105

Mum Crofter takes in the old place in peace and quiet

.... after she has checked out the veg, talking to them nicely so they grow straighter. or something.

While the Crofter was away visiting the peoples who live on the mainland, strutting his stuff and what have you, Dad and Mum were keeping the old place running. Huh? You mean they can cope without The Crofter?? Oh yes, now you mention it, I think they get on rather better as it happens but don't tell The Crofter because he won't speak to me.

Anyway, we have been on the mainland too for a couple of days and The Crofter is back in Tolsta. We shall visit later..

104

Mrs Turk

Duckettes

Chicks in their old quarters

Pig gets attention

The Crofter, bless his cotton/wool mix socks is away at the moment. Drove off over the skyline in Dad crofters car and down to the Royal show in Edinburgh - where I think he was showing ... showing....... something. Just hope it was not his nether regions :-(

Back on the ranch, Dad and Mum crofter are getting on with sorting the usual chaos, painting the kitchen floor and generally enjoying the peace and quiet. Pig got a good scratch-up from Mum Crofter, the chicks were moved from inside to outside quarters - these quarters now suitably armoured to stop marauding four legged beasties from ending the chicks little lives. Mum turk got a cuddle from Dad crofter before she decided to make a nest in Donald 'four tractors' field since she was not happy with the racket the chicks were creating in her home. And, the duckettes aren't keen on venturing out on the grass and into the pond. What's going on? The Crofter is not around thats what!

103

Here we are. "Where?". Over here...

Needless to say, two of the guinea pigs have escaped, lost and gorn and maybe now nestling within the gullet of a marauding eagle of something. Or maybe they are just hiding in Donald 'four tractors' field. Mum Crofter went looking for them after Mr Crofter found the little critters had muscled the run across the 'lawn' to create an escape route. They might be there somewhere - after all they spent last summer running free on the nicely manicured and totally devastated[ by the escaped coows] 'lawn'.

Meanwhile, taking it all in was Robert Stuart, documentary film-maker visiting from the USA or somewhere west of Barvas anyway.

102

All work and no play in the poly-tunnel

The Poly-tunnel.

Since I enjoyed the carrots and beetroot from the polytunnel so much, I thought it about time I showed you a little more in that there place. Mr Crofter put the thing up himself and as far as I know its only the second covering - the first having been heavily modified by a storm in a way that he found disadvantageous to growing nice things.

Dad crofter, having worked in a horticultural setting in his formative years loves the poly-tunnel work. All that dibbing, pricking out and stringing things up in a warm-damp atmosphere pleases him greatly and The Crofter leaves him to it in the main.

101

Ducklettes [artists read; flou ]

Turklettes

I nearly fell off my legs with surprise today when Mr Crofter and his Dad were harvesting carrots and beetroot. Already! Ours have barely had time to get used the dirt! Having said that, Mr Crofter does have a fine poly-tunnel and makes fine use of it to get things growing well and early. The aroma as you walk in the place is lovely and its a nice place to pass ten mins or so.

We shall be having carrots and beetroot for tea today - many thanks Mr Crofter.

Meanwhile, here's two moody shots of Huey, Duey and Louie plus the twizler family.

100

The Crofter flying across the veg patch watched by his trusty duck scarer

Innovator in the Crofting World

Not one for staying idle,The Crofter has been taking one of his innovative leaps in the elitist world of North Tolsta crofters originally from Doncaster and on the Grazings Committee. Mr Crofter has now modified his digger thing - with a little help on the welding side from Calum Steallag' Macleod, The Stornoway blacksmith and digger-tuner.

Mr Crofter is a follower of cycle racing on the moving picture box he has at home and noticed that Sir Chris Hoy, Wiggly Braggins et al go extremely fast in the prone position - an aid to aerodynamics. Mr Crofter soon had the brilliant idea to adopt the style for his digging machine that, according to Calum "must have been kept in the sea all winter" such was its condition.

As you can see from the snaps, Mr Crofter now has the fastest-looking digger in North Tolsta. And a sore back.

99

I'm needing more time....

Honestly, The Crofter has it easy compared to me wading through all these negs!

Anyway, to keep you informed, today the croft is overrun with two legged creatures. Little turkletts [the Twizler family], chicklettes [The Currys; Tikka, Massala etc] and Huey, Louie and Duey the ducklettes whom I thought had laid two eggs at the age of about two weeks. Onl;y the chickens had popped in to say hello and...... All this adding to the daily chaos that is The Croft.

Images coming soon.

98

The Crofter looks on as the escape committee chairlady gets through [de] fences

The Summer Pig quarters

No sooner had I arrived at The Crofters after a little sojourn on the Isle of Jura [very nice since you ask], than the pigs are causing havoc. Piggy [aka Big Bertha], now on a bit of a diet, came into season and took a fancy for a little dalliance with Mr Maclaren who, I might add is a cad and a tart to boot having had relations with all the lady pigs of this parish just about. And he's only been on the island a week or two.

Anyway, Piggy decided to make her way through the fence over to Mr Maclaren's nightly abode - and she did, making mincemeat of the Mr Crofter's lovingly constructed fence. No sooner than they had been playing piggy back, Piggy realised her future of potential motherhood and took off a great speed around the area once known as The Crofter's lawn making a right old racket causing Mr Crofter to leave his sautéed potatoes and grilled breaded whitefish to go cold whilst he checked that his livestock was not being murdered before their allotted time.

Then he went to the grazings committee meeting where he is the only Englishman ever in the whole of North Tolsta to be a member.