January 2025

Welcome everyone, hope you have survived the January storms wherever you happen to be.

 Enjoy the next three minutes of January life on North Ronaldsay.

At least it was raining out at sea

watching the sunrise

Not many folk using the bird hide this month

Plentiful seaweed again this month for the island's

seaweed-eating sheep due to the high winds

getting ready to settle down for the evening as the sun sets

A good gathering for our Saturday morning walks, several children were off testing out the depth of puddles and came back welly-less and sockless and dogs came back covered in mud,

so everyone was happy 😁

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On a rare day with no wind ! there were some peaceful reflections in the loch

~~~~~

Mr B feeling a little of the afternoon sunshine

Zara says "Hi" to you all

Ponies enjoying a peaceful view

"Do you still think I'm pretty Mr B even though I've been rolling in the mud ?

The last day of January and the sun has shone all day, so a little time sitting with Mr Blonde, bliss !

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Book of the month

 

thank you Elaine & Gary for sending us this one, plenty to think about here !

~~~~~

(from 1000 Libraries Facebook page)

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A little poem by Athey Thompson

from her Facebook Page : Tales of the old forest faeries

Let her be

For her heart is filled with stardust

Her soul is as wild and free

As the wind.

accompanying artwork 

by Catherine McMillan,  Magical Art

~~~~~

Recommendation of the month

I often find myself recommending 

"Reflections of Life" films, 

 they can be found on YouTube, are usually on average about 10 minutes long and are always inspirational and uplifting.

The latest film is featuring Harry Owen, a poet and writer and is titled "Finding Your Voice"

~~~~~~~

Pause for thought

( Facebook Page You Raj Sharms )

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So from Tilly cat

and Wilma (pretending to be a rug)

keeping warm by the fire

we wish you all a happy

 Valentine's  Day

💖 💖 💖 💖 💖 💖 💖

with a month filled with 

love, joy, warmth and peace

and  Happy February Birthdays

 to our friends and family

 Jon K 💖  Lorna 💖  Jane at P/House💖 Jean T💖   Sian💖   Diane💖   Colin💖  Penny H 💖 and Rosie 💖

until next month, enjoy yourselves,

Malcolm and June

💖  💖

December 2024

Hello everyone,

hoping that the festive season brought you all the blessings that you wished for and with the days beginning to get longer looking forward to letting more light into our lives.

Christmas morning sunrise

  Poem for Christmas Morning 

The birds don't know it's Christmas

as they fly across the sky.

The hedgehogs are just sleeping

and waiting for the spring.

Rabbits are a plenty,

as usual having fun.

It's just another day 

after all is said and done.

But whatever you may, or may not, believe

behind the lights and glitter,

the tinsel and the tree,

there is a magic in the air

if we just stop and feel and stare.

Miracles all around 

if we become aware.

june purvis

~~~~~

Thich Naht Hanh

I bet you're smiling 😀

~~~~~~

For Elaine, some extra photos of the ponies

this one needs a caption, any suggestions ?

for a little December colour the fallen leaves from the grape vine

~~~~~

Books of the month

You might want to save this one for after the winter's festivities

~~~~

~~~~~

2 Recommendations this month

If you love all things moon-related 

and beautiful calendars, journals and notebooks

check out 

Moon Phase Studio 

a six person company in Cornwall who look like they have some fun working together

meet part of the team

~~~~~~~

Meet too our delightful friend Kathryn from our Suffolk days

Kathryn has recently launched her new business that she runs from her Suffolk barn home, 

bringing together her many skills

take a look :

www.bookrhymeandsinker.com

~~~~~~~

The wild December winds have brought plenty of seaweed up on to the beaches,  a plentiful supply of food for the island's rare breed sheep

the old Fish Store by Bewan Pier may soon be taken by the sea, not one to be restored.

I found a mermaid to swim with on a lovely sunny, wind free day !!!

Ria-mermaid was inspired by the recent Orkney- based film, "The Outrun", to spend Christmas on a remote island, a far cry from her Glasgow home.

Ria is a poet and performs her poetry at Glasgow venues and will shortly be publishing some of her work.

You can meet her on YouTube : Ria Bronte

~~~~~~~

To all my Ewe Wild Swimming mermaid-friends

in Aultbea and Mellon Charles

and mermaids everywhere

Happy New Year you lovely crazy bunch !!!

🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️

~~~~~

A new year message from our Tilly cat :

" In the here, in the now,

    no worries, only meow"

(photo from Tao and Zen Facebook page - Zen Cat Wisdom)

~~~~~~

for Colin, 

our favourite Christmas mice and candle holder from our childhood,

still making an appearance every year

so from our Tilly

and our Wilma

and us

we wish you a 

Happy New Year 

and an amazing

2025

have fun

Malcolm and June

💖 💖 💖 💖 💖

🎆   🎆  🎆  🎆  🎆  🎆