Oh ye of little faith - in my yard, Victor, Vicki, Vera and Vaughan all cavort merrily in the mole tunnels and poke heads out regularly. They don't know it's winter, and my cats are too slow so they're having their way with my lawn. Charlie in Washington state, USA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ladywillow" <ladywillow@ladywillow.freeserve.co.uk> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 9:34 AM Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Anybody heard from Victor? > little do they know !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <Juanelan@aol.com> > To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 3:43 PM > Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Anybody heard from Victor? > > > > For Victor the long and dark days of Winter are swiftly passing. > > Those nights without end are melting into the days of sunshine and growth. > > Soon all good things that Victor cares to swell his this body with shall > > walk and flit about him. Now, ere the grass begins its lovely Eastertide > glow, > > Victor dreams of tasty bits that cheer him to no end. > > Victor is our belief in the renewal of the life force after the darkling > > days of Winter. > > A pagan, perhaps heathen observation it is. Yet, Victor's renewal in the > > Spring is a message to us to review our need for spiritual fulfillment. > > Bless wee Victor and all the simple spirits that thrive at the fringe of > > humanity's > > strange stewardship of the earth. - Dan @ Chicago > > > > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > >

little do they know !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ----- Original Message ----- From: <Juanelan@aol.com> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 3:43 PM Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Anybody heard from Victor? > For Victor the long and dark days of Winter are swiftly passing. > Those nights without end are melting into the days of sunshine and growth. > Soon all good things that Victor cares to swell his this body with shall > walk and flit about him. Now, ere the grass begins its lovely Eastertide glow, > Victor dreams of tasty bits that cheer him to no end. > Victor is our belief in the renewal of the life force after the darkling > days of Winter. > A pagan, perhaps heathen observation it is. Yet, Victor's renewal in the > Spring is a message to us to review our need for spiritual fulfillment. > Bless wee Victor and all the simple spirits that thrive at the fringe of > humanity's > strange stewardship of the earth. - Dan @ Chicago > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > >

Well, I simply have to ask. I am a new list member, and have been lurking for a week or so. I have enjoyed the posts so far and could decipher them to date even though I wasn't privy to some of the initial conversations, but I don't understand this thread. Am I allowed to ask? Who or what is Victor? If it is something obvious that I am overlooking, please indulge me this once. I am a Canadian (central Ontario) of Scottish birth (Dundee) who has a longing to travel to Orkney for an extended stay. I am intrigued by the history, geography, mythology, weather, and the people (at least of my idea of the population, as I know no one who hails from there). I am an artist who creates small, dressed figurative sculpture, and 'believes' in trolls, elves, and other-wordly beings as subjects ( not quite as strange as I may sound), and Orkneyjar is one of my favorite websites. I am enjoying the list to date and hope that someone will fill me in and not think I am too ignorant for having to ask the question. Thanks for your perseverance, Trish Stover ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ladywillow" <ladywillow@ladywillow.freeserve.co.uk> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 12:34 PM Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Anybody heard from Victor? > little do they know !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <Juanelan@aol.com> > To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 3:43 PM > Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Anybody heard from Victor? > > > > For Victor the long and dark days of Winter are swiftly passing. > > Those nights without end are melting into the days of sunshine and growth. > > Soon all good things that Victor cares to swell his this body with shall > > walk and flit about him. Now, ere the grass begins its lovely Eastertide > glow, > > Victor dreams of tasty bits that cheer him to no end. > > Victor is our belief in the renewal of the life force after the darkling > > days of Winter. > > A pagan, perhaps heathen observation it is. Yet, Victor's renewal in the > > Spring is a message to us to review our need for spiritual fulfillment. > > Bless wee Victor and all the simple spirits that thrive at the fringe of > > humanity's > > strange stewardship of the earth. - Dan @ Chicago > > > > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com >

