Flavour of the month
I’m in the market for some yoghurt. That means I’ve got to clear my mind of any preconceptions about the flavour I might want. What will the shops have for me this year?
Yearning for soft fruit
Everytime I visit [[Westray]] I love the food. Whether it’s the fresh fish from Pierowall Fish or the unpasteurised cheese from Wilson’s …
Clinging to the edge
On Gill Pier this tiny plant clings on to the edge. A little like this Island does.
Rocks from Lake Orcadie
I love the rocks on Orkney. The whole area of Greenland, Shetland, Orkney and down to the Moray Firth was once a …
The red hand of seaweed
The red hand of seaweed grasps a pebble at Rack Wick.
Rain-Cloud Grey and Sea Foam
Morwenna is a beautiful Thai cat. She’s a Korat, described as “a silver-tipped blue that appears to shimmer”. The Thai people refer …
Lamb Chops
I stop my bike on the main road and see three lambs. They look delicious.
Broken Stones
“Like pebbles on a beachKicked around, displaced by feetOh, like broken stonesThey’re all trying to get home” Paul Weller – Broken Stones
First Light
Dawn is at 3:57 this morning. In Rendalls, one of the shops in the village, I notice a small pile of CDs. …
Welcome to May in June
The Hawthorn is in flower at Einar. It’s also known at the May-tree because it flowers in May. In Orkney it should …
Purple orchid
Cycling past the sign for the Cleaton House Hotel I see a beautiful purple orchid with spotted leaves. I lie flat on …
Nibbling on a mature cheese
It’s always a thrill to discover a new cheese and this is no exception. A cheese! Made on Westray! So how does …
Lady likes a carrot
Lady the ginger and blonde Shetland pony loves a carrot.
Huffing and Puffin
This afternoon I cycled down to the Castle o’ Burrian. The wind was against me. The wind is always against me. I …
Thrifty
Thrift or Sea Pinks grow all over the coast here and their pink lollipops of flowers are beautiful at this time of year.
I’m listening to a Corncrake calling at the Bay of Tuquoy. It sounds like wood creaking. If only I could see it! → 10 June, 2015
Horsetails from the Palaeozoic
There are Horsetails on the verge at Einar. They’re hard and scour my hands with their brittle covering of silica. They’re so …
Monk Supper
“A monk supper please,” I said. That’s not a supper fit for a monk, although it might be. It’s monkfish and chips …
#islandproblems
My son introduced me to Yik Yak, an iPhone app which shows you local people’s comments wherever you are. I logged in …
Graand Owld Byre with Traybakes and Fancies
By chance I see a tiny slip of paper in the shop. It doesn’t count as a poster. It’s more than a …
Dandelions
If only I had a Guinea Pig. They would be in Guinea Pig heaven. These dandelions have roots as big as turnips.
This year’s dead animal is…
There’s always a dead animal somewhere in Einar. Sometimes it’s a mummified starling. This time it’s a rabbit. Before it died it chewed through the electricity cable to my boiler. Then something ripped it to pieces and scattered it over the floor. There’s an isolated rabbit’s foot lying there. It wasn’t lucky for the rabbit.
Rhubarb as thick as your wrist
Einar’s rhubarb is ridiculous. It’s like a wild thing, an alien being, taking over my walled vegetable garden. Now what are …
Breezy
My dad says “I think it’s going to be breezy in Orkney today.” I say “I think it’s going to be Orkney.” …
Westray Sky
The clouds are as insubstantial as gossamer and float in ethereal whisps above the rugged rocks.
Birds on The Scaun
Shags and gulls face the wind as huge turquoise waves break at The Scaun.