The trough

These shells and bits of china collected on beaches and in middens sit on the window ledge in an old wooden trough.  I was given the troughs by a crofter from the Ross of Mull who used to keep his cows in individual stalls in his byre during the winter.  They each had their own trough to eat out of.   I think I came home with 6 or 7, beautifully worn rectangular 'bowls'.  I put all but two in the steading shed with the sliding doors. I gave one to my sister in law and brought this one into the house.  A few years later we realised they were riddled with woodworm and we ended up spending a fortune on getting the roof of the steading treated for woodworm!   

All that glitters etc etc. Lesson learned.