The entrance to the old parish cemetery in Reay where we are transcribing all the readable inscriptions and making it ready for publication. The stairs going up and over the other side were believed useful for the spirits to go and come when the gate was locked. This cemetery dates back to the 1600s.

Elder Watson resting after clearing off moss and lichen from the old stones.

A view of the old parish cemetery in Reay. It is virtually neglected and over run with weeds.

Here I am scrubbing the dirt and lichen off the stone to prepare it to be read. Some of them are virtually so eroded and weathered they are impossible, but others like this one just look that bad until we work on them and do our magic trick with baking soda. It works ten times better than "rubbings".

This is what the stone looks like after cleaning off the moss and brushing with a stiff bristle brush to remove lichen and dirt. The letters are almost invisable until we spred the stone with baking soda.

The barely readable words on this badly eroded stone are revealed by spreading baking soda accross the surface, then gently brushing off the excess. This stone took about 30 minutes to clean and dicipher. Alexander Handson died in 1771.

This is Vincent Wilkinson, our newly baptized member and his fiance Tori Stone from West Valley, Utah. They will leave here next week to go to Utah where they will settle after their wedding in November. He has been a joy to teach. He has been so faithful, diligent in his studies and so pure hearted. We will miss him.

Graham Winkle working with one of his horses out on the croft.

Rebecca Winkle and son Zack mending the gate to prepare for winter. They have 5 children who all help on the croft. They raise their own meat, eggs and vegetables and try to be very frugal and provident in their living. It is hard work though, especially in the Scottish clime.

Sister Watson in Rebecca Winkle's herb garden, harvesting the herbs for her which she uses in making her soaps and lotions she sells at tourist shops.

Elder Watson helping Graham Winkle creosote the inside of his newly constructed stables. Smelly job! I made Bob undress immediately upon returning home and threw everything into the wash, including him.

Brother Kirk on the occasion of his rebaptism. It was held in the Thurso swimming pool. Fraser, a recently returned missionary, his son, and his wife Elizabeth. A joyous occasion!

We with our new mission president and his wife, the Griffiths. They came up and visited us the same weekend the Websters were here. (PS I am not as fat as this photo makes me look. Holding my arms out made me look like a baby whale.)

One day on a hike on Scrabster Head. This scene is only about 5 minutes from our cottage.

Each town and hamlet in Scotland puts on a gala week in August to raise money for town improvements. We attended the parade and gala night at Wick. The whole town participates in the fun and they raise a good sum of money.

The costumed people went around to all the spectators and collected coins. The cuter the costume the more they got, so people really went all out on their costumes for the parade.

One of my favorite costumes - a Sumo wrestler.

The MP for the area, (like a state representative to the state legistature in the US.) strutting his stuff in front of the pipe band to start the Halkirk games.

The man in maroon, seated and the woman standing were from Kentucky, and won a few events. She was a female in the "heavies" competitions, including shotput, hammer, and others. She holds the 2nd place in the USA, for women.

Two lassies who had competed in the Highland Dancing at the Halkirk Highland games.

Brian Webster, from Dundee and Kenny Miles pose on the Sunday Anne and Brian spoke in our branch, while visiting us.

Jake Eller and his father getting ready for his baptism in the Castletown harbor.

Shaking hands with the Bretheren after being confirmed.