There are at least two cockerels and several hens who run "free range" in the village. One of the cockerels has taken a fancy to our garden and Maureen's vegetable patch (more of which later) and has had be "shooed" out on several occasions, usually extremely early in the morning. He virtually ignores waving arms, shouts, clapping hands, etc. and only moves just before we lay hands upon him. However, Maureen discovered that he was petrified of the old-fashioned mop when she flourished at him the other day. It was almost a scene from a silent film - Maureen flourishing the mop and the cockerel fleeing in terror around the hedge only to come face to face with next-door's cat, Socks, who had come around to do a bit of quiet bird-stalking. Both cat and cockerel leapt in fright and disappeared in opposite directions whilst Rocky the ram popped his head over the wall to see what on earth it was that was disturbing his nap. A few days later I heard the cockerel calling in the yard just as dawn was breaking. I put on my dressing gown, went to the back door, flung it open and was waving the mop at the cockerel when an extremely startled black cat shot out of the coal-shed where she had been up to no good, rooting through our plastic rubbish bags; my fault for not closing the coal shed door the previous evening. I have received several requests for an update on Rocky, the ram who keeps our next door neighbour's lawn neatly trimmed. Rocky seems to be OK and enjoys the titbits that we give him, especially tortillas if we have been eating exotically. However, he steadfastly refuses to touch Maureen's Yorkshire Pudding - such an appalling lack of taste - and he simply ignores pitta bread whether garlic flavoured or plain. I have not heard from his previous owners who were supposed to be arranging to collect him when they found a suitable piece of land near their new home. My last Saga on 05 June mentioned a hen sitting on a clutch of eggs atop a full pallet of bags of compost in a shed at the rear of one of the shops. I am pleased to report that the hen eventually hatched five chicks and the whole family have now been safely moved so that the store owner can gain access to his remaining pallet of bagged compost. The farmers on Stronsay have been even busier than usual during recent weeks. As it is now broad daylight by 04:00 yet still light enough to work outside at 23:00 they are taking advantage of the long hours of daylight to cut silage from the lush pasture grass. Calves and lambs can be heard calling at all hours of the day and the number of birds who dine in our back garden has increased dramatically. Maureen has a small vegetable garden in some large plastic buckets. So far the potatoes, cabbages, cauliflower and broad beans appear to be thriving providing that the birds, the cats and that d****d cockerel leave them alone. I've been ambitiously converting a lawn into a vegetable patch, it's hard work but I might just have it dug over in time for the winter weather to break up the turves. Stronsay Gala was held on the afternoon of Sat 12 Jun. It was held on and around the freshly trimmed and decorated football field on the edge of which three marquees swayed in the stiff breeze whilst the burger van emitted mouth-watering fumes all afternoon. Fortunately the weather was moderately clear and the rain held off for most of the day. I counted over 50 cars in the field and I estimated that there were about 70 people present at any one time. Half a dozen vintage cars were on display, their bodywork gleaming, whilst folk gazed at and the older folk reminisced over some lovingly restored 60 year old petrol and diesel engines that chugged away in a corner of the field for most of the afternoon. The craft display marquee was shared with the members of the pipe band from Kirkwall who led the parade around the field at the start of the event and provided musical entertainment for the rest of the day. A very crowded sales marquee housed tombola, face-painting, plant stalls, raffle etc. The beer tent opened for business as soon as the floats had been judged. The parade consisted of a few fancy dress costumes and just four floats which contained between them an alien invasion, a corner shop, a pirate galleon (complete with cannon and mainsail) and a representation of the dance routines from "Grease". It is amazing what changes can be wrought to two silage trailers and two flatbed trailers when skilled, enthusiastic hands get to work. There is no public address system so I never did find out when the judging took place or who won but the children (and the adults) all seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. I'm still playing the keyboard for the small RC church that is housed in a converted warehouse just opposite the Harbour Office in Whitehall village and run by the monks from Papa Stronsay. The exterior of the church belies the interior of the church which is dry, warm and, thanks to corrugated plastic inserts in the roof and several fluorescent lamps, very well lit The walls are plain, emulsioned plaster and there are three rows of six chairs with an aisle down the centre facing a traditional RC altar with a life-size figure of the Virgin Mary to the left. At the back of the church is the entrance and a single row of stacking chairs with some spare chairs. The keyboard is located just inside the entrance doorway so I can see what is going on (even if I don't fully understand a lot of it). A lot of the music is unfamiliar to me but I like it, especially the unaccompanied Gregorian chant, and have begun reading up on the history of the Mass. My musical journey over the last 50 years has now ranged from Primitive Methodism to the Tridentine Mass via the Kirk and Anglo-Catholicism! Bruce Fletcher Stronsay, Orkney http://uk.geocities.com/ricardian@btinternet.com/

