Well it's here, the shortest day. Sadly no sign of the sun but I'm hopeful it is just teasing by hiding behind the thick layer of cloud. Now I can look forward to lengthening days, and the return of Spring :-)
I usually go for a solstice walk, but am still feeling a bit poorly, plus it's very windy and wet, so I made do with a brief excursion to see the hens and Charlie the barn cat, and came back via the shore.
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| Charlie enjoying breakfast |
Here are two of my youngest hens, Tallulah, who you've met before, and Cheeky - so called as she is VERY friendly and cheeky. If I'm slow getting the food out the bin she will fly onto my shoulder or my head! And then into the feed bin. And she really gets under my feet - silly hen will get trodden on!
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| Tallulah and Cheeky |
And here are the rest of the gang scoffing breakfast in the henny house.....
Now I'm back and snug indoors making some lovely warming mulled wine.
Button goes bonkers whenever I use herbs or spices......
Completely bonkers.... with a glazed expression!
Earlier in the week we had some snow flurries, though Graemsay usually manages to stay green throughout.
You can see the green building that is our wee community hall below. The annual Christmas Party was held there on Friday but I decided to stay in the warm and not mix with more "bugs" as lots of things circulating and my immune system struggling with the ones it already has!
Mostly though it's been wet and windy with lots of thunder and lightning! Some folk are still without phones or broadband, but at least everyone still has power!
And the farmers have still had to go out daily to tend to their livestock. Here's some sheep that were on the move..... now if I could get them to graze in a straight line I wouldn't need my petrol mower!
And here for your delight is the annual offering of a wonderful film by "Red Orkney" in 2010 when we were covered in snow!
PS - those of you in the Southern hemisphere....sorry, it's time to give us the sun back now you've had your turn :-)
My son, who lives part-time in Chithurst, always makes hot mulled wine for Christmas using his fiance's family's recipe. It's wonderful, and oh, so warming! Lovely pictures, as always!
ReplyDeleteI love mulled wine. But I just use a "kit" this one was from Tesco! It was very yummy though. Wish I'd bought more now...
DeleteSorry you missed the island Christmas party, but better safe than sorry after such a nasty bug. Happy Winter Solstice and enjoy that mulled wine!
ReplyDeleteI managed to miss the Nativity too! Bah! But that was because I just had to get to Stromness to get some Christmas supplies, and meet up with friends to swap presents. Ah well apparently it all went well.
DeleteI do hope you shake off the bugs (and chickens!!) soon, Sian. Looks like you and Button are very happy tucked up indoors with the mulled wine. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy solstice - the nights are drawing out now!
Yay! I know, we are on the way to Spring :-) Hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas time.
DeleteI love how you look at the passing of Solstice as the return of Spring ... here it just means the beginning of interminable Winter ! No fair. You live farther North but it's so much more moderate there ...
ReplyDeleteHmm well I am an eternal optimist there - there's a saying here that as the days lengthen the cold strengthens....sill I can cope with bad weather as long as it's daylight!
DeleteIts lovely to read about life on a beautiful little island, and Button is pretty cute too!
ReplyDeleteYes Button is a cutie! Thanks for stopping by and making a comment :-)
DeleteWe don't get snow here in the area of California where we live. The sheep look pretty grazing on the green grass in your photo. It is funny how your cat reacts to the mulled wine simmering. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteI hope you and yours had a lovely Christmas. We have quite variable weather here but mostly it's mild in Orkney. Milder than in the highlands of Scotland at any rate! If we get snow it doesn't stay for too long... though it does cause chaos as we don't invest in the infrastructure to deal with it as it's not around for long!
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