April 2007

When we left for NZ I put some tulip bulbs in pots and left them in te most sheltered part of the garden. When we came back they were up and almost out. Somehow they had survived a 100 mph gale a couple of weeks before we got home, one of the worst apparently for several years. Glad I didn't know before! No damage done done to M Bousta but the Pedleys' road badly torn up. I tied up the tulips just in case after we got back and here's Mum enjoying them yesterday in the sun! Beth, I just pack them in at several levels into a pot to get a mixture, seems to work!

The weather has been sunny and dry for the last few days and promises to continue that way, though it is kinda cool. Anyway, made a start on the new wall ... can you see it among the debris in the middle? It will be 80cm wide and, it is my intention, 2m tall. There are some really big stones so it will be a slow job, but very satisfying!

We were sitting out in the garden again this early evening with a glass of wine. It was really warm sheltered in the garden and we were watching the twite (wee finches a bit like sparrows but not so domesticated) feeding on the seed we had scattered on the grass ... bit like watching budgies ... and listening to the curlews and oystercatchers, when a car pulled in. I thought it was going to be another prospective councillor on the hustings (election for MSP and local councillors on Thursday), we've altready had two, but when the gate opened it was the familiar, but slightly older figure, of Callan Duck! Sorry my shadow got into the picture!

He works on Seals from St Andrews and was up doing a quick survey ... harbour seals (as we have at Bousta) have fallen by over 50% in Orkney and up to 40% in parts of Shetland ... though they have not fallen around us. They don't know why but are looking for places and people to carry out weekly counts through the summer ... so I have volunteered. We had a great chat, you can imagine, about Rum and he was fascinated (and jealous) to hear where you all were ... sent his kindest regards ... told me he still wears the kilt he had when he was 14 but was down to the last button round the waist!

Still waiting for the proofs of Victorians Sixty Degrees North and heard that I got a good review for A Dream of Silver in the Scots Magazine ... that'll boost sales ... hmm, appropriately, listening to Thomas Fraser singing Somewhere over the Rainbow!

Mum enjoying her second day at the Centre, is always asking me when will be the next day she'll be going. Actually, it is tomorrow and if the weather is as good as today I will go up to the peat bank and start cutting, aching muscles relieved by the song of the skylark!