These are such wonderful stories. Thank you for sharing them with us. Isabella Bruce Fletcher (Stronsay) wrote: >There are at least two cockerels and several hens who run "free range" in >the village. One of the cockerels has taken a fancy to our garden and >Maureen's vegetable patch (more of which later) and has had be "shooed" out >on several occasions, usually extremely early in the morning. He virtually >ignores waving arms, shouts, clapping hands, etc. and only moves just before >we lay hands upon him. However, Maureen discovered that he was petrified of >the old-fashioned mop when she flourished at him the other day. It was >almost a scene from a silent film - Maureen flourishing the mop and the >cockerel fleeing in terror around the hedge only to come face to face with >next-door's cat, Socks, who had come around to do a bit of quiet >bird-stalking. Both cat and cockerel leapt in fright and disappeared in >opposite directions whilst Rocky the ram popped his head over the wall to >see what on earth it was that was disturbing his nap. A few days later I >heard the cockerel calling in the yard just as dawn was breaking. I put on >my dressing gown, went to the back door, flung it open and was waving the >mop at the cockerel when an extremely startled black cat shot out of the >coal-shed where she had been up to no good, rooting through our plastic >rubbish bags; my fault for not closing the coal shed door the previous >evening. >I have received several requests for an update on Rocky, the ram who keeps >our next door neighbour's lawn neatly trimmed. Rocky seems to be OK and >enjoys the titbits that we give him, especially tortillas if we have been >eating exotically. However, he steadfastly refuses to touch Maureen's >Yorkshire Pudding - such an appalling lack of taste - and he simply ignores >pitta bread whether garlic flavoured or plain. I have not heard from his >previous owners who were supposed to be arranging to collect him when they >found a suitable piece of land near their new home. > >My last Saga on 05 June mentioned a hen sitting on a clutch of eggs atop a >full pallet of bags of compost in a shed at the rear of one of the shops. I >am pleased to report that the hen eventually hatched five chicks and the >whole family have now been safely moved so that the store owner can gain >access to his remaining pallet of bagged compost. > >The farmers on Stronsay have been even busier than usual during recent >weeks. As it is now broad daylight by 04:00 yet still light enough to work >outside at 23:00 they are taking advantage of the long hours of daylight to >cut silage from the lush pasture grass. Calves and lambs can be heard >calling at all hours of the day and the number of birds who dine in our back >garden has increased dramatically. Maureen has a small vegetable garden in >some large plastic buckets. So far the potatoes, cabbages, cauliflower and >broad beans appear to be thriving providing that the birds, the cats and >that d****d cockerel leave them alone. I've been ambitiously converting a >lawn into a vegetable patch, it's hard work but I might just have it dug >over in time for the winter weather to break up the turves. > >Stronsay Gala was held on the afternoon of Sat 12 Jun. It was held on and >around the freshly trimmed and decorated football field on the edge of which >three marquees swayed in the stiff breeze whilst the burger van emitted >mouth-watering fumes all afternoon. Fortunately the weather was moderately >clear and the rain held off for most of the day. I counted over 50 cars in >the field and I estimated that there were about 70 people present at any one >time. Half a dozen vintage cars were on display, their bodywork gleaming, >whilst folk gazed at and the older folk reminisced over some lovingly >restored 60 year old petrol and diesel engines that chugged away in a corner >of the field for most of the afternoon. The craft display marquee was shared >with the members of the pipe band from Kirkwall who led the parade around >the field at the start of the event and provided musical entertainment for >the rest of the day. A very crowded sales marquee housed tombola, >face-painting, plant stalls, raffle etc. The beer tent opened for business >as soon as the floats had been judged. The parade consisted of a few fancy >dress costumes and just four floats which contained between them an alien >invasion, a corner shop, a pirate galleon (complete with cannon and >mainsail) and a representation of the dance routines from "Grease". It is >amazing what changes can be wrought to two silage trailers and two flatbed >trailers when skilled, enthusiastic hands get to work. There is no public >address system so I never did find out when the judging took place or who >won but the children (and the adults) all seemed to be thoroughly enjoying >themselves. > >I'm still playing the keyboard for the small RC church that is housed in a >converted warehouse just opposite the Harbour Office in Whitehall village >and run by the monks from Papa Stronsay. The exterior of the church belies >the interior of the church which is dry, warm and, thanks to corrugated >plastic inserts in the roof and several fluorescent lamps, very well lit The >walls are plain, emulsioned plaster and there are three rows of six chairs >with an aisle down the centre facing a traditional RC altar with a life-size >figure of the Virgin Mary to the left. At the back of the church is the >entrance and a single row of stacking chairs with some spare chairs. The >keyboard is located just inside the entrance doorway so I can see what is >going on (even if I don't fully understand a lot of it). A lot of the music >is unfamiliar to me but I like it, especially the unaccompanied Gregorian >chant, and have begun reading up on the history of the Mass. My musical >journey over the last 50 years has now ranged from Primitive Methodism to >the Tridentine Mass via the Kirk and Anglo-Catholicism! > >Bruce Fletcher >Stronsay, Orkney >http://uk.geocities.com/ricardian@btinternet.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 > > > >

