Halloween Party

Each year we celebrate Halloween on Graemsay.  When I was a child Halloween was never a big thing - we did apple bobbing and the like but none of the Trick or Treat which has crept over from the US.  On Graemsay the tradition was for the children to go round each house, tell a story, joke or sing a song and be given sweeties.  Then we moved to a party in the hall where *everyone* can join in. And boy do they join in....

Above is an early arrival of monsters..... some with VERY hairy feet....

And even scarier eyes....

But wearing very pretty dresses.....

But watch behind you lass, there's a coven of witches!

And a Were Wolf is fighting off the Grim Reaper.... I'm not sure how that works in mythology but on Graemsay they shared cake later.

This Vampire looks a bit glum - maybe needing a transfusion.....of whisky!

Oh berlimey! THAT is SCAREEEEE!

Some of the younger monsters had been visiting Granny and Grandad on the island....

One dreads to think what is being discussed here!

Then the Head Witch (Irene) leads the parade of the younger monsters....

All take a bow.... some of the tiny monsters needed Mum's encouragement for that... She's the Bride of....er I dread to think!

Then it was time for the games - apple bobbing of course! Some sibling rivalry here!

Little ones did well too!

And some of the VERY old monsters too ;-)

Then there were the games..... first the eye and spoon race..... the lasses faster than the speed of light - er almost....

The wee monsters needing a bit of encouragement....

The  vampire aided by his cloak seeks to win the night!

Then the "Eat the donut" competition.  One wee lad just ran up and took a bite out of a donut then ran off again.  Yup my kind of game too laddie!

And the game where the Daddies become Mummies.....

Then it's the time for a joke or a story before the monsters get their goody bags filled with sweets

A very scary mermaid makes us laugh with her joke.

And a pretty monster princess has a joke to tell too.

Then there was a massive sugar-fest, and a wee dram or two for the grown-ups to end a lovely evening.  Head Witch, Irene, always organises the games and they are such fun and enjoyed by young and old alike!  It's always one of my favourite evenings.

Oh....and yes of course *I* dressed up too..... just before I revved up the broomstick ....

Around Stromness - the pier head

Rooftops of Stromness

I love the wee town of Stromness, as I say frequently!  So some random photos taken around the pier head last month....

This is the sign to the Graemsay (and Hoy) Ferry.  However someone has inked out "North" Hoy....  and thereby hangs a tale.  There is no "North Hoy".  Hoy is an island, but is actually two parishes of Hoy and Walls (North and South Walls, of which Longhope and Lyness are part).  The north end is Hoy the parish.  So it's OK to say the North end of Hoy but not North Hoy. Years ago the RSPB set up a reserve on Hoy and called it North Hoy and thereafter anyone NOT living on the island has called it "North Hoy" much to the incandescent indignation of the inhabitants of Hoy and Walls. A centuries old name changed by the RSPB and then followed by the rest of the world..... Tread carefully when referring to Hoy.... ;-)

There are sheds on the pier used by fishermen, usually tanks for partans (crabs). Boxes are often arranged around the pier. Judging by the legend on the box, this one is from Loch Roag on the Orkney island of Sanday.

And near the pier head is the square, facing the Stromness Hotel. During WWII the hotel was commandeered as a military command centre.  Nowadays it's a busy hotel, with restaurant and bars and also forms part of many festivals, like the Folk Festival.

I love this trough with the horses hooves.  It has quite a history itself.

Gulls love the "crow stepped" rooflines.....

They stand on chimneys and lamp posts, screeching and calling. Hoping for scraps from the creel boats.

Also at the pier head is a statue of Orkney's own Arctic Explorer, John Rae.  The statue was created by Ian Scott of North Ronaldsay.  John Rae's story is fascinating and a synopsis can be read here

The town itself winds along the shore of "Hamnavoe", a sheltered harbour.  Houses and commercial buildings alike have piers onto the harbour.  The two nearest buildings on the right show the Pier Arts Centre (the stone one and red one).  A wonderful gallery space with regular visiting art exhibitions and those of local artists too. The Hoy hills in the background......

And as you sail into Stromness harbour you get a wonderful view of the Hoy hills....

Looking to the Kame of Hoy.  A beacon marking out the skerries. Often there are seals hauled out on the rocks.

So I hope you enjoyed your wander around the Pier head at Stromness!

Rare Pictish stone found in Orkney

The saying goes, scratch the surface in Orkney and it bleeds archaeology.  Recently after storm tides etc a rare Pictish stone was found on the Orkney Mainland, revealed by the tide.  See full details here

And you might also like (in true Amazon website fashion - haha) this wee film of Shapinsay, one of the smaller Orkney islands.  Click here.

