4th May – H spent the morning at the local supermarket, manning a table for the Red Cross. Raising funds and awareness of the services that the Red Cross provide locally. It’s not all overseas emergencies and disasters but includes comfort and support nearer home. That reminds me, we need loo roll!
On the way home we popped into the Northlight to see the latest exhibition by Ralph Robinson. Entitled The Anthropocene and the Orkney Diner Scene, it is a thought provoking display, assembled using items salvaged from derelict buildings and an old army midden.
5th May – After a visit to the Fernvalley Wildlife Centre we went puffin spotting at Birsay this afternoon. Didn’t see any puffins but there were plenty of razorbills. This pair heading out to sea, just feet above the crashing waves, completely unfazed by the turbulent waters below.
10th May – The first cruise ship of the 2019 season to visit Stromness. Hanseatic Nature lying at anchor in Cairston Roads, just behind the Outer Holm. The visitors are transferred into the town using the ships tenders. Unfortunately there was a fleet of buses waiting to take the passengers to see the sights around the island and the the town didn’t get much business from them.
14th May – 210 here today, a lovely day. We were in Kirkwall this morning buying paint for the kitchen. Afternoon saw the usual stroll around the Ness Point, there’s a lot of visitors about now, all enjoying the weather.
It’s warm enough now to encourage some daring water sports including this surfboard water skiing.
The Museums and Galleries of Scotland held a reception this evening at the Parliament in Edinburgh. Stromness Museum was well represented, this is a pic of our team, Norna, Janette (our Curator) and Katy with our Scapa 100 display. Katy is holding the VR headset which gives an amazing underwater experience.
15th May – A regular visitor to Stromness, the Dutch ketch Tecla does cruises around northern waters, sailing as far as Greenland.
17th May – Happy Norway Constitution Day! Orkney celebates the day to mark the historic ties with Norway, which are reflected in the Orcadian flag.
18th May – After a week of cloudless skies, it’s a bit overcast today. The local sailing club are undeterred and are out in force. It’s a busy harbour this morning with their dinghies, the Graemsay ferry and Hanseatic Nature back for a second visit.
19th May – A pod of Risso’s Dolphins at Birsay this afternoon. The pic is a bit blurry, I think the camera focussed on the ruins of the Earl’s Palace in the background. Today was the 2019 Orkney Nature Cruise, the ferry MV Hamnavoe took us up the west coast to Rousay and back again. A nice afternoon all round.
23th May – The first day of the 37th Orkney Folk Festival. Six concerts were held around the Stromness area this evening, with over twenty acts performing. We went to the concert at Sandwick, to see four of the bands, headlined by the excellent Còig from Nova Scotia.
25th May -Muriel and Leo are visiting us. It’s a grey day so we stayed in Stromness and looked around the town, taking in the Museum and the Pier Art Centre. In the evening, after dinner at the Hamnavoe, we went to the Folk Festival concert in the Town Hall. Local bands Banyan and Gnoss were on great form, as were headliners, Irish band, Four Men and a Dog.
Four Men and a Dog 
Gnoss
26th May – Headed down through the South Isles today. Calling in at the Italian Chapel. Just so happened that, as we were there, The Peter Wood Shetland Dance Band arrived and played a couple of tunes in the Chapel. A stroke of luck for us. H and I saw the band on Thursday but it was a bonus for Muriel and Leo.
The Peter Wood Shetland Dance Band in the Italian Chapel
After that it was down to the tip of South Ronaldsay and an excellent seafood lunch at the Skerries Bistro.
27th May – Into Kirkwall today to look around the town and the Cathedral. In the evening we went for a meal at the Foveran, a really nice restaurant with views out over Scapa Bay.
28th May – Early start for Muriel and Leo, check in at Kirkwall at 10:00am for the flight to Edinburgh and then onward to Stansted. I think the visit was a success.
After a quiet afternoon, we went to see the comedian, Phil Jupitus, in Stromness Town Hall. We managed to get front row seats, which comes with its own perils, i.e. having to have a selfie with the man himself!
31st May – The Museum team received dementia training a few weeks ago. I forgot to post the photo! No, actually, it just appeared on Twitter today, so I thought I would post it here.
Scapa Views 
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