What a busy bee I be...

It has been all go here at the Homestead, a busy bee indeed I be.
Yesterday I was with several others, selling our wares, at our Christmas Sale in the Pub! We had a lovely time, lots of goodies to eat and Mulled wine courtesy of Mrs. Beaton and Gavalus Gavalar.
Captain Flack was landlord for the day - a natural behind the bar I should say. Thank you to everyone that took part and Eskie for organising things.
But that's not all I have been busy with.
Several of my latest designs are hot off the needles. I thoroughly enjoy thinking up new designs and the feedback has been truly lovely. 
The first completed is the Kiloran Sweater. Inspired by the wonderful film, I Know Where I am Going, this is my interpretation of the fabulous sweater worn by Roger Livesey. For further details see our knitwear page.

Kiloran Sweater

Next is 'a little peice of Lola' a Harris Tweed and Hebridean wool Waistcoat. Lola, one of our sheep, is actually a wedder, but he doesn't mind being called Lola, I did ask him! He has a wonderful fleece. It's grey rather than the rich chocolate brown of his pals. This inspired me to produce the Harris Tweed and Hebridean wool waistcoat. I also managed to source some fabulous Antler buttons which I think work very well. To see what you think, have a peek at the Textiles page of our website.

Harris Tweed & a 'little piece of Lola'

Then, yes, I told you I had been very, very busy.
Here is the Braveheart and Hebridean Waistcoat. I thought the rich chocolate brown of the Hebridean wool, worked so well with the Braveheart Tweed, I produced this! For more details see our Textiles page. 

Braveheart Tweed & Hebridean 

And there's more...
Last but by no means least here is the Plain Gansey, knitted with wonderful Colonsay Hebridean wool. 

The Plain Gansey is available either knitted for you or as a knitting kit for you to knit at home. Everything is supplied, wool, needles, pattern and even the bag to put your knitting in! For details of the knitting kit, contact us.Or if you prefer the 'ready to wear' Gansey, here are the details of our Knitwear page.






And finally, although not made by me, but by Anne, here on Colonsay, are these wonderful babies cot quilts. She is such a talented lady, I think they are truly wonderful. These too are available on the Textiles page of our website.

Anne's wonderful quilted cot blankets.

So what next! A well earned break? No, the next designs are in the making!

Update on the Beast...

Yes, the Beast of Colonsay is still at large! We spotted it just beside the Mill House as Kapitein and I were travelling on the Colonsay ring road the other night. It took one look at us – yes we made eye contact, and then it proceeded to leap over the cattle grid like Red Rum scaling Beeches Brook and off into the undergrowth! So, beware folks, it’s still lurking!!

Protect your flora and fauna by any means you can, it will nibble your prize collections without a doubt.

Gavalus Gavalar has a new ve-hic-ule. A very smart Lexus and with private plates! But we know who you are Gavalus!!

Eskie thinks it’s absolutely smashing, she even suggested that he changes the front number plate and add the word ‘Tart’, for no other reason than so we can spot him doing ‘laps’ around our wee island – no he is not cruising, he’s doing that in November around the Med!

Gavalus informed us that he wanted a more salubrious mode of transportation, with him being a very successful businessman; I think he has made the right choice. However, his trusty pick-up is poorly (it’s a bit of a non-starter at the moment) and in need of some TLC, so off to the mainland it goes to get a new starter motor if Mr. M can’t fix it...

So if you see plumes of smoke in the more remote corners of our wee island, (somewhere where there is some space – no not Colonsay International Airport) it may just be Gavalus practicing Doughnuts! Or is he testing May’s Sugary Wonders!!

So if you wish to continue to support Gavalus’s entrepreneurship, you can visit him at the Pantry and if he’s not out doing laps, you can sample amongst other things, some of May’s Sugary Wonders... Including Doughnuts - Delicious...

