Barebraes

For some time now the Shapinsay Play Park has been wanting of some TLC.

I am involved in the Development Trust and we were asked a while ago to help raise funds for the refurbishment of the Park. Shapinsay had a series of  events to raise money for this project and some of you may remember this?

Well that fund raising  managed to put  over £5000 towards the project and then the Trust managed to raise the remaining money to buy new equipment and a new wetpour surface .

On Sunday we had an Opening  Celebration and here are some of the results

Well I said I would blog more and have found the time to sit and catch up on all the recent activities around Shapinsay and Barebraes.

As for everyone the clocks have changed giving us lighter evenings and the onset of Spring has brought out the little yellow heads of the swaying daffodils. This in itself should make us feel like getting out in the garden to see what is lurking under the weeds and grass. Whether you are a gardener or not, and I sadly are of the not kind it must surely delight anyone to see the new season bringing in the changes.

Speaking of changes there are a few new things happening in Shapinsay which have caused a few ohhhs!! and ahhhs!!

Work has started on the pier ramp in Shapinay, but before this a temporary ramp had to be installed on the other side of the pier so that the boat could get in.  The car park is a nighmare with large lorries  going back and forth delivering large amounts of aggregate etc, diggers and a barge equipped with crane busily carry on work at low tide assembling the temporary ramp, there are some disruptions to the use of the ferry due to the tides but even though this is an inconvenience we can still get into Kirkwall without too much bother.

For some time we have been using the MV Thorsvoe whilst the MV Shapinsay has been  taken to the McDuff shipyard sliced in half and a new  midsection welded into place to make her a few metres longer. This was part of a Government donation and it even stretched to a nice yellow paint job for the interior of the deck. The Captains lookout has been increased to aid visibility and no doubt the engines have been overhauled. Its very nice to have her back but it wont be for long as she is off the Rousay whilst their boat is  given a refit too.

Roll on Summer

The landscape from the window of Barebraes is due to change over the next year. Work has started on the site for the Community WInd Turbine and this should be getting very  exciting. I have a grandstand view of the site and will be out with my camera as soon as the turbine arrives. So keep popping in here and see how the project progresses.

SInce coming to Orkney I have refound my love of drawing and thankfully we have a resident artist on the island who makes art fun. Pat Hazzledine http://www.shapinsay.biz/pat.htm has a very nice studio a stones throw from  Barebraes and when Im not too busy on the house I escape there to relax.

Over the past  few months  I havnt been able to get there due to the schedule of the building work but now things are getting easier I am able to  go back and  have a few hours R & R with like minded people. The group went to Stromness last week on a jaunt to  see the work at the Pier Arts Centre and also take in Tim Wooton and the other cultural experiences Stromness has to offer.  Not to mention the chance of Lunch and cake

I dont confess to being a great painter or  sketcher but I beleive if something gives you enjoyment then why not DO IT.

Without trying to blow my own trumpet  here are some of the things I have drawn and painted whilst in Orkney.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstarlet58/sets/72157604639354401/show/

try this one instead

http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstarlet58/sets/72157604639354401/

Well…….indeed……..!!!!!

Time passes and things change.  When I look back at how often I used to blog on the old IB and on here I wonder why I just dont have the time to keep up with  everything.

As you who know Mr B and  myself have invested 5 years of our life toiling to rebuild the house we call Barebraes.  We have knocked  down walls  taken off and replaced the roof laid flagstone floors, totally strapped insulated and lined walls, spent endless amounts of time and money on various peices of household equipment… baths, radiators etc.  Mr B has plumbed, electrified and built trusses, I have laid concrete floors built gable ends and rendered the  whole 23 metres of back facing wall.  Wat else is there to do ……… well we are on the final leg of the project and although it has taken a fair amount of sweat and money at least we can say it was all our own work

Our building warrants are up in August and we hope to have everything signed off by then so with any luck I can keep up with the site and re-aquiant myself with all the regulars again.

