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!

Sunset or Volcano?

I love sunsets as you will have gathered if you follow my blog! I just love the way each one is unique depending on the position of the sun, clouds, light, etc.  Last night's sunset was magnificent. It looked like the wonderful hills of Hoy were a raging volcano!

As you can see we've had a light snowfall again this weekend. Most of it has thawed on Graemsay this morning although the Hoy Hills and Orkney Mainland are still covered in a blanket.

Meanwhile water continues to flow through the taps so I continue to rejoice after it's Christmas/New Year absence!


Note: A professional photographic artist, Rebecca Marr, who lives in Stromness, has some brilliant images of Orkney and other parts of Scotland on her website. I recommend you take a look here.

Sunrise, Sunset...

...but no eclipse.....  I've been watching BBC TV's Stargazing Live programmes this week.  So yes I knew all about today's eclipse of the sun by the moon AND it was at a reasonable time (around 9am), but I didn't get myself set up to watch/film it.  So you will have to look here for photos (or on the BBC website above).

There was, however, a beautiful sunrise and cloud effect (see above), followed by a lovely sunset (see below). At this time of year I can take the sunrise AND sunset out of the same window.  Today sunrise was at 0904 in Orkney, and sunset was at 1526. But s-l-o-w-l-y the days will lengthen now. Yippee!!

Garden

OK it's deepest darkest January but I need a reminder of summer sun and abundance! So here are some "before" and "after" pictures of the walled garden which I've been renovating over the last 18 months (with the help of Arthur of Fillets and his digger, tractor, plough and harrow!).

First a "before"! This part of the garden used to be a silage pit many years ago, and in recent years held sheep during the lambing season.

And another one....the rough grass and weeds were killed and burned off.

Then last spring the borders were planted with perennials, trees and shrubs. Here are some in their first summer

And a bright fresh "lawn" and the veggie patch, which produced a wonderful crop.

In the autumn I put plastic silage matting on to prevent weed growth in the veggie patch. I'm hoping this will enable me to get the weed growth in flower borders under control early spring and then be ready to plant veg again late Spring.

I have one more border to plant up, as the stone dyke at the front of the garden was repaired during an island "workshop" in June last year, as regular readers will remember! (see more here and here)

 

And after.....

So lots of work to do in the Spring and Summer!

Water problems continue for some....

Firstly - Happy New Year to everyone and may 2011 be a great year for you!

Now back to water....sigh.... Scottish Water workmen restored the water supply to our island storage tank on Hogmanay, but by this time a number of households and farms had completely run dry. My water continues to flow, however several households are still without water. We *think* the problem is that air locks are preventing water going to some of these houses (which are the same ones as ran dry). Unfortunately there are no scheduled ferries to the island this weekend, but we are hoping that an engineer will come out on scheduled run from Stromness tomorrow and sort out the remaining problems.  Meanwhile neighbours are distributing water to those in need, and the water storage tank continues to fill up.  It's hoped that once the water tank (which also ran completely dry) gets above a certain level, another pump can be switched on which may increase the pressure and help move on some of the air locks. Meanwhile I am grateful that I live at the bottom of the hill and still have water! Graemsay may only be 65 ft above sea level at it's highest point but that's just enough to give me excellent water pressure.

The rest of "New Year" went well.  Most of the island went up to Fillets, the farm on the hill, for Hogmany and to see in the new year. Lots of food and whisky flowed freely! Yesterday it was "first footing" around the island and in the evening another wee party at Breckan, where again food and whisky flowed freely.

I only made one New Year's resolution : to Have More Fun in 2011!! Hope you all do too.....!

We have WATER!

And I've been doing a Happy Dance - though I think the gods mistook it for a rain dance as it's raining now...sigh.... pay attention guys!

But water board engineers left the island at 4pm tonight and we have water and can use it! There should be more water coming into the tank than we will be using so that's good.  Some folk had lost all water today as the tank got completely drained. I still have some water coming out of taps but was not using it (except when I forgot).

So a great way to approach the New Year .... CLEAN!  I'll carry on using bottled water for a while till the system gets completely sorted (think there is quite a bit of chlorine etc in it at the moment) but at least I can have a bath.... have really missed my late night bath which helps to relax tired muscles. 

But my resolution is to be more aware of the water I use in future, conserve where I can AND appreciate turning on a tap and water flowing forth.......

Today's photos have nothing to do with a water shortage - but of water around Graemsay and Stromness taken on the boat home last night. Lovely sunset too, after a lovely day out in town catching up with friends.

The town around Stromness harbour at dusk and the sun setting over Hoy Sound.

Still no water but....

... at least now workmen are out on the island trying to fix the problem.  On Monday we were all getting very frustrated as there was just no news of when the Scottish Water workmen would be out again. All SW emergency numbers just gave piped music - several of us hung on for over 15 minutes at varying times with no joy. Also the SW website had removed Graemsay from the list, implying the problem was sorted - which we knew wasn't true! So each of us tried various routes....

I put a message on our local radio station's Facebook page, and as luck would have it the partner of someone connected with the water board saw the message and passed on that we had no water and no news to the "main man" on the ground. Don't know if that was what did the trick or other avenues, but on Tuesday we had workmen out and they came back again today.

It seems that water pumped over from the island of Hoy is coming ashore, so it doesn't appear to be the sub-sea pipe (thankfully!), but it's not quite clear where on the route to our water tank there are problems. Various holes have been dug, but the field that is being inspected is also crossed by a natural spring, and there are land drains there too, so it's a bit of a challenge trying to work out what's what in a boggy field! But at least we now feel progress is being made even though it may be some days before repairs are complete (oh let's be optimistic and say days not weeks!!).

However, unlike the poor folk in Northern Ireland we have been sent a large supply of (free to us) bottled water. Neighbours are being very helpful and delivering it around the island. There is still water in the taps but we are conserving this for the cattle that are indoors. Not sure how long that will last, and even those who have their own natural water supply have noticed a shortage - suggesting that their pipes may also have been affected by the extreme freezing temperatures of late.

Anyway yesterday I was over on the Mainland and while in town I nipped along to see a friend and avail myself of an offer of a hot bath! Oooh it was wonderful to luxuriate in a deep hot bath - it felt really decadent to be using all that water!!

Meanwhile yesterday most of the island were over in Stromness for a party at the Royal Hotel provided by Irene & Bobby of Breckan as it was their Ruby Wedding anniversary.  Everyone had a great time, and Fran Gray from Hoy had composed a wee tune on her Ukulele which she performed for us all. It was a lovely afternoon and the singing carried on while we were sailing back to Graemsay!  For some, I understand, the party went on into the wee small hours.

Irene and Bobby cutting the cake again 40 years on!  (Cake made by Sandra of Graemsay - and yes it was delicious and yes I had two pieces!).