tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24466707917957950272024-03-13T10:42:22.953+00:00nordicblackbird.comNat Hall's official blogNat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-29267291081112016152012-07-22T13:02:00.000+01:002012-07-22T13:02:37.568+01:00NEW BLOG - TAKE 2!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VnbYi_KECfs/UAvpJiQWm6I/AAAAAAAAB7M/WZI_8gKTVmY/s1600/nordicblackbird+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VnbYi_KECfs/UAvpJiQWm6I/AAAAAAAAB7M/WZI_8gKTVmY/s200/nordicblackbird+logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">MOVING,</span><span style="color: orange;">MOVING</span><span style="color: #f1c232;">, </span><span style="color: red;">MOVED</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This time, dear friends & readers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and in the advent of NordicblackbirdDOTcom's fate, (sudden deletion by the provider) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">please adjust your bookmarks:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">nordicblackbird.com</span> has <b>MOVED </b>to a <span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://nordicblackbird.wordpress.com/">new (and SAFER) HOME</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">there's <i><span style="color: #f1c232;">another</span></i> <a href="http://nordicblackbird.wordpress.com/">roosting place</a> :-)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall see if/ how long this blog will survive on the web, but</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I must confess I have learnt the very hard way not to put all eggs in one basket...</span>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-23842791614938337012012-07-18T18:41:00.002+01:002012-07-18T18:41:19.177+01:00PIRATES' WORLD!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LGJsNMkSqfQ/UAb0yegKRAI/AAAAAAAAB64/ClqkiNShZM8/s1600/monkey+at+home.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LGJsNMkSqfQ/UAb0yegKRAI/AAAAAAAAB64/ClqkiNShZM8/s1600/monkey+at+home.JPG" /></a></div>
T<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he dear Google Team may have deleted my account (and NordicblackbirdDOTcom blog) - but they SPARED my original ONE!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">WELCOME BACK TO nordicblackbird.com :-)))</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mind you,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> I dunna ken how long this one will stay alive...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Hmmm.... </span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-60199124351796471642012-04-29T16:34:00.001+01:002012-04-29T16:34:39.092+01:00Migration to Nordicblackbird's NEW Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-geQIQUdavQ4/T51etGTfTnI/AAAAAAAAB6o/6QRSt-3Jlcc/s1600/NORDICBLACKBIRD++%5Bre-created%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-geQIQUdavQ4/T51etGTfTnI/AAAAAAAAB6o/6QRSt-3Jlcc/s200/NORDICBLACKBIRD++%5Bre-created%5D.jpg" width="165" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>Migration 2 New Blog</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Dear friend and reader,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">As from today,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Nordicblackbird.com </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">is migrating to a new blog - come and join in the new adventure! <a href="http://nordicblackbird2.blogspot.co.uk/">Nordicblackbird's New Blog </a></span><br />
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<br />Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-24835535015424397422012-04-15T22:05:00.002+01:002012-04-17T23:05:34.719+01:00adventures from hill 2 shore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pq2BUjc3bMI/T4sSXDLn5lI/AAAAAAAAB4E/As0PJlQGuYI/s1600/windows+stories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pq2BUjc3bMI/T4sSXDLn5lI/AAAAAAAAB4E/As0PJlQGuYI/s200/windows+stories.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>windows' stories</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">April never deceives. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From hill to shore, my two weeks of freedom have opened single track roads around the island.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9pGCj0Pd_Fc/T4sXnQojWDI/AAAAAAAAB4M/wR6UMD-hkyA/s1600/vavavoom+rallye+in+boannie+April+with+Ragnis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9pGCj0Pd_Fc/T4sXnQojWDI/AAAAAAAAB4M/wR6UMD-hkyA/s200/vavavoom+rallye+in+boannie+April+with+Ragnis.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of R. Dornås</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gCqLIfTL_UE/T4sZzU4IDLI/AAAAAAAAB4c/wS-Xng4XHug/s1600/tower+of+light+e-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gCqLIfTL_UE/T4sZzU4IDLI/AAAAAAAAB4c/wS-Xng4XHug/s200/tower+of+light+e-.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last Monday, I shared a slice of Sumburgh & Compass Head with a young lady from Bergen, whom I met on a coach on the previous Saturday... We befriended and, in no time, we spent Monday between tarmac, mud and laughters! The view from Compass Head is fabulous. We spoke the magic of our respective worlds, conservation and drivers' tricks... We exchanged e-addresses, and Bergen lies on the other side of the North Sea - all I need to do is look eastward. More connection with our Scandinavian neighbours & friends :-) ...And talking of <i>Norge</i>, I felt far too happy to hear from my <i>Norskie</i> connection: <a href="http://nordicblackbird.