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I had now advanced to the outside domain without much adult supervision.Can you imagine all the wonders, and all the many objects of interest, that suddenly appeared connected with the immediate bounderies of the house and steadings.

First there was the byre and the stable;the potato house; the cart shed and the loose-box. Croft steadings rarely had this latter facility, except where the travelling stallion was being housed during the Summer season.

How Iloved to go into the byre and see the cows in their stalls; standing or lying down they chewed the cud contentedly after, being fed on a diet,of good hay or corn.

The cows,being inside in the winter,had another plus to it, as well as providing lovely milk. Dung under any other circumstance would be considered with some distaste.On the croft, it was a commodity 0f immense value.Good dung,given a little care and attention incorprated the basic ingredient for excellent crops. It added lasting nutrients to the soil compared to the short - lived benefits of modern fertilisers.

My next step is to leave the surroundings of the house and steadings and enter the community.

Island Wanderer.

On registering with Island Blogging, poetry was mentioned as a subeject I hoped to touch on.I would,therefore, like to share with you, "Shorline", a composition of my own as far back as the 8os which is about the time I started applying pen to paper.

What's the definition of poetry? I don't know; except ofcourse,maybe:a pen, blank piece of paper and plenty inspiration.
I wouldn't mind if someone told me if this attempt of mine is worthy of the name poetry:

I stood by the shorline of my life
Dead to the world around,
The sands of time lay at my feet
Dimpled like an eider down quilt;
I could see the hour - glass that
never ends
Lapped by the tide,
Where could I find a sight more true
Than the sand and the tide:

The road of life,of times,has little
joy or wonder,
Each hour is full of strange
forebodings;
It is not dimpled gently like the
silver sand,
Nor like the hue of the rippling sea
which stands beyond:

The shoreline of my life is a real one,
With a vast view;
It is a living vibrating entity of sand
and shingle and sea;
Beyond the rocks of its domain
ever pounded,
So I shall gaze,as standing by this
eternal beauty:

This is the shorline of my life,
I shall not be completely filled,
By the worlds vacant gifts;
While the mighty creation beyond the
land remains,
No other shorline do I seek
but this timeless one.

Island Wanderer.

First:Seven from Mull:

The poem:Shoreline.- Thanks for the comment.Could poetry be a way of saying a lot in a few cleverly chosen words? However,maybe you prefer prose! The world is bunged full of both,prose and poetry - mind boggling to say the least!

I'd like to make it pay - very difficult, I believe!





Secondly:Angus from Glasgow:

Comment:1/4/04 to "Life on the croft..." Sorely Maclean was indeed a very remarkable man and, unfortunately, I'm not as acquainted with his works as I would like to be. Thanks for quoting from "Hallaig."I appreciate this gesture a lot. May I in return just quote from this same piece what appeals to me, and that I find very poignant:-

...I'll go to Hallaig

to the sabbath of the dead

Down to where each departed

Generation has gathered.

Hallaig is where they survive

All the Macleans and the Macleods

who were there in the time of MacGille

Challuim:

The dead have been seen alive

The men are at their length on the grass

At the gable of every house,

The girls a wood of birch trees

standing tall, with their heads bowed...

Thanks a lot,

Island wanderer.

Looks as if I am having to change my approach to the art of blogging for the time being; asI have been faced with problems getting onto the blogging web.

Though I have just started recently, three of my issues didn't get off the ground.I'm not sure why - maybe too large or too many words!? I thought that I was clever doing essay type instalments,when I should have been more up to date with my approach - short and to the point bloggs.

Folks, it looks as I'm having to change and experiment a bit,so that the next few bloggs will be tests more than anything.

My narrative regarding: life on the croft...., must be abandoned meantime,

Island Wanderer.

Last thursday we had a visit from Mike and Richard in their rounds of the " blogging " islands. Unfortunately I didn't see Mike but I had a nice session along with Richard - or should I say a ceilidh - we dicussed many matters concerning blogging and he then Richard produced a video camera - all in all a good evening ensued.

I understand that the future of island blogging is, at the moment, on a bit of uncertain footing! All I can say is;let us all(bloggers)make sure,before any decision is reached, that blogging has become so important that it will be noticed where it matters.



The Spring is now well on the way and we're almost into the Summer. There are many lambs around, and the island has put on its coat of green - but little real grass yet.



I have't really revealed my place of birth to you other bloggers yet - I'd better do it now :"Island Wanderer"is a "Tirisdeach" -Tireeman. Now I feel that I've done the right thing ,and have identified myself properly with the other islands.



(Didn't manage to write a blog since the 9th.My e-mail system went hay-wire and I lost my registration code - Richard had to sort it out for me - good to be back!!!)
Island Wanderer.

I am pleased that my last blog was appreciated, yes I think that we bloggers must make an extra effort these latter days.The ten islands involved, I am sure, don't want to deginerate into complete isolation again.Im just beginning to enjoy the prospect of making wider contact with my fellow islanders.
Think of it, my nearest island neighbour is Coll, of the recent whale fame.Coll could be easily connected with Tiree as only a narrow sound seperates them, with an island in the middle.
Well,I've never set foot on this other delightful isle which tourists and back-packers love to visit,-but natives of Tiree and Coll don't visit each other.
This year I personally, am going to put this longstandig loss to rights. One day soon I shall visit my neighbour(Coll)
Maybe another blog will, therfore, ensue from it.
Island Wanderer.