I look forward to  the  banter and the comments and will be leaving a few comments of my own as well.  So keep an eye open for further updates and news from on top of Ward Hill Shapinsay.

 Most of you in Orkney are probably having a great time at the County Show.  Beer tent, Prize Giving, Farm Machinery and lots of fun and excitement.  Those of you who are outwith Orkney will be wondering what you are missing. Well to help you understand what it is all about, I will try to capture the  flavour of the day from the Shapinsay Show.

This year was somewhat untried and tested ground. The Horticultural and Agricultural Show had not been held together on the same day for a very long time. No one was quite sure why they separated but nevertheless they did and this year both Committees decided to see if could work.

For the people who dedicate their time and effort into arranging these functions it must have been a minefield of plans and preparation.  For the Exhibitors I can only guess that was as busy and stressful.  The Show field was set up a few days before the Show and the Hall where the  Horticultural and Industrial Exhibits were to be shown was set up with tables and tressles the weekend before.  Doors opened at 7pm the night before to accept  flowers , veg, cakes, knitting, embriodery, art work and photographs not to mention the jams, eggs, cheese and childrens  exhibits.

As the doors closed at 9pm the hall was awash with colour and smells, but this wasn’t the end, all  catagories had to be in the right order and  Tickets  for  First Second Third and Commended had to  be assigned to the various catagories ready for the Judges to  place on prized begonias and Fruit Cakes.  At  way after 10pm  the final touches were made to the Trophies and  the lights were switched off for the night. 

 Outside in the show park final preparations to the  side show tents were being carried out in torrential rain.  This was not looking good for the morn where rain had been forecast.  All the wishing and hoping would be in vain as it was going to be in the Lap of the Gods as to what weather  they bestowed upon Shapinsay.

I arrived  at the Hall at  8.15am  ready to help out. As a  Committe Member we were needed to  write prize names on prize tickets and  enter the same names in  the ledgers which have been kept and cherished for many years and can still be  viewed in the Heritage Centre on Shapinsay. 

Judges arrived on the  8.45 boat and were promptly invited for morning  tea. 

Outside in the  Show Park animals and people had begun to turn up and  the grey skies were parting to show  bonny blue  patches.   It was looking good.

The Agricultural Show was opened at 10am and the boat  bringing  people to Shapinsay was full.  There was plenty to  see and some excitement in the Cattle ring where a frisky Calf was causing a bit of trouble.  The Sheep Horses Cattle and Dogs were all judged and  proud owners duly had thier  pictures taken by Radio Orkney. 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=161342&id=31395967167

 Inside the Hall Judging was  coming to a close and  after all the tickets were written and displays  arranged the doors opened at 1pm for the public to see the produce and  handicrafts. 

All in all the show went off very well and with gates up and exhibitor number increased it was hoped that both parties would consider to hold this  function together again next year

 I will leave  you with some of the sights of the Show.  Maybe next year you too will visit Shapinsay and sample the atmosphere.

Only a man would name a barge Pauline !!!!

When I look back at my last post which was in January its hard to beleive that its been just over 5 months.  The grass has grown and been cut the silage has been gathered and soon  the fields will be full of  golden  bales. I love this time of year, the island seems to come alive with activity, tractors  back and forth, cruise liners passing the lounge window, people walking past the house with  rucksacks. 

Here at Barebraes we are pushing on with the work and making  use of the warm dryish weather to  finish off outdoor jobs.  The gable end wall is dashed and I am in the process of rendering the back of the house, I hate picking  and chipping off the old render and lime but its a job that needs doing.  Mr B  has invested in the use of a mini digger and  all this week we are  putting in the drainage for the spoots ( downpipes). Whenever I hear the word spoots it transports me back to our  first few months here and the confusion regarding  the use of the word (BBC Bloggers might remember the post). Tomorrow should see that job finished and we  will then have to concentrate on the strapping and plasterboarding in the lounge and upstairs. 

I miss taking time out to take Hooch down to Ness for a paddle. :(  Its  hard to get out of  old habits.

