Sorry for the long delay between posts. The weather has been dreadful, we were all feeling miserable and then I got man flu (actually it was just a cold, lots of sneezing, and it lasted all of two weeks. It’s been years since I’ve had one of those so I think I deserve a bit of sympathy).
I’ve just had a birthday and the sun is shining (raining again now though) so yesterday I set out and toured the island taking photographs of all the daffodils blooming in the verges. I’d like to say I went down every road looking for them, but I have to admit when I got home, I’d forgotten to go down to the Skello shop. Just when I realised this, my car threw a wobbler with one of the front brakes sticking on, so it’s been put away in the garage until the new part comes in. The wheel was smoking when it was checked as it was rather on the hot and steamy side. At least I got to go out this morning on the bike whether I wanted to or not. I’m going to ache in the morning.
Back to the daffodils. If you don’t like flowers you’re going to be really fed up after you have read this, or just given up , but please stay with me.
A few years back the Westray Development Trust had the suggestion from a member of the public, for it (WDT) to invest in a bag of daffodil bulbs at Autumn time. This it did and has continued to do so each following year, and now we are really reaping the benefit of the Trust’s generosity. A bag of bulbs was left in each of the three shops for members of the public to help themselves and then plant them in the verges near where they live, and the following photos show the results.
Our thanks go to Westray Development Trust for providing the daffodil bulbs, they brighten up the island as we emerge from a miserable winter. This weekend the clocks spring forward on what is Easter Saturday night/Easter Sunday Morning.
Easter Services:
Friday 29th March United Communion Service in the Baptist Kirk 7:00pm.
Saturday 30th March Holy Saturday Prayer Meeting in the Parish Kirk.
Sunday 31st March Early Easter day Service at St Mary’s Kirk (Pierowall) Followed by breakfast at the Baptist Kirk.
Sunday 31st March United Service in the Baptist Kirk 11:30 — Tea and coffee served afterwards.
Although Easter is early this year, the first visitors have arrived and more are expected over the weekend, leading into April 1st on this coming Monday. The winter ferry timetables remain until May 5th when there will be more sailings. Our shops are open of course; the cafés and galleries may have limited opening times until the season really takes hold in May.
If you are planning to visit Westray this summer, please check out the various Westray web sites previously published, they may be of great use to you. Remember Westray is like one large farm, animals and crops are in the fields (animals are also sometimes on the roads) so please respect the Country code for your own safety and enjoyment and remember to shut those gates.
I hope the weather is kind to us at Easter, we can all use a bit of fresh air, a good chat with our visitors and a warm fireside to come home to. I foresee piles of hiking shoes and wellies outside many doorsteps these next couple of weeks and that will mean folks will return home refreshed after spending time in our bracing air. It may be a bit early for a dip in the sea though but if you have bikes with you I might meet you out and about. Those of you with long memories may remember Tom Vernon’s fascinating travel films on telly called fat man on a bicycle. Hmm, that could be me so give me a bit of space to wobble and pedal about!
And finally…
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
– William Wordsworth (1802)
The Pierowall Hotel www.Pierowallhotel.co.uk
Westraak www.westraak.co.uk