Right now.

Sunset in Huishinish, Isle of Harris, back in April

Well, right now, it's 8.04pm. The small people are settling down (silent is as good as asleep) and I'm just stealing a few minutes with a cup of tea before I sort the house out a bit and get packing. We're headed for a little escape to the Harris hills this weekend. Some much, much needed time together, as a family and hopefully this will include a bit of sun (I'm optimistic), some exploring, some resting and not a lot else. We're actually staying in a very little and quite dated caravan and I'm not the least bit embarrassed to say how excited I am about it. So, I hope to whoever may be reading this, that you have a little sun, exploring and rest in your future, this weekend, too. Bye!

chasing the sunset

On the second of our two nights in Harris, Tom's parents offered to put the children to bed so that we could have a little drive out together. Off to the Leverburgh shop we went for a couple of essentials (ahem, gin plus tonic water) and on the way back, as we drove through the dusky light of the beginning of sunset I really wished we had the camera with us. Queue some pretty zoomy driving along some very tiny wiggly roads to fetch it, we could see the sun quickly sinking as we passed by hills. Then driving back along tiny wiggly roads and trying to find a good place to stop had us doing a few impressive turns and skidders (and amusing/confusing some onlooking cyclists) but we managed to catch it just before it was over. One of the loveliest sunsets I've ever seen, I think.

little things

1. Coins old and coins new, left by visitors at St. Clement's Church in Harris.
2. Spectacular sunset across the hills and shore.
3. Welcome...
4. Stories with Grampy.
5. By the water.
6. Going home.

These six photos are from our couple of days in Harris. Oh it was so lovely. And now we're home, it felt like we were away for far longer than just two nights. Harris is very beautiful, indeed - Only an hour away... We'll be back soon.

Joining with Emily and her Stills.

halfway to Harris.

Slow Sunday morning exploring, all of us. Grassy moors peppered with yellows and violets and stretching into high up hills. Muddy shores sit beside dark churning lochs. Wind whipped grasses, rusty rocks and tumbling grey-blue skies.

along the sea wall.

Do you like Matilda's running face here? Makes me chuckle looking at this photo. I've been told that Matilda and I even run exactly the same and well... It's not too hard to believe, even with that face on. There are many some aspects of me that can be likened to a magnified toddler. I suppose. (According to Tom.)
It's been quietly busy here lately, as life mostly is with littles. Round about 137% of my available attention is required by both of my children and it's been more consuming than usual just recently. I find myself feeling the 'PHEW' a bit more post-bedtime. Getting anything above the absolute necessary done in the home is a bonus but indulging in the outdoors is still my reliable cure-all (and favourite thing to do, any excuse welcome), especially when no-nap, teething grumbles are with us and I'm holding onto that before the everlasting Hebridean winter hits again.

Our camera finally gave up on us last week, hence missing a week of the 52 project. But... hooray hooray we bought a new one. Our first DSLR. We went for a Canon in the end and so far it is brilliant.

I hope your weeks are treating you well and that you get to run around in the long grass, too.

summer wanderings: lews castle grounds

Summer days are sweet but few, here. They could be snatched away before long, so a wandering we go whenever chance shows itself. 20 minutes stroll to 'The Grounds' (with my luggage laden phil & teds) turned into almost an hour with my lady small who must converse with every passing bug and speck of fluff... No hurry. We spent a lovely few hours taking summer in... Peeking through pretty gates, paddling in the shallows of the slipway, watching the ferry get smaller and smaller as it sails away, climbing dusty hills (barefoot, of course) and shouting really loudly from the top. Ice cream from The Woodlands Centre and we even almost made it home in time to avoid any no-nap-for-George-meltdowns, almost. Not a bad way to spend a beautiful day.

the best remedy.

A few minutes walk from our garden gate is a beautiful, quiet, mostly stoney with just enough sandy beach. Trundling down the road to our own little beach is just the best remedy for all kind of small people (or big people) grumps. Or just for a lovely little explore, more often than not. In this case, however, it was absolutely in aid of the grown up kind of grumps, there's no better way to perk myself up than to indulge in some exploring and care-free time with my littles. I woke like a bear with a sore head, this morning, with an actual sore head and after a slow morning trudging through some not fun jobs in the house I decided enough was enough, forced myself out of said grump and quickly packed and we were off for a good couple of hours. I think it did the trick, 'cause "when Mama's not happy, ain't no-one happy." I once read, or something like that.

Away to Uig.

Sunday gave us another morning with big blue, warm skies. So quickly making sandwiches, slathering sun cream on the babies and throwing everything into the boot of the car, we were off in search of adventure. We headed down the road to take us to Harris but as we came to a junction on the way, we veered right and we were away to Uig instead. We have some of the most beautiful, clean and unspoiled white sand beaches here in the Hebrides and Uig is pretty spectacular. It was hard to take any photos to show it off as we were both busy chasing two sandy little bodies. With huge expanses of shining sand and views of our rocky Scottish hills in the background, it is just so lovely. A few hours were spent rolling around and being silly, scoffing treats and splashing in the icy cold shallows. We then set off home with only a break on the way to clear up a car sick (oh dear). Tom's Mama brought dinner to our house and we ate in the warm evening sun. A very good Sunday, indeed.