Friday, April 13, 2012

Not absent, just resting

What a week! I tell you, I need a rest after all the activities over the last 10 days. Don’t believe anyone who tells you that village life is quiet and boring. J We had a couple of days to get ourselves sorted out after we arrived on the eve of Palm Sunday, but since then I've been out at least once every day bar this Monday and Tuesday and those days were very busy with research for my new purchase (of which more anon….)

So while I relax and recover, I will leave you with a glimpse of the glory that is Ben Loyal in the snow, taken last week from the conservatory at the back of the house. No wonder it is known as the Queen of Scottish mountains. In the other direction we look out over the Kyle of Tongue, with its ever-changing patterns of water and sand. The landscape of the North-West Highlands never fails to awe us with its beauty and its variety.

As the sun rises...
...and as it drops down the sky
Early in the morning from my bedroom window

48 comments:

  1. Gorgeous photos! The north of Scotland is indeed a fabulous place.

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    1. Thanks, Niall and Antoinette. It's very difficult to take a bad photo of this incredible area, though I'm never sure I've done it justice.

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  2. This is such beautiful country.
    I think I find more to do in my small town than I did in the city.

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    1. It is truly awe-inspiring, Rubye. I could never tire of it. I never tire of the activities either, though I might run our of energy at times. :-) Being such small, isolated communities, they have to make their own entertainment or watch TV all the time and we have no TV here.

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  3. Hello Perpetua:
    How very tantalising of you not to reveal the nature of your new purchase. We suspect, from the research required, something in the vanguard of technology - certainly more than an electric toaster or hand held whisk!!

    The countryside as you show it does, indeed, look breathtakingly beautiful and it is, as you must find, so reassuring to know that there are still vast tracts of land which remain unspoilt.

    Kellemes hétvégét!

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    1. Have a good weekend yourselves, Jane and Lance. My purchase isn't exactly in the vanguard of technology, though it IS a new departure for me. All will be revealed once it arrives. :-)

      The countryside is magnificent, though in some weathers it can seem very bleak. It is certainly unspoiled and one can drive for miles and see no concrete sign of human influence other than the road on which one is driving. Sutherland has Britain’s lowest population density – just two people per km2 overall and around one person per km2 in the western part of the county where we are.

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  4. I love Scotland in all of its different moods. We lived there very happily for 5 years. It is the country of our eldest son's birth, and our youngest granddaughter was born there. Perhaps you are both going to go plaid and have kilts made!

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    1. Rosemary, it would be very hard not to love it, I think. Whereabouts in Scotland did you live? DH was born just outside Glasgow and is half-Scottish by inheritance, so we do have a family tartan. Unfortunately I no longer have the legs for a kilt. :-)

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    2. First of all we lived in Glasgow, and then in a place called Milngavie which I am sure your DH would know. My son lived in Aberdeen, and that is where my granddaughter was born. I will have to give some more thought to your new purchase - what about bagpipes?

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    3. Thanks for this, Rosemary. I'll ask DH, as he probably heard of it from his Glaswegian father, but he actually grew up in England. As for your guess - far more imaginative than the reality, I'm afraid.....:-)

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  5. Those pictures are so beautiful. I've never been to Scotland but would love to go sometime.

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    1. Molly, if you double or treble click on the photos and see them in Google's Lightbox, they are even more stunning. I do recommend that you venture north sometime. Mid-Wales is beautiful, but Scotland has a quite different beauty which we find irresistible.

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  6. Beautiful photos Perpetua, you certainly have some wonderful views from your various homes. I, as others, are intrigued by the promised information on the new purchase. Dont keep us waiting too long. Janice.

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    1. Thanks, Janice. Yes, we do seem to collect views. The houses needed a LOT of work, but the views were perfect from the start. I'll put you out of your misery about my buying habits very soon.... :-)

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  7. Ah, the wonderful colours of Scotland! Thank you, that was a pleasure.

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    1. Fly, if the landscape isn't green and dun and purple, it's white and blue and black. :-) I could look for ever at the bones of Ben Loyal outlined by the snow.

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  8. Wow. What fabulous views! Feeling smug about knowing a little more on the new purchase, but looking forward to hearing more...:-)

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    1. CB, they are superb, especially in the snow, I think. Thanks for keeping my secret - I need to remember what I've posted where.....:-)

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  9. Your comment re needing a rest resonates! We've been on the go, it seems, for weeks now, and I can't wait to get to Mull next week for some re-creation. (On which score - do you think a re-created back could be managed?) Last week's snow caused damage to the Citroën's wipers - they were detached from their spindles, and the bar linking them was bent - so Tuesday was spent in Shrewsbury having them mended, and acquiring some new technology as well! Easter weekend was partly spent at the Sailing Club, and for various reasons I had to forego 'normal' church, so we went to the Baptist chapel in the evening (nice service). Wednesday was dogs to groomer and me to osteopath; Thursday to town for various bits & pieces, and today to Aberdyfi (via Trallwng) to have lunch with cousins who are staying there. An awful lot of driving (nearly as much as we'll be doing next week!!) And even Monday was up to the Club and straight back (nobody wanted to sail as it was very wet and windy!!) Even here, as you know, one can rack up the miles very easily. Sounds as if you need to spend a bit more time unwinding - as do we. What was the 100 mile round trip for the Easter Eucharist like?
    I won't be in touch for a while after Tuesday - I don't think the better half will take his laptop away with us.
    Pax et bonum.

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    1. Gosh, you do sound in need of some proper R&R, Helva! I do hope you have a safe journey and a wonderful holiday on Mull and I look forward to seeing the photos. More about the trip for the Easter Eucharist very soon.

