Through the internet scheme, kgbdeals, I got a voucher for a photo book from Photoworld! It was so easy to put together, and I used my digi-scrapbook layouts of the ancestors, family, friends, pets,etc…… I uploaded the pages on Tuesday night,last week, and by Saturday morning it had been printed and delivered. I couldn’t believe it took such a short time! I’m really pleased with it too. It’s very good quality. This link will take you to it so you can look at a virtual copy! Hope you enjoy!
On Tuesday night too, I met Mary, my scrapbooking friend and guru, for the very first time! 
She and Bob had been over on the west visiting her 90 year-old mother in the nursing home, and decided to pay a visit to Peebles on the way home. It was wonderful to see her in real life, after all the emails, text messages, IM conversations… we have exchanged over the past few years! She was just as I thought she’d be, and we had a lovely evening eating out at a local pub, - thanks again, Bob - then going for a walk by the river, before the rain had us heading home again. Unfortunately (for us) I was travelling to the Isle of Skye the next day, so didn’t have the chance to show them any more of Peebles, but it appears they spent the next day exploring some of the Borders towns, especially enjoying Melrose – another lovely small town. I do hope we’ll be able to meet up again soon. Can you believe I forgot to get a photo of the two of them! I had my camera with me but I forgot to get a photo! Next time! Instead I have put in one of Mary’s scrapbook pages of the two of them.
Anyway, as I said I was off to Skye on Wednesday to meet up with Colin and friends. It was a good journey up to Mallaig to get the Calmac ferry “ Coruisk” over to Armadale, on Skye. 
I looked to see if there was any sign of a boat from Doune in Mallaig harbour, but couldn’t see one. Maybe on the return journey on Saturday…
This is the sculpture at the end of the pier of the grandfather pointing to the Isle of Skye, explaining to his grandchild about where he came from. Well I think that’s the story. He’s been there a few years now.
On the way over the Sound, the views were fabulous, and apart from the spectacular view up Loch Nevis, past Inverie, and the wonderful view of both Eigg and Rum in the distance,
I was able to photograph the Gaelic College, where I would love to spend a week on a course,
with (Doune
Lacemaker) Janet’s house next door to the left. No time to call in this time as I still had an hour or more’s driving in front of me. I whizzed past and looked out for a spot where I could photograph Doune across the water. There was a pull off the road where I decided to stop, and was indicating my intention to pull in when I realised two young hitch-hikers were thumbing a lift there! 
It hadn ‘t really been my intention to pick them up, but they thought I was stopping for them, so… having been there and done that myself at their age I let them climb into the car while I took my photo. Marianne and Thomas were from France, on their first visit to Scotland, and were loving it! I took them through Broadford and Sligachan, 
past the Red Cuillin mountains – this is Sgurr nan Gillean - and on to Portree, the main town on the island. In the distance as we drove north we got a wonderfully clear view of the Old Man of Storr, a rock pinnacle way off in the distance. I didn’t stop to take a photo then, so instead here is a painting by Peter McDermott,who lives in the old church at Aird and has a studio next door. 
He was very friendly and very happy for me to use the picture in my blog. (I did buy the card) I told him of Mary’s experience with someone whose copyright she had inadvertently infringed, and he was of the same opinion as me that the person should have been pleased to have the accolade, and possibly more folk looking at her work – well I did - and that life is too short to be petty. After all Mary was getting no financial gain from using the design! Hope I haven’t opened a can of worms there. If so, don’t bother to contact me. You have my opinion. So with Peter’s approval and no qualms at all, I show off more of his work here!
I dropped the youngsters off at Broadford, having had my photo taken, so of course I took theirs -Thomas and Marianne. I hope they enjoyed their visit.
Edinbane was where I was heading, along the road to Dunvegan, and as the guys weren’t 
home when I arrived, I parked the car and took a walk along the village on the hill and admired the wild flowers and the views! 
The wind turbines were a bit of a surprise,but it was lovely to see the bell heather in bloom – below right. The Scottish heather will be out in August but in odd places a few little buds were already opening.
It’s these daisies I love, and the verges of the narrow single track road were full of them..
.. 
… along with heathers, vetches, ragwort, and so many other flowers.
These old villages, stretched along narrow roads, are so pretty in summer. They are also pretty remote, 
and you can see by the tree here how strong the winds must blow.
So, by the time I returned to the house everyone was home and Janet was cooking supper! Colin decided to take the day off from climbing the next day so we’d have a day out together! More on that next time.
Talk again soon.
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