And now...snow...!

I made it through the storm! (Hmm think that's a line in a song somewhere).  Well to be precise it wasn't much of a storm the 2nd time around.  Just a regular Orkney gale. But pretty windy nonetheless. Fortunately there doesn't appear to be any damage to the house. Charlie the barn cat is fine as are the hens. Think they are enjoying all their extra rations!

We did get a power cut for a couple of hours one day - er see picture below! Our power comes over from Orphir on the Orkney Mainland and one of the poles there snapped. (Our cable comes undersea and the overground again on the island).  We were extremely lucky to get it fixed in two hours as many places in Orkney have experienced power cuts.

Photo by Brian Kemp

We got off pretty lightly this time I think.  The Western Isles and the West coast of Scotland was hard hit, and some of the very North of Scotland too.  People were without power for DAYS!

Now it's turned colder and we have snow, but it's not really settling.  Snow is forecast for a few days but it's unusual to get snow staying long in Orkney - we're protected by the Gulf Stream.  So it will be gone in a few days if it settles at all.  I do love a snowy landscape though! Well as long as I don't have to battle through it! Farmers, of course, have to feed the livestock, whatever the weather. I think the gales brought more challenges for them all.

Thanks for all the good wishes and comments. I WILL get round to answering them soon. But we are still getting lots of thunder and lightning so don't want to have the modem on too long, just for work and to check emails.

Meantime - here is a link to some video shot by Alisdair Skene of waves off Yesnaby - really high cliffs on the West Mainland of Orkney!

And this is a compilation by James Grieve Photography of Orkney seas.

Be back soon - weather permitting!