A day of the blues

As I write, rain is hammering against the kitchen window, bushes and trees are waving energetically in the strong wind, and my inclination is to not venture outdoors. Even Mocha, our more outdoorsy cat, who usually has cabin fever at the drop of a latch, is snuggled up on the back of the sofa, snoring gently.

Yesterday, as someone once said for a very different reason, was such an easy game to play.

With a customer to visit in Hoy, we took the mid-morning ferry from Houton to Lyness, and were on site for just after eleven o'clock. An hour later, with work complete, Megan and I then headed to Rackwick Bay on the west of the island, with vague thoughts of a picnic by the beach and an amble around the area.

There wasn't a breath of wind, sunny periods between silver grey clouds gave way to a cloudless blue sky and, although it was chilly, only a few pools in the shadows were still etched with ice.

The raindrops that fall upon the hills, and then flow into the burns, maintain a memory of their journey which they will tell to anyone who will listen

Rackwick Bay looking out to sea

Rackwick Bay looking inland

Cliff and The Shadows - a Wonderful Land 🤣

A cloudless blue

Rackwick Burn bridge panorama 1

Rackwick Burn bridge panorama 2

Despite much scanning of the hilltops, no eagles were seen, but raptor-wise we did spot a Buzzard, a Merlin and a Hen Harrier. However, the golden light and the azure sky made the afternoon a very special time.