John Martyn 1948 – 2009

29Jan09

 
I was greatly saddened to learn of John Martyn’s passing this morning.
John’s music holds great personal significance to me since being introduced to him by my friend Harri and my gaffer several years ago.
Albums like Solid Air, Bless The Weather, Grace & Danger, London Conversation and One World amongst others have provided the soundtrack to the highs [...]

Filed under: Living, Music   |  3 Comments

Siader Wave Power Pt. II

22Jan09

Waves at Shawbost – Via Bluewave

Further to my post in April last year, one of the largest wave energy farms in the world will be built off the coast of Lewis as Scottish ministers have approved a wave electricity generating station with a four megawatt capacity at Siadar.
The farm, a collaboration between npower renewables and Wavegen, [...]

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Change

20Jan09

 
http://www.whitehouse.gov/

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Storms

17Jan09

 
Youch!
Above was the Met office prediction for the deep low causing the windy weather tonight.
Looked like the center was right above Lewis at midnight…

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Northern Constabulary are monitoring weather conditions in the Outer Hebrides as high winds are now moving in during the early evening of Saturday through to Sunday morning. There is [...]

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Chorizo & Chickpea Stew

14Jan09

 
A quick and hearty stew here, that should be on the table in about an hour, for most of which time it can sit unattended, with just the occasional stir to see how it is getting on. 
2 -3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 large onions
4 cloves garlic
3 chorizo sausages – about 400g
crushed dried chillies
a glass of [...]

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Braised (Lewis) Lamb Shanks

14Jan09

 
olive oil
lamb shanks – 2 small
onions – 4 small to medium
bay leaves – 3
sprigs of rosemary – 2 or 3
vegetable or meat stock – 250 ml
red wine – 250 ml
garlic – 3 cloves
grain mustard – 1 heaped tablespoon
To serve: mashed potatoes + bit more mustard
 
Set oven to 160 degC / Gas3
Brown and seal shanks in [...]

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Sea Kittens

14Jan09

Two Sea Kittens we caught in Lochs, Isle of Lewis 2008

After reading about Stonehead’s troubles with animal lover’s inabilty to handle his excellent post about skinning rabbits for cooking, I read about PETA rebranding fish as Sea Kittens
Some people – such as anglers, whose lobby group the Anglers Trust relaunches today – don’t seem to bond with fish. [...]

Filed under: Blogroll, Environment, Fishing, Food, Living, Nature   |  2 Comments

Iain Crichton Smith

12Jan09

 
Iain Crichton Smith was born on the 1st January 1928 in Glasgow, and moved to Lewis two years later with his parents, both of Highland origin, and his two brothers. His father died shortly afterwards, and he and his brothers were brought up by his mother in rather frugal conditions in the crofting community [...]

Filed under: Books, Culture, Gaelic, Poetry, Reference, Writing   |  1 Comment

Lewis Wind

12Jan09

A light breeze at Ness. Via Cloudpurple
 
Had to laugh at poor Island Thread’s battle with the Lewis gales (sorry!).
A windproof fence? On Lewis?? Now that’s optimism! As Calum From Ness commented:
…the Good Lord seems to have made a fairly decent fist of the landscaping in the first place and it doesn’t need [...]

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Bàrd Mhealboist

11Jan09

 
Murdo Macfarlane (Gaelic: Murchadh MacPhàrlain) known as ‘Bàrd Mhealboist’ (the Melbost Bard) was a published poet and campaigner for Scottish Gaelic.
Born and brought up in Melbost, Isle of Lewis, he was taught Latin, English and French but received no education in Gaelic. He spent some time working for Lord Leverhulme on various schemes but eventually left to travel to North America in the 1920s and spent many years [...]

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