Random April photos...

It's the last day of April today (how did that happen?) so here are some pictures taken over the last few days.  As you can see the weather has been mixed!  Today was bright and sunny and warm, but this evening the temperature has dropped now the sea mist has rolled in.  But the sun was over the in last night at sunset so Spring is well and truly here!!

Yesterday I took a walk across the field in front of the house which is full of ewes and lambs as some tourist walkers had spotted a ewe on her back.  Well she must have sorted herself out by the time I had got my boots and coat on and tramped across the field as they were all the correct way up when I looked.  But always wise to check as ewes can die if left on their backs too long as the gas builds up in their stomachs if they don't chew the cud, or the birds get to them.  And no they aren't my sheep but my neighbours, but I was near at hand so took a wander....

A walk to the shore on Saturday. The water is so clear... the old stone pier on the left and the Hamnavoe ferry sailing into Stromness in the distance.

Up by the old quarry on the Kirk road today.

Believe it or not this is a tree.... a very tiny tree I give you that.  It is (apparently) Creeping Willow Salix repens. There is a veritable forest of the stuff up by the old quarry..

And lovely zingy common dog violet

And back towards Sandside.....

Button and the girls enjoying a quiet Sunday morning.  Button is waiting for clear access to the garden as she avoids pecky beaks and flappy wings!

And speaking of pecky beaks and flappy wings....  remind me again why I provide nesting boxes for the girls to lay their eggs in?