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  10. Oh, this looks breathtakingly beautiful, Perpetua. I would be sitting with my nose frozen to the windowpane. Rest up - and tell us soon about your new "thing".

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    1. Penny, Ben Loyal is an extraordinary mountain - by no means the highest in Scotland, but so impressive as we look up at it almost from sea-level and so beautiful at all times of the year. I'll tell you about te new acquisition as soon as I've actually held it in my hands. :-)

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  11. Well, that got my curiosity going...new purchase hmmmmm. Your photos are glorious Perpetua. You must be having a wonderful time. Smiles - Astrid

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    1. LOL, astrid. It will probably sound very mundane to you, but I do like to tease....:-)

      It's actually the landscape which is glorious, even in the rain when photos don't work well. We just love it.

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  12. Is sounds like you are in need of a rest. The views there are stunning. There's something about waking up to beautiful views that make you glad to be alive.

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    1. You've said it, Ayak. I'm even behind with the blogs I follow, so today will be a catch-up day.

      You have such a wonderful view from your own house that you know exactly what it's like to wake up to nature's magnificence. I never take it for granted.

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  13. Hello Perpetua - Wonderful photographs of your 'White Easter'. As I blogged, we had a couple of snow showers in Prague on Easter Day & I travelled through another heavier one on the train to Brno. I understand that the mountains in the north of the Czech Republic got a complete fresh covering of snow on Holy Saturday. Spring is coming somewhat more slowly this year.

    Like everyone else, I'm intrigued about your proposed new purchase. Don't keep us all in suspense for too long.......

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    1. Hi Ricky. As I said on your latest blogpost, I've read that nowadays we're more likely to have a white Easter than a white Christmas. Someone will have to rewrite the old song. :-) And yet we're told that spring is coming noticeably earlier than it did 50 years ago......

      As for my buying spree, I promise I won't keep you on tenterhooks much longer ;-)

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  14. Wales and Scotland, you have chosen well. resting in such wonderful surroundings is paradise. Whatever you do, enjoy it.

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    1. Oh, we do and will continue to do so, Friko. We've been so very fortunate in the places we've found and we cherish them.

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  15. WOW - what a beautiful place - I have just come to you via Goldenoldenlady and look forward to following some more.

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    1. Hello Susan and welcome to my blog. The north coast of Scotland is a stunningly beautiful area and we think the Kyle of Tongue is probably the jewel in the crown. The fact that there is still snow on the mountains just adds to the beauty.

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  16. Perpetua, This may end up being a second comment...my first one didn't seem to go through, telling me i didn't "own" my identity! Now that's a first, isn't it? Ha! I hope you're recovering from being so active and traveling...and I am very curious about your purchase. It will be good to hear about that! What lovely photos...those are serious mountains and a gorgeous snow-covered landscape. Debra

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    1. Sorry, Debra, your first comment didn't get through. I don't know whether Blogger or WordPress (after its recent commenting system update) makes life more difficult for bloggers. Sigh...

      A couple of quiet days are making a big difference, thanks, helped by the fact that the weather isn't very conducive to going out, with a cold north wind and wintry showers. Still, it meansI have plenty of time to sit and gaze at the views, which are always enthralling. All will be revealed about the new purchase very soon....

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  17. I'm off to Scotland next month. I've only driven through before so don't know the area . These photos have whetted my appetite.

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    1. Hello BacktoBodrum and welcome to my blog. I don't know which bit of Scotland you're visiting, but there is beautiful scenery everywhere and very varied scenery too. We're biased towards 'our' bit, of course, but love other aras too, especially the west coast. Have a wonderful trip.

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    1. Thank you, Clare, and welcome to my blog. Photos of beautiful Scotland are one of the things it's about. :-)

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  19. Wow! Wonderful photos of a most impressive mountain range. I am SO curious to know what you are going to tell us soon...but hope you´re enjoying your rest. Axxx

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    1. Thanks, Annie. Actually Ben Loyal is just one multi-peaked mountain and though only 764m high, it appears particularly impressive because I was photographing it from just above sea-level and we're only a couple of miles away. As for the purchase - patience, dear, all will be revealed in due course....:-)

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  20. Hurry up and tell us - we're going away on Wednesday and won't be able to get on line until we get back a fortnight later to find out! Do put us out of our misery!!
    PAx et bonum.

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    1. LOL, Helva! I promise to put you out of your misery before you go. Can't say fairer than that. -)

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    2. I've had my new purchase for this year. The Husband has bought me diamonds! Five of them, to be precise, in a Victorian ring. He also got me an amethyst dress ring with diamond shoulders which was a bit of a steal, from the same jewellers. So that is me done for a good few years.

      He had one of those tax rebates (one of the many millions of rebates which the HMRC computer system was responsible for) and has also got himself a new laptop. A windfall, as we were not expecting it.

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    3. Gosh, they sound lovely, Baby Sis. I look forward to admiring them when we get back. How kind of HMRC to act as a great big piggybank. :-) Windfalls are such fun.....

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  21. My daddy would be in heaven with those mountains...he'd be cold but, I think he'd stand it for the view.

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    1. He'd certainly be chilly much of the time up here, EF, but it's a price worth paying. I can't imagine living permanently out of the sight of hills.

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  22. CAtching up at last - like you, I was drained by Holy Week (and, it has to be said, by family on Easter Day and Monday). Glorious pics! Now trying to get back into my own blog and those of others, when sometimes all I want to do is drift along the shore road in the late afternoon sun ...

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    1. It's the most wonderful area, Christine. I'm just back from going with a car-full of friends round the coast from Tongue to Kinlochbervie for an evening Eucharist and the scenery was breathtaking, especially in the sunset light on the way home. Getting back on an even keel now after Easter, but still taking it easy....

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