Thanks, Sian. And, yes, like Charlie, i love to hear anything about life in orkney, Graemsay, Stronsay...present or past... Fiona (York UK - but in Orkney mid July, lucky me!) Still cool and cloudy here in York.. >From: "Charlie Petersen" <charliep@olypen.com> >Reply-To: ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com >To: ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Fletcher saga 01 July 2004 >Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2004 19:32:13 -0700 > >Hi Sian - What's the temperature at midday, and what time is it getting >dark >now? Here in Washington state, it gets dark about 2200+. We've been in the >low to mid 70s F- About 20 C, I think - a bit hot for me, the flowers need >water every day. I long for Orkney, since my first trip there in April was >entirely too short. I'd love to hear about life on Graemsay - off list is >fine. >Charlie Petersen >from Port Townsend, Washington > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "SIAN.THOMAS" <Sian.Thomas@btinternet.com> >To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 3:19 PM >Subject: RE: [<orcadia>] Fletcher saga 01 July 2004 > > > > Fiona, that's right there are no foxes in Orkney so we can let our hens >run > > free! And yes ducks are appalling parents - it's amazing the species > > survives. Although shelducks are better - often on the shore in the >shallow > > water you will see a couple of shelducks overseeing a large brood. > > Seemingly one or two females act as "child minders"while the other >parents > > are off feeding. Enjoy your visit in July. Summer finally seems to >have > > arrived today! > > > > Sian > > Graemsay _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself with cool new emoticons http://www.msn.co.uk/specials/myemo

Well Fiona & Charlie, you did ask..... Graemsay is one of the smaller of the Orkney islands and is about 1.5 x two miles in size. Currently there are 23 inhabitants living in 10 houses, but in it's "heyday" in the 1800's I believe the census shows nearly 200 folk living here. It must have been a bit overcrowded then!! I moved here from London 4 years ago, and part of the attraction of the island is that it is only a short ferry trip to Stromness on the Orkney Mainland. So we have the benefits of peace, quiet and remoteness but are only a short hop across to "Metropolis". Our summer ferry schedule allows us to visit the town just for a couple of hours or the whole day if we wish. Winter is less frequent, and some weekends we have no ferry at all, which I absolutely adore. There is nothing better than feeling cocooned on my wee island in the depths of winter! Although our ferry is ro-ro, our pier is not, so only passengers can travel, with everything else being winched on or off on the thrice-weekly cargo runs, that includes livestock, cars, oil for the heating system, diesel etc. "Arthur's Tractor" made the headlines in The Orcadian recently as it was too heavy to be lifted on and off our ferry so there was something of a kafuffle with alternative arrangements finally being made. We have no shop on the island, but almost all the shops in Stromness will deliver goods to the boat to be dropped off at our pier. I'm extremely fortunate living on the road to the pier so in the depths of winter gales neighbouring farmers will drop off supplies from the pier saving me having to venture forth for days! At this time of year I love the long days - daylight seems eternal. Sunrise is about 4am and sunset about 10.30pm at this time of year. But it doesn't really get dark in the bits between. I've walked back from a party at 2am and not needed a torch, which contrasts with Winter where at 4pm if I step away from the glow of the house lights I'm plunged into total blackness. Temperatures - well 70 is a heatwave here. As I live near the shore there is generally a light breeze too. Summer has possibly just arrived with temps in the high 60s but weather is very variable (be warned Fiona, back for changeable weather and bring gloves!!). Most folk on Graemsay work farms or crofts, with a couple of us working from home, and the rest being retired. There is one large farm on the island, two smaller farms and a couple of small crofts. Graemsay doesn't get many toursists as we don't have any "ancient monuments", but we often get school groups visiting, as well as some of the Clubs & Societies in Orkney who like walking around our small island admiring the wild flowers, birds and scenery. Depending where you are on Graemsay you can look toward Stromness, on a clear day see the wind turbines in Birsay, shadow-plays on the hills of Orphir, down the flow to Cava & Flotta, the Flotta Flare a year round beacon, or towards Ward Hill on Hoy. The scenery ever changing with the light, and you can watch the weather sweep in from the Atlantic, although we do benefit from some shelter from the Hoy Hills. Our house is one of only two two-storey houses on the island, the other being The Manse. This house was built in about 1860 and was the main farmhouse on the island. It was originally two houses, like a modern maisonette with an external staircase, very unusual for a rural location but we have no idea who designed it or why. It was built for two brothers, tenant farmers on the Sandside estate, Samuel & Alexander Sutherland, their wives and a host of children. At one time about 18 people lived in this house, and no it's NOT that big! I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like living with so many folk! When we bought the house we also bought the field behind it so that we could be assured of an uninterrupted view across to Stromness. We even have our very own beach and feel privileged when the seals choose to come and bask on "our" rocks. The field we rent out to a neighbouring farmer, thereby evading responsibility for livestock but getting the pleasure of watching the young calves and lambs enjoying the sunshine (because of course it's always sunny on Graemsay...). I do have a few hens, they will jump up onto the windowsill and rap on the window if I'm tardy with their feast of scraps, thereby terrifying Fitzi-cat, another refugee from London, but perhaps not so well adapted to life on Graemsay. I've some photos of Graemsay on my website if you'd like to take a look: www.graemsay.com Hope I've not bored you with my ramble. Feel free to ask questions - I love talking about the island and Orkney, just don't want to bore everyone to death. Sian Graemsay