July 3

My evening meal was excellent! They served blackcurrant sorbet that was to die for! And they had Earl Grey tea. But they were 20 minutes late opening (6:20 instead of 6:00) so it was past 8:00 when I left – past the start time of the concert. When I reached Achaban I could see the cars parked on the side of the road for the concert, but thought it was much too late to go so headed to my room instead. And indeed, those who attended the concert came in about half an hour later, so I was much too late to get full benefit.

I neglected to mention that when I took the bus from Craignure to Achaban (Fionnphort), there was a family, also North American, who were anxious to get to Fionnphort. It seems that they had tickets for a tour of Mull, but had difficulty identifying which of the coaches they were supposed to board, and had missed it. Part of their tour included Iona, and they were eager to visit the island. It seems that Anne Marie was going to be spending a week on Iona while the rest of her family was returning home to Boston. So, I’ve met one of my fellow participants in community living! Anne Marie is a United Methodist minister who is working in a not for profit agency, and is also on sabbatical, though it sounds as though the nature of her work is such that she doesn’t get to as fully on sabbatical as I (grant applications, etc. wait for no one!) She, too, is staying at the Abbey (participants stay at the Abbey or the MacLeod Centre), so I know that there will be at least one friendly face there on Saturday!

It was a rainy morning, and jet lag hit today so I had a very leisurely start. It was past lunchtime before I headed out for a walk. It was one of those days when one minute it was raining and the next it was not, so donning my rain gear, I figured I would make it clear up by dressing for the worst it could do. (And I am beginning to appreciate those hiking shoes!)

I went right down on the beach this time, and meandered around. Then I headed to the pub, where they serve tea and coffee as well as other beverages. The hosts of the B&B, Gill and Barry Morley, were there, taking a break from their duties and we had an interesting chat. Barry was adding to the information that Mary of Linnhe View had given me.

Mull is an island of volcanic rock. There are other kinds of rock on Mull (there’s a granite quarry somewhere around here.) But Mull was formed by volcanic action, as was Staffa, an island that I will be visiting during my Iona stay (weather and water conditions permitting.) But Staffa is basalt rock, not the same as Mull, and the geological evidence is that it was formed all at once. It is geologically the same as Northern Ireland ... which might explain that when I was looking at some photos I was reminded of those I had seen of the Giant’s Footsteps in Northern Ireland. Iona, however, just a 10 minute ferry across the Sound of Iona, has no stone in common with Mull. They are not geologically connected in any way, even though geographically they are so close to one another. Iona has geological characteristics in common with northern Africa. Interesting and very, very intriguing. Mull is known as “The Fairest of the Isles,” and I must confess that when I gifted myself with a couple of days here to adjust to the time change, I had no idea that there would be so much to see. Lots of walking trails, and lots of wildlife: eagles, sea otters, minke whales, orca, puffins ... the list seems endless. So it will be the same as always – so much to see and not enough time to do it all. I’m thankful for the time I had.

When I came out from dinner, around 8, the rain had cleared, and the sun was shining, and the light was different. There is a unique quality to the light, and I’m not sure whether or not the camera has been able to capture it.

Barry also told me that he agrees with so many others: whether you are ‘religious’ or not, there is “something” about Iona that is unique and that you can feel. Tomorrow I will find out for myself!

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 8:2-10:13