Am Foghar
Nuair a tha mi a’ sgrìobhadh seo, ‘s e deireadh na Dàmhair a th’ ann, na craobhan dearg is òir is na duilleagan a’ tuiteam. Tha mi dìreach air ais bhon Mhòd ann an Dùn Òmhain, agus air an t-slìghe dhràibh sinn tro choilltean brèagha ri taobh lochan fada ciùin Earra-Ghàidheal. Bha mullaichean nam beann fo sgòthan ìosal, ceò sna glinn, an t-àile bog tais, agus gun deò-ghaoithe sam bith – seòrsa aimsir taobh an iar air a bheil “a soft day” a-rèir 
caraid Èireannaich agam. Bha a h-uile rud romànsach, tlàth; chan ann tric a tha i mar sin anns na sgìrean taobh an ear na Gàidhealtachd. Ach àlainn mar a tha sin, feumaidh mi aideachadh gur e an aimsir againne as fheàrr leam – nas soilleire, nas tiorma. ‘S urrainn dhomh cur suas le ar cuid gaoithe!
Na deiridhean-seachdain mu dheireadh chaidh mi cuairt air fad a’ chladaich dhan taigh-samhraidh aon latha agus latha eile sna coilltean timcheall air raon-goilf 
Inbhir Ghòrdain (seann ghàrraidhean a’ chaisteil), agus ‘s e làithean earachdail an fhoghair a bh‘ annta. Dathan agus solas cho àlainn agus an t-àile cho ùr, agus eòin na mara os ar cionn agus timcheall oirnn. Tha sinn fortanach gu dearbh a bhith a’ fuireach ann an sgìre mar seo.
Seo ìomhaigh blàtha no dhà den fhoghar agaibh gus ur brosnachadh tro làithean geamhraidh nas gruamaiche a bhios a’ tighinn gun teagamh – ach bidh cuairtean matha rim faighinn an uairsin cuideachd. Aodach blàth oirnn is togamaid oirnn!
Autumn
As I write this it’s the end of October, the trees red and gold and the leaves falling. I’m just back from the Mòd in Dunoon, and on the way we drove through beautiful woodlands beside the long still lochs of Argyll. The peaks of the mountains were under low cloud, there was mist in the glens, the air soft and damp, and not a breath of wind – the kind of west coast weather that an Irish friend of mine calls “a soft day”. Everything was romantic, 
delicate; it’s not often we have that kind of weather in the east of the Highlands. But beautiful though that is, I have to admit that I prefer our own climate – clearer, drier. I can put up with our share of wind!
The last couple of weekends I’ve been for walks along the coast to the summer-house and in the woods around Invergordon golf-course (the old castle gardens), and these were both gorgeous autumn days. 
Such beautiful colours and light and such fresh air, and seabirds above and around us. We are fortunate indeed to live in an area like this.
Here are a few warm autumn images to encourage you through the gloomier winter days that are sure to come – but we can have plenty of 
good walks then too. Warm clothes on and off we go!
