We are near the end of July and still waiting on summer. The wind is really fond of Uist and doesn’t want to leave us at all.
The Cattle Show was on the 21st July and the weather was quite decent that day. I didn’t go this year as I felt too tired. No doubt the official results will be in this edition of Am Paipear. One result I was waiting on, that had a brand new cup was the Pancake Cup donated by Neil John in memory of his late wife Bella. It was won by Morag MacBain who makes scrumptious pancakes. I was really pleased to hear that, as she brings me some every time she visits me. I was teasing her, that now seeing her pancakes are so famous it might not be a good thing for me, that she will charge me a high price now!!!
The two new hens are becoming very tame now but are still sleeping in the stable. A few days ago the Rhode Island Red followed me towards the old hens’ house. I let them out and fed them, gave them clean water and then looked around for the Red one. She seemed to have disappeared into then air. I opened the door and got a big surprise, she had ventured into the hen house and was actually on a nest where she laid her eggs. However she never went in again, maybe she was doing a ‘nosey’ but decided she still preferred Sarah’s stable. That hen definitely has character!
I suppose that those who read my column are wondering what happened to the chickens. Well, as you know they were due on the 30th June and I was so excited looking forward to them. However on the 25th – 26th June we had torrential rain and some got into the house on Saturday night and then on Sunday if you remember it was a terrible day with wind and rain and when we had discovered what had happened it was too late and the eggs got cold. Of course when the eggs were cold the chickens died. I could have cried when it was all over. Michelle and I put dry hay in the nest and covered the brooding house with a horse blanket which was completely waterproof. Although the eggs got warm again they were too long cold. Most of the eggs were fertile so discovering that made me so sad.
On Alba on the Gaelic news, I saw Orin after getting 1st prize for her beautiful dog. It’s nice seeing the young ones winning. She looked so happy. Orin works here but will be leaving for Agricultural college end of August. I’ll miss seeing her around. It’s so obvious that she loves the animals and her work. I really love to see the young workers’ enthusiasm.
We had a very interesting family visiting us a few weeks ago. That was Andy Woodburn, a farmer who is married to a Ukrainian. His mother-in-law was here too, she escaped Maripol and her daughter travelled there and took her to Scotland. They have a girl and boy of a family and they were so friendly. Their farm is in Ayrshire and I think this was the fourth time they had bought our calves. This lot, 77 of them were born spring 2021. He obviously slaughters a Highland bullock for the family and he kindly brought me a roast so that I could taste it. It was delicious without a doubt. The children were lovely and kept asking me questions. They wanted to go upstairs so they went exploring there too. I thoroughly enjoyed their company. They stayed for a week’s holiday.
My vegetable garden is growing well and Jean Morrison has been the main ‘green fingers’. She brought extra help this week. Young 14yr old Caitaidh MacLean put some energetic help into the weeding. The carrots are slow but they look promising. As usual the best are the lettuces. What strikes me every year, when the vegetables are slow the weeds still grow at a pace!!
The cattle are happy on their summer grazing but I don’t enter fields, although I can see them from the road.
I hope all the crofters will get their summer work done. It’s difficult when the weather is so unsettled.
The Biblical chapter that I chose this month is 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5 and the Psalm is 133.