Confirmation that Gavalus is a ‘boy’ racer will come if he receives packages that contain rather large speakers, the type that just fit snugly (and fill up) the boot of his new car. And if we can hear Tiesto or Father and Sons playing from the far corners of the island, then we will know for sure. Although, he may play ‘tunes’ as a precursor to CEÒL CHOLASA?? Which by the way starts on Wednesday 12^th September and due to popular demand the ‘fleadh’ is now on for 5 days... Fantastic work by Keith, Pedie popped in and the team – we can’t wait.

I have been very, very busy; knitting furiously, to get commissions completed and sent off to my customers. I have just had some wonderful feedback on the latest delivery:

“I was impressed by the thoughtful packaging and the jumper is brilliant and fits very well.  The length is just right, not showing below a jacket. Many thanks for a superb job.  Roll on inclement weather!” 

Thank you very much indeed to this particular customer.

New designs are in the making and I am getting ready for the Autumn collection, due out very soon.

My very, very dear friend D’Nanty Sue is coming to visit us soon, I love it when she and I get together; she’s a wonderful person and a friend for over 33 years. We met in Holywood - no, not the LA version, and have been friends ever since. In our youth and subsequently, if there was any mischief to be had, we were there.

The last time she was here, she accompanied Mother, the pair were the plague of the Pantry – especially as Mother has more than a penchant for May’s Paradise Slice, supply and demand was an issue as Mother munched her way through slice after slice of Paradise.

I will keep you posted...

What a difference a day makes...

What a difference a day makes...

Yesterday was one of those fun packed days... Let’s see just how much we can do in 24 hours. 

Kapitein was up early as usual and busy in the inner sanctum. The weather was good so he said that if I was a good girl he would take me on the high seas to do a spot of fishing and give me a chance to test the new boat rod he got for my birthday - just what every girl wants...

Sandwiches prepared and off down to the harbour, via Mike's Megastore  to get some provisions for the weekend and get petrol too, which on this wee island is just under £1.70 a litre.

A few nautical adjustments here and there and we set off. The conditions were good, bright sunshine and a wee bit of a wind. Kapitein was at the helm and with me as his first mate, perched in the bow and awestruck as usual with the view of the Paps on Jura in the distance, we set a course for a good fishing mark just off Oransay and cruised south at a steady 20 knots.

Two minutes after arriving at Kapitein’s secret mark Kapitein landed a Saithe, then another, then another and yet another... I dropped my line into the water, nipping my knees around the pole, just in case it slipped my grasp and hey ho, I caught a 2lb Saithe too. The Mackerel eluded us on this trip but the joys of being at sea are fantastic. The seaways were very busy today, including the boat from Clearance House with a convoy of smaller boats in tow - a veritable flotilla. The thought did pass my mind that they may have GG on board and be setting a course for Nova Scotia or thereabouts but a quick check of the boat’s load line revealed no excess ballast on board. So that was a relief.
Time was pressing on and I had an appointment to keep with Eskie at the Village Hall. A high speed return to the Capital and Kapitein dropped me at the slip. I made it just in time.

Eskie was sitting with GG and the ‘Lovely Ladies’ enjoying a cuppa and some homemade cakes. Stalls with produce, second hand books and novelty gifts were set out.

We were rather distracted by an ingenious product, a definite purchase for us. See below modelled by Eskie. GG was also pictured wearing one but unfortunately the picture won't upload - you lucky readers!Technology knows no bounds here on Colonsay, surely a must for everyone. Not quite user friendly but can be used to make any mobile device hands-free, even a Laptop I suspect...

Kapitein joined us a wee while later as others came and sat with us. The conversation led to a discussion about our new island air freight service. There is great interest in this facility; medical provisions can be flown in and out. And what a bonus, inbound Chinese and Indian food for all of us with a hankering for all things normal, the same as our friends on the mainland.

