Summer days part 2

 

We have been fortunate in Orkney to have a reasonable summer.  Pleasantly warm (if you are acclimatised to Orkney!), very dry, few high winds, and lots of sunshine.  And as August progresses so does the farming year with silage being cut, hay being made, and vegetables being harvested.

This year I decided not to grow any vegetables.  I just enjoyed the flowers in my new garden, created by the previous owners.  The sedums were glorious when in flower, they were like snow on top of the gabions.

Bright yellow stars on this sedum....

Malva and scabious growing in pots...

A Scottish thistle!

Not forgetting this precious flower!  Button, I think is showing us the literal translation of being caught between a rock and a hard place. Hee hee!  My little heat seeking cat absorbs warmth wherever she can...

And when awake she ensures she gets my full attention.....

Or sits on the windowsill contemplating life, the universe, and dinner time...

Talking of dinner time.   Ronnie and Reggie guard the door, so I can't slip out without feeding them!

Ronnie

Reggie

The Boys... bless them!

Summer days....

 

A selection of Big Sky photos.....

Low mist over the water...

Sadly the sun has moved more to the left since this photo was taken, tracking back to it's winter position... arrrgh not quite yet though!  

Looking out over the island of Rousay on the horizon.

Early evening....

On another evening...

Button's favourite position on the outside windowsill, watching the sun set, and the world go by..

Ness of Bodgar dig....

 

As summer in Orkney draws to a close, so do the archaeological digs.  A couple of weeks ago I went to see the extraordinary dig at the Ness of Brodgar.  Yet again my photos do not do the site justice so do take a look at their website here

The site is huge and interpretation is ongoing as new areas come to light.  The walls of the buildings (well remains of them) are clear even to a novice like me.  Some rudimentary art has been found, animal bones, pottery and lots of interesting artefacts.  Next year will be the final year of digging.  Those who have supervised the dig since the beginning feel it is a suitable time to stop.  Partly to leave something for future generations to investigate with new techniques and ideas etc, and partly so they can write up all their findings before (in the words of one senior archaeologist) we are all to old to do it! 

So here are some of my photos - it was a grey day with drizzle but that didn't dampen the interest of the tourists, even if the archaeologists would have preferred something a little drier!

Click on these (as with others) to enlarge.  This helps position and orientate the dig....

An Orthostat (standing stone), the remains are in a corner of one of the structures.

You can clearly see the curve in the wall of this structure.

And the landscape around the dig...

Looking back to the Standing Stones of Stenness, over to the left (out of shot) is the chambered tomb of Maes Howe.

Looking across the loch to the hills of Hoy, hiding in the cloud.

And one of the finds when I was there.  It had just come out the ground, and was believed to be an anvil used for knapping flint arrow heads.  OK I know it looks like a Neolithic baked potato, but I can assure you it was hard stone.... but then so are some of my baked potatoes. Ha!

Scapa Flow Museum and around about on Hoy.

 

A few weeks ago I accompanied friends for a trip over to the island of Hoy to see the newly refurbished Scapa Flow Museum.  Now it is ostensibly a war museum, of which I am not a fan.  But this is much more. Documenting how Scapa Flow was used as a naval base during both World Wars and focusing on historic events and how they impacted individuals.  My photos don't do it justice so here is a link to a much more comprehensive explanation and photos of exhibits.  Scapa Flow Museum Link

The museum was officially opened by Sir Chris Hoy (tenuous link - Scottish Olympic Cyclist with a surname of Hoy.... maybe not ask too deeply on that one....).  Anyway Sir Chris also took part in some cycling events on the island with young and old and maybe inspired a few folk to get on two wheels! Or, 3.....

When I first moved to Orkney I lived on Hoy, at the South end, Longhope, with a view to the Scottish Mainland.  I was only there for 6 months when winter became too wild for me to spend in a caravan on Graemsay!  Anyway it was nice to be back on the island for the day and drop in on one or two folk.  The ferry journey takes about 45 minutes and you can sit in your vehicle (unusual on ferries) or up on the open deck (chilly!).

WWII in Scapa Flow - from one end to the next - yup even incorporating Graemsay!

The pump house - used to pump fuel from huge underground tanks to fuel all the fleet.

And then up the road to the north end of Hoy (the actual parish of Hoy).  I love the wildness here, lots of heather moorland and the highest hills in Orkney.

Views across to Orkney Mainland.

Those lovely Hoy hills

Drive carefully!  Cattle grids keep the sheep in (mostly) on the hills.

My favourite sleeping dragon/dinosaur.  Miss that view from Graemsay!

And an essential stop at Beneath t' hill cafe.  Highly recommended.  Great crab rolls and coffee!

Then off down the road - 18 miles to Longhope and to visit friends who have this as a view from their house.

A lovely day out.