A wee play with my camera....

I was just randomly playing with some settings when out for a walk on the beach with Button last week. She smelled a mouse in the long grass and took a while more in hope I think to seek it out. Without success, but while she was focussing her not inconsiderable talents in that direction I amused myself....

The buildings which are part of the old steading....slowly subsiding onto the shore.....

This is an old croft house and an old forge.  The old forge has already succumbed to coastal erosion with one wall now on the shore. The old croft house will soon be joining it....

More of the old steading which used to be part of Sandside.  The old byre at the end was originally a house and many of the Sutherland family were born there. I keep meaning to take time to photograph the inside of these old buildings. The fireplaces are still visible. Through the door at the end was then a stable and the stalls are still there.  Note to self - stop being a wimp and get out in the winter sunshine and take photos!

And back into "technicolour"..... The shells here are not actually directly from the beach, well they were originally, obviously, but this row is part of a midden (old rubbish tip) from one of the old croft houses, showing that shellfish were certainly part of their diet in the 18th & 19th Century.

The sunshine lighting up the old buildings

And I mentioned Button......

And a black and white cat in, well, black and white...

And even Charlie came out to see what all the fuss was about (Button was still hunting at this point and lagging behind - I try and not let them deliberately meet as there are the usual hissy-fits and posturing

Both cats have the sense to keep a wary eye out for the hens, who with their sharp pecky beaks and their feet make their presence felt and keep the cats in order....

And here we are almost home again. Looking out over a lovely calm sea,  West towards the mouth of Scapa Flow and on towards...well.... Canada!