‘The hens made a bid for freedom , there’s one on the field and two on the west wall down by the new shed’
This was the text I received from Orkney Beef earlier today. How I wish I could’ve been there to witness the comical scenes of him running around a field trying to catch a chicken that had free ranged a little too far and didn’t want to be caught. After much flapping about (from him) he caught the little madam and passed it over the wall to teenage son who had his first ever experience of carrying a chicken across the garden, arms outstretched, with it clucking and moving it’s head back and fore which he managed to reproduce in an hysterical impersonation. Orkney Beef then carried the remaining two escapees, one under each arm back to the hen house where they were locked in for the night and will be given a stern look and severe talking to tomorrow morning by me.
Last night we had a rare treat to the Northern Lights. I didn’t get a full viewing but my friend Alison Moore who lives a couple of miles away took this photo and kindly gave me permission to use it. The Northern Lights also known by their Sunday name Aurora Borealis, are visible in Orkney on a clear and cold night and where I live there is very little light pollution so if you stand outside and look north you can sometimes get a sight of them. I’ve been known to drive around chasing them before now and once they were so dramatic and stunning I ended up pulling the car over to stop and look up (making me late for a parents evening but worth the walk of shame)
There is so much natural beauty in Orkney that it’s hard to contrast it with the harshness and cruelty of life. I have heard of the sudden loss of a few people recently and of a colleague who spent last night trying to save a baby lamb who sadly died. She was moved to tears and thought it seemed like nothing in to comparison to other news but from a lamb who lives a few hours to human who lives many years, I’m reminded that life is beautiful and we must treasure every breath we are given.
Norq From Ork 