Posie's Blog. Tales of island life on a hebridean hill farm

Posie's Blog. Tales of island life on a hebridean hill farm

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Farm diversification at its best.....


It is blowing an absolute ‘hoolie’ here today. The ferry boat has been diverted from one island port to another, and the library van just stopped by and reported seeing it sailing on past, heading off north, having failed to berth at any of the island’s ports….. But don’t let that put you off visiting our lovely little farm, in the middle of nowhere!
Today’s bed and breakfast guests were literally ‘blown’ here from Switzerland. They arrived looking mighty windswept, but nothing that a swift dram and a few distillery visits can’t put right, and so off they headed into the storms, Kilchoman bound.

The ‘roofers’ who are staying in one of our cottages have arrived home early for the day, no chance of being up on a roof in these gales, a roaring log fire beckons.
The happy farmer, complete with marigolds, is busy cleaning the other cottage, in preparation for more visitors tomorrow, farm diversification at its best, farmers in marigolds!! He is having his usual social time though as he side tracks another group of pottery visitors to do the grand tour of his sparkling cottage, booking sheet in hand!!persabus cottage
The pottery has been busy too, this week with little people painting various animals, while the big people tuck into pots of coffee and home baking. There is never a dull moment in the old byre that now houses the pottery, this summer we have had impromptu ceilidhs, with singing farmers, joining in the banter with our local jazz artist, and even songs in Japanese from our visiting guests….yes it is a pottery, an all singing and all dancing pottery!! This weekend we played host to the West of Scotland Highland cattle society, when about forty or so Highland cattle enthusiasts and breeders called by for refreshments and to visit our happy herd, Marmite, Toffee and the girls all providing the entertainment.
My lovely social butterfly fluttered home too, and it was so lovely to see her again, and she was so happy to see her horses again. Hansel galloped across the field to see her, and it wasn't long before his ever so long neck was nuzzling tightly round her. A little while later he was all tacked up and galloping round the fields with the butterfly safely on his back. The weekend then seemed to pass all too quickly, but  I got my ‘butterfly fix’, and she got to go to the party she was home for, and got her Hansel fix.
Until next time…..

24 comments:

Fennie said...

Well I never. Hope the wind has died down. What is a 'hoolie?' I've never heard that expression? Doesn't the wind unsettle the horses? (But not cows for some reason).

mrsnesbitt said...

The weather is dreadful here in North Yorkshire - even the hens are in early!

bayou said...

The way Hänsel is putting his head round the butterfly is exactly as my old mare is doing with me. Would like to be a Swiss...

GretchenJoanna said...

Hansel and hoolie - Hansel is a charming name for a horse, and hoolie is a new word for me, but such an evocative one. Did hoolie-the-wind lead to the use of hoolie-the-party? I'll try to remember it and bring it out this winter. :-)

Molly said...

Posie you live a busy life. Hope the wind has died down a bit now. I bet your guests love being with you whatever the weather. Lovely to see your beautiful butterfly again.

Elizabethd said...

Still as busy as ever, even though the season must be coming to an end?
Isnt it good to have one's daughters home for a while!

Pondside said...

I get such a good picture of what life must be like at your farm - makes me wish to drop by!..perhaps someday. Farm diversification - I saw quite a bit of it during my trip and was in awe of the spirit of enterprise!

Frances said...

Posie, there's a lot of poetry in this post of your.

Hoolie is a word I do know and think it sounds just like what it stands for.

I think that I will need to communicate with you in a bit more detail about what seasons are Seasons, and what are gentler. I actually think that I would prefer a visit during a Season.

xo

Frances said...

of yours.

Of course. xo

Rob-bear said...

A touch blustery, but it didn't slow you down, at all. This is good. Glad you had such a fine time. And especially with Social Butterfly home.

And speaking of cattle, I'm sure I've seen a picture of that fine specimen of yours, before. At Cowart's, perhaps?

Chris Stovell said...

Looking at these wonderful photos and reading your post, I'm willing to be that those impromptu celebrations in the pottery are due to the feel-good factor you and yours have created in your windswept part of the world.

We've had very heavy rain for months now... I don't think our septic tank is very happy so I'm pleased we haven't got visitors this week!

jane said...

Posie how lovely to catch up with your blogs and to hear how busy you are - thankyou for the web address for your hoiday lettings it looks amazing I have put you on our list of places to visit - have a good week Jane

Anonymous said...

We went to a ceilidh a few weeks ago and it was one of the best nights we've ever had - not sure I've ever laughed so much!

Gorgeous post Posie... you make your cottage sound soooo inviting...

Posie said...

Bookie is a Scottish word for a gale I think fennie and it was certainly blowing one here. The horses do get very flighty whereas the cows don't bat an eyelid

Posie said...

Hopefully good weather is with you now. We seem to have got off very lightly the weather in some parts was horrendous according to the news. Yesterday the sun was splitting the skies again

Posie said...

Ha ha bayou you and your husband must visit someday and partake in this distillery visiting :D

Posie said...

lovely to hear from you and enjoy your hoolie :D

bayou said...

We will!

Maggie Christie said...

What lovely pictures and such blue sky! We're heading to Mull for the autumn half term holiday and I hope it won't be blowing a hoolie then.

Posie said...

Haha Fennie was replying on my phone and merrily hitting the wrong numbers,meant to say 'hoolie' and not 'bookie'

Posie said...

Elizabeth it was lovely to have my daughter home :-)
And I would love to welcome any of you over to the farm, so do bear it in mind.
Lottie ceilidhs are the best.
Sorry about long list of replies....must learn how to reply in one message...

Cathy at PotterJotter said...

Oooh, I like the look of that cottage the HF is sprucing up in his marigolds! I often sing in my pottery, but have yet to hold an impromptu ceilidh! Sounds like really happy potting! xCathy

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