Weather: Wet, Windy, Sunny, Cloudy, day Sleet, Gales – daily

I have been fishing twice this week. First was a trip to a local Loch with Keith D. We had a beautiful day with light winds and fished conscientiously for several hours, but never managed to rise a fish. Too cold…too early..etc..etc.. Later in the week I wandered down to the old harbour at Lochmaddy where the water is quite deep off the rocks. I thought I would try for Pollack using a spinner. Again, to no avail. The tide was dropping which gives me an additional excuse to the two that I mentioned earlier.

Midweek Nicola and I attended a Gaelic/ English speaking event and film showing accompanied by live music hosted at TC  (organised by UAA). The music was a celebration of traditional Hebridean folk music and was well played to accompany a nostalgic film about the story of Padruig Morrison and his Hebridean heritage. There was also a solo performance by fiddle player Duncan Chisholm which was by way of a lament and in keeping with this traditional music scene. All together a welcomed social evening, with pleasant chats, and delicious oatcakes and salmon snacks (I had two helpings!).

Nicola meanwhile has been teaching on the Fine Art Course at the University of the Highlands and Islands. She has been enjoying this and the students are good to work with.

The Island’s changeable weather with extreme winds make this place an interesting and unique environment within which to teach and make art. There has been much excitement both here and on the internet – about a recent commissioned interactive installation artwork ‘Lines (57° 59′ N, 7° 16’W)’  The effect of which has bought film crews to fly to Uist in order to document the work and interview the art students.

I have been busy exploring the beautiful terrain, making notes and taking some sketch photographs.

I was due to return to Newcastle on Friday but gale force winds have caused the cancellation of the ferry to Uig which has been re-scheduled for Saturday. As I am writing this, the wind is swirling around the house making groaning noises although it is forecast to fall away this evening.

Angelo (white cat) is on solo rat patrol. He is not a ‘catcher’ – his strategy is to lord his omnipotent ‘gleaming’ presence and this appears to work as a deterrent.