Bah humbug, the festive season looms once more, another year of coloured lights bulbs hung on wires from the Head of the Pier to the end of Victoria Street. I keep hoping that one year the OIC will use a bit more imagination when it comes decorating the town. Perhaps a visit to Finstown would give the council a bit of an idea what can be archived. I remember many moons ago visiting Glasgow as a child and being mesmerised by the dazzling display of Xmas lights. Admittedly Kirkwall is no Glasgow but for a few thousand pounds investment a better display could be made. Still I suppose I should not grumble to much and be thankful for the multi million pound new pier out at Hatston!!!!! Down south many towns decorate the trees with lights, but then again we are led to believe that trees can't grow in Orkney, perhaps the main reason for trees not growing is that they need someone to plant them in the first place! It's said that conifers don't grow because our winters are to wet, so I suppose the conifers that are growing down the Redland Road in Finstown and at other localities around Orkney must be a mirage. The climate and conditions in Orkney are said to be similar to that of the South Island of New Zealand, in fact some of Orkney's widely planted shrubs are New Zealand natives and thrive very well. Farmers south divide many of their field with mixed native trees/shrubs, not only does this provide shelter for crops and farm animals it's a haven for wildlife. If Orkney farmers were to use a small percentage of the thousands of pound handouts from the goverment and spend it on planting mixed hedging then the Orkney landscape could be made to look more attractive not to mention the effect it would have on reducing the wind speed. Take care. Grumpy

Dear Grumpy, What a very nice note you sent...... Your note describes you to a tee. <grin> Who are you? <g> Pat ----- Original Message ----- From: "Grumpy" <grumpy_in_orkney@btinternet.com> To: <ORCADIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 8:02 PM Subject: [<orcadia>] seasons greetings! > Bah humbug, the festive season looms once more, another year of coloured > lights bulbs hung on wires from the Head of the Pier to the end of Victoria > Street. I keep hoping that one year the OIC will use a bit more imagination > when it comes decorating the town. Perhaps a visit to Finstown would give > the council a bit of an idea what can be archived. I remember many moons ago > visiting Glasgow as a child and being mesmerised by the dazzling display of > Xmas lights. Admittedly Kirkwall is no Glasgow but for a few thousand pounds > investment a better display could be made. Still I suppose I should not > grumble to much and be thankful for the multi million pound new pier out at > Hatston!!!!! > > Down south many towns decorate the trees with lights, but then again we are > led to believe that trees can't grow in Orkney, perhaps the main reason for > trees not growing is that they need someone to plant them in the first > place! It's said that conifers don't grow because our winters are to wet, so > I suppose the conifers that are growing down the Redland Road in Finstown > and at other localities around Orkney must be a mirage. The climate and > conditions in Orkney are said to be similar to that of the South Island of > New Zealand, in fact some of Orkney's widely planted shrubs are New Zealand > natives and thrive very well. > > Farmers south divide many of their field with mixed native trees/shrubs, not > only does this provide shelter for crops and farm animals it's a haven for > wildlife. If Orkney farmers were to use a small percentage of the thousands > of pound handouts from the goverment and spend it on planting mixed hedging > then the Orkney landscape could be made to look more attractive not to > mention the effect it would have on reducing the wind speed. > > Take care. > > Grumpy > > > ==== 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 > > >

Great Stuff! On Thursday, November 20, 2003, at 08:02 PM, Grumpy wrote: > Bah humbug, the festive season looms once more, another year of > coloured > lights bulbs hung on wires from the Head of the Pier to the end of > Victoria > Street. I keep hoping that one year the OIC will use a bit more > imagination > when it comes decorating the town. Perhaps a visit to Finstown would > give > the council a bit of an idea what can be archived. I remember many > moons ago > visiting Glasgow as a child and being mesmerised by the dazzling > display of > Xmas lights. Admittedly Kirkwall is no Glasgow but for a few thousand > pounds > investment a better display could be made. Still I suppose I should not > grumble to much and be thankful for the multi million pound new pier > out at > Hatston!!!!! > > Down south many towns decorate the trees with lights, but then again > we are > led to believe that trees can't grow in Orkney, perhaps the main > reason for > trees not growing is that they need someone to plant them in the first > place! It's said that conifers don't grow because our winters are to > wet, so > I suppose the conifers that are growing down the Redland Road in > Finstown > and at other localities around Orkney must be a mirage. The climate and > conditions in Orkney are said to be similar to that of the South > Island of > New Zealand, in fact some of Orkney's widely planted shrubs are New > Zealand > natives and thrive very well. > > Farmers south divide many of their field with mixed native > trees/shrubs, not > only does this provide shelter for crops and farm animals it's a haven > for > wildlife. If Orkney farmers were to use a small percentage of the > thousands > of pound handouts from the goverment and spend it on planting mixed > hedging > then the Orkney landscape could be made to look more attractive not to > mention the effect it would have on reducing the wind speed. > > Take care. > > Grumpy > > > ==== 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 >

>>>If Orkney farmers were to use a small percentage of the thousands of pound handouts from the goverment and spend it on planting mixed hedging then the Orkney landscape could be made to look more attractive ... OK, I agree ... but, please, add some handmade candle lights at Xmas time ... just to become unique again! :-) Wolfgang (from Hamburg ... an a bit confused: Spottet colored eggs in a shop, yesterday!)