More of the same....

 

Hoy Hills wearing a hat

I'm still keeping to myself on Graemsay.  I'm meeting friends in the garden, socially distanced but that's it. I've not left the island since mid March.  Unfortunately we have a cluster of new COVID-19 cases in Orkney this last week.  We had only had 9 reported up till May (I think), but another 7 have been reported this week linked to a fishing boat which was in Aberdeen.  Aberdeen is back in lockdown due to a sudden spike in cases, and the fishing boat was there just prior to the lockdown, hence the infections.  The crew sailed back to Orkney with no symptoms but it became apparent recently that there were some who were infected.  Test, Track and Trace in action in Orkney so hopefully this cluster will remain small and contained.

I did have friends visit last week.  The weather was warm, though not very sunny.  We managed to have te and cake in the garden, and then lunch in the shed, with tea outside afterwards.  They brought goodies.... a cool box full of frozen food (some things I can't get through usual routes) AND..... MAGNUM ICE CREAM LOLLIES!!  Three boxes of 4...... one box has been consumed already....

The weather the last few weeks has been largely dry, and warm. With a few grey skies but little or no rain.  Though as ever we do get the sea mists....

But lovely blue skies and bluer seas too.... looking across the bay to Garson. Old winch on the lighthouse pier...

And of course there were sunsets - the sun moving slowly back towards the Hoy hills where it will snuggle down for winter...  But not just yet!

And my neighbour carting the bales away to store for Winter...

Button rather likes sitting here.... not handy if I want to watch a TV programme!

Of course on a warm day she enjoys being in the garden... um... not great on the camouflage front!

And on a warm day after a spot of gardening.... a Magnum of course!

Two of the girls heading off to the garden....

Garden with Gimpy Hen....

And without Gimpy Hen...

And one of the girls has gone broody. Some years since she even laid an egg....doesn't stop her!

And while I have been typing this blog post as Sparrowhawk has just flown over the field in front of the window..... did the same when I had visitors last week.  Love seeing it in flight - though it often means bad news for my sparrow - though tonight I think it was heading for the terns that are breeding along the shore...