33

This might be Tinga

Been a bit lad low so have not been out to be attacked by one of the turkeys - or humped by another. But will be back in full flow soon. I hope.

32

I'm wondering whether Mr Crofter went out for an Urn Bru or two last night since when i hammered on the door at 10 am this morning there was no answer. The curtains were closed and the turkeys were looking shifty. I was hoping Mr Crofter might accompany Eve and I on a little strollette over the local hills. Still, we went and we came back and now I'm looking at some snaps I took of Mr Crofter and Dad crofter harvesting the Manglewurzels.
Maybe it'll be service as normal in the morning. If the gale subsides and the cow byre is still there!!

31

There's a couple of other crofter sites I've been put onto. The first is that of the Mangelwurzel Ale - Dennis with his Musings from a Stonehead, and also Paul on Raasay. Apparently Paul works on the wee ferry there.Tis a nice ferry to - Eve & I were on it last year :-)

30

Here it is the 30th post of this little blog-ette - and the crofters are still speaking to me. In fact we had quite a lovely conversation this morning in the sunshine on a cold winters day. We were discussing the raising of the Manglewurzels - along with the turnips and swedes. Mr Crofter Sir uses the Manglewurzels for feed for the livestock - and I can refer you to a previous post regarding the anceint machinery from Wexford - is 'chipped' by the mangle-chipper. That's what it is.

I'm also reliably informed that manglewurzels can also be used to make wine - but then so can just about eerything else it seems. I did some digging around on the ww and came up with a recipe for Manglewurzel Ale courtesy of another Scottish crofter. Please tell me if you try or have tried this!

BTW; the weather is still holding out. Cold but lovely and the hebridean sheep are just loving it! Seen above.

29

I called into see Mr Crofter, yes the new grazing committee man, and had a little chat. As I do. We passed the time of day, I passed on a few hints on how he should do his work - and he rightly ignored me. All the time Mr Crofter was expertly making some teeth in his dental technician mode. I mentioned a stroll to the beach. Mr Crofter worked a bit faster and joined me in the lovely sunshine. Piggy grunted contentedly outside.

28

I mean, just look at that. Eh? I get this every morning. Well at the moment it seems that way. When the winds not howling, the rain not coming in horizontal and roof-tiles flapping, threatening to break loose to form little flying head-cutters.
I snapped this up on the way down to The Croft the other day. I'd already been down on the beach for a paddling/walking meditation and then I get this! It just fair lifts the heart at this time of year.
The Crofter has a collection of machinery aimed at aiding the running of the croft - although sometime it takes more time to keep this ancient kit going than it does help. Or something like that. This is the dumper truck. I know its hardly F1 or even Massey Ferguson - a marque loved a revered among the locals - but it does Mr Crofter and his dad. Currently it sits on the croft slowly turning rust red - but i am assured it will start first - or maybe second time. Well, they will get it started somehow anyway. Possibly.

27

It seems at one time, that Wexford in Ireland was a centre of much agricultural machinery manufacturing due in the main to the work of Philip Pierce &Co. Needless to say, one of its implements has made its way onto Mr Crofters premises. I have no idea what it is called but it looks fantastic and does a great job at doing what it does. Apparently. According to the newly elected grazings committee man anyway. I must listen next time he tells me what it does.

I took these snaps in a gale - a complete contrast to yesterday i can tell you. Then I was out on the beach at dawn! Now, its wet and blowin and the ferries have stayed put for the day.