Well, I always like to start the blog with a photo and this one came to hand  which has nothing to do with Carradale but is of Brodick Bay, taken by my Dad in 1952!  Only difference to today are the haystacks and the puffer.  But of course the point is that not only can you see Arran from Carradale, but here too there is a timeless quality.  In 50 years there has been surprisingly little change, and what there has been has been to the good. A few new houses, a slip into the harbour, one of the nastier humps in the road smoothed out....

And so , of course, to the wonderful weather we had to end the season.  Thank goodness.  It didn't save the tomatoes, but many of the farmers must have been breathing a huge sigh of relief as the crops were gathered in and the ground dried out.  It has been a stunning autumn and makes the long haul of winter seem a bit less of a thought.

As for the village happenings;  well SSE have pretty well finished their huge project so we are now losing the perk of lots of guys needing accommodation;  on the plus side we can get up the road without being mown down by a stream of white trucks.  They still have to fell the old pylons which could be fun.  The Ashbank has just changed hands so we have yet to see what happens there. Angie's  shop is going strong thank goodness and we still have a Post Office. And we're all getting used to filling up with petrol whenever we go to the town.

We already have the dates of the Skipness Christmas Dance, and the New Year Hall quiz (the Hall incidentally has had a green makeover with insulation and heat exchangers  - which they can't get to work - so we'll all be nice and snug). And next year's bookings are beginning to arrive.

As for work here at the Steading;  despite no shop we are working harder than ever .  Our greatest coup at the moment is sending some of our pendants to the space staion with Tim, Britain's first astronaut.  So we will be watching the take off with extra excitement.

Time to watch Grand Designs and get some new ideas - green roofs on the cottages/