2nd July 2025
I can't help but stop to photograph the old church at Loch Alvie every time I pass, and today was absolutely no exception! The water was still and giving some great reflections and when somewhere looks this picturesque what hope have you to avoid it!
The church itself dates back to 1768 although the memorial plaques inside record the names of past ministers back to 1567.
I am sure that next time I head down to Kingussie I will stop by and photograph it again!
More pressingly… tomorrow I may have made a couple of scheduling boo boos. My car is due in for new brakes and pads, plus I have 2 jobs booked in for the morning… except schools finish early tomorrow and I am not 100% convinced I can get everything done and back in time for school pick up! I am hoping that the later job can be moved a little… it’s only a 1 bedroom flat so even a slight change would resolve the issue!
Holidays are the bane of my life!
4th July 2025
It's been a pretty miserable day in the Highlands. Wet and windy with a very, very brief appearance of the sun! The eldest and middle child were dropped off at "oh my God it's early" o'clock this morning to head off for Scout/Explorer camp just outside Belfast, Jen was off to work and so Angus came out with me to do a wee job in Dingwall... then some lunch in the Tesco cafe in Inverness (his choice - I offered Maccy Ds and he was not having it!) then home to edit the days work photos and try not to fall asleep (semi unsuccessfully so decided against driving back into town to collect my car - it can wait at the garage until tomorrow morning when I am feeling more awake!)
The sun briefly came out so I ran outside to get a photo!
Tomorrow's plan, beyond collecting the car, is to watch some quality metal as Ozzy and Co perform Black Sabbath's last ever gig for which I have a streaming ticket!
28th July 2025
First day back at work… and off up north to Clachtoll!
1st July 2025
It has been a quiet day (for me) today… no work! Well… no paid work anyway! I had a bit of running around to do so that I was prepared(ish) for the boys Scouts/Explorers trip which sets off on Friday for Ireland. I am quite envious, I haven’t been over there in quite some time and have always had a brilliant time with my many friends on both sides of the divide.
Other than that tonight was the performance for Jen’s theatre group/lessons. The Blood Wedding… it was a pretty dark show for an amateur production and they all did an absolutely amazing job!
I managed to sneak in a cast photo at the end of the show! It’s not often you get me into a theatre, but this was worth it!
Well… I am going again in September, but that is going to be for an entirely different kind of production.
Which may involve some…. “folk dancing”.
3rd July 2025
Something rather more pastoral than my usual faire this evening. A view out over the fields of Kirkhill as the boys were packing the trailer ready for tomorrow's adventures to Ireland. I hope they have fun, I worry about one of them particularly - but I can not fault him for putting himself well out of his comfort zone with things like this!
Today has been a bit challenging all around to be honest. My car is in for new brakes, which I cunningly arranged for the last day of term along with a couple of jobs. It was all a bit of a muddle but we more or less got there in the end!
Early start tomorrow to get the boys off on camp, and then one job in Dingwall… and then some shopping… and then probably home to catch up on some sleep!
6th July 2025
Bit of a damp Sunday today… not much to see!
8th July 2025
Today we were out photographing a rather special property in Sheildaig... it needs a little work... but with a setting like this it really is quite something! It even comes with a spare church, built in 1877 and used... once.
It was also a good excuse to take in Torridon, Applecross and the Bealach nam Ba!
5th July 2025
Hamish came up to watch some of Black Sabbath's farewell moshathon with us (Toby and myself) last night. It was a fantastic send off for the band and for Ozzy himself - and it has to be said that some of those old men who came out to rock out gave the younger generations something to aspire to! Ozzy was sounding beyond fantastic, as was Steve Tyler in his short appearance.
It’s not often I get to really indulge my love of music, particularly the heavier end of the spectrum, so this was something of a rare treat for me!
7th July 2025
The start of a new challenge - #MacroMonday - like last months Wildlife challenge this is designed to really push my boundaries to do something new!
Loads of things coming along which are exciting as I am planning on a big shake up, which may take several months to fulfil! But more on that later… right now I am having a moment as I dropped my Micro SD card with today’s drone work on it and can’t find the damn thing! I have ordered some new cards as all mine are getting old and unreliable… and if needs be I will just reshoot the drone portion in a couple of days time!
