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Thursday 11 December 2014

While storms rage a reminder of calmer days



The wind has shifted round and it's a little quieter in the house for now.  The thunder and lightning has ceased for the moment, though forecast to return.  Fortunately the power has stayed on so far, and all is well at Sandside.

Folk on the island have been phoning round to make sure everyone is OK, and offers of help where needed.  I was up at 7 this morning VERY unusual for me. A neighbour phoned as it was so unusual to see my lights on that early unless I'm going to the town and on a day like this THAT was unlikely! But I'd been woken by the storm and decided to sit wrapped in my dressing gown with a mug of tea and listen to the radio rather than go back to bed.

There has been rain and hail - hail the size of blooming golf balls I swear! The noise they make hitting the window I fear for the glass!

Button is bored but has been out for the "necessary".  She's also liked the heating being on for longer (to keep the house warm in case of power loss).  With underfloor heating it means she has warm paws and has taken to sleeping on the carpet rather than her bed! Very disconcerting!

Anyway only a few days ago I was walking on the beach enjoying the beginning of winter with blue skies.  So I'll try and recapture that mood now as I gaze out on pitch black windows and listen to howling wind!

We went for a wander on the sandy beach first......


















Button enjoyed a little hunting in the long grass


While I searched for patterns in the sand.....

Birdie footprint

A birdie finishing off the remains of a crab?
A dog?





And Button Paws!
And of course...mine
And my favourite patterns in the sand....




















And the sun low over Sandside Bay


More of our walk tomorrow.  I have to treasure the calm day photos, they cannot all be squandered at once on long windy winter days :-)

12 comments:

  1. Lovely photos, Sian. After a dreadful night of hail, rain, thunder and lightening it's quite peaceful now, still sleeting but the sun is out ... typical wintry weather for Scotland :) My Bonnie has been so out of sorts with it - she hates storms so has spent the last two days sleeping on the sofa or being upset by howling wind ... actually she's done a fair bit of howling herself! My grandson works in Shetland so I'm wondering if he is going to get back to the mainland for Christmas - time will tell. Hoping the power stays on for you. Elizabeth xx

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    1. Hope your Grandson made it home. I know planes were grounded due to a lightning strike (the weather variety not the human type!). Boats have been going but a bit rough I should think. Hope you don't get too much snow in your part of Scotland. Bit icy here at the moment but no show apart from on the hills.

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  2. Beautiful pictures of the calm before the storm. Nice to have the comradeship of neighbours looking out for you, that's not always the case in this day and age.

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    1. Yes I love the community feel on the island. It's quite special.

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  3. Hoping you don't loose power and that the storm soon abates. Is it my imagination or has it been going on for DAYS ?

    Your shore looks much like mine with paw prints and bits of Crab carcass finished off by Seagulls.

    Stay warm my friend.

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    1. Power stayed on. Yes!! Yes the storm raged for days..... we seem to be getting a lot of thunder and lightning with the storms which is VERY unusual for Orkney... no idea what's going on with the weather but I wish it would stop!

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  4. your post is always so interesting, I like your story's from your small island.
    Button is so cute!
    Take care,
    greetings from The Netherlands,
    Susanne

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    1. Hi Susanne, thanks so much for taking time to comment. Glad you enjoyed my blog.

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  5. calm days photos are beutiful.

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    1. Thank you. I think of you often. I hope things are well with you...

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  6. I've just been revelling in your gorgeous sand photos in the Lightbox. I expect the beach may look a little different now, or does it all even out in the end?

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    1. That's one thing I love about the beach, it changes with every tide and particularly so after a storm!

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