Vocab Lesson

As you can imagine, I'm learning a few new words here:
"bins" instead of trash cans - rolls right off my tongue now
"holiday" instead of vacation
"pupils" because students are in college over here

There are a few I have to think about:
"courgette" instead of zucchini
"aubergine"...eggplant
"sweets"...candy
"surgery"...doctor's office
"strimmer" is the weed whacker - do we call that something else

But yesterday I heard one that I doubt I'll ever use. Messages.  Heard my friend ask her husband if he would "put the messages away." ???? It's the groceries. No other kind of shopping can be called that; just groceries. No one knows why.

Here's one that confuses my friends here when I say it: coffee cake. Looked at my funny when they didn't taste any coffee in it. Nancy M. if you are reading this, thanks so much for making this and sharing the recipe. And Anne, here's how it is supposed to look! All those times I've taken out of the oven and said, "something's not right," well, here's why. This is what I'm expecting.

Anyone coming over for a piece or two or three?

Back to School

I haven't shown you anything from school for a while. Those of you in the US are nearing the end of the school year, if you haven't already arrived there. We will go on until the 1st of JULY!! I've never taught in July before. A shorter summer vacation here means longer holidays spread throughout the year. Like it!

Here we go. We've been learning about Harris Tweed this term. It is a woolen fabric that has a long history on the island, is truly unique to any other woolen and lovely. We've been studying the process from sheep to shop, you might say.

The wool comes from cheviot sheep. They live on the mainland. Their wool comes washed and ready to be dyed, spun and woven here on the island. Here are two illustrations of these sheep.

Of course I forgot my camera when we went to the big mill where the wool is processed, so I don't have pictures of that. But in art they children were taken outside to see how the colors of the landscape have influenced some of the Harris Tweed designs. They did their own landscapes, chose tweed that reflected what they were seeing outdoors for the matting and here's the result.

We are in to process of making notebook covers from the stuff. Here are some not quite finished. I'll show you them again in a week or two when they are all done.

And a map on of the students made showing the island and some places associated with Harris Tweed's past and present!

Finally, some of the lovely faces I see every day! Bye for now. 

10.30 PM

I find this part of being far north really amazing. As we head into June the "days" are lonnnggggg. Here's what 10.30 pm looks like now out one of my windows. AND the weather looks like it is clearing so maybe I'll get some photos from somewhere other than inside my house this weekend!!

Good Walks

When the weather is good, there are quite a few good walks to take on the island. I'll show you two - woodland and beach. It's true that in winter it could be a struggle to walk some of these places, but now that spring is here there a lots of opportunities to get outside. Daylight is lasting until 10pm now.

Here are some more of the Castle Grounds.

One of the many paths (with my sister-in-law).

Little peek at the town across the harbor.

A reflection pond

Moving on

Here is Tolsta Beach...long, wide, clean! Admittedly, you'll have to catch the glimpses around my niece, but you'll get the gist.

She'll be our guide today.

When you come, bring good shoes for walking and a few layers of jackets so you can be outdoors as much as possible.