A few months ago a mast was erected where the proposed wind turbine will be sited and a nice man placed a microphone and box of tricks in our garden to record noise and weather conditions.  I hope  that when the  data was examined they couldn’t hear Mr B shouting and swearing as he sometimes does when inanimate objects are missing from their place of residence :)  Well sometimes  one needs to let off steam

The next date on the Shapinsay Diary will be the Agricltural and Horticultural Show which  for the first time will be held on the same day, so if your in the area  make a note to keep the 10th August clear and book your place early on the boat as it often gets full.  Who knows I might have a few exhibits on show !!!

Well thats all for now so I will leave you with a few  views of this summer, until next time happy bloggin

 All of you  bloggers you will know that  Hooch has been a part of this and the BBC blogs since it started way back when. Unfortunately we had to take him to the vets on Thursday and it was decided that there was nothing we could do  for him.

He has been  with us for  over 6 years and  having being a rescue dog I am sure that  he has enjoyed his time with us as much as we have with him.

He was a characture and my everlasting memories of him  will be  when he was at his happiest  neck deep in the ocean cooling off.

Although I am very sad that he has gone, I am glad that  I was able to share  some time with him.

Girls outing to Stromness

As I sit here I find it hard to beleive that my last post was over 3 months ago. Shame on me !!!

Well what has been going on  here, to be honest I couldnt honestly tell you, Old Father Time has  stolen  last year from us and we are hurridly hurtling into 2010 without our seatbelts on. Someone save us from ourselves.

The winter weather is  with us and as usual we are having to dig ourselves out of  here with shovels.  Snow  has fallen  fairly lightly so far but more is forecast for tonight so I guess that  tomorrow I will have to take  a walk to the top of the Brae where my little car is sitting safe and ready for its terrifying  exit down the brae slipping and sliding on the sheet ice that has  settled and stayed on the long track.  One ex resident of Barebraes  had visitors on skis as the  track was  unpassable for days. 

Poor Hooch needs a sled as  his poor paws slip and slide on the frozen stuff and he  decides to  sit and look helpless when  his  legs  give way underneath him, trying to pick him up is a mammoth  task when you cant keep your own feet.

Apparently Harray Loch  was frozen and Mainland Orkney saw numerous accidents.  The Christmas and New Year Ba was held and some  pictures can be viewed here:

http://www.bagame.com/main.html

By all accounts they were splendid game with the Doonies upsetting the Uppies and  winning the Mens New Years Day Ba.

As for us at Barebraes we have been enjoying the festivities and look forward to a productive New Year, this mainly due to the fact that we have been very  busy doing other things and  the poor house has been  neglected. One day we will get it finished.

We wish everyone a  Happy New Year and a great 2010

Yesterday the phone rang at Barebraes and upon answering it I  was reliably informed that the Barge  bound for the Fair Isles  laden with  pods  for the  bird observatory  was leaving Hatsons Pier.  After  a short while I  took the  binoculars and peered over towards Kirkwall and there it was, lead by the pilot boat heading  along the String out  towards its destination.

As it passed very slowly I got a good view of the  contents of the barge, Little  houses all stacked  on the decks. The name of the Barge is Salina and it was accompanied by the MTS Vengeance.  The  day was  bright and  clear and  not too windy and I wondered  how long it would take to get to the destination as the speed  it was going was very  slow.

As it headed out into the  String I got ready for work at the  Thomas Sinclair. 

On arriving  at work  we could see on the horizon  what looked like a  huge moving hill, this was the barge but it seemed to be  getting nearer instead of farther away.  On inspection through binoculars we could see that she had turned around and was heading back towards Kirkwall  

 Apparently  they had decided that the weather window was too narrow and the swell too much to chance the journey and  back into port to wait another day they came.

Well when she goes again I hope that she makes her long journey and safely  gets to  the Fair Isles.

Here is a Link to the  Bird observatory site :

http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/NewObservatory/Appeal_update.html