I hear on the grape vine that Eden and surrounds has been getting rain, but as anybody who has been to Scotland will know, there's rain, and there's Scottish rain!  

Not that I'm complaining; we are on holiday and having a lovely rest.  

On our travels so far we have met some very interesting and friendly people.  

The lovely bed and breakfast owners who keep chooks in the back yard so they have fresh eggs for breakfast are among my favourite people.  

They are so much like us with their hens, fussing over them and making sure they have all they need.  

The little gardens are trim and tidy and include a few herbs and veggies.  

The growing season here is remarkably short although the days are eighteen hours long!  

Any plant growth is really rapid, tomatoes and other fruiting veggies must grow as quickly as they can to fruit within the short space of time that has summer type temperatures.  

All the farmers, especially on the Orkney Islands, are making hay and will do so for the next two months.  

The problem they have is the very long winters, up to six months of it being dark for 16 to 18 hours a day.  

The cattle have to be brought inside the barns and fed for this time, so the farmers have to make as much silage and hay as possible.  

Sometimes I think we really don't know how lucky we are to live in such a gorgeous place, not only the climate but we at least get sunlight in the winter.  

One lady I spoke to last week told me that last year they had two months without sun. 

Yet they are still the friendliest and accommodating people you could ever wish to meet.  

Anyway I must be off on more travels. 

A strange and interesting ring of stones is calling me from the other side of the isle of Lewis in the outer Hebrides.

Enjoy Australia; it really is a lucky country and see you all on our return.