Culkein Stoer

They spent an afternoon together damming a stream and building moats and sand arches waiting for the sea to roll in, fill 'em up, bring 'em down and reclaim them.

A day bookended by sweet treats, the traditional annual purchases of my favourite boozy bottles (never found them anywhere else), the specific overpriced candle ( never found them anywhere else) and meal out in Lochinver to round things off before heading back to Clachtoll.

Tonight, while Dave headed out again to take photos, and Tess had some grandparent time seal spotting, Sam and I headed to Stoer beach to spot otters and big sea beasties. We were followed by four ravens as we walked up from the lovely beach, the 2000 year old Broch and along the cliffs. He bagged a rib bone of goodness knows what and started explaining this bizzare game of scissors, paper, stone the ravens were playing, which turned out to be spot on.

The boy's knowledge on nature is quite something, and far exceeds my own or Dave's now. I cant think of a night in the last 10 years when I have gone into his room to turn the light off and there hasn't been a nature reference book slipped just inches from his hand after he's succumbed to sleep reading it. I'm hoping when he grows up that this interest, insight and love of the wild will be his haven from the trials and tribulations of adult life that besets us silly little humans.

Meanwhile Tess has become obsessed with watching old home videos AND whales, if only to overcome her irrational fear of Blue Whales.