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/happy-birthday-ms-nybakk.html">NYBAKK</a> returns to my side of this wild North Sea next month, just in time for <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/norway/constitution-day">Norway's Constitution Day</a>. We have something special in store for celebrating our bond with our Nordic heritage - the grand opening of Scalloway's brand new <a href="http://www.shetlandheritageassociation.com/members/central-mainland/scalloway-museum">Museum</a>. Scalloway, <i>toute une histoire! </i></span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fu4mR8MfHBc/T4sblq8IePI/AAAAAAAAB4k/6CNzr7ofPdI/s1600/voxter+centre+%5B2%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fu4mR8MfHBc/T4sblq8IePI/AAAAAAAAB4k/6CNzr7ofPdI/s200/voxter+centre+%5B2%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And this morning, looking through a window that was not mine, I woke up under a dusting of snow that melted at sheer speed of light - this arctic blue in which we bathe is still raging. However, my window was amazing.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-srrBe5nMqIE/T4spghn4hRI/AAAAAAAAB40/08LJHgWVm7U/s1600/snow+shower+at+voxter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-srrBe5nMqIE/T4spghn4hRI/AAAAAAAAB40/08LJHgWVm7U/s200/snow+shower+at+voxter.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tw0rmzNwuvc/T4sck5NdofI/AAAAAAAAB4s/9agFwOkPcoU/s1600/in+between+2+workshops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tw0rmzNwuvc/T4sck5NdofI/AAAAAAAAB4s/9agFwOkPcoU/s200/in+between+2+workshops.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spent the last precious hours with my Serpentine Clan in a fantastic setting - <a href="http://www.voxteroutdoorcentre.co.uk/">Voxter Centre</a>, just off the settlement of Brae, a little north of my 60N latitude. <span style="font-size: large;">And what a slice of life!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We gathered in the old manse and invested each room with </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pleasure and passion. It is a magic place, for it harbours comfort and</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> joie de vivre - </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it has a walled garden, in which trees turn into gallions for all kinds of pirates! ...A plantation to please the eye and warm the heart by the hearth after dark. Our little troupe made it home for the weekend. Effortlessly, since freak snow showers never stopped us. </span><br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Actors' delight </b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-To1QKU7a2r8/T4stma4V6II/AAAAAAAAB5M/2FLwjAqnOac/s1600/Debbie+Mathew+Shaleah+during+workshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-To1QKU7a2r8/T4stma4V6II/AAAAAAAAB5M/2FLwjAqnOac/s200/Debbie+Mathew+Shaleah+during+workshop.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we spoke,</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vEg-8XGMzSw/T4styJ7yHpI/AAAAAAAAB5U/KwxNpVwom6Y/s1600/reading+time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vEg-8XGMzSw/T4styJ7yHpI/AAAAAAAAB5U/KwxNpVwom6Y/s200/reading+time.jpg" width="200" /></a> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we wrote, we played and read...</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Q68HqBWLn4/T4syJfqF2EI/AAAAAAAAB50/vsSZaMxEwpE/s1600/Wendy+&+John+silhouetted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Q68HqBWLn4/T4syJfqF2EI/AAAAAAAAB50/vsSZaMxEwpE/s200/Wendy+&+John+silhouetted.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qv9IH6pK7TU/T4stHBlI2NI/AAAAAAAAB5E/vY8dKv3ZuRU/s1600/jane+&+kids+in+walled+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qv9IH6pK7TU/T4stHBlI2NI/AAAAAAAAB5E/vY8dKv3ZuRU/s200/jane+&+kids+in+walled+garden.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8f_NDitgqzs/T4syTUodIvI/AAAAAAAAB58/Vn2yh97YtBg/s1600/Ingrid+et+Nicole+Legrandbutte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8f_NDitgqzs/T4syTUodIvI/AAAAAAAAB58/Vn2yh97YtBg/s200/Ingrid+et+Nicole+Legrandbutte.jpg" width="164" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bw5jTs2wnaU/T4srW2AbsEI/AAAAAAAAB48/xhbFyU0qxC8/s1600/walled+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bw5jTs2wnaU/T4srW2AbsEI/AAAAAAAAB48/xhbFyU0qxC8/s200/walled+garden.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Jonathan's little family of adventurers to the keenest Thespian, Voxter - that translates as <i>a good place for growing</i> - offered a playground and a home. In between two workshops, some of us dared to venture out to the wood and, closer to the porch, the walled garden. Jane, <i>The Matriarch</i>, gathered dead wood for a perfect log fire and fed the hearth with passion. Then, s</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he led part of her </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">clan within the dry stone walls where the world's safe for them to play </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in harmony with their whole world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And as the day drew to a close, Louise and Wendy had concocted us a dinner fit for a night of role-play, entitled <i>"The Brie, The Bullet & The Black Cat" - </i>a game of murder mystery.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--fiPG1SUaMw/T4svkyPqD0I/AAAAAAAAB5c/PBayFXIbIAA/s1600/actors+delight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--fiPG1SUaMw/T4svkyPqD0I/AAAAAAAAB5c/PBayFXIbIAA/s200/actors+delight.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YAa_5dlraQ0/T4sxU9UALAI/AAAAAAAAB5s/EuRVTb5_3MI/s1600/brie+bullet+and+black+cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YAa_5dlraQ0/T4sxU9UALAI/AAAAAAAAB5s/EuRVTb5_3MI/s200/brie+bullet+and+black+cat.