And some Spring weather!

 

For a few days we have had Spring!  I think it's known as a "false" Spring but it has been enjoyed by many as some respite from the cold and wet.  Temperatures are due to drop later this week, but for now it has been lovely to get out into the fresh air without the need for hats, gloves, scarves and multiple layers!  I even did a wee bit of sorting out in the garden - way to early for planting, but just cutting back some dead stems to give new growth a chance to come through.  So here are a selection of photos from the last week or so....

Some beautiful calm days along the shore....

Seaweed gently floating by the old lighthouse pier

Looking across Sandside Bay.....

Oh Button, no really don't go in the creels again.....

Of course she never listens.... fear not she can walk through the middle of the pile..... daft old bat....

But she enjoys a wander about.....

She does like posing!

Nature reclaims her own in the gentlest of embraces....

View from the old Sail Shed...

And the window of the sail shed....

The first flowers of spring are in bloom....  one of my favourite hellibores. I want a frock like this!

And Tete-A-Tete narcissi

And the wonderfully delicate Crocus....

This is one of my favourites  - the colour is as delicate as the flower....

The flower looks too delicate to hold the dew....

Some soft sounds of the shore......

Snow (end of....)

 

The snow disappeared last weekend but I'm playing catch up with blogging so here are the last of the "snow" photos.   

In other news - had my vaccination this week! First shot anyway.  I went into Kirkwall as I had a routine hospital appointment and also got my vaccination.  The nurse from the local health centre came out and did those that are unable to leave the island and travel to Kirkwall.  So the island folk are slowly getting their vaccines which is great.  There are no photos from my trip however - it was a wet and very windy day and not conducive to photos!  I was just glad to get back home and be warm and cosy on the sofa.  I had the Pfizer vaccine and have felt tired for the last couple of days which could be as a result of the vaccine or some other treatment I had.  But all is good otherwise.  Right - snow photos....

Above the sun setting behind the hills on the island of Hoy.  Below, incoming clouds behind Hoy High lighthouse and on the left you can see the fog creeping along the Sound...

Whispy sea fog creeping along the shore of Stromness....

Sheep rootling around for grass in this one.... they were getting hay and sheep nuts as supplemental feeding all the while there was snow on the ground.  Bet they had cold hooves though...

And from the opposite side of the shore in the above photo THIS was the view! Thanks to Carrie Holdsworth-Dodge for sending it to me and giving me permission to use it.

Meanwhile on the calm days Button was keen we went for a walk.  I'm sure she was a dog in a previous life as she is almost hopping from paw to paw as I get boots, coat, hat and gloves on. 

Meanwhile the hens are still incarcerated in the henny house due to DEFRA rules because of outbreaks in the UK of Avian Flu.  Fortunately they seemed happy enough to stay indoors during the bad weather.  The hen house is of stone construction with a corrugated roof with roof "lights" so is reasonably well lit and certainly well ventilated.  I've put much more hay down than they usually have (usually it's just in their roosting area and nest box). They enjoy rummaging around in the hay, there is some grit for them to scratch about in, lots of water bowls, and as well as the grain hopper they get fresh fruit and veg and corn scattered in the hay....  Think they would still much rather be outdoors but hey ho....  There is at least a couple more feet of hen house behind me - so as you can see they have a reasonable amount of room...sigh...

And they get a bowl of porridge every morning too....

And finally - another sunset!

Snow (Part 2)

 

Today the temperature must have got above freezing at some point as quite a bit of snow has disappeared from Graemsay and the water in the hen house wasn't frozen!  But I can see lots of snow still on the higher ground of Orkney Mainland and of course on Hoy (Hoy means High island - due to the hills). And today there are 50mph winds from the South East, blowing snow off the fields.  Not such a problem on Graemsay due to the thaw but roads closed and vehicles stuck on the Mainland.  This weekend is one of the mass vaccination events in Kirkwall, but NHS Orkney have said they will make appointments available during the week for those who cannot attend this weekend.

Anyway back to snowy scenes.....  Below is the Manse on Graemsay with Ward Hill on Hoy as a backdrop.

The old School on Graemsay and the Hoy hills....

The old lighthouse pier at Sandside, Stromness on the horizon....

The old School and Community Hall...

The croft of Quoys by the shore....

Old buildings at Sandside and looking over to Stromness....

Old buildings decorated with snow....

Snow on the sandy beach....

Harbour (Common seals) at Sandside (zoomed in so as not to disturb them!).

Snowy trees......

Across the water to Stromness

Icy main road on the island (we do have a gritter that goes round!).

Hope you enjoyed your wander in the snow!

Snow (Part 1)

 

Sandside. Photo Credit Mick Braddock

We so rarely get any significant snow falls on Graemsay.  And when I say "significant" it's all relative and I mean about an inch (pauses while those of you used to living in colder climes with several feet of snow for months get your breath back from laughing....).  But as Orkney is in the Gulf Stream we tend to have mild winters which are characterised by wet and windy weather (which I am not fond of..). But this year for two or three weeks now we have had hard frosts and snow showers.  Then a couple of days ago a proper covering of snow.  

My neighbour and her children were actually able to go sledging.  What is remarkable about this is the children - er young people - are now teenagers and the last time they went sledging they were pre-school age!

Anyway here are a few photos of Graemsay in the snow..... So above - looking up the lighthouse road to Sandside with the Hoy Hills behind (photo credit Mick Braddock).

Incoming snow! I'm on the way to feed the hens.... porridge, pasta, apples as well as their usual hen pellets, corn and wheat mix.

I sheltered in the henny house while the blizzard raged!  Sheep seemed unconcerned.....

Back indoors and Button decided she needed to venture forth.  Completely unimpressed by white stuff....

But needs must and all that....

There she goes into the trees!

She was unimpressed that I hadn't cleared the snow from the cat flap for her return....

The landscape did look so pretty though....

Huge banks of snow clouds....

And perfect blue skies the next.... this was about 10.30 am....

Snow clouds over Stromness on the Orkney Mainland

You can tell which way the wind was blowing. Hahaha!  Definitely an Easterly....

Time for a snow angel...... watched by several curious sheep who probably just wanted me to get up and feed them their sheep nuts! (Photo credit to neighbour Mick Braddock)

And a short (5 sec) video of it snowing!  Hoy High lighthouse in the background, sheep in the foreground (in case you wondered).....  

More photos in the next post when you have warmed up again...