Along the shore reprise....

Ringed Plovers among the seaweed with
Stromness in the background.

These photos were actually taken before my trip to London. It was a beautiful bonny day, the sun shone and there was no wind.... I can just about remember it....sigh.... We are no being battered by gales, high seas, high tides and rain. Though not as badly as folk in the South West of England are.  Anyway I need reminding of sunshine so here are yet more photos of a daily walk with Button.

Button lets me take the lead and sometimes gets distracted by an interesting smell, or movement. She soon comes to find me though.

She leaves Button sized paw prints in the sand....

I suspect she was delayed watching the chickens who were also out enjoying the sun. This young cockerel had been rummaging in the old barn....

I loved the ripples along the shore - not even waves, just wonderful delicate ripples....

And another flock of plovers enjoying the peace.

The colour of the sea and sky were so beautiful it hurt my eyes....

Button waits patiently while I snap away with the camera....

Hee hee a wee rock trying out a new wig?

Hmm wonder what Button is thinking as she gazes out to sea?

Stromness looks so close! The ship in the harbour is an old cargo ship which was used while our Hamnavoe ferry was on refit. It only took 12 passengers and wouldn't sail if there was a puff of wind! But that's another story..  And look at those steep fields!

The Hoy Hills wearing a hat!

And the Northern Lighthouse Board vessel, the Pharos coming up the Flow.

Ah - I see it's going to do some work on the Bar Buoy which guards the shallow rocks (skerries) between Graemsay and Stromness. When the tide is really low I feel I could almost walk out to the Bar Buoy!

Sunrise!

This was the sunrise on the morning I left Orkney for London. I took the photo on my ipod and it's done something interesting with the colours. I like the effect!  It was a fairly calm day, though "red sky in the morning, shepherd's (or sailor!) warning is about right as the wind got up badly later......

A flying visit to London!

Sorry for the silence. All is well, I've just been really busy with work, life and a flying visit to London.  Back now.... well to be honest I got back on Wednesday evening, though it SHOULD have been Tuesday.  The trip home was a bit of a nightmare, though not due to the weather, strangely enough. We HAVE had high winds and torrential rain, cancelled ferries etc. But the planes were going. But no - the plane from Edinburgh to Kirkwall went "technical" - a light wouldn't go out or come on or something. But we were kept waiting for over 2 hours before they decided to cancel the flight.  By this time it was 10pm and we were put up in a hotel (next to Edinburgh zoo - no views of pandas though!). The airline (Flybe) said they would rebook us the next day but of course the morning flight was busy so we couldn't all get booked on that one. At first I was booked on the next evening flight - despite my explaining that I couldn't get HOME from that flight as it was too late for a ferry.  But fortunately, after a relief pilot who was travelling on our flight put in a word with the airline, some communications got untangled and we were put on a special flight mid-day on Weds so I was able to make a dash for the 4pm ferry - just.

Boy was I glad to be home!!  As it was I had had to leave the island a day early as forecast bad winds meant ferries would be cancelled.  So it was a bit of a marathon trip to London for one day of work meetings!  (For those of you wondering how I got there - ferry from Graemsay to Stromness, drive to Kirkwall Airport, plane to Edinburgh, change to another plane to London and then reverse).

However it did mean I could also make a very brief visit to my niece R, who is making a brilliant recovery from a catastrophic event last October.  And I met her wee baby too.  I really admire R, her husband A. and all the family supporting her. She still has a long road to recovery but she's battling along and doing so well it was a joy to see.

I stayed a couple of nights in a hotel on Tavistock Square. It was a nice hotel and even had free wifi in the lobby - so all seats would be taken by silent folk eagerly checking their emails via ipods/ipads/smart phones! Unfortunately the tea wasn't very good, either in the room or at breakfast.  But my room overlooked the square and it was fascinating watching folk going to work (my meeting was mid-morning so I had time to browse). Lots more cyclists than I remember from when I used to commute years ago.  Proper cycle lanes too - though I still think it's a hazardous way to travel!

There was a curious notice by the lift that made me feel quite at home though.

"Dear Guests,

Safety Notice

Please keep your

room windows locked

shut during windy weather."

Needless to say I turned off the heating and threw open the windows in my room as it was so HOT! And no it was NOT windy....

I did eventually find a wonderful deli/patisserie (Fork) in Bloomsbury that did brilliant tea- proper "builders" tea in a proper tea pot. It was like tasting nectar. I nearly cried!  I had to go back after the work meetings too, for proper "refreshment"! And no I didn't eat Cake.... just copious quantities of tea.....

And I had time to have dinner with a friend in a family run Italian restaurant in Russell Square. And yes, this time there WAS cake...well dessert - I had lemon meringue pie. Yum.!!

I wanted to take a photo of the cake trolley and the owner wanted the cake maker (his daughter) to be in the photo too.

And then it was time to head home via London City Airport. LOVE that airport.

