We have had the calmest of weathers over the last few days.  It has been stunning.  Blue skies, an almost-warm sun shining, and no wind.  My drives to the Post Office have been slow, as I keep stopping to take pictures of Assynt which is showing her calm side at the moment.  This was the view from the top of Stron the other day, with mist clinging to the valleys:



and there was a perfect mirror image on Loch an Ordain



 

A far cry from how the same loch looked a couple of years ago, when the wind was whipping up spray.  The photograph was included in my 2010 calendar:

 



Today we took advantage of the dry weather and headed to the hills with the dogs.   I have a nice boss who let me off early!  We were treated to fantastic views of the iron-age Clachtoll Broch and across the Minch towards Lewis:



And it wasn't long before we were treated a glimpse of some deer:



Of course as soon as they saw us they didn't hang about.  Peggy was all for coming out as Nimrod and doing a bit of hunting, but she didn't stand a chance.  A couple of deer only paused briefly on the brow of the hill before disappearing after the rest of the herd:



At this time of the year the sun is still pretty low in the sky, and there is not a huge amount of heat in it yet, but we are starting to get solar power again through our panels, which is just as well as we've had no wind for a few days now.  And I love the shadows the sun casts during this season:



To end with ... a bit of an update on my previous blog post about shows which I'll be doing this year.  I was really looking forward to the inaugural Yarndale event in Skipton.  I was all set with my stand and was just about to book some accommodation, when Stevan received an email to say that his graduation ceremony will be taking place of the same weekend as Yarndale.  So regrettably, but without hesitation, I wrote to the organisers of the event to let them know the situation and to withdraw from having a stand at the 2013 event.  Stevan being Stevan, he's still not sure he'll be graduating, but I've put the date in my diary .....