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A safe haven
30 Jan 2012 | 8:08 am
Stromness pier, c.1900, photographed by R.H. Robertson
With the news of the proposed development of the site of Coplands Dock, adjacent to Stromness, we've been looking at the history of…
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Weird Punishment of the Week
17 Jan 2012 | 9:24 am
As I was reading through a folder from the Ernest Marwick Collection, I stumbled on this weird form of punishment in North Faray.
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Rock the boat
10 Jan 2012 | 9:01 am
On this day in 1909 Ernest Shackleton, leading the Nimrod Expedition to the South Pole, planted the British flag 97 nautical miles from the South Pole, the furthest South anyone had…
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Nearly there
27 Oct 2010 | 1:27 pm
The end is in sight, just poking its head over the horizon like a ship fast approaching home. It has been an intense season so far, with two months in…
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Up Helly Aa
30 Jan 2010 | 1:26 pm
We stand with our hands pressed against the cold damp concrete and stone of the wall, glancing around in the dark of the unlit street waiting for the merest hint…
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Some photographs from 2009
14 Dec 2009 | 4:26 pm
Another cracking year for us. Here are some photographs from our travels.
The first snows of 2009 in February.
We went to Fraserburgh for refitting the boat.
We went diving.…
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Uppies and Doonies
1 Jan 2012 | 8:12 am
The crowd, muffled in scarves, gloves and Christmas jumpers, fell silent. Behind us stood the red sandstone glory of the cathedral, and in front of us, an empty street. Left,…
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If I’d Known You Were Coming…
2 Nov 2011 | 10:20 am
I had visitors round at the house last week – storytellers attending the 2011 Orkney Storytelling Festival, out on a jaunt to the West Mainland. I’d lit the stove and…
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A Tale for Hallowe’en…
31 Oct 2011 | 9:45 am
Earlier this year, I was invited to take part in the annual music and arts Tartan Heart Festival, held at the beautiful Belladrum estate in Inverness-shire.
I was asked to…
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Slender-billed curlew sighted on Stronsay
25 May 2011 | 2:23 pm
John Holloway, Stronsay’s ornithologist, will be on Radio Orkney at 7:30am (local time) tomorrow morning (Thursday) talking about a rare visitor to Stronsay. It’s a slender-billed curlew. John tells me…
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A visit to Kirkwall by the “Friends of Cathedral Music”
23 May 2011 | 8:13 am
I’ve been a member of the “Friends of Cathedral Music” for several years, this wonderful group exists to raise funds and award grants (over…
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Windy Stronsay
7 Feb 2011 | 3:59 am
Last Thursday night (3 Feb) the evening ferry was cancelled because of forecasted high winds. It was certainly a a breezy evening and night, gusts of 100 mph on Stronsay…
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Seagull and male Hen Harrier… and also photos!
27 May 2010 | 2:53 pm
Moments ago we heard a visious scream and then watched in wonder as a seagull chased a male Hen Harrier out of our walled garden. I think this is our…
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Lambing season is OVER!!!!!!!!!!!
19 May 2010 | 3:44 pm
Observe how I cannot upload photos! Drats. Anyhoo, Lambing Season is officially OVER folks! This means that we can crawl out of our monastery-like existence here on the farm and…
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Putting down roots
24 Apr 2010 | 2:08 am
This blog has been poorly neglected. No prizes for guessing why LOL! Ahhh… (that’s a contented sigh, not a cyber-groan) life is good. It is amazing to me (and a…
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