Crochet on a Sunny Monday

Today was gloriously hot but instead of going out we decided to spend the afternoon in our own garden and whilst the bairns played at being movie stars, I took out the cushion cover I started last week and worked the afternoon away. What could be nicer than the gentle tang of salt water and seaweed, the warmth of the sun and the sound of the sea lapping against the bedrock. Utter bliss!

Trip To The Moon ...

This morning was warm, breezy & misty so we decided to take a trip to the Keen of Hamar, Unst's very own lunar landscape. It's formed of serpentine debris and although it might look completely barren it is home to some of the rarest plants in Britain and whilst we crouched and inspected the botanical life the kids revelled in the freedom, chasing each other, searching out coloured stones and peering into rabbit holes.
 

Two tiny dots on the lunar landscape

In such desolate place it was odd to see the letters RAF formed from rocks, they must have been put there by the RAF officers who were stationed at RAF Saxa Vord years ago. It's hard to imagine the island being home to RAF personnel and their families, with all the military vehicles and 'goings-on' but for most islanders it's still a recent memory as the RAF Saxa Vord didn't close down until 2006. It must have been a sad day when people lost their friends and the school lost many of it's children but the Unst community is stronger than that and is making a healthy recovery. It's wonderful that our family can play it's part.

RAF rocks!

While we were up on the Keen we were lucky enough to see not one, but two examples of  Edmonston's Chickweed (Ceratium nigrescens), also known as Shetland Mouse-ear. The Keen of Hamar is the only place in the world this plant grows so we were exceptionally privileged to see it and were ecstatic when we sat down to picnic, only to notice it right behind us.

 

As we approached the highest point we could look back across the water and see 'wir peerie hoose' nestled in it's comfy little spot right beside the sea, and now as I sit here I can look out of my living room window and see the Keen, knowing all the precious little things it holds!

UnstFest 2014

We have just experienced UnstFest for the first time and it was amazing, 10 days packed with activities for all ages and interests. The island was at it's busiest with people travelling from far and wide to join in. We didn't take part in everything, not by a long way, but we did do lots of thing we wouldn't have had the chance to do 'South' and enjoyed it immensely!

 

 

The event kicked off on Friday 4th July, following the start of the school summer holidays at lunchtime, with an art exhibition and a carnival in the evening, but we didn't start our UnstFest until Saturday when I worked in the kitchen at the Baltasound School fete while Dad & the kids had fun at the Baltasound Sailing Regatta and Mrs Wishy Washy's Washing Line Workshop.

 

On Sunday we joined in the Sandcastle Competition at Norwick Beach, a beautiful expanse of white sand and tropically blue sea, the weather held and over a hundred people turned up to take part & spectate.

 

 

 

Then it was along to the Heritage Centre for the Bairns Dialect Story Time & Animal Treasure Hunt, which my peerie lass won. We decided that to pass the time before the Chip Supper we would pop over to the Haroldswick Hall for a Shetland Tea and got a little more than we bargained for, a table laden with sandwiches, home bakes, tea and juice! We struggled to walk home and gave the fish & chips a wide berth.

 

Monday saw the Great Unst Bake Off with four lasses battling it out to bake the best Swiss roll in front of a live audience in the BJHS Home Economics room, with the winner being Anna (Far left).

 

 

A quick lunch before the Bonkers Bird Workshop making fun foam gulls, turns & bonxies and then a dash home to get ready for the Shetland Supper at Uyeasound Hall. Not only did we have a wonderful meal of soup, reestit mutton, scones, and home bakes but were treated to a visit from the Jarl Squad with their galley where the kids got the opportunity to don the Viking helmets, and shields and climb aboard the galley for a true Viking experience.

 

The next few day passed quietly for us with just a visit to the Swap Shop to pick up some scruffs for working on the peat bank in, until Friday when we went to the Gardiesfauld Family Picnic at the Gardiesfauld Hostel in Uyeasound, a chance for the bairns to meet up with friends from school and nursery, climb trees and play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday saw great excitement on Unst as The Revellers arrived, a Shetland folk rock band. Extra ferries were laid on and over 1,000 people crossed the Bluemull Sound. The guys put on an early charity fund raiser for the under 18's in aid of NSPKU, which was the one we took the kids, to and then a later set for adults. I have seen a lot of headline rock/metal bands and The Revellers can hold their own against those. They are amazing and definitely not to be missed!

 

We ended UnstFest quietly with a visit to the Farmers Market in the afternoon and a Chip Supper at Uyeasound Hall in the evening, a perfect end to a fantastic week.

 

 

If you have never visited Unst then you should, and definitely during UnstFest, you'll find us quite easily, we are "The island above all others".

 

www.unst.org

www.unstfest.org

Bringing home the peat

The first thing we did after buying the house was to organise a peat bank so we could provide our own winter fuel.
 

Our peat bank before we started cutting.

Firstly the turf has to be removed, then the peat is cut with a tushkar (a traditional tool) and finally stacked with air gaps to dry. Ours came home last night ready to go into the peat store. It should have made it's way home in the trailer but for some strange reason it hitched it's way on the back seat!
 

 

 

There's no where near enough to see us through the winter but next year we will go as a family to cut the peat and hopefully have enough to keep the little Morso stove burning bright right through the dark nights.

A splash of colour

Yesterday I realised that the only thing I miss about town-life is colour (rural life is all blues, greens & browns). Then I remembered the Blooming Flower Cushion (Attic24) and the Daisy & Rose Afghan that I made for my little princess' new bedroom, so I took them out and drank in the beautiful and vibrant colours. You can see me making the cushion in my profile photo.

 

 

 

I have accidentally discovered an easy 'blocking' method. I folded the blanket & put it in a vacuum bag for the move, intending to block it when I arrived, but after 2 weeks in the bag, no blocking required!

Sunny Summer Days

I awoke this morning to a landscape bathed in glorious sunshine and warmth, the sun glinting on the ripples of the sea. It was a real glad to be alive moment and I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not holiday.

Haroldswick Bay is a sight to behold (yes, the sea really is that blue today) ...

 

the rocky lunar landscape also has an extra certain something ...

 



 

and even the ditches ...

 

and the dykes are glorious!