Cottage Diary - Aspenwood self catering luxury Holiday Cottage overlooking Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland.

Monday, July 31, 2006

Update on the foal.

The foal is growing rapidly in the nearby field but it still stays very close to mum. In the heat of recent days the foal was often lying flat out on the grass with mum standing guard. It has been raining lately so we are all cooling down thankfully. The father is now allowed in with them and was rather curious and naturally protective, ambling over to see just what I was doing. He is a huge scruffy looking fellow but no doubt a very proud dad.

posted by Lyn @ 10:46 AM 0 comments

Friday, July 28, 2006

Thistle do nicely!

Had a lovely refreshing downpour of rain all morning and again in the early evening, making the air alot cooler and much more bearable. It was heaven to sit in a comfy chair by the open door and watch the rain falling, even the cats came to lay down on the front door mat and appreciated it too. The weather is due to gradually cool down by the weekend and I know our incoming guests at Aspenwood tomorrow are really looking forward to the drop in temperature from the sweltering 37C where they live. Noticed the thistles, the National emblem of Scotland, are starting to flower along the pathway to Inverfarigaig pier. The thistle has been the Scottish emblem since the Middle Ages and appeared on coins of James III in 1470. The Order of the Thistle is Scotland's senior order of chivalry and was established in1687 by James VII consisting of the sovereign and 12 knights. After 1945 military and naval figures entered, and more recently political figures.
History lesson over, just enjoy the flower.

posted by Lyn @ 5:45 PM 0 comments

Thursday, July 27, 2006

On the beach

With temperatures reaching 27C I went down to the nearby beach Tuesday afternoon to sit on the rocks and dip my toes in the freezing water of Loch Ness and boy was that refreshing! A family came down from a cottage somewhere and show-off dad and one silly son ran into the water and then the shrieking and shivering began. Whatever the temperature outside, the loch is always only about 4C. Needless to say the other son and mum did not venture into the freezing water but it was great fun to watch. Saw the Loch Ness Express boat and many yachts and cruisers go past. During the night we had a terrific thunderstorm with brilliant lightening and a downpour which watered the thirsty plants and cleared the air a little bit.

posted by Lyn @ 9:52 AM 0 comments

Monday, July 24, 2006

Pine marten update

Our friend phoned down to say that the entire pine marten family [ mum, dad and 3 young] had been playing about in the water bowls at 4 in the morning in the daylight.Their boisterous antics woke them up with all their squeaking and splashing and as she watched they were playing about just like kittens. Hopefully one day I will capture this magic on camera.

Labels:

posted by Lyn @ 11:18 AM 3 comments

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Local pine marten

Went to a friends house near Aspenwood to see the pine martens that regularly come to visit. Their house backs on to part of Farigaig forest and the native pine martens come to their back door every morning and evening to be fed, often by hand. We were hoping to see the 3 young appear but, possibly because we were watching them and they did not know us, only the mother appeared for food. She took raw chicken wings back to the rest of the family who we could hear squeaking in the shrubbery a few metres away. She then got more confident and curious and came very close to me and seemed to enjoy having her photo taken. Although they are normally nocturnal creatures these photos were taken at 6.30.p.m. in July and the bright sunlight brought out the light apricot colouring on their chests very vividly. We also got her on video and soon we hope to have a Video Page on the website.

Labels:

posted by Lyn @ 11:23 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Cool cats.

The weather has turned warmer with temperatures of 27C recorded in Inverness yesterday but slightly cooler here lochside with the welcoming breeze. Done all our jobs here so feel like going down to the beach soon for a paddle and sit on the rocks. Both cats have been feeling the heat. Maisie seems to divide her time between laying flat out on the patio coming in to drink gallons of water and then sleeping in her cardboard box {no expense spared here}. Her sister Daisy takes a more laid back approach and does not dare take the risk of moving. I think I'll join her.

posted by Lyn @ 3:32 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

New life around the loch

We have seen a lot of new life lately round the immediate area. This baby deer and her mum appeared in our garden. The baby seemed fascinated by us watching her, possibly we were the first humans it had ever seen and I'm sure it had only recently been born. They stayed for a while very close together munching on the blueberries and then trotted off into the heather and bracken. At Aspenwood last Saturday we saw a red squirrel carrying a very young squirrel in its mouth run across over the car port and up into the trees at the front of the cottage. We are going to rig up some nut feeders on the front fence outside the lounge window to encourage squirrels and also to capture some close up photos hopefully. We have also seen a mare with her foal and a family of geese and the goslings in a field nearby. Baby birds are on the nut feeders and nut balls at all times of the day. Cannot wait for Philip to show us his offspring.

posted by Lyn @ 3:47 PM 1 comments

Friday, July 07, 2006

Baby red-legged partridge chicks

Our family of red-legged partridges has just had a clutch of about 12 chicks. They are running on their little legs at great speed all over the pathways and we have to drive very carefully on our way out. The father was very protective of the chicks when we took these photos and made alot of protective noises. Both parents are similarly brightly coloured. They are also known as the French Partridge as they were introduced to Britain from France about 200 years ago. They are easily distinguished from the common partidge by their black and white eye stripes and the strongly barred feathers on its flanks. The eggs are never covered when the mother leaves the nest and there is a great loss caused by stoats, rats and other predators in the vicinity. It was a great honour watching the proud mother with her brood.

Labels:

posted by Lyn @ 3:58 PM 0 comments

Web Optimisation by TSF