Photo Fest - School Trip to Mousa

We went to the island of Mousa on our school trip. Mousa is now uninhabited but contains the world's best preserved pictish broch and some great wildlife. We went with a guide from the field studies trust and had a great time exploring - including climbing the internal staircase to the top of the 42' broch.

We weren't the only ones interested in the wildlife!

Forget-me-nots

Got a likin' for lichen!

Young Arctic Skua (Shetland name Scootie Alan)

Pair of Arctic Skuas


The following photos were taken on the island of Bressay at the weekend.

The island of Noss, a nature reserve only inhabited by nature wardens in the summer.


The old coastguard watch tower - and the site of a geocache!

Friday on the beach

There's a time and a place for everything - and a Friday afternoon seems a good time to be in place on the beach. OK it wasn't the warmest of winds, but I was being paid to be there supervising 2 children who were playing well together!

My kids are jet setting at the moment - I had a phone call yesterday morning at 7.30 from Craig who was just about to set out for a day at EuroDisney - he seemed surprised I was still in bed, wait until next week when he's in bed on Saturday morning! Kirsty is in Portugal with the family she is working for, 1 week down and another week and a half to go.

cakes and baskets

Last night I finished the baking for the Comic Relief cake sale, orange muffins for a child who doesn't like bananas, chocolate, raspberries, cranberries, apple - but likes oranges. Today she said she doesn't like cake! I may force feed her! Also baked were chocolate cookies with red Skittles for 'noses' and summer fruit muffins to go with the fruit cake baked at the weekend.

Tonight I am putting stuff together for a workshop I am doing this weekend. I am attending a coiled basket making workshop, 9-5 on Saturday and Sunday. I have willow soaking thinking I may make basket bases with it, seagrass from school, larch with cones from a friend and part of the course is a garden raid tomorrow night from 5-6. No doubt photos will follow!

End of term

Finally reached the end of term, been a long time coming! I feel a couple of days hibernation coming on. Done the food shopping on the way home as we have no boats (therefore no stock for shops) coming in for at least 2 days due to the windy weather forecast.

The beanstalk worked and the school panto went well, 14 kids can put on a great show! Got a photo of the beanstalk to post when I get it off my camera.

The show raised money for Kiva and the school fund. Pupils spent a lot of time doing research and then choosing the people they wanted to lend money to and 8 people will get loans from their efforts. They are logging onto the site in their own time already to see what progress is being made for their choice's fundraising. Hopefully this will be the start of a long term project as they can relend the money as it is repaid to the account.

Christmas feels under control - got to be something I've forgotten! Cards were written and then sat for 3 days before we remembered to post them! Parcels have been sent and received. Tree is up and presents under it. I must start putting the cards up tomorrow before the pile topples over!