Is it D.I.Y

.... when someone else does all the hard work?!  I've been "upcycling" an old dresser that had seen better days.  I've had it for nearly 40 years and it's moved around with me in that time.  It had that distinctive 1980s varnish that eventually goes very orange. Bit like too much of a spray tan (apparently, not that I've ever had one of those!).  Anyway Leslye from Longhope and her husband, John, both of whom are much loved on Graemsay, came out to help. Leslye is my style guru and so she set to work on the dresser once we'd paid a visit to Stromness and Kirkwall to choose paint.

Meanwhile John has been doing all those little jobs that never get done, helping put up pictures, sort out various bits of skirting facings that had been taken off over the years for various bits of work. Ditto some floorboards. Helping me reassemble some "self-assembly" furniture that also self-disassembles at will!  That sort of thing. MUCH appreciated.

Button slept when she could, but she did have a hunted look about her as she kept being disturbed from each room she had snuck off to to have a snooze in.....

Anyway, despite John's hard work it's not photogenic so instead we focus on the dresser!  I'm thrilled to bits with it!  Transforms the kitchen and my china!

Before.....

And After!!

I've now earmarked some other furniture to have the same treatment. AND the same paint - it's a Vintage paint, colour "Gulls Egg"........ I may be gone awhile! Hee hee!

Autumn skies

We are still having amazing weather. It was noticably cooler today but still a lovely day to be out and about.  So here are just a few photos taken today.  Some are panoramas and I'm not sure how they are going to work on the blog but I'll give it a go!  Click on a picture to see in the photo stream and that might work better.

Above is a Hoy panorama looking from Graemsay across Burra Sound to the hills of Hoy.

Below, Ward hill looking very broody.....

Looking down the track to Hoy Low in the distance and across the mouth of Hoy Sound to Warbeth on the Orkney Mainland....

And here at Sandside bay (home) looking to the Orkney Mainland - where it's raining in parts!

Quiz and concert......

Yes I admit a Quiz and Concert combo is a bit unusual. But this is Graemsay!  Irene at Breckan organises a quiz a couple of times a year as a fund raiser for our wee community hall.  She's also teaching the young ones to play the guitar and thought it would be a good opportunity for them to give a wee concert to show folk what they have learned.  Hence the quiz and concert night last week.

All on the island attended, of course.  The quiz went well, but I am slightly biased because yes I was on the winning team. Hee hee!  And the snacks on the tables were wonderful - I ate most of them on our table.... tea and biscuits for the interval while raffle tickets were sold, and the raffle drawn.

Then it was onto the Concert with Hannah, Katie and James playing guitars, led by Irene who also sang the songs.  It was a lovely performance by all concerned. Irene wrote a song about the each of the children too to introduce them (like we don't know them - haha!).

Katie and Hanna playing a tune....

James played too....

Katie got to play on Irene's precious 12 string guitar!

And all take a bow!

It was a lovely evening.  And amazingly we raised £153. Incredible considering there are just 23 of us on the island....

Around Graemsay in October

I tried to go out and about with my camera over the recent weeks so here are a few photos.  Above Hoy Sound High lighthouse, with Orphir on the Orkney Mainland in the background.

Looking East towards Sandside and the old farm buildings.....

Though it has been sunny ALL the time - Hoy High lighthouse and Sandside on a greyer day

And a boat dropping creels (for crabs) in Sandside bay.

Further up on the island some of the ruined crofts on the hill tops (we have low hills on Graemsay!). This is the croft of Dean. The Hoy hills in the background.

Another croft on the hill.

The old and the new - to the left of the ruin are the blades of a domestic wind turbine.....

And cattle still running on the hill.  They get brought into byres once the weather gets really bad as they poach up the grazing.

Looking across Burra Sound to Hoy.....

This wee ruin is called Cott of School (as it was next to the School but wasn't connected to it and the teacher lived across the road. Mmm I know...confusing). In Spring daffodils still line the old path down to the road.

Looking across to Stromness from Fillets farm yard.

The hill above Stromness

Hoy Sound Low lighthouse looking West towards Canada!

And back down at Sandside looking West.....

And on a not-so-sunny day there was a lovely line of clouds behind the house.  They look like toy teddy bears and rabbits on a train.... Ok just me then.....

And here is Madam Button with her "Where have YOU been and why didn't you take me with you" look.....