For Victor the long and dark days of Winter are swiftly passing. Those nights without end are melting into the days of sunshine and growth. Soon all good things that Victor cares to swell his this body with shall walk and flit about him. Now, ere the grass begins its lovely Eastertide glow, Victor dreams of tasty bits that cheer him to no end. Victor is our belief in the renewal of the life force after the darkling days of Winter. A pagan, perhaps heathen observation it is. Yet, Victor's renewal in the Spring is a message to us to review our need for spiritual fulfillment. Bless wee Victor and all the simple spirits that thrive at the fringe of humanity's strange stewardship of the earth. - Dan @ Chicago

As dreary dark winter days diminish and the sun fights for more exposure every twenty four passing hours, and the rejuvenating thought of an eventual spring and all it's glory and promise are foremost in my mind, I am wondering if anyone has heard how Victor has faired, whilst enduring his confined winter Orkney quarters, and wretched starvation diet. Under the nose of Grumpy, who would dispatch him without mercy in a heartbeat should our furry friend be discovered, the little fellow has had to find food and warmth beyond the charity and helping hands of his international supporters. Hang in there little friend. (There aught to be a law!)

Please ignore my earlier request about the Broch of Borwick. I did a search and found it. Everything I need is right there on the site. Silly me. Pat

Sigurd, On the About You page, I tried to find out a little about Borwick. The link dead ends. Could you redirect me please? Thank you. Pat

On 22 January 2004 17:48, Jim Thompson or Jean Swanson wrote: > Then the > article quotes two locals offering completely incompatible > instructions on how to pronounce the word. Can anyone clear this up? > I've heard it > pronounced Brod-gar, Bro-gar, Brod-year, and as a rhyme for Lodger. The Broad-yur pronunciation is probably a Stenness variant, and as such is probably technically correct. It is certainly recorded as being pronounced like that in the 1950s. The Broad-gur pronunciation commonly found in Orkney these days is a "standardised" Orcadian pronunciation of garth/gar (from the Old Norse gardr). -- Sigurd Towrie Blackhall - Kirbister - Stromness - Orkney Heritage of Orkney: www.orkneyjar.com Home: sigurd@orkneyjar.com Work: sigurd.towrie@orcadian.co.uk

Oh and by the way I have had sunburn on more than one occasion on my Orkney visits............ ----- Original Message ----- From: <robert@scarth.net> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 6:34 PM Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Orkney Environmental Protection and the Kirkwall Dump > In defence of London - a city I lived in for 2 and a half years, and love > more than any other place - there are no litter bins in central London, > because the IRA used to put bombs in them. There is however an army of > people who do nothing but collect litter off the streets. All over London > you can see bemused tourists and embarrassed middle class people dicreetly > placing their litter next to a lamp post or under a bench. Anyway, going to > London expecting tidiness is like going to Orkney expecting sun; its just > not what the place does. > > Robert > > > On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:46:27 -0000, "Janis Counsell" wrote: > > > > > I cannot disagree with anything you say Steve, but it should be on a > global > > scale surely. I find Orkney a very clean and tidy place and they do > recycle! > > The worst place I have encountered for litter is our capital, London, it > is > > a disgrace! > > Janis > > Lancashire > > > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > >

robert@scarth.net wrote: > I have recorded an mp4 audio file of me saying "Ring o'Brodgar". It lasts > about 5 sec and is 116K, I can send it to anyone who is interested. > > What are the list rules about attachments? Does anyone mind if I send this > file to the list? > > Robert > > > On Thu, 22 Jan 2004 09:48:01 -0800, Jim Thompson or Jean Swanson wrote: > >> >> OK, Orcadians, please enlighten. Last week's Orcadian has an article on >> how roadsigns around the Ring are being corrected to read Brodgar >> instead of Brogar in order to reflect local pronunciation. Then the >> article quotes two locals offering completely incompatible instructions >> on how to pronounce the word. Can anyone clear this up? I've heard it >> pronounced Brod-gar, Bro-gar, Brod-year, and as a rhyme for Lodger. >> Thanks, >> >> Jim > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com Rootsweb won't accept the attachment, Robert. Brod-gar is the correct pronunciation, or what I was brought up to say :-) -- Mike Clouston

