Autumn

There have been so many calm, warm days this autumn. Today felt more like a lazy summer day. I think everyone is taking advantage of this weather. People out on walks...windsurfing in the harbour...paragliding over the hills. Animals sleeping in the sun and grazing in the fields. Yet there are changes. The hills have more brown and red hues. The sun seems to be disappearing to the south. And I am now at the point where I get up at sunrise and drive home from work at sunset. The daylight hours are decreasing rapidly. 

New beginnings

Moving to a new area and starting a new job...my emotions run the gamut. There are moments of joy and disbelief of reality. There is a great deal of humbling and pure exhaustion of starting over, of having no history. There are wonderful surprises. There is an intense amount of learning.

Meeting the neighbours

My home at the moment. An otter family went swimming by a few evenings ago. Spotting them was a challenge as it was a particularly dark afternoon. This weekend I may be found hiding behind a rock for hours to spy on my neighbors (of the marine variety).

Searching for Sandy loch

To avoid disrupting some men from their task of moving sheep to a new field, I changed my plans and reversed the direction of my loop walk. This meant my walk started across a moor towards the ocean, along the coast, and then back over Ronas Hill to the car. Looking at the map, my plan was to head for Sandy loch...figured it would be recognizable...distinctive red hair and a smile. Then head just to north of it to come out at the coastline at some dramatic cliffs and waterfall.

Bogbean in the first loch.