Though what looks like a second runway in the background  is, in fact, the River Thames!

So after the weary journey home, it was good to be greeted by Button who had been wonderfully looked after by Irene & Bobby. They came out in all weathers (and there WERE all weathers!) to feed her and Charlie in the barn, plus the hens.  I'm very grateful to them - as are all the "livestock" I'm sure :-)

Normal service will hopefully now be resumed. I have NO plans to travel "south" for a while - not till Spring if I can help it anyway.

A trip to the town....

Last Friday I popped over to Stromness to do some shopping. It was a grey day and quite blustery at times too but not too windy for the ferry. Though as you can see above, I waited in the car till the ferry was at pier before getting out!

While waiting for the ferry I snapped some fulmars nestling in the shelter of the "cliff".

Clearly these birds aren't fussed that the Graemsay "cliffs" are pretty low!

And just along the shore from them is the signpost marking where the electricity cable comes ashore (from the Orkney Mainland in the parish of Orphir). All our electricity cables are run across the island overground on these pylons. Sometimes in the Spring there are problems with crows nesting on the transformers and bridging a link causing a power cut!  And of course the cables are prone to damage in high winds. From the pylons the cables then run underground to the various houses and buildings on the island.  Everyone is now connected to mains electricity, though for some that is more recent than others.

And the Hoy High lighthouse standing brightly against a darkening sky.....

It's high tide as we sail into Stromness Harbour....

I love the houses and other buildings that line the harbour..... Though with very high tides and the wind in the wrong direction, obviously they are liable to flooding too.

And down the street are buildings with interestingly shaped walls! These are so shaped to allow an old horse and cart to pass through maybe, or to widen access.  Very elegantly done anyway....

And in the window of the local florist shop, a wee doggy snuggly in his coat keeping an eye on approaching customers...

Along the shore....

Today was brilliant sunshine, a bit of a breeze but nothing to speak of (though my eyes cried!), and all was calm again.... a lovely day for another walk along the shore....

This is a land drain, clearly showing now after winter storms. It drains water from my field onto the shore...well that's the theory! Given that end of the field tends to be a bit wet I'm not sure how effective it is.

Button waits reasonably patiently while I take some photos.... You can see all the pebbles and small boulders thrown up against the low cliff face by recent storms.

Looking across Graemsay with the Hoy hills in the background.

The wavelets just gently rippling along the shore, so calm....

Footprints in the sand - this time a bird!

Another land drain possibly, though this is also the site where the kelp kiln used to be.

Looking towards Hoy....

Oystercatchers along the shore. They are here in there hundreds on Graemsay in the summer.  Not so many now overwintering but still a few to scream indignation if anything alarms them.

Then a walk back through the garden..... the rhubarb is coming to life! If Button doesn't sit on it!

Bulbs are coming through....brrr hope they don't get a shock with the frost...

Lichen on the garden dyke (wall)

And the hens (and juvenile cockerel) enjoying the sunshine too and grazing on the grass at the front of the house...

A cold winter's day.....

I don't make New Year resolutions as I never keep them. However I have decided I need to get outdoors more and get a bit more gentle exercise. I'm not robust enough for a full exercise programme and would hate it anyway! But I'm hoping to try and do a daily wander to the beach during winter (weather permitting) and a bit on the treadmill if I can't stand up in a howling gale outside!

So today I put on my "duvet" coat, hat, gloves, scarf, warm boots and headed off to the sandy beach with Button (of course). Now Button loves a walk with me and is, in fact, often the first to suggest it. So she was quite eager to go out when she saw me putting on my boots (maybe she's a reincarnated dog?).  We strode out across the grass in front of the house and into the garden.  Then a gust of wind shook us both.  Button retreated rapidly behind the shelter of the dyke (wall).  Baleful eyes followed me...... I was undeterred and headed for the beach.  Eventually she followed (she's a cat - curiosity and all that!). But she kept up a dialogue the ENTIRE walk.  It probably went something like "What the HELL do you think you are doing? Are you completely NUTS human - it's COLD out here. Turn round NOW!"  We were only out for about 20 minutes - I suspect she had a sore throat by the time we got home!

Anyway - the camera really captured the blue light of winter. I do love being by the shore whatever the weather and after the first shock of cold wind it was quite - um - bracing.  Eventually I was able to hunker down in the sand dunes out of the worst of the breeze and it was almost - well - pleasant!

Button, scampering down the sand dunes

Brrr looks cold doesn't it?!  Though it was probably about 6 degrees C/44F.

I love the patterns on the sand made by the stream from water off the fields.... it's like a beautiful piece of art.

Seaweed strewn along the shore....

There are various methods used to try and slow down the coastal erosion of the "links" (dunes), but the sea just goes round behind them....

And then back home - the sea is calm..... may that last a while!

And we get nearly 30 minutes more daylight than on the shortest day!! Whoo hoo!!!