Had to show you the passion flower; despite the awful winter it has survived and is flowering away. This plant started off with us in the early eighties, then didn't survive a very cold winter we had in the nineties- BUT Dorothy from the farm next door had taken a cutting, and was able to pass a bit back to me, and so it goes on. Dorothy's didn't survive last winter, but I know she'll be round to get a cutting soon.

And all this is just to show you what a lovely mild climate we have here.

In a couple of weeks I'm off to Cornwall to check out the gardens there and see if they can compete with ours. I feel the Eden Project may be slightly grander than Gigha, but will it be as nice?

We've bought a picture! Well you may wonder what that's got to do with holiday cottages, but it just shows you what nice things you can do when you come and stay down here.
Lots of good artists and galleries in Mid-Argyll and last week-end they opened their studios to the public, so it was a lovely excuse for a tootle round. We started in Tarbert, and finished in Crinan, going by the highways and by-ways via such hidden treasures as Slockavullin and Crinan Ferry.

The area just reeks of ancientness with its standing stones and chambered cairns; it is the centre of the old kingdom of Dalriada , and the first Scottish kings were crowned at Dunadd. There are raised bogs and fabulous wild flowers and deer keeking at you out of the trees. Yachts locking out to sea at Crinan , and beavers at Loch Coille Bhar.

Start at Kilmartin museum and have a really delightful day - and you might buy a picture.

A hectic week-end in Carradale. Two concerts - one of Friday and one on Saturday. Both packed out, and set in a relaxed way round tables, with a bar. Friday was modern, and definitely for the youngsters, but Saturday was a good old fashioned Ceilidh with some of our local stars. Lorne is a fabulous professional piper, while the Gaelic Choir are Mod winners. You can't get better than that. And it all ended up with an enthusiastic dance.

Then Saturday was a great day at the Cricket Club with the President's eleven playing the team. don't know who won but they had great fun. Here we have Donald, Laird of Torrisdale (70 this month!) and Brian, skier, cyclist, tennis player, and cricketer.

Yesterday the village was out of water, so we were very grateful to be on our own supply.

A trip to Glasgow on Tuesday to get the car serviced, but also the chance to top-up cottage supplies -there is only so much you can get in the local agricultural store,but they do have a fine selection of loo rolls!

So, a new microwave for Mhairi's - the last one was getting a bit contrary , and after all it was well over 10 years old. And also some nice striped Jamie Oliver crockery - does food taste better off Jamie Oliver crockery? You know, I think it does. We have some Jamie Oliver huge pasta bowls and Mike's pasta is superb.

Anyway, having got domestic issues out of the way, we went to the 'Glasgow Boys' exhibition in the Kelvingrove Gallery. What a treat. Difficult to pinpoint why it was so good, but they were just very fine painters. And it's always a treat to go to the Kelvingrove. A magnificent building - like so many Glasgow buildings - recently re-furbished and just buzzing. Not like a museum at all.

If you don't know Glasgow then have a night there on the way up; it's a really wonderful city - masses to see, superb people , great eating places, and a real treat.

Friday night took us up to Skipness for one of the famous Skipness dances. These are few and far between, and very precious . For serious dancers only!

A good wee Scottish dance band plays, while we all birl around doing (the simpler) Scottish dances - Stripping the Willow and Gay Gordoning as hard as we can. All shapes and sizes and ages attend and the hard core who are always there welcome visitors with open arms (literally).

We have the most superb tea and cakes half way through, and round the evening off with a splendid raffle.

Loads of money is raised for the church and we all go home feeling well pleased with our efforts. If a dance is on while you're around don't miss it. Even if you're not a dancer, it's a very special evening.

Disaster on Saturday morning when we were cleaning Colin's Cottage - the washing machine went mad and spun itself into oblivion! Water all over the floor and a dead washer. Fortunately our old friends Freda and Adam, who come every year, were moving in and were most understanding about the gap in the kitchen.
However, despite living in the wilds, we are getting a new one delivered tomorrow so problem solved. But these are the little things that go wrong all the time, which hopefully none of you even know about

Help! An unexpectedly awful day yesterday, but at least none of us have to worry about the water running out. Woken by such heavy rain that we had to forego the Sunday long lie and get up (as we are adding to the house, there are no slates on the roof and rain and polythene make a noisy combination). Then in the afternoon a real gale blew up and battered all the trees and shrubs, so we felt pretty sorry for anyone camping. Cottages are best!!!