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Didòmhnaich, 31/Jan/2010
Islay Blogging Roundup #109
So there we are, that's January over. OK, still a few hours to go, but by the time many of you will read this it will be February. I haven't spotted any Snowdrops in the Aldermaston Wharf area yet, but Mark Unsworth has posted his first Snowdrops of the year today after taking the picture yesterday. But before I get to the pictures, what else have the blogs been writing about Islay and Jura this week?
Let me start with a new resident on Islay, Rob Barlow. The Hilton Church (where he was before he moved to Islay) blog writes about Rob Barlow's induction and provides some impressions of the view from manse. In a slightly related (at least as far as the description of Islay is concerned) post Malcolm Mejin writes Paradise Is Made Of Sand. You have to scroll all the way to 16, but Islay makes it on to his list.
Ron also picks up on that entry when he writes Islay - No Tropical Paradise but Heaven on Earth. He mentions Ardbeg by an Ardnut and points out Ian Gray Featured in the Scotsman.
So what's new in the whisky related blogs? To start with Keepers of the Quaich claims 2 New Islay distilleries are in operation! I think at least one of them will be news to quite a few people to be in operation already. The Scotch Finder (Always Hunting for the Perfect Single-Malt Scotch) seems to be very impressed by the PC7 - the Destroyer! while WhiskyNotes from Belgium reviews the Kilchoman 3yo (2nd Autumn release). The Scotcheads come up with Cho, cho, cho. Merry deliciousness! and a bunch of smoky Islay malts.
The slightly strange whisky tasting arranged by The Times attracts a few entries: The Bruichladdich Blog writes “Oh, God. Is this an April Fool?” while a Swiss blog questions the methodology in Blamage für schottischen Whisky. John Hansell just asks Taiwan whisky: better than Scotch whisky? while Oliver Klimek asks A Yellow Peril for Scotch Whisky?
Also in the Bruichladdich Blog some pictures of Ugly Betty and a Still Life.
I think that's enough whisky, what's going on in the birdwatching community? The Islay Birds blog has a picture of a young Golden Eagle and the numbers from the International Goose Count. I wonder if the pheasants in Ian's garden were still there for this weekends Big Garden Birdwatch? John Islay Birder Armitage informs us the Gyr Falcon still present. Earlier in the week he wrote about the number of Greater Scaup in Loch Indaal and an excursion to Jura.
You want pictures now? OK, I'll give you the pictures: There's a Cemetry Sunrise on The Sensual Eye and Bowmore – Islay on Photogenic Scotland. Still from the same stable are Bowmore Reflections and Bowmore Reflections 2 on Colias Reflections. On Ron's photoblog is a Rainbow over Loch Indaal and Nerabus and Lossit Bay.
The Jura Picture of the Day after posting a nice boat has taken a different approach this week and posted Devastation of Haiti – Jura announces fundraiser as their latest picture.
From my own Islay Pictures photoblog I think I'll pick the Rainbow near Saligo and the Ireland Coast from The Oa, Isle of Islay. But I'll close the roundup with the blog I started with, Mark Unsworth's Islay Photography Gallery: The Snow on the Paps of Jura looks impressive against the snowless low hills on Islay, the View to the Paps from an icy Islay looks even better (I think).
So that's it for January. Next week it will be about the first week of February 2010. As usual the link to the Scottish Roundup, this week with Poets, Papers and Post. It might be worth watching it over the next week as the results of the Scotblogs awards are announced. There were a number of Islay related blogs nominated, but it's also interesting for the great blogs to be found in general.
This Islay blogging roundup was started with a large mug of Earl Grey tea and some music on BBC 6 Music. It was finished with a wee dram of Bruichladdich PC8, some chocolate and silence (apart from the ticking of my clock and the sound of me typing on the keyboard).
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