Sorry didn't mean to offend but I speak as I find. Edinburgh on the other hand is one of the cleanest cities I have ever visited (last trip November 2003) It was lovely, but I am sure someone will disagree. People should take responsibility for themselves and not leave their mark in such a distasteful and disagreeable manner and stop blaming others!!!!! Janis ----- Original Message ----- From: <robert@scarth.net> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 6:34 PM Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Orkney Environmental Protection and the Kirkwall Dump > In defence of London - a city I lived in for 2 and a half years, and love > more than any other place - there are no litter bins in central London, > because the IRA used to put bombs in them. There is however an army of > people who do nothing but collect litter off the streets. All over London > you can see bemused tourists and embarrassed middle class people dicreetly > placing their litter next to a lamp post or under a bench. Anyway, going to > London expecting tidiness is like going to Orkney expecting sun; its just > not what the place does. > > Robert > > > On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:46:27 -0000, "Janis Counsell" wrote: > > > > > I cannot disagree with anything you say Steve, but it should be on a > global > > scale surely. I find Orkney a very clean and tidy place and they do > recycle! > > The worst place I have encountered for litter is our capital, London, it > is > > a disgrace! > > Janis > > Lancashire > > > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > >

I don't mind, myself Kathy --- robert@scarth.net wrote: > I have recorded an mp4 audio file of me saying "Ring > o'Brodgar". It lasts > about 5 sec and is 116K, I can send it to anyone who > is interested. > > What are the list rules about attachments? Does > anyone mind if I send this > file to the list? > > Robert > > > On Thu, 22 Jan 2004 09:48:01 -0800, Jim Thompson or > Jean Swanson wrote: > > > > > OK, Orcadians, please enlighten. Last week's > Orcadian has an article on > > how roadsigns around the Ring are being corrected > to read Brodgar > > instead of Brogar in order to reflect local > pronunciation. Then the > > article quotes two locals offering completely > incompatible instructions > > on how to pronounce the word. Can anyone clear > this up? I've heard it > > pronounced Brod-gar, Bro-gar, Brod-year, and as a > rhyme for Lodger. > > Thanks, > > > > Jim > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send > an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to > orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it! http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/

I have recorded an mp4 audio file of me saying "Ring o'Brodgar". It lasts about 5 sec and is 116K, I can send it to anyone who is interested. What are the list rules about attachments? Does anyone mind if I send this file to the list? Robert On Thu, 22 Jan 2004 09:48:01 -0800, Jim Thompson or Jean Swanson wrote: > > OK, Orcadians, please enlighten. Last week's Orcadian has an article on > how roadsigns around the Ring are being corrected to read Brodgar > instead of Brogar in order to reflect local pronunciation. Then the > article quotes two locals offering completely incompatible instructions > on how to pronounce the word. Can anyone clear this up? I've heard it > pronounced Brod-gar, Bro-gar, Brod-year, and as a rhyme for Lodger. > Thanks, > > Jim

OK, Orcadians, please enlighten. Last week's Orcadian has an article on how roadsigns around the Ring are being corrected to read Brodgar instead of Brogar in order to reflect local pronunciation. Then the article quotes two locals offering completely incompatible instructions on how to pronounce the word. Can anyone clear this up? I've heard it pronounced Brod-gar, Bro-gar, Brod-year, and as a rhyme for Lodger. Thanks, Jim

