Happy New Year!

Yesterday the weather was cold, wet and windy but I still made it over to Stromness for lunch with friends. A lovely way to end 2013.  Then last night it was up to the farm where A. and C. were hosting the Hogmanay party.  All the folk on the island that were fit and well, plus their visitors, were gathered for Midnight and wishing each other a Happy New Year.  Lots of lovely food (mince, clapshot, plus a lovely buffet, mulled wine and lots of other alcohol) made for a lovely evening.  I'm not a night owl these days so headed for home at 12.30 while the party was still in full swing.

Today I did one of my favourite things - headed to the beaches with Button.  It's been a glorious day, chilly, with a light breeze, but brilliant sunshine.  So do join me on my new year walk!

The beach is strewn with tangles and seaweed from the recent storms....

And oystercatcher's were feeding among the seaweed and along the shoreline.

I love the sun glinting on the wet sand....

This old pier was built around 1860 when the lighthouses were built - it was used to bring the stone for the lighthouses over from the Point of Ness in Stromness.The old buildings are part of the "steading" of Sandside (farm buildings) which were once homes too - low croft houses.

Button is not too keen on wet paws....

And eventually sits somewhere dry and waits....

Meanwhile I was fascinated watched the gentle ripples on the shore - so different to the crashing waves during the storms....

See "home" is quite close to the shore..... did I mention I live next door to a lighthouse? ;-)

Then it's a scramble up the dunes to head to the shell beach.... Um... Button has to wait patiently while I scramble up - she, of course, just needed two bounds to get to the top.....sigh....

The old steading..... note to self to take more pix of these lovely old buildings.....

And onto the shell beach..... Button not caring about the finer points of "artistic" photography and gets in every shot....

The old pier wears the seaweed like a skirt....

It hangs on through all the little crevices....

An artistic shot of an old winch.... had to edit Button out of this one too!

Lots of shells strewn across the beach!

And then back to the house for tea and cake..... meanwhile the hens are having a dust bath just outside the garden!

Happy New Year to everyone and may 2014 turn out to be one of the best for us all!  I'll leave you with a short video taken down at the shore this afternoon, with the sound of the gentle waves, the breeze, a curlew and a grumpy Button meowing because I'm taking too much time doing "arty" stuff *again*!

All is quiet, all is calm....for now!

SunRISE on Christmas Day

The storm passed and wasn't quite as fierce as expected, but still gusts of 70mph and a lot of rain BUT the power stayed on! All is well on the island, and compared to folk in Kent and other Southern counties in England we are VERY lucky.  I feel so sorry for the folk flooded out and many thousands without power.  It's bad enough at any time of year, but at Christmas when folk work so hard to make it a special event, it seems doubly sad.

I had a quiet Christmas. A neighbour, M, came round for Christmas dinner yesterday. I did a simple roast with a lovely local fresh chicken - NO! NOT one of my own!  I am happy to eat meat but not something I have been personally acquainted with. M. wanted to be home before dark, so I had a relaxing evening watching TV and nibbling on lots of goodies.......  As I have said before, I don't celebrate Christmas, but am happy to have a few days rest and relaxation in mid-winter!

Today I went for a walk along the shore. Button came too but was busy mousing so I didn't get any photos. She was also complaining as it was still breezy and a shower was coming over. I assumed she was in the old buildings hunting mice but when I got home I found she was already there before me! Obviously took a short cut across the field.  Tee hee!

Not sure this panorama taken on my ipod works that well in Blogger - but click on the picture and see anyway!

It was lovely down on the beach though I wasn't there long ......

Did I mention I live next door to a lighthouse? ;-)

Meanwhile the sheep were curious to know what I was doing "abroad" and did I have anything of interest to them (eg food).....

We haven't had a ferry service since Monday. Tuesday it was cancelled due to the bad weather and no ferries on Christmas Day or today, what is known a "Boxing Day" (another bank holiday). Ferries should be running tomorrow but the wind is forecast to get up again tonight so not sure if they will run.  I'm fine though - despite trying to exercise restraint when buying in food for the holiday I seem to have been a little extravagant and can probably avoid shopping for about a month now!!

I hope all of you had a good Christmas and a peaceful time......

Storm warning!

Darker the red, stronger the wind! Forecast for 24th December

England and Wales are currently being battered by gales and heavy rain, and it's set to get worse for them during the night.  Scotland has it's very own storm arriving later tonight and blazing on through the day. Winds of 80mph predicted.

I'm hoping the power stays on at least!  I'm all set for a siege (probably for at least a month looking at the fridge!).  The crew on our ferry did a grand job getting into the pier tonight, and final supplies arrived. Most visitors have arrived safely on the island with one or two more expected tomorrow I think. Though with the forecast whether they get here or not is another matter.

I've shown the weather map to Button and she's just gone out during a lull in the wind and rain.  Hens are shut in with ample supplies of hen food and scraps.  Charlie the barn cat has been left a tin of food on his "table" - which he will probably eat tonight! But at least he'll have some food in his tummy for the worst of the weather and mice to catch in the barn.

