It was on the news at 6 o’clock, 13 degrees in Kinlochewe, it was certainly hot in the sun here to-day and until late afternoon even in the shade, quite bizarre. But we are not complaining. Painting doors in February and the paint drying as you put it on. Incredible!

Here’s the picture this morning.

Leaving For Scalpay

Ruiraidh and his pal leaving around ten this morning. They had booked the bunkhouse which spurred me on to clean it, get the fire on to warm it up, sort out fuel, water and supplies. They arrived last night around 5pm having paddled round Rona coming across the Inner Sound from Applecross. It was good to see them and the discussion was about housing for young people, a very interesting subject! Apart from the weather.

Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday it was grey again, the guests had left on time, their cottages spotless and around lunchtime the clouds disappeared West and the sun returned. there was a fresh covering of snow on the hills and it was crystal clear as I made my way over to Dry Harbour. We had seen a good stag on the way from Dry Harbour to the pontoon with the baggage in the morning, the guests were taking his photo but unfortunately my photography skills deserted me and the pictures of ‘the penguin’ were fuzzy, the guests will know what I mean!! However, in the afternoon the good stag appeared behind the Lodge, he looked very familiar with Julie, the hind, I guess it may have been one of her sons.

A Good Stag

Behind The Lodge Looking For Food.

A young beast, but it will make a very fine stag in the coming years, but he knows what sheep feed is and was not long in appearing in the front of the house.

Very Familiar.

The weather was so good that the jobs are getting ticked off one by one, I never thought I’d paint the sailing dinghy at this time of year. The air needs to be warm enough for the paint to go off normally. But it seems it is warm enough this February.

Sanded off Ready for paint.

Next job was to make a new door for the JCB, the last one came to grief on a post. With no Autoglass to hand improvisation is the Motto here.

Brand New Door

I have a thing about red doors!! Brightens the place up!!

Late View

Late evening this was 5 minutes after the picture of the year, I saw the possibility from the house, the hills were bright red with the late sun on them, the Moon was very bright in the gap in the clouds. I grabbed the tripod (it was late) shot up to the top of the hill. Set the tripod and camera up, focused, pressed the button, Nothing! The SD card was full, by the time I got a few deleted the picture had gone. Till next time.

Next morning just to prove it is still winter.

In the Shade.

And to cap it all I felt a distinct chill in the house. I put my hand on the radiator, stone cold. The Central Heating had packed in. I’m waiting for an engineer to come over but the CH couldn’t wait. So a quick breakfast and I put my CH servicing hat on. I found a new jet in the shed, checked the fuel, running. Checked the filter, a bit dirty. Checked the burner, very black. Cleaned the inside of the boiler, replaced the jet and off it went. I lagged a turn in the pipe that was bare, I think it may have frozen, it had been bitterly cold in the night.

Sunday Service

That was my early Sunday but at least it is up and running, in fact the house is much warmer, so it may have been just needing that service, badly.

The High hills of Harris

It did not take long for the day to get warm though, the calm weather stretched right out to the Hebridies, with the binoculars you could see well across the Minch, but no whales.

The Sea Eagles have been pretty busy this weekend and last night whilst chatting with the kayakers we saw two Sea Eagles coming into roost in the Pines, they must be looking to nest by now, but no sign of a nest here so far.

I’ll leave you with a shot of the latest winter kayaking gear, this is West coast style according to the model!

Check the Wellies.