HNY

We started the new year off on a photographic high, heading down to Traigh na Cille (the black beach) probably before most people had risen from their slumbers. Well, it wasn’t that early, but it was certainly quiet out and about. We did a circuit down to Torloisk and back via Dervaig and saw a grand total of one other car, a runner/walker on the road and a family at Calgary Bay before we took the turning into Treshnish and saw another woman walking, a car just leaving and S and his dogs on his quad bike on the farm track.

The light down at the beach was fantastic (and was so even before we got there as we stopped to take a favourite view from the high point of the road up above Treshnish). There were also highland coos having their breakfast to entertain us. I’ve added extras.

Later on, I took another short walk up the hill behind the cottage, and got a good view of the coastline and headland across the way. Another extra.

It’s been a day of more reading, woodburner, and a few treats. Last night, just before I went to bed I picked up Station Eleven, which was recommended to me as ‘pandemic reading’ more than a year ago, and which has been waiting for my attention since I picked up a copy in Blackwells. The ‘Georgia Flu’. Hmmm. Actually, I’m rather glad I didn’t read it in 2020, because at times we thought we might be heading for ‘the collapse’, and it might have freaked me out. Now we are largely bored with Covid, although I definitely respect its potency and its capacity to rule our lives. Having picked it up, I found the book hard to put down, and in less than 24 hours I’ve gobbled it down. Quite optimistic at the end, which is interesting to see.