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Wednesday 29 July 2020

Sunsets and windows....



I love sunsets and I love seeing the landscape through a window...so here are a few photos of just those!


My evening view from the conservatory




Sometimes I do actually get up off the sofa and go outside to take the photo. Haha!


And a view to the front of the house (facing South)


And yes, I have this in the window which basically says "No entry - isolating due to COVID-19". There is one at the back too.  Largely to keep folk away as sometimes tourists to the island knock on the door for info or something and I am still shielding so really don't want folk doing that.  I do meet folk outdoors but at a very great distance!




Tuesday 28 July 2020

Random photos from last week....


Sunset at the old lighthouse pier at Sandside, creels stacked ready for use.


Above the old lighthouse pier....


Heading home


Sometimes I'm too lazy to get off the sofa to go outside to take photos.... haha!



Glowering sky above the sunset....


My little heat seeking Princess....


When not soaking up the sun she is on her pedestal as befits a Princess...


Silage bales in the field


Big skies - big clouds...



Reflections...



Yarrow....



I had my first socially distanced visitors this week.  We stayed outdoors, and it was such aglorious day we wandered down to the coral beach and there was quite a haul of groatie buckies - though I only found 4... (not pictured)


My guests take groatie buckie hunting very seriously.... sometimes they are hard to find, and other times they just throw themselves at you (apparently - I have yet to experience that!).  But here is one presented nicely on the seaweed!



Guests brought along homebakes too!  Date cake and brownies..... Most are in the freezer to be carefully rationed...


Flowers in the garden...


Evening Primrose.... (the yellow one)


Self heal - self sown in the borders.  I'm delighted!


Hens.... hmmm white hen on the bottom perch is causing me some concern.  She must be between 9 or 10 years old, is blind in one eye, and going senile.  She is happy though and eating, and loves to feel the sun on her back and still goes out with the others.  Unfortunately she doesn't always manage to find her way home so I have to go out each evening hunting for her....


Here she is -Henny Penny.... saying hi to Button.  She's become very bold and cheeky in her dotage.


She loves rootling among the trees...


And here she is with Pesky Hen who is equally cheeky....


But when all the others are already on their roost for the evening, she is still wandering about.  Spot the hen.... yes half way across a field... I had to go over and collect her and gently carry her back to the hen house.  She mumbled and muttered the whole time! She is all bones under the beautiful soft feathers but she also feels very warm!


And some days are headless chicken days!


Monday 27 July 2020

A walk up Windbreck hill



The weather has been changeable but quite dry for some weeks so the baling  (bringing in the silage for winter feed for sheep and cattle) is some weeks ahead this year for a change.  The farm of Fillets were baling on their land down at Sandside last weekend and I wandered up Windbreck hill to take some photos...  As you can see it was a perfect day for working in the fields - though probably a tad hot in the tractor!


Hoy High lighthouse looking magnificent....





Looking West.  Hoy Hills and the Manse....


Sheep and growing lambs


Looking over to Orphir




Who are you looking at?


A young calf....


Further up the hill, Orphir across the water...


Baling going well.  The old ruin, Moan, and Orphir in the background.


A closer look at Moan...


Gulls scavenging among the cut grass....


Stripey coo - belted Galloway...




Clett on the shore, with Hoy hills in the background


The road to Clett...



Heading back now...


The road home....  my heart always lifts when I turn the corner and see this view... no matter how many times I see it.


Hamnavoe heading back to Scrabster on Mainland Scotland.




Another view of Hoy High....


And back home again...... the main road round the island...single track... no passing places...


Hope you enjoyed your wander as much as I did!