But it is annoying as the weather this morning was just perfect!
10th July 2025
We had to give our big visiting chicken back. Boo.
So we got 5 different ones, a cockerel and 3 mini chooks plus one mahoosive one that will join the other flock because she is considerably bigger than the rest and the cockerel would need a step ladder!
14th July 2025
Haven’t stopped all day - so a late night kitty is all we have for today!
16th July 2025
Another glorious day - it isn’t often you get to enjoy Inverness looking like this! Another full day and I am just finishing my work at 10:30pm! I did build a new chicken coup too mind… so it hasn’t all been commercial labour!
Tomorrow is going to be spent catching up on the jobs still un-edited before we prepare to head to Muck for a week of… I am not quite sure what!
20th July 2025
The Wave - the old boat that collected passengers and luggage from the ferry to land them on the Isle of Muck, fortunately no longer required due to the new harbour!
24th July 2025
Crystal clear water in Gallanach Bay.
9th July 2025
Today I stopped by Fortrose Harbour to see what it looked like! It is a lovely little spot, but badly silted up and tiny!
11th July 2025
Went to collect the boys from their trip to Ireland today, it was hot... very, very hot. I photographed these horses whilst picking off a job before they came in as they were running a little late....
All home, showered and catching up on some rest now (them) whilst I look at their washing pile with trepidation....
Tomorrow I need to catch up on some edits (I think just the one from yesterday is outstanding) and a couple of floorplans. Next week is the last before we go away for a bit so I need to be on top of everything by Thursday night!
12th July 2025
As I was heading to bed last night - at a very rock and roll 11.26pm - the colours in the sky were just perfect! The extended "blue hour" of summer can create some pretty special scenes.
It was also too hot during the day to even think about going out to shoot anything!
And yes, this was hand held as it is light enough not to bother with the tripod even pushing close to midnight - ISO1600 so not crazy high really either.
13th July 2025
Gordon the cockerel shouting at the sky!
Been out doing a couple of jobs today - not something that usually happens on a Sunday, but both were pressing so needs must!
15th July 2025
Another full day - portraits and property today! This is a photo of me working - tucked away in the corner of the frame! It wasn’t a photo I used for anything - I was just getting set up and working out some angles on a tight site!
18th July 2025
Looking out over Drumnadrochit from home this evening as I am half way through packing for our holiday tomorrow... which is turning into a bit of a trial since we are now having to take my car rather than Jen's van! This may require a little rationalisation of what we (by which I mean I) am taking!
22nd July 2025
Hiding from the weather….
30th July 2025
A busy day of sorting things out from our holiday, sorting out the debris in the hall and cleaning out the chickens. Tomorrow is more of the same as we attempt to get the house back in order again!
Loads of other stuff in the pipeline right now, but just a quick shot from the front of the house this evening.
17th July 2025
Today has been all about wrapping up all the outstanding work for the week, jobs edited and out, invoices out… so that I can go away with nothing hanging over me next week! I popped down to RNLI training once all that was done, did some advanced Gazebo training… took a photo of the Loch and then home to have a late tea!
The light came out just as I was leaving to give me something to shoot at least!
There was so much more to do, but I had a zoom meeting this morning that ate a bit of time but has opened up some interesting possibilities that I need to explore more when we get back. I have a couple of other potentially interesting avenues to explore then too! Who knows, perhaps my half century year will be truly exciting!
19th July 2025
Lexi the Highland Pony at sunset on the Isle of Muck!
It really is an absolutely beautiful place.
21st July 2025
A cosy corner on a dreich day!
23rd July 2025
The old bothy
26th July 2025
The weather gave up completely as we left Muck to head back home.
25th July 2025
Sunset on the last night on the island… and it was a fantastic one. Briefly.
27th July 2025
Pickles was not impressed at being abandoned for a week with strangers!
29th July 2025
Belladrum and the old church (and even older Thing Mound) at Kirkhill on the way home from an excessively long day out at work!
