A sunny November day

As Storm Abigail gears herself up to roar here are some photos from a magical day last week.  Incidentally, this is the first year the "Met Office" have named the storms in the UK. Clearly someone has a sense of humour for the first one "Abigail" - A Big Gail (Gale).  Hee hee.  Gusts of 80 mph forecast for tonight.  I'm heading under the duvet shortly!

Anyway, back to last week..... the thermometer on my car said it was 16 degrees C, which is almost summer temperatures for us! Haha!  I was working but took some time out to wander off for a walk too.

We start off on the coral beach first, of course. My favourite part of the island, just behind Sandside.

The tide is quite high but it's lovely to just hear a swish swish of the waves on the coral and shells.

This old stone pier could tell a story or two I'm sure....

These plates of rock are wonderfully tilted....

And here is Missy Button in mid roll! She loves rolling on the coral - it must be like a massage for her!

We were both being watched by some seals.  Here's a zoomed in photo.... these are grey seals and there are lots around the shore of Graemsay. I love hearing them "singing".  I can imagine sailors of old thinking it was the song of mermaids.

You can just see his/her lugs (ears) in this photo!

And here s/he is having a laugh!!  Well OK more like a yawn, but looks happy anyway!

Missy Buttons watching very attentively....

Looking towards Hoy.....

Some Oystercatchers having a bit of a nap....

Now time to head back home.  The next few pictures aren't for the faint-hearted.  Dear Buttons...lives life on the edge!

Happily ambling along.  Stromness in the background.

Oh please walk away from the edge!  My nerves can't take it!

The starlings sometimes nest in the holes. I think she lives in hope of getting in there...arrggh!

I'll take a look at the sandy beach till she comes a bit nearer!

And once we are both safely back near the house, we find one of the hens doing a little sunbathing

A flock of lapwings take to the skies. No really they are lapwings!

And once Button was safely inside having a light lunch and preparing for her nap I took a run up the road.  Here is the outside of our community hall. You will have seen many pictures of the inside during all our parties!

And one of the dozen or so picnic benches we have around the island.  The community association got a millennium grant to buy them in 2000 and we have them in various spots for tourists (and ourselves) to sit upon.  I'd been putting some danish oil on this one to protect the wood for the winter. Various folk in the community volunteer to do a bench or two.

And finally the silhouette  of a lovely old croft house...

Hope you enjoyed your wander!  I'm going to check battened hatches (and cat flap), make sure I have a torch by the bed, and hope the gale passes soon!