Hogmanay

Today is Hogmanay, the last day of the year and a time Scots know how to celebrate well! There will be a party on the island tonight to see in the New Year, and then "first footing" around the island over the next few days.

In recent years we've struggled through snow, ice and gale to see in the New Year, but the weather seems very benign just now. Let's hope it stays that way for a few days. I'm tired of storm force winds!

Above - you can see we had a smattering of "snow on high ground" with the Hoy Hills lightly covered as if with dusting sugar.  Make me think of cakes....so I baked one! A hazelnut and cinnamon cake....Yum!

I went for a brief walk along the shore today, and fed the birds on my way. I saw a small raptor in the garden - either a merlin or kestrel - I'm not very good on bird identification!

The neeps (swede) are doing well in my neighbour's field.

I love this decaying old boat with the old creels (once used for catching crabs).

And this is a mark on the front of the house - put there by the Ordnance Survey as a benchmark for height above sea level. I think this one denotes 10 feet.

And there was some excitement when I heard a helicopter landing in the field. It was the Northern Lighthouse Board helicopter with an engineer to do some emergency repair.

So, it's just left now for me to wish you all a very Happy New Year (for those of you who celebrate such things).  May 2012 bring all that we need......

Eddie Reader singing Auld Lang Syne