Bruce, thank you very much for your descriptive submission. Ever think of operating a B and B for the summer at least? Cheers!///// Stepehn On Tuesday, June 15, 2004, at 01:33 PM, Bruce Fletcher ((Stronsay)) wrote: > There are at least two cockerels and several hens who run "free range" > in > the village. One of the cockerels has taken a fancy to our garden and > Maureen's vegetable patch (more of which later) and has had be > "shooed" out > on several occasions, usually extremely early in the morning. He > virtually > ignores waving arms, shouts, clapping hands, etc. and only moves just > before > we lay hands upon him. However, Maureen discovered that he was > petrified of > the old-fashioned mop when she flourished at him the other day. It was > almost a scene from a silent film - Maureen flourishing the mop and the > cockerel fleeing in terror around the hedge only to come face to face > with > next-door's cat, Socks, who had come around to do a bit of quiet > bird-stalking. Both cat and cockerel leapt in fright and disappeared in > opposite directions whilst Rocky the ram popped his head over the wall > to > see what on earth it was that was disturbing his nap. A few days later > I > heard the cockerel calling in the yard just as dawn was breaking. I > put on > my dressing gown, went to the back door, flung it open and was waving > the > mop at the cockerel when an extremely startled black cat shot out of > the > coal-shed where she had been up to no good, rooting through our plastic > rubbish bags; my fault for not closing the coal shed door the previous > evening. > I have received several requests for an update on Rocky, the ram who > keeps > our next door neighbour's lawn neatly trimmed. Rocky seems to be OK and > enjoys the titbits that we give him, especially tortillas if we have > been > eating exotically. However, he steadfastly refuses to touch Maureen's > Yorkshire Pudding - such an appalling lack of taste - and he simply > ignores > pitta bread whether garlic flavoured or plain. I have not heard from > his > previous owners who were supposed to be arranging to collect him when > they > found a suitable piece of land near their new home. > > My last Saga on 05 June mentioned a hen sitting on a clutch of eggs > atop a > full pallet of bags of compost in a shed at the rear of one of the > shops. I > am pleased to report that the hen eventually hatched five chicks and > the > whole family have now been safely moved so that the store owner can > gain > access to his remaining pallet of bagged compost. > > The farmers on Stronsay have been even busier than usual during recent > weeks. As it is now broad daylight by 04:00 yet still light enough to > work > outside at 23:00 they are taking advantage of the long hours of > daylight to > cut silage from the lush pasture grass. Calves and lambs can be heard > calling at all hours of the day and the number of birds who dine in > our back > garden has increased dramatically. Maureen has a small vegetable > garden in > some large plastic buckets. So far the potatoes, cabbages, cauliflower > and > broad beans appear to be thriving providing that the birds, the cats > and > that d****d cockerel leave them alone. I've been ambitiously > converting a > lawn into a vegetable patch, it's hard work but I might just have it > dug > over in time for the winter weather to break up the turves. > > Stronsay Gala was held on the afternoon of Sat 12 Jun. It was held on > and > around the freshly trimmed and decorated football field on the edge of > which > three marquees swayed in the stiff breeze whilst the burger van emitted > mouth-watering fumes all afternoon. Fortunately the weather was > moderately > clear and the rain held off for most of the day. I counted over 50 > cars in > the field and I estimated that there were about 70 people present at > any one > time. Half a dozen vintage cars were on display, their bodywork > gleaming, > whilst folk gazed at and the older folk reminisced over some lovingly > restored 60 year old petrol and diesel engines that chugged away in a > corner > of the field for most of the afternoon. The craft display marquee was > shared > with the members of the pipe band from Kirkwall who led the parade > around > the field at the start of the event and provided musical entertainment > for > the rest of the day. A very crowded sales marquee housed tombola, > face-painting, plant stalls, raffle etc. The beer tent opened for > business > as soon as the floats had been judged. The parade consisted of a few > fancy > dress costumes and just four floats which contained between them an > alien > invasion, a corner shop, a pirate galleon (complete with cannon and > mainsail) and a representation of the dance routines from "Grease". It > is > amazing what changes can be wrought to two silage trailers and two > flatbed > trailers when skilled, enthusiastic hands get to work. There is no > public > address system so I never did find out when the judging took place or > who > won but the children (and the adults) all seemed to be thoroughly > enjoying > themselves. > > I'm still playing the keyboard for the small RC church that is housed > in a > converted warehouse just opposite the Harbour Office in Whitehall > village > and run by the monks from Papa Stronsay. The exterior of the church > belies > the interior of the church which is dry, warm and, thanks to corrugated > plastic inserts in the roof and several fluorescent lamps, very well > lit The > walls are plain, emulsioned plaster and there are three rows of six > chairs > with an aisle down the centre facing a traditional RC altar with a > life-size > figure of the Virgin Mary to the left. At the back of the church is the > entrance and a single row of stacking chairs with some spare chairs. > The > keyboard is located just inside the entrance doorway so I can see what > is > going on (even if I don't fully understand a lot of it). A lot of the > music > is unfamiliar to me but I like it, especially the unaccompanied > Gregorian > chant, and have begun reading up on the history of the Mass. My musical > journey over the last 50 years has now ranged from Primitive Methodism > to > the Tridentine Mass via the Kirk and Anglo-Catholicism! > > Bruce Fletcher > Stronsay, Orkney > http://uk.geocities.com/ricardian@btinternet.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 >