Back to the homestead, with aching sides from all the frivolities. We took Sampster and Wolfie out for a walk and then it was back to the knitting up the new design of Wrist Warmers. (I must watch out for Freudian slips with this). This is the first of many products in readiness for selling. If I must say, they are rather perfect, yet they don’t quite resemble Willy Warmers just yet, something I must work on to satiate the needs of Kapitein.

As the evening progressed Kapitein decided we should attend the Ceilidh in aid of the CCDC – the community development company.

And what a night that was... Lots of dancing and even Kapitein was up strutting his stuff in the Orkadian Strip the Willow. GG is a true mover and shaker in the St. Bernard’s Waltz and Danger Mouse, the lonely shepherd, was really shaking his booty in the Dashing White Sergeant with Kapitein and I.  The music was absolutely wonderful as usual, with songs from Caitlin, Seamus and many others, including a great tune and song by a man from Sweden holidaying here.

Strange but true, Diogenes kept going in and out of the hall, apparently needing lots of fresh air!! I wonder what exactly he was doing whilst alone in the dark. I do hope he wasn’t true to the name...

Duck Man didn’t waver under pressure for a dance, but he will keep till another night when I WILL have a dance with him...

Kapitein was attracting attention tonight. His rugged good looks were under scrutiny from a rather well rounded woman but to her dismay he didn’t take the bait... After all, he already has a First Mate and there's only room for one to stoke his boiler...

Today, Sunday, was a day for getting up late (after going to bed very, very late). It was a peaceful day, including a lovely walk along The Strand with Sampster and Wolfie. Then back for a late lunch, a few domestics and packing in preparation for my journey to the mainland and into the unknown.

As already reported, I will be saying goodbye to a very dear friend ttomorrow and the day after that the Doctors have recalled me for an anomaly in my precious boobs, of which, I have to say, the Kapitein is rather fond. They say I have to make myself available for a full week, just in case. That week in the unknown is standing before me as I now make my way down to the ferry to depart these beautiful shores.

Kapitein has undertaken a thorough investigation and has been unable to ascertain any anomalies, however, if the worst does come to the worst, he said he would leave the island - the first time in over a year - and visit me and the doctors because he reckons he has some very good re-design ideas. He's such a wonderful Kapitein.

Shall keep you posted...

A busy day in paradise

Up with the starlings and out with Sampster and Wolfie. The daily commute along the bay is far better than mainland traffic jams and road rage.
Rush hour here is when the cattle decide to visit the capital and ewes with lambs at foot decide to have a morning jaunt along the island ring road to watch the boats coming and going.

Then it was off to do a stint at the Craft Fair to sell an array of locally produced arts and crafts and an opportunity to do a wee spot of knitting. Folk came and went, especially when the ferry came in. 

It was nice to chat to customers. Many have been regular visitors to the island for years because our Island at the Edge has such allure.
It is amazing to see how hats suit some folk and not others! And what does attract a man to try on one of Maggie's pink fluff trimmed hats? He looked quite good in it... Sorry, we don't have pictures, we have to protect his anonymity...


Eskie bounced in full of Tigger energy. Living on the north of the island, we do think she doesn't get out that much, as when she does visit the island capital, Scalasaig, all the pent up energy gets released before she heads back up the hill and through the pass. 
She brought news about a meeting of the Tourism & Marketing Group later in the day. They are drumming up support for an island website to advertise accommodation availability and events. Went along to have a look-see and partake of a nice glass of wine. Eskie and the team are also involved in lots of new initiatives linked to the new website to promote our island, it will be going live at the turn of the year. For those readers not familiar with this little corner of paradise click on these links to find out more: community website the events website and the music festival - a real must for all you traditional Scottish music buffs out there.

Back to the homestead to find that Kapitein had been checking the sheep. Big Fella, Wee Girly and the Wee Man are all well. Kapitein has singled out 10 wedders for the next trip to Islay, so more fresh meat on our table soon, and on those of our growing band of loyal customers on the mainland.