A Dish Of Water……. Eday Wind Turbines?……Vesuvius….TRANSLUCENT BEAD!!!!!
by Bernie Bell - 12:30 on 24 August 2022
The birds have a bird-bath which they make much use of - no sooner filled than it’s filthy, as mentioned here…. http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=15815
We know that there is at least one hedgehog in the garden as we regularly see hedgehog poo, as mentioned here…. https://theorkneynews.scot/2021/09/04/week-thirty-five-one-day-at-a-time/ so we also put out a dish of water for the hedgehog/s. We haven’t actually seen a hedgehog at the dish but for the last few days sitting at the kitchen table having breakfast, Mike has watched young thrushes bathing and drinking…..
Action shot!
There are also two wrens who hop about in the nearby bushes and show an interest in the dish, but I don’t think they want to chance taking a bath when there are bigger birds there!
The dish has words by William Blake around the edge….. ‘To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower’ …..which we think….fits.
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Eday Wind Turbines?.....
We have friends who live in Eday. I had an email yesterday expressing their concerns about the proposed wind turbine development there. While very much in favour of renewables, they have mixed feelings about the size of this development on an island the size of Eday, saying that the island could end up as “a little attachment to the bottom of 6 or 8 giant turbines.” There is a PR session taking place in Eday on Thursday, which they intend to go to.
I answered with some of my views on wind turbines…… https://theorkneynews.scot/2020/02/18/up-costa-hill-before-its-too-late/, encouraged them to go to the meeting as it can be surprising what people power/community power can still do – even in these times of corporate power, and added….
“Eday is important archaeologically - especially now it’s part of what I refer to as the ‘Tomb Trail’. It might be worth bringing that into the discussion as a lot of folk come to Orkney because of the archaeology.”
This reminded me of the ‘Tombs of the Isles’ project and I thought I’d post a link to some info. about that…… Tombs of the Isles - Archaeology Orkney
And also a poem which friend Wendy wrote about Vinquoy Cairn, Eday…..
Vinquoy Cairn
Two of us enter
on hands and knees
through close dark passage
to round chamber of stone
****
thin light filters from
circular hole above
where layered rocks
draw up and lean in
****
fingers stretch out
to touch each side
the green dampness
of ancient walls
****
four low small rooms
from the centre lead out
in cardinal directions,
we pray to each:
****
fire, air, earth, water
then sound begins
in my throat
with my breath
****
seeping out from the stones
up through my body
resonating vibrations
of some other voice
****
strong and deep
a masculine intonation of
powerful prayer from
old earth rituals
****
then, slowly, softly
female song rises
harmonic waves
possess this space
****
body and rock
mind and place
resound as one,
in the voice
****
time falls away
I return to myself
and the quiet
and the now
and you.
*****
Wendy Alford May 2019
Photo credit Wendy Alford
One thing leads to another.....
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According to many historical sources Vesuvius erupted on the 24th of August AD 79…. https://blogs.getty.edu/iris/when-did-vesuvius-erupt-august-october-24/
Some say October, but taking the date as being the 24th of August I thought I’d post my experience of visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum… https://theorkneynews.scot/2022/06/15/remembering-pompeii-and-herculaneum/ ….which also includes some general ramblings – as I do.
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My lord…just look at this bead…. https://archaeologyorkney.com/2022/08/24/spectacular-iron-age-bead-is-swartigill-excavations-find-of-the-day/
Isn’t it like the one found at Mine Howe …. https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/06/17/the-varied-beauty-of-ancient-beads/
And…it’s translucent…I likes translucent beads. Keeping an eye on Swartigill….
Oh my….
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Here’s one I made earlier….. https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/03/15/something-different-near-tingwall/
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