July 2023

1st July – A bright enough start to July. H has paused on her walk to watch birds and boats. This is the slip where the local ladies go wild swimming, the floated rope acts as a guide for them.

2nd July – Our neighbour, Marion, dropped these mackerel fillets in for us. Freshly caught by her son, there was too much for her own use. They really are a beautiful fish.

Interesting report on the BBC. OIC are not happy at being sidelined by London and Edinburgh and are looking to Oslo for some attention. Just trying to make a point, I think.

3rd July – Found this Poplar Hawkmoth in the fennel this afternoon. I’m not sure if they are common in Orkney considering the lack of poplar trees! Apparently they like willow too, which we have plenty of, so that may explain its presence.

8th July – Another nice day. A slightly different angle in this pic. Looking past the colourful art installation in the GMB garden as the Graemsay sets off on one of it’s regular runs.

News quickly gets around amongst the starlings that a new shipment of mealworms has been delivered!

13th July – About four years ago I noticed an unusual seed in Monty’s dish. Out of curiosity, I put it in a pot of compost. It germinated and started producing a lot of leafy stems and finally, this year, some buds.

Apparently it is Peruvian Lily, the Lily of the Incas. I’m told it spreads readily, so hopefully I will get a few more.

16th July – It’s the start of Stromness Shopping Week, even the Hamnavoe is decked out in bunting. Albeit small bunting!

18th July – It’s the raft race this evening. A decent evening after last year’s heavy rain. There is a good turnout of rafts and spectators.

The French crew got off to a disappointing start, sinking as soon as they put their raft into the water.

But by the simple expediency of sacking half the crew, converting the raft into a canoe and paddling like crazy, they went on to win the race!

Perhaps not entirely in the spirit of the event but that’s those pesky Europeans for you!

22nd July – It’s the final day of the 2023 Stromness Shopping Week and there is the usual parade of floats through the town. This one is having a dig at the hapless Pentland Ferries, a local ferry company that has recently had a couple of unfortunate groundings. I liked the “cowboys” maintaining the engine!

The final event is the fireworks display on Copland’s Dock, we get a good view of the display each year.

26th July – There’s not a breath of wind today, Hoy Sound is like a millpond, broken only by passing porpoises. Perfect conditions for a kayak trip to Graemsay.