Snowdrops - again

We've had barely any rain for over a week and are eagerly awaiting the snow forecast for tomorrow. The skiing has been getting thin and could do with a top up of snow.

Fantastic light yesterday again, so i made the most of it to take pictures of new angles.











But where's a squirrel when you need one? They've been hopping around the front drive and have been spotted lots.






Renate

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Magical light on Ben Cruachan

Monday's magical light gave some great pictures, each with Ben Cruachan from a different aspect and at different times of day.












Renate

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Its Burns night today. This is when the Scottish celebrate their most famous bard (poet), by catching the haggis on the hills and 'addressing the haggis' (saying a poem to it in broad scots) once cooked, before stabbing it with a knife. Haggis is eaten with tatties and neeps (potatoes and swede). There is a Burns ap giving you lots of his poems. Burns was from Ayrshire, although local folklore is that his father came from Taynuilt - house on the Burn.









Pictures from Weem by Aberfeldy. Although there is woodart throughout the forestry walk, I was inspired by nature's art.

The picture below is from the track up to the windmills. A small hydro scheme is being built up there by the farm.
The snow level keeps going up and down this winter. But the wind is taunting the skicentres as well.



Renate

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Happy New Year

I was watching this weather coming in this morning. A few minutes later we had lots of hail. Also some thunder, snow on the hills and of course some windy weather!


We had a high tide that covered the pier over Christmas. This photo was taken an hour and a half after the highest point, with seaweed all over the road again.


The owners of the Taynuilt Hotel have gone into receivership last September, and unfortunately there appears to be no interested parties. Although the group are in administration, the Taynuilt Hotel was trading profitably. I have therefore initiated a Community buyout of the hotel to avoid it closing, as its an essential part of the community and for visitors to the village. There is a lot of interest in pursuing this option, and I now have an active group of 15 who are canvassing further. We have decided to look at a shares company structure, either as a co-operative, a community interest company or a standard shares company. This will hopefully give the opportunity to raise the capital. Our next meeting is on the 2 February while I dig further into company structures and set up a business plan.
The best wishes for the New Year,



Our first snowdrops of the year under the fig tree
Renate

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Christmas shopping

Beautiful weather and snow up here at the moment. So Christmas shopping has been abandoned for now. Got a feeling I'll be in trouble next weekend but you have to make the most of it.





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After the storm

3 big trees down. Including what was a very beautiful Scots Pine by the swings





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Beautiful snowy morning