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Xa6zRB8vRc/T4swpuN179I/AAAAAAAAB5k/og9S36j6RqQ/s1600/brie+bullet+and+black+cat+%5B2%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Xa6zRB8vRc/T4swpuN179I/AAAAAAAAB5k/og9S36j6RqQ/s200/brie+bullet+and+black+cat+%5B2%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were given a few hours to turn into our characters. One after the other, we reconvened to a table that reeled to the sombre 1940s. Inspector Jacque LeClue would make us question our motives... </span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBjivm0JIow/T4s0yxqH1AI/AAAAAAAAB6E/GYdiL7oO6YQ/s1600/jane's+log+fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBjivm0JIow/T4s0yxqH1AI/AAAAAAAAB6E/GYdiL7oO6YQ/s200/jane's+log+fire.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As each clue was revealed, we grew nervous, dismayed or afraid. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All would be revealed in due time. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Actors' magic - we </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">spanned</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> our lounge into 1940's </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Casablanca</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. The night ended in the retiring room, by the log fire. Joy or horror, I discovered my character to be the naughty one - the murderer, or at least, one of two. For a nano-second, repulsion filled my heart... I did not expect it. Together with my (then) unknown accomplice, I had to hide the deed. Confusion filled the room - and then, shock, horror! Hahha, for a first time, the game was fun. Just by the hearth, we laughed and played charades till late.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-4HzvZvHl0/T4s2VhAyZqI/AAAAAAAAB6M/udoQIIb2vBM/s1600/home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e-4HzvZvHl0/T4s2VhAyZqI/AAAAAAAAB6M/udoQIIb2vBM/s200/home.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">From hill to shore</span>,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my fortnight of adventures is coming to an end. And left Voxter & friends with a great sense of happiness - happiness for such great moments that I will treasure forever. The drive through da Lang Kames was magnificent, as Nordic sun refracted on snow-dusted hillsides. But pushed the door of my dear hut to be re-united with window panes dear to my heart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thank you, dear friends, for such a great string of adventures!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-2999988809419297142012-04-04T23:23:00.005+01:002012-04-04T23:53:33.287+01:00land of extremes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XQELs7fXL6Q/T3yyZ6ZgtxI/AAAAAAAAB3U/dIyx7KTqmv0/s1600/iced+haylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XQELs7fXL6Q/T3yyZ6ZgtxI/AAAAAAAAB3U/dIyx7KTqmv0/s200/iced+haylor.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Iced fisherworld</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The further north you go, the icier the island. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did not want to believe it, but, I left home in a glorious sun. By the time I reached my friend's crofthouse on the eastern headland, the sun had already vanished. Cold rain was threatening as we picked up A at her home at the T-junction... Heavens began to darken and by the time we travelled along da Lang Kames - this corridor of gales fashioned by the last great ice age, which ridges (the very meaning of "kames") are eroded by the long labour of the elements - trillions of snowflakes wandered as free as poltergeists... Surreal, we thought, and then we retracted the very thought, since we all knew spring on the island feels and behaves as wild as it wants. Yesterday was a classic example. Today confirmed how volatile the sky can turn.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ronas Hill, on approach to Urafirth</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tNjHfBOIxvc/T3y84kdHjQI/AAAAAAAAB3s/gaAgrgeW8zQ/s1600/drongs+in+blue+digiArt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tNjHfBOIxvc/T3y84kdHjQI/AAAAAAAAB3s/gaAgrgeW8zQ/s320/drongs+in+blue+digiArt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.geoparkshetland.org.uk/downloads/eshaness.pdf">Eshaness</a>, the edge of the (dormant) super volcano, was to be our destination. On our way there, blotches of snow littered the vast peatlands from Brae to <a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=urafirth&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x489ee3fa859be80f:0xa0c681c77dfc420,Urafirth,+Shetland+Islands&gl=uk&ei=A7t8T-7SGsu28QPf5oC-DQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8gEwAA">Urafirth</a>. <a href="http://www.walkingclub.org.uk/hill/ronas-hill.shtml">Ronas</a> appeared a gignatic whale before our eyes. The rounded giant took my heart back to Glen Etive for a second, as we stopped the car for a moment. The road twists and turns so frequently it does only leaves one speed choice to any driver. The many lochans, on each side of the single track road, were scanned with care, although I did not expect to discover a lone rain goose (red-throated diver) so early in the season. As lunchtime loomed on the horizon, we relished the idea of a nice hot plate at <a href="http://www.eshaness.moonfruit.com/">Breiwick</a> en route to the edge of our world, only to find the café closed on arrival... The view onto the <a href="http://www.stmagnusbayhotel.co.uk/drongs.html">Drongs</a>, or Dragon's teeth, leave an iconic memory in