October 2024

 

Hello everyone, welcome to our October blog photographs giving you a glimpse of the colours and daily life on our small island, enjoy

Golden sunsets and red sunrises

           and who says there's no such colour 

as sky-blue- pink ?

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The many days of winds and rain this month have hampered the building of the pony shelter

but steady progress is being made

and the ponies can at least get some respite from the  multi-directional winds

although they're not overly impressed with the weather

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Quote of the month

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Book of the month

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With there being less than 70 people on our island there are not always enough people to do all the jobs ! So when they needed extra staff at the airfield Malcolm volunteered.

The job is more involved than he thought ! training has been quite extensive, from clearing the runway of geese and sheep, handling baggage, looking after passengers to first aid training and "hot training" putting out fires on mock aircraft,  never a dull moment !

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At night after checking on the ponies I love watching the lighthouse or sometimes walking up to it and standing under it's beams

and on a foggy night the foghorn looks quite eerie in the distance

and feels like you are in the middle of a watercolour painting

        

the rotating beams never cease to amaze me

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Today the weather is well blustery, with 56 mph winds and fierce, horizontal rain. So a day to mimic Tilly cat 

and Wilma

and to appreciate some indoor beauty

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Pause for thought

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Just love this

"And, they say

Life is an adventure

Full of mystery

So let's go... "

from Facebook Page : Tales of the Forest Faeries ( a delightful page to follow)

Words by Athey Thompson

Art by Lavender & Lark

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We hope you have found many moments this month to enjoy some simple pleasures and we wish you cosy, relaxed  November days wherever you happen to be

Malcolm and June

🎃   🎃   🎃  🎃  🎃  🎃  🎃

September 2024

 Welcome to our September blog, it's been a mixed month of storms and sunny days, people and ponies, books and projects.

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There have been some great people coming to our tiny island this month, all with special interests and knowledge to share with us, from Viking poetry, archaeological walks and talks, moon rocks, ocean climate to music, film and art !

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It was great to see Henry again, a frequent visitor to North Ronaldsay, a pleasure to take him on a lighthouse tour !

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2 beautiful books of the month

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think I might be becoming obsessed with lighthouses 

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Recommendation...

if you happen to be on Facebook and you love books have a look at Facebook Page :

1000 Libraries

it's amazingly beautiful

💛

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Love this little poem 💙

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Happy School Birthday 

to all those Owenians who enjoyed happy days

at the Angel, Islington back in the 60's,

especially to my friend Sheena, who has made a wonderful impact on the world 💕

Michaelmas daisies, cake and Beer Money, courtesy of our School Governors, Whitbreads !!

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Around the croft ....

Malcolm lifting some of the potatoes, looking like it's going to be a beautiful harvest

Quote of the month

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the birds love eating the seeds and swaying on the pampas grasses

early morning yawns

it's always Zara standing on lookout while Mr B lazes around on the grass, mmm ...

Mr B takes snoozing very seriously

a starling resting on Mr B's head while he's snoozing

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Some jobs on the croft get much bigger than expected !

A field shelter for the ponies seemed like a good idea and then you realise that 8 inches beneath the surface you hit rock !! and trying to sink 6" x 6" posts 1 metre into the ground is a major task !!

but having started, you have to carry on

This is the Orcadian method of securing a post without the use of concrete when stones are plentiful

all straight and square

   not looking much like a field shelter yet, but the tricky bit is done

Pause for thought

I like this one, it's quite liberating

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Hoping you had a lovely September, too, and looking forward to a change of season to a colourful autumn, until next month, 

be happy

from Malcolm & June

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