July 2024

 Welcome to our July 2024 blog, the sun really has made our island look tropical this month but still with a lovely cool breeze.

 

 

July is the month of the island's Sheep Festival, when folk come from far and wide to help rebuild the sheep dyke and this year there were almost 50 volunteers ! and they've done a fantastic job.

 

 

as well as building the wall the volunteers throw themselves into all the other activities on offer ~

the islanders vs volunteers football match

(Malc's in there, front row !)

the ceilidh dance

felting and weaving workshops, wool mill and lighthouse tours, bbq and quiz night ! they turned up for them all !

(photo from the North Ronaldsay Sheep Festival Facebook page)

some of the team

(photo from North Ronaldsay Sheep Festival Facebook page)

(photo from North Ronaldsay Sheep Festival Facebook page)

Some general information that may entice you to join in the fun of next year's sheep festival

this summer's schedule of events

Thank you to Kate Trail and family,

the Dyke Wardens,

Alison and family and team at the Bird Observatory

and all the islanders

who organised and worked so hard

to make this festival such an amazing event 

😊

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Quote of the month

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It has been great having Louis here, too, and spending time with him over the festival

we have tried to wear him out with football

swimming

walking to historical brochs

and campfires

and all the festival activities, we hope we sent him home tired !

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Book of the month

Malcolm is loving this one, some great ideas within it's pages

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Around the island this month...

fulmar chick nesting by the dyke wall

making silage while the sun shines

watching from the top of the lighthouse

the old beacon reflected on a calm evening in Dennis Loch

the setting sun over Bewan

evening sunshine

Tilly cat enjoying an evening walk with Malcolm on Bewan Pier

since Mr Blonde arrived on 8th June he and Zara have barely been more that a few strides away from each other !

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Pause for thought

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so from the cool waters of the North Sea we wish you sunshine and happy days

💛 💛 💛 💛 💛 💛 💛

June 2024

Welcome everyone to our June 2024 blog. For me it's been a very exciting month with the arrival of an Icelandic pony, "Mr Blonde", arriving on the ferry.

As with everything that arrives on North Ronaldsay, that is too big to arrive on the plane,  it has to be craned off of the ferry onto the pier.

So here he comes, gently flying though the air at the skillful hands of the crane driver.

the final leg of his journey was to be driven the three miles to our croft

 

 After about an hour of meeting Zara over the wall

it was obvious that they wanted to be together

 

 and haven't been separated since

 

 

 

 just the right height for each other and similar ages, Mr Blonde being 19 and Zara 24

Mr Blonde has the most wonderful mane and tail ! possibly the thickest I've ever seen

 

 

 he is an absolute star !!!!

 

 

 

 

 Happiness is .....

2 ponies in love with each other 

💙     💘

 

 

Thank you to Pauline, Toots, Margaret, Billy and everyone involved in finding Mr Blonde and bringing him safely to North Ronaldsay

💛💛💛💛💛

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 Around the island

 

 

 The Island Sky cruise ship anchoring off of Bewan Pier looking spectacular in the evening sun, one of two cruise ships visiting the island this month and with just 120 passengers it is one of the smaller ships

A welcoming party helping the cruise folk from the small Zodiac boats and along the slippery rocks as it was a very low tide

all ninety folk who came ashore enjoyed a variety of pursuits from guided bird watching, ancient sites, lighthouse tours and coffee and cake

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 Books of the month

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Thank you Suffolk friends, Peter and Bridget, for recommending these two books, see you again next year perhaps 

 
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Website recommendation

If you like grasses, delightful poetry and stunning photography I feel sure you will enjoy this project created by Valerie Gillies and Rebecca Marr

https:whenthegrassdances.art

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 and thank you Rebecca Marr for these next photos, we wish you well with your current project of a photographic census that will be for the island archive

 

 

 

 

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So from all of us on the croft we wish you all a wonderful summer, that hasn't quite arrived on North Ronaldsay yet,

June and Malcolm

💛💛💛💛💛

🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