Westray is like a swan, serene and beautiful
but under the surface everyone is paddling like fury.
I see the swans whenever I go down to the village. They are usually just below Chalmersquoy, quietly paddling around in the bay when the tide is in, or rootling in the rocks and sand by the shore. One nested by the roadside last year (or the year before, I forget now.) There is also a family of swans that nests every year on the loch of Burness below my house, this year with six cygnets.
The past three weeks have been like a whirlwind, first with the Westray Conference bringing in lots of visitors along with their ideas and suggestions for the future. I don’t envy the directors and office staff who will be pulling together those ideas and suggestions in order to provide a future development for the island.
Last Friday there was a wedding at the Baptist Church which went ahead despite the weather doing its best to ruin the day. Ferries and planes were cancelled but that didn’t stop proceedings and congratulations to Anna and Stefan who had a wonderful day, although I suspect there were fewer guests than planned for.
In between those two events we had the Senior Citizens’ Dinner on the 14th October, kindly funded by both Westray Development Trust and Westray Community Council, and that is what I want to report on just now.
An early start on the Saturday helped as the weather was looking iffy yet again, and we all sat down to eat the delicious meal that the volunteers had prepared.
As with all Westray gatherings there was entertainment which included Steven’s wit and banter accompanied by songs and poetry, Eileen’s poetry debut, Ivy and Caleb’s singing ending with Teenie and Michael singing and playing, on top form as usual.
My attempts at taking a video of the entertainment were ‘interesting’ but this one of the Ivy and Caleb (below) may be just about acceptable.
The evening ended with Liz Drever giving the results of the quiz and leading the community singing.
Thanks to all those who made the event such a success, especially the kitchen and waiting workers Netta and Jock, Alison, Elbeth, Helen, Jo, Kathleen, Marie, Stella, Caitlin, Carys, Elsie, Libby and Lizzie.
Despite disruptions due to the weather, the day to day jobs always get done. We have suffered badly from the latest weather storm Babet which had its fair share of ferry cancellations but still, when I went down to the shops on Monday there was no sign of any shortages, even my Saturday Telegraph had arrived, which is more than could be said for the previous two weeks. I was suffering from a lack of crosswords to puzzle over so that was soon remedied, it kept me quiet for a couple of hours.
Now is the time we start to prepare for the Christmas shut-down, that mad two weeks where nothing gets done except for socialising with food and drink, the shops will be only open a few days over the season and providing the weather is clement, gentle exercise can be taken by all. The shortest day will have come and gone and before we know it the days will gradually get longer, usually quite noticeably after New year’s Day. That’s when we notice the cold really sets in up to March. Well, that’s seen off this year then!
Visit www.pierowallhotel.co.uk for that warming morning coffee or afternoon tea
Being a holiday destination the accommodation providers will take the opportunity to clean and paint their properties, sort out the worn linen and generally give the place a good “bottoming” in readiness for the coming season. These are the quieter tourist months but even so many providers will still be open to business; you can’t beat a walk along the beach on a cold winter’s day with the breeze (or a howling gale) in your hair. It makes getting home all the more welcoming, or even a visit to the hotel for a warming drink and a chat. That’s when we can appreciate the big blue skies for a couple of hours, no clouds in the sky but perishing cold. A photographer I know used to tell me that you get lovely light in winter but boring blue skies, not good for a photograph – no interesting clouds!
LEISURE
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this, if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
W.H. Davies