after working in the morning, I got the cushion for my steamer chair out from under the bed and sunbathed for a while.  The cats came to join me but it soon got too hot for them so they laid underneath me. A lovely lazy afternoon. Saturday morning it was a bit cloudier but still quite warm so we went out for a while.  This is Bonar Bridge, a village 10 miles away from us and the villagers recently celebrated this bridge which was 40 years old last weekend.  We stopped in the car park by the water and got out to look at these boulders laid out in a circle. A little place to have a picnic when the Grandkids come up I think.   Underneath the gorse bushes there was this pretty little plant OH later looked its name up for me and it is called Mouse's Ear.  Cute name for a sweet little plant. Talking of plants, the warm weather has started a growth boom on the plants in the garden, the lady's mantle has bulked up and my