I woke to the strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
I could tell from the type of light peeping around the bedroom curtains that it was early and that it was obviously not sunny. The bedroom is on the opposite side of the house to the sunrise but one of the things about big skies is that there is nothing to interfere with the light. David obviously was up early. I closed my eyes and tried to decide whether to get up or return to the Land of Nod. (A post from that hamlet in the East Riding would be welcome YP).
Before I arrived I woke fully and further sleep was lost for the day. The mind is a strange thing. I had smelt coffee. I had. I know that I had. But I hadn't. David, whose first task of the day was always to make a cafetière of strong coffee, was a ferry journey across the Minch and 330 miles away. I lay wondering how often we are absolutely certain about events that we 'know' took place but which didn't or vice versa.
It did occur to me that few, if any, of you have ever seen the township of Eagleton in its setting on the Island. Well here it is. The picture is facing roughly South.
It did occur to me that few, if any, of you have ever seen the township of Eagleton in its setting on the Island. Well here it is. The picture is facing roughly South.
The mind does play tricks on us ~ but like you suggest perhaps yours was triggered by the morning light and that state of being between sleep and awake. Have you ever thought of investing in a drone to capture aerial footage of your island? Come to think of it, it is probably too windy a lot of the time.
ReplyDeleteCarol I think we all like to pretend that our minds are clear and that we are in control. Any magician knows how to exploit our general 'weaknesses' and anyone who has taken statements from witnesses knows how unreliable they can be (and usually are). I'd never thought of using a drone but Google has pretty good coverage from a little higher as well as along many of the public roads.
DeleteOh, spooky :) This ties in just so perfectly with the book I've just read (and am going back in now because I'm still trying to get my head round what's what): Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson. In spite of its title and the coincidence with this post, I'm not sure it's one I'd recommend for you to read. Or maybe I should? The language is excellent but the story full of mysteries as to what is supposed to be 'real' vs dream or fiction (but then of course since it's a novel, it's all fiction anyway). Remains to be seen whether I manage to sort it out enough in my own head to write a review... :) - As for the photo of Eagleton, that gives me deja vu feelings as well. Not sure whether from your blog, Google or my dreams!
ReplyDeletePlease do write a review, Monica! I have read "Human Croquet" years ago, before I began blogging, otherwise you'd find my review there and we could compare notes.
DeleteMonica I have Human Croquet (and all her other books I think) but it must be in the loft. I think I started it but didn't take to it. I'll have a look in a month or two when I'm allowed back up into the loft. I don't think I've ever posted a photo from that position before.
DeleteSo it's windy there too? I thought ours was the windy city, we are situated between two seas so there is always lots of wind, and it's good because it blows away the pollution.
ReplyDeleteI'm puzzled Saucy Siciliana because I thought Sicily was wholly in the Mediterranean. Anyway Sicily is a lot larger than Lewis and has a population about the same as the whole of Scotland. We don't produce any pollution to speak of (with a population of about 23,000 people) but it is a very windy place.
DeleteGraham, Sicily is wholly in the Mediterranean, that's true, but that Sea is subdivided into some more "Seas", such as the Thyrrenian and the Ionian Sea which enclose the island from two sides, each of them bringing different streams and winds.
DeleteThank you Meike. I had no idea about that.
DeleteI bet you jumped up shortly after and made the coffee anyway. Time, space and coffee (matter) are the same things anyway, so we are told.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh Kate that's a bit too cerebral for me at this time of the day (pre 7am) sitting in bed with a cup of hot water and lemon.
DeleteWell, a dream like that is a real bummer! Nice photo of Eagleton.
ReplyDeleteI've had far worse dreams Red.
DeleteWow! Thanks for this, Graham! I just went on a hike with my best friend, Mr. Google and discovered things I'd not known before.
ReplyDeleteI'd not before realised just how remote (and I mean that in a nice way) the Isle of Lewis is!! And I also learned there are only 22 houses at Eagleton...is that correct? My kind of place!
You probably smelled the coffee I was brewing. :)
Oh yes Lee Lewis is pretty remote: 2 hrs 40 minutes by sea ferry from Ullapool. I've been sitting counting in my head and I think there are 15 occupied houses in Eagleton. My house was originally the croft house for the croft 40 Lower Bayble before the Eagleton houses were built. Eagleton is actually not a crofting township but was built as a township of fishermen's holdings. When I arrived at Tigh na Mara it's address wasn't Eagleton which made no sense at all given it's location so the Post Office changed the postal address. However its address in the crofting register will still be 40 Lower Bayble (the same as the current new croft house on the croft about half a kilometre away).
DeleteThank you for that info, Graham. It sounds pretty good to me.
DeleteOH DEAR. I've just noticed a glaring error in my last comment. It should be 'its' not 'it's'. I'll get a number of emails about that one.
DeleteWow! I also didn't realise how remote you are. It does look beautiful though!
ReplyDeleteFew people do realise Liz. And, yes, it is beautiful.
DeleteI once dreamt I'd been smoking and woke up with the distinct (ugly) taste and smell of a fag in my mouth and nose. At the time, nobody in my vicinity was or had been smoking; the bedroom window was facing an area where nobody walked so that there could not have been someone standing outside the (open) window, smoking and letting the smoke drift into my bedroom. I could have sworn there and then that now I knew exactly what smoking felt (tasted) like, even though I have never, not even once in my life, tried it.
ReplyDeleteThe human mind is indeed a very unreliable source of information, and easy to manipulate if one knows how. Any police officer, judge and psychologist will confirm that.
That's really weird Meike. As you say anyone who has ever taken witness statements knows just how unreliable people's recollections often are.
DeleteGraham... I really have been to The Land of Nod. It is at at the end of a long straight lane that leads from Holme on Spalding Moor out into rich farmland. There's not much there - just a couple of windswept farms. One of them specialises in growing high quality turf. See http://beefgravy.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/excursion.html
ReplyDeleteThanks YP. There is a wonderful irony in the comment I left on that post "One of the problems of Blogland is that there are so many photos of and references to places I've been but just can't recall now. Oh dear: too many decades.".
DeleteMr. Edwards, I would be interested to know what brought the souls who live in those 15 homes to Eagleton. Were they born there, did they come to visit family and never go back, did they retire there? And, what do they do to occupy their time, their days and nights?
ReplyDeleteMrs Thyme I had the perfect opportunity last night to get the history of Eagleton from the daughter of the oldest (I think) resident. In a couple of hours we talked about so much that I forgot. The township originally known as Cnoc na h'Iolaire was established at the beginning of the last century as fishermen's holdings.
DeleteThe mind boggles....sorry, couldn't resist! xoxox DeeDee
ReplyDeleteDeeDee my mind spends a lot of time boggling I have to admit.
DeleteMine too! xoxox
DeleteYour mind was very comfortable with having David and Molly around and that's why you still felt their presence.
ReplyDeleteFreshly brewed coffee is a comforting smell to wake up to.
"Wake up and smell the coffee!!"
I suppose it is Virginia. I prefer home made bread though. My first drink in the morning is hot water and lemon.
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