I've just taken my chocolate and orange cake out the oven (in place of Christmas cake), stuffing balls prepared and in the freezer.  A lovely free range local chicken (unrelated to mine!) in the fridge for Christmas dinner and beyond....

Torches with new batteries, camping lantern, gas for heater and hob (hot plate) so should be OK..... see you all the other side of the storm! And stay safe everyone! I know folk in the US are suffering bad storms as well as those in the UK.  Not good at this time of year when folk trying to get places for festivities.

Oh and Happy Christmas to those of you who celebrate!

Christmas shopping .....

As I've said before, I don't really celebrate Christmas, but there are always gifts to buy for folk, and some lovely food to indulge in so a jaunt to Kirkwall was required last week (as well as Stromness of course - food coming over toda, boats providing, from Flett's the local butcher, to see me into the new year).

Above is a fire burning in the grate at one of the most popular shops in Kirkwall - Shearer's.  Everything you could ever want in any season really, in the front of the shop are groceries, fresh foods, exotic spices, cooking pots and utensils, luxury goods, and at the back are household cleaning materials, coal scuttles, pet food, bird food, fishing supplies, even guns for wildfowl shooting, in the Spring and Summer there are garden supplies, at this time of year the air is redolent with the smell of Christmas trees.  Upstairs is turned into a wonderful cosy space with luxurious food, sweets, and gifts, while in the Spring and summer it's the seed store and where most farmers go for their supplies of grass and crops.  The most wonderful family run shop..... and this year, as well as the usual "old things" on display.....

There were also reindeer! A young one.....

And an older chap (um think he was a chap?)

They were very friendly and pleased to see folk.....

The reindeer are part of the Cairngorm herd and are used to people and often used in parades around Christmas. The rest of the year they roam free across the Cairngorms. The animals were well looked after at Shearer's and the welfare of the animals was clearly paramount.

Back in another part of the shed where some unloading of supplies was going on, the Shearer's cat was a little miffed (annoyed) at being upstaged by reindeer!

This puss was warm and cosy in a local florist's shop window and was watching the birdies in the street. He was a bit cross I think as the birdies moved away as I moved in to take his picture.

Then it was onto Tesco for the final bit of shopping and the "Kirkwall Tesco" cat was making himself comfortable in Santa's sleigh!  He has a proper home locally and is a well cared for cat, but he enjoys the company and fuss at Tesco so is often in evidence throughout the year.  He even has his own Facebook page....

It was then onto Stromness to meet friends for lunch before returning home and preparing to batten hatches for the onslaught of gales and storm force winds predicted over the next few days..... hope the power stays on!!

Graemsay Christmas Party

Friday night was the Graemsay "Children's" Christmas Party...I put "children's" in quotes as the adults have as much fun too.  Tee hee!!

First the girls show how the Balloon Race should be run....

Then some of the auld (old) folks have a go....

While a wee lass looks on bewildered at her first experience of a Graemsay party!

Then there was the chocolate egg and spoon race.... the girls again showing how it's done...

And Musical Arms (dating from a time when the hall only had benches, so no musical chairs - and we have to continue the tradition of course!).

And a wee lassie needs a helping.... um. elbow!

Then there is pass the parcel.... separate games for adults and children....

and the snowball race....um... ok with newspaper...snow balls melt and get wet....

Then it was time for Santa to call, bringing presents for the children....

A wee boy meets Eeyore....

Grandad has to look after Eeyore while a chap has his supper with Granny.....

"Miss" (Irene, who used to be the teacher on the island, and has been partying since 1986 or so she told me today!  Oh sorry, I think she meant she has been *running* the parties since 1986....hee hee) handing out presents to the wee ones....

And here are the children of two of her former pupils, now having fun at the island party!

And two wee cousins have a dance!

So another lovely party. Thanks for all the organising Irene!  May you carry on partying for another 27 years....hee hee!!

Winter Solstice Walk .....

As I've said before, I don't "do" Christmas, but I love a Winter Festival, so today I did my annual Solstice walk, accompanied by Button.  It was a clear, sunny, bright day, if a bit breezy. But compared to the gales we have experienced in recent weeks today qualified as Calm!

Lots of seaweed on the beach after very high tides and high winds.... (good for the garden though!).

And beautiful clouds in the sky....

Button leads the way, of course down the old pier.....

to the shell beach....

Um.... doesn't like wet paws though!

Wonder how long before the coastal erosion brings these old buildings tumbling onto the shore?

Fancy a swim, anyone?

Button, keeping a watchful eye on the incoming tide....

Birds enjoying the respite from being buffeted by the winds.....

Old byres....

And.... Home!

Button, checking out the Graemsay road gritter to make sure it's up to standard!

And "the ladies" come to greet us (hoping for scraps no doubt!).

All calm out West for now...

And then, later....after sunset..... the Hoy hills in silhouette

And time to light the Winter solstice candle to remind the sun to return after the longest night....

The ring of friendship guarding the flame....

So wishing you all Winter blessings!  And I make no apology for sharing again this beautiful short video taken on the Winter Solstice of 2010, when Orkney had snow....