Well we were beginning to feel quite ‘Spring like’ until the weather turned mid week?!..
Wildlife News
Back in March the Sky Larks began their joyous spring songs, the Curlew started their spring flight & bubblings, Lapwings their calls which always remind me of an out of tune radio! We have had many still days & our resident Blackbirds heartily sing out at the start & end of our days. Of course the days are now longer & we can enjoy evening walks across the fields & down to the beach with Selkie. You really start to feel the anticipation of the joys to come..the sun sets at this time of year over the sea which we can see from our small hall window. We enjoy the lovely orange & red glows through that window which are always a warming sight. We saw our first bumble bees a few weeks ago busying themselves around the flowers in the garden. I enjoyed the first sighting of a Wheatear going about its business on Birsay beach 2 weeks ago. I felt quite excited to see this summer visitor again. Throughout the summer they flit about the road side leading up to our house, almost like a welcoming party!! Not unlike the birds do in a Disney fairy tale cartoon! The hares are more obvious now & are enjoying the warm sunshine (when its out!) & we see them sprinting across the fields. Roger had a good sighting recently & managed to take a photo of the hare through our kitchen window. It was having a good old wash! An Otter was spotted in a neighbours garden down at Northside whilst she was talking to me on the phone! Wow, what an amazing sight she had as it ran through her garden into a neighbours shed!
The Fulmars are cackling on the rocks as they start to take up residence. Just need to keep an eye out for our first Puffins now & Great Skuas..I wonder what Cetaceans we might see this year?…
Craiglands
When we got back from our holiday I started chitting our tatties. Always a sure sign that spring is around the corner! They are well on their way now & I suppose it won’t be long until they can go out, weather permitting..I’m trying Rocket & Cara this year. I’ve decided not to do main crop now as I don’t get time to weed them in the back field throughout our busy season. I sowed my favourite next ,the dwarf broad bean. I used not to like these beans but I think it was because they were the larger bean & always quite leathery. However, my friend Fiona introduced me to these little beauties a few years ago & they are so tender & sweet. They crop so well we are still eating last years store from the freezer! Plus last year they won 1st prize at the Dounby show I’ll have you know!! However, we do have a friend who thinks they are evil vegetables & can’t understand how we could eat them let alone grow this ‘devils food’. I’ve now sown all veg in the house that I had to - to give them a head start ie cucumbers, courgettes, broccoli, cabbage, leek. For the first time sugar snaps & butter nut squash. It is always exciting to try a new vegetable each year..fingers crossed for a good growing season again.
As much as I love the birds up here I do get annoyed when the sparrows enjoy any tender flowers in pots ie violas..all I’m trying to do is make it look pretty around the house & the gallery, is that too much to ask? All the flower heads I noticed this morning that I enjoyed putting out in a trough by the front door, have been well & truly chomped!! aaggrr..Oh the joys of gardening!
I enjoyed the wee tour I did last November with Fiona & Graham promoting both our albums. It was so lovely because at each gig there was at least one Fluke Jewellery customer. Thanks to you all for coming along! My album has been received well & I have put some of the reviews on my website so take a look if you are interested at www.jophilby.co.uk Only a month to go until our Folk Festival at the end of May which is fantastic. See www.orkneyfolkfestival.com for more information.
Fluke News
The gallery has undergone its spring clean & is all set for the season ahead. There are several new pieces of jewellery that have been added to our collections including small fluke earrings, Sperm whale necklace, new ‘groatie buckie’ bracelets & rings that will appear on our website shortly. We will keep you posted about these when they are available online. Roger is working on several commissions at the moment & is also designing & making new wall sculptures. We are also in the process of updating information on our website, busy, busy..
Orkney has certainly begun to come to life again & the farmers are out ‘plooing’ the fields & preparing for the season ahead. It won’t be long now until the cows are returned to the lush fields of our beautiful island. Over Easter it has been good to see visitors to the gallery again & as always some returning friendly faces. We look forward to seeing some of you again this year so please come past & say hello.
Until next time enjoy the spring..
Jo & Roger
