On A Very Blustery Day....

...the only thing to do is sit in the sun and wait for it to pass......

Though that doesn't stop Button(s) demanding that *I* make it stop.......

Dear Button(s) was on her best behaviour earlier this week when P&H from Germany paid her a visit. I didn't tell her that they were actually on the island visiting Squeak....... she would have been so affronted she wouldn't have spoken to me for days! I enjoyed meeting P&H who are big fans of the aforementioned Squeak - and not surprisingly as she IS adorable (No Button not as adorable as you dear....sigh..... cats can be SO temperamental!).

Um..... I came home from my trip "south" to see find this sticker on my door.

It has been suggested (by a non-cat person of course) that it should be the other way round....... "A normal Cat and a person lives here"......

Randomness....

Yes I'm still here, and no I haven't posted for a while.  All's well but I'm just very busy with work at the moment and have little free time.  Plus because I spend most of my work time at the computer I'm trying *not* to spend free time here too. Anyway some randomness......

Above is a photo that, for me anyway, holds the promise of spring, with some daffodil bulbs just peeking through the earth, and the cockerel, a symbol of fertility of course.  I have mixed feelings about "daffs" or narcissi, they are reminiscent of municipal planting and surbuban gardens, but in Orkney Spring is late and the daffs are a bright cheerful flower after the dark days of winter.

And here is a photo taken today of a bright brave primula in the walled garden.  I can see various of the perennials beginning to green up again so I'm hopeful of lots of wonderful flowers in the summer to attract the birds, insects, butterflies (are they insects?) and to gladden the heart!

January - I struggle in January. I'm never exactly a "high-energy person" anyway and have never "done" winter well.  Even when I lived in the South-East of England.  But although there is less light in Orkney in Winter than "south" I can at least live my life more in tune with the rhythms of nature. Working from home I can get up later, and work later etc.  But my energy is low in January. So I search eagerly for signs of Spring even though, for Orkney, it is several months away yet!

But - the days are slowly lengthening. Not much difference in the mornings yet, but yesterday coming back from shopping in town I was able to comfortably drive home without lights, and get into the house without a torch at 4.30.  Sunrise here is 8.42 (London 0753) and sunset is 1602 (London 1632). 

Button is on a diet - well not that she really needs to lose weight but am trying not to let her gain any more. So nobody tell her the new food in her bowl is *diet food*!  Last time I tried cutting down her food she just brought in several LIVE mice and released them in protest....... so this time she should get the same amount and not notice..... no doesn't work for me either but it's worth a try......

Right- back to work!