The latest update on the Cromarty-Nigg ferry website is that the new four-car ferry is due in August.

Hundreds of family, friends and members of the farming community from across the Black Isle gathered in the West Church this afternoon to mark the passing of Bright Gordon and to give thanks for her life. In his tribute, the Rev John Tallach spoke of her 'robust personality', her natural ability, dedication and hard work, forward thinking and positive outlook. "Our lives were lastingly enriched by knowing a very special person."

She was the eighth generation of Middletons at Rosefarm, and she had been awarded an MBE and made a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society for her contributions to farming over 50 years. As a direct descendent of Hugh Miller, she also took a keen interest in preserving his legacy in Cromarty.

The service, which reflected her own choice of readings and hymns, concluded with her niece cheerily singing 'Wish me luck, as you wave me goodbye'.

After many months hidden beneath scaffolding and protective coverings, the gable end of the East Church slowly emerged yesterday to reveal its 'Singleton Birch' limewash.

Although there is interior work yet to be completed, nearly two years of restoration work is coming to an end. Plans are underway for re-opening events in the early autumn. Anyone interested in helping to arrange events in the church, assisting in its upkeep, welcoming visitors or supporting the church financially is encouraged to become a Friend of the East Church. Come along to a meeting with Caroline and David at 7.00pm on Thursday, 15 July (meet at church gate). Click here.

The Cromarty & District Community Council is undertaking a review of the Number 26 /26A Cromarty to Inverness bus service. The Council would like to hear about any problems that you have experienced with this bus service e.g. the bus didn’t turn up, the bus was late or the bus broke down en-route.

If you have experienced any problems with this service, please complete a form available in the Cromarty Post Office, Bank Street.

Extract from 'bus breaks down — again' photo by Colin Dunn

It's time for all aspiring artists, photographers and writers to start getting creative again! After the success of last year's Creative Cromarty Competition organised by Cromarty Arts Trust, when the prizes were carried off by Rosie Newman, Ian Robertson and Bryn Leyshon, the Trust has selected 'The Harbour' as the theme for 2010. Entries can be in the form of a drawing, painting, mixed media, collage, printmaking or photography. They could also be poetry, an essay, short story or a short play.

All work should be suitable for exhibition at the Stables on 31st August when the winners will be announced.

There will be three trophies on offer this year. Two are for Visual Arts entries (one Adult prize and one under 18 one) and one is for the Written Word. The closing date is August 20th at 5.00pm and entries should be submitted to the CAT office at Ardyne, 19 Bank Street, Cromarty.

For more information phone 01381-600354 or email info@cromartyartstrust.org.uk

If so, this Highland Council website gives helpful advice on dealing with unwelcome seagulls.

Today's weather brought a natural progression from much-needed morning showers to afternoon sunshine and this glorious sunset to end the day. The forecast for the next two days promises sunshine and temperatures of 20°. Who would want to be anywhere else but Cromarty?

Looking towards Nigg at 10.30pm

Jane Dunn (of the multi-talented Dunn family) launched a new business today specialising in handmade fabric cosies and covers. Starting with tea cosies to complement the teapots made by her sister-in-law Bärbel Dister at the next-door Cromarty Pottery, Jane's range of textile items includes cosies for hot water bottles, Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch and — coming soon — a cosy for the new Apple iPad. All are made in distinctive cotton fabrics with cotton velvet linings.

For more information on Jane's cosies, visit her website or pop along to the Cromarty Pottery shop on Shore Street, Cromarty.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1… counting down the days to the Cromarty Bowling Club's Indoor Boot Sale this Saturday in the Victoria Hall from 11.00am to 3.00pm.

Come along, have a browse, buy a raffle ticket or two and then relax with a delicious lunch or afternoon tea. Your local clubs and groups are looking for your support: Cromarty Bowling Club, Cromarty and Resolis Lifeboat Guild, Cromarty Fire Brigade, St Regulus Church…

See you there!

Today is Colin and Sarah Munro's last day at Sutor Creek after three years of running Cromarty's Scotland the Best – listed pizza and seafood restaurant. Following this evening's farewell social (with wine, nibbles and pizza), they will depart on their travels to Fiji, Australia and New Zealand (to visit Colin's brother in Auckland) returning to Scotland via Hong Kong. The couple have enjoyed their time in Cromarty and the "best part", according to Colin, has been working with kids and giving them their first jobs.

Sutor Creek will re-open with new owners Graham and Phoebe Fox on Saturday, 19 June.

Jo Hunt (former leader of the disbanded Highlands and Islands Local Food Network) will soon be leaving Cromarty with his family and embarking on a new business venture at Knockfarrel near Dingwall. He and Ian Mor plan to start a local food business growing organic vegetables, fruit, meat and other food from spring of next year. They will supply it directly to people in the Dingwall and Black Isle area.

To find out what potential customers want — and how they want it delivered — they have devised a short questionnaire. If you are interested, please click on this link for their marketing survey. Or, you can email them directly.

Believe it or not, it is once again time for the Cromarty Bowling Club’s Annual Indoor Boot Sale.

The date this year is Saturday, 26th June in the Victoria Hall from 11am–3pm. Tables must be booked and paid for prior to the event (£10 for one, £15 for two) and you can pick up a booking form from The Emporium. This will give you all the details — do this quickly as tables go fast.

So why not have a mammoth clear out — the attic, the spare room, under the beds, even the garden shed and turn that unwanted “hoarded treasure” into cash, just in time for the holidays.

Perhaps you want to raise some extra funds for your club, charity or church — so why not get together and organise a produce or plant stall, do some homebaking, collect books and CD’s — the ideas are endless.

Maybe the children would like to get together and share a stall and clear out their old toys, books, games etc., earning some extra pocket money for the summer hols.

The Bowling Club ladies will be providing teas, coffees and light lunches throughout the day.

David Alston and Caroline Vawdrey escorted visitors around the interior of the East Church to highlight progress made since a cessation of work over the winter months. A thin 'biscuit' layer of cement has been laid — and timber framing constructed — to provide a firm base for the replaced flagstones and wooden floorboards. Window frames and glass have been repaired, and windows will be put in place when the outside scaffolding is dismantled.

Painting continues on the ceilings and walls. Additional limewash will be applied to the sections of the exterior harling damaged by the severe winter frosts. There has been a slight delay in the installation of the new cast iron guttering; a special license is required for the lead paint to be used on them.

It is hoped the work will be completed in the next 3-4 months.

Another tour of the East Church will take place on Tuesday, 15 June at 7.00pm.

Right: David Alston answers questions following a guided tour of East Church restoration work.

A helicopter has been used to water bomb a large moor fire in the Highlands. Smoke from the blaze at the Sutors of Cromarty could be seen from Nairn, on the opposite shores of the Moray Firth.

The fire on gorse and heath started at about 2100 BST on Thursday, but was brought under control by firefighters. However, fire crews from Cromarty, Fortrose and Inverness were called back at 0500 BST to bring a fresh outbreak under control.

from BBC Highlands & Islands News 21/5/2010

Helicopter called in to water-bomb gorse fire at Black Isle beauty spot
Fire crews feared blaze could spread to nearby forest

A helicopter scooped up seawater from the Moray Firth to water-bomb a wildfire at a remote Black Isle beauty spot yesterday.

Fire crews spent most of the day tackling the fire in gorse bushes at South Sutor, near Cromarty. They extinguished the flames twice, only for the fire to restart.  Read more

from Press & Journal (article by Jane Candlish, photo of firefighters by Sandy McCook) 22/5/2010

The German cruise liner Mein Schiff sails past Nigg on her maiden voyage to the Cromarty Firth. She is the third vessel to dock at Invergordon in the 2010 summer cruise season, the first being the Funchal which arrived on 7 May.

For a complete list of liners visiting the Cromarty Firth this summer, click here and go to the bottom of the page for a pdf document.

Children, parents and friends prepare to cycle from the Links to Jemimaville for the annual Sponsored Bike Ride to raise funds for Cromarty Primary School.
Although overcast, the morning was calm with no awkward headwinds to deter the youngest cyclists. Upon completion of the run, refreshments were served in the school and children received certificates.

And now, the results for the constituency of Ross, Skye and Lochaber:

The campaigning and party politcal broadcasts have come to an end, and General Election Day has arrived. Whatever party you support, be sure to register your vote today. Our local polling station — the Victoria Hall — is open from 7.00am–10.00pm. The candidates for the Ross, Skye & Lochaber constituency are:

An exhibition celebrating the centenary of the birth of Jane Duncan opened in the Cromarty Courthouse Museum on Sunday. Although raised in Glasgow, the photographs and text chart her affection for the Black Isle where she spent happy childhood days at The Colony, her grandparents' croft near Poyntzfield and where she returned to live in Jemimaville many years later.

Her series of 'My Friends' books — written in the 1950s and 1960s — give a colourful description of rural life (and local characters) when she was a child between the two wars. The first of these books, My Friends the Miss Boyds, will be reprinted in June.

The Courthouse is open Sunday to Thursday, 11am–4pm until the end of September.