You may well be right, Robert, according to several articles in Science Daily. If the warming trend is strong enough and susstained long enough, there is a real possibility Orkney could freeze and not just in centuries, but in decades. Of course onecould say taht the loss of land due to the rise in sea level may be ofset by ice mass, but hardly a likable trade. North America could be covered in ice also, which, I guess would be a sort of poetic justice. Kathy --- robert@scarth.net wrote: > To link into the environmental thread, the earth's > system of ocean currents > is apparently run by a block of ice sticking out the > southern tip of > Greenland called Odin's tongue. This is melting at a > dramatic rate. If it > disappears and causes the earths system of ocean > currents to break > down...no gulf stream and icebergs in Hoy Sound. > > Robert > > PS This is from a memory of something I read ages > ago, so if you actually > know something about the subject and I'm talking > rubbish, then please let > me know. > > > On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:42:16 -0000, "Mike Clouston" > wrote: > > > > > KJEMEM@aol.com wrote: > > > > > The other mystery of the world I've been trying > to solve today, is why > is > > > it 24� F, which I think is about -5�C, at > 10:30am in Memphis, while at > > > 10:30 > > > this morning in Kirkwall it was said to be > 43�F/6�C???? > > > > > > Stay warm all, wherever you are. > > > > > > Karen > > > > > > > For that phenomenon we are all grateful to the > North Atlantic Drift, a > > branch of the Gulf Stream that brings warm water > all the way from the > > Caribbean to the north of Norway, keeping our > winters comparatively mild > and > > our coasts free of ice. It is worthwhile reminding > ourselves that Orkney > is > > on the same latitude as the north of Labrador, and > Shetland some 60 miles > > further north is on the same latitude as the > southern tip of Greenland but > > our weather is entirely different, and it is all > due to the warm currents > > coming up from the Caribbean. > > -- > > Mike Clouston > > > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send > an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to > orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/signingbonus

To link into the environmental thread, the earth's system of ocean currents is apparently run by a block of ice sticking out the southern tip of Greenland called Odin's tongue. This is melting at a dramatic rate. If it disappears and causes the earths system of ocean currents to break down...no gulf stream and icebergs in Hoy Sound. Robert PS This is from a memory of something I read ages ago, so if you actually know something about the subject and I'm talking rubbish, then please let me know. On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:42:16 -0000, "Mike Clouston" wrote: > > KJEMEM@aol.com wrote: > > > The other mystery of the world I've been trying to solve today, is why is > > it 24º F, which I think is about -5ºC, at 10:30am in Memphis, while at > > 10:30 > > this morning in Kirkwall it was said to be 43ºF/6ºC???? > > > > Stay warm all, wherever you are. > > > > Karen > > > > For that phenomenon we are all grateful to the North Atlantic Drift, a > branch of the Gulf Stream that brings warm water all the way from the > Caribbean to the north of Norway, keeping our winters comparatively mild and > our coasts free of ice. It is worthwhile reminding ourselves that Orkney is > on the same latitude as the north of Labrador, and Shetland some 60 miles > further north is on the same latitude as the southern tip of Greenland but > our weather is entirely different, and it is all due to the warm currents > coming up from the Caribbean. > -- > Mike Clouston >

In defence of London - a city I lived in for 2 and a half years, and love more than any other place - there are no litter bins in central London, because the IRA used to put bombs in them. There is however an army of people who do nothing but collect litter off the streets. All over London you can see bemused tourists and embarrassed middle class people dicreetly placing their litter next to a lamp post or under a bench. Anyway, going to London expecting tidiness is like going to Orkney expecting sun; its just not what the place does. Robert On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:46:27 -0000, "Janis Counsell" wrote: > > I cannot disagree with anything you say Steve, but it should be on a global > scale surely. I find Orkney a very clean and tidy place and they do recycle! > The worst place I have encountered for litter is our capital, London, it is > a disgrace! > Janis > Lancashire >

Netball is a different sport from women's basketball - different rules. It's very popular in Australia and New Zealand, which makes me wonder if it emigrated here from Scotland. <Netball - basketball played by women.>

I cannot disagree with anything you say Steve, but it should be on a global scale surely. I find Orkney a very clean and tidy place and they do recycle! The worst place I have encountered for litter is our capital, London, it is a disgrace! Janis Lancashire (avid recycler and owner of organic garden) ----- Original Message ----- From: "stephen davie" <stephen.davie@sympatico.ca> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 6:41 PM Subject: [<orcadia>] Orkney Environmental Protection and the Kirkwall Dump > I was wondering just how the bureaucrats in Orkney have organized their > mandate to protect Orkney from the world's man-made assaults on > nature...items such as waste disposal, re-cycling, sewage waste > handling, and air quality protection, as well as ground water and sea > water issues. > > From what I read, it seems that the population was in the order of > 30,000 back when in the 1700's a lot of young chaps decided to chase > beaver in Canada or kangaroos down under in Australia. So the > population shrunk, which is a blessing for the environment, so it > seems, initially. > > Then of course the Nazis decided to demolish and devour the British > Isles, in an effort to relieve Winston Churchill of his cigars. I > assume in Orkney there is still a lot of wartime rubbish, be they > buildings or scrap metal or other structures, that never perhaps were > dismantled and removed, laying and speaking forever of a Germany > despised by every human being capable of human love. ( If WW2 scrap > remains on Orkney, perhaps the cleanup bill should go to Germany. That > would make as much sense as the Allies rebuilding Germany after the > war ended. They(nazis) were never tried or fined for the damage they > caused to the environment at sea and on land). I personally think > abandoned military defense implants make crappy tourist attractions. > > I saw on a map outside Kirkwall, too close to Grimbister, a shot of > their landfill site, or otherwise "bury and forget" dumpsite. It > shocked me to the bone. It left me, for example, wondering if > re-cycling exists and to what extent. How about ground water management > and fresh water source management and identification? Household sewage > is another. And where does the resultant sludge go from the sewage > treatment plants associated with towns? Is that poison sprayed on farms > for "fertilizer", or chucked onto the sea for the fish to choke on > like in other places? > > Health and the environment become fascinating intrinsic topics when > studied. Over here, people are afraid to eat beef because of Mad Cow > Disease and the unknown impact of hormones and all he drugs jammed into > bovine species , as well as the curious things the animals are fed. > Lately, salmon are abandoned across Canada (Jan 2004) as it has been > determined that farmed salmon are fed daily with things that render > their flesh, as recently studied, toxic. Chickens are raised in six and > a half weeks, hatched to shrink-wrapped packaging, in barns where they > are deprived of sex, medicated and fed forcibly, and never see the > light of day or walk on the ground. The packaged boneless breasts are > transparent in their delightful point of purchase plastic dinner > jackets unlike organic chicken which has colour. Vegetable garden > farmers are in a chemical war worse than the trenches of world war one > for their damage to humans.To grow an onion in the huge marshes north > of Toronto, you start by depositing a chemical foot-rot inhibitor in > the trench. Then you proceed chemical by chemical with daily and weekly > manmade crop showers-- a variety and visual spectacle visible from the > highway, featuring soaked- in chemicals selected by the "experts" who > chuck out one "bad" chemical each year or so, and replace it with three > others to protect our health, or the image of our elected folks, > depending how one thinks, (if one thinks at all). > > Every Canadian family in the growth areas, has a relative or friend > that has died or is dying of cancer. Healthy Economic Progress....... > Big money influence, from the meat and produce in final form, back to > the genetically altered seeds that produced them, be they flesh or be > they plant. The cancer epidemic is downplayed as if it is as old as > salt, with a date in the future where it will no longer exist. The > food-chain poisoning goes on. Producers produce the flawed products, > consumers buy them and consume them, and the government collects the > taxes thereon at every bend in the road, from initial sales taxes on > input items of the grower, to every piece of his equipment, land and > buildings, through a similar process with the wholesalers and retailers > and consumers. It doesn't have to be this way, but this is the route of > shortcuts to profit and tax, desired by all the provider groups. The > consumer's only flaw is trust....blind stupid trust. > > > Orkney;s opportunity sprouts from the fact that all the pressures of > growth and population expansion have escaped those wonderful islands > for the most part. Aside from the threat of an oil spill as occurred in > Spain and Alaska, there is no real imminent threat save as to normal > localized "living" issues such a sewage, farming and water and air. > Wind generated power seems a logical Orkney option. Bans on unfriendly > packaging would be easy to control on islands. Farming practices could > be more organic than perhaps they are. Sewage disposal could demand at > the source, low flow toilets, showers and other plumbing fixtures by > simple enforceable by-laws. > > In fact, Orkney could be the world example of effective intelligent > environmental leadership and control, and good healthy living. All the > other history and features notwithstanding, the title of world leader > in environmental respect and with evidence of a compatible relationship > with Mother Nature, would be the tourist attraction of this century. > > In reading this site and all the discussions from everywhere, it seems > fascinating that the overlying impression of Orkney after words like > friendly, quaint and fun, is that the Orkney environment is pristine, > and that alone is unique. Nature abounds and overwhelms. > > I wonder if the safeguards are in place to protect that value, if the > appreciation level is there to insure it, and the political priority is > strong enough in Scotland where the politicians are, to make just > environmental rulings on a place where so few voters live. Who would > come first in the face of another oil discovery near those islands? > > Sorry folks, but where things like trees and the environment pop up, I > often react. The Orkney National Dump I discovered near our ancient > family Orkney farm recently, scares the hell out of me. Makes me wonder > if it will be ever relocated, and what irreversible damage and > pollution is buried alongside our long held farm, an assault to > fundamental integrity. > > Why don't they take their garbage to a good planned engineered facility > on some little island where nobody lives, and where proper technology > can be applied on a long term basis. Look on a map people . Kirkwall > throws it's trash over their shoulder in the back yard alongside some > of the oldest architectural ruins in the world! Nice. Thanks. > > Therefore I hope and pray that the operators of that rude facility, > follow the best rules available, monitoring everything they do, and > making improvements as a priority wherever they can. > > I have a beautiful painting of the old farm, which I shall cherish > forever. Now I feel I should have a painting of the Kirkwall dump, just > to keep things in clear perspective. > > Hum Bug you say? > > Stephen > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com > >

KJEMEM@aol.com wrote: > Thank you Mike, Bruce, & Fiona. > > Yes, it was certainly Octopush. They were discussing the trip to New > Zealand. I thought they were saying "Aqua" something. I frequently have > that problem with new words. That's why the radio program is so good to > practice listening to the Orkney dialiect/accent...whatever, that's > another whole discussion. I won't tell you what I thought they kept > saying when I first heard a story > on "birdwatching"--but I'm glad I figured it out before I asked a really > silly question. > > I had found a description of net ball as a form of women's basketball > differing quite a bit from men's rules. I wasn't sure if that was it, as > I thought I heard them say that some of the girls also played > basketball... Maybe they do > both. > > The other mystery of the world I've been trying to solve today, is why is > it 24º F, which I think is about -5ºC, at 10:30am in Memphis, while at > 10:30 > this morning in Kirkwall it was said to be 43ºF/6ºC???? > > Stay warm all, wherever you are. > > Karen > > > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to orcadia-l-request@rootsweb.com For that phenomenon we are all grateful to the North Atlantic Drift, a branch of the Gulf Stream that brings warm water all the way from the Caribbean to the north of Norway, keeping our winters comparatively mild and our coasts free of ice. It is worthwhile reminding ourselves that Orkney is on the same latitude as the north of Labrador, and Shetland some 60 miles further north is on the same latitude as the southern tip of Greenland but our weather is entirely different, and it is all due to the warm currents coming up from the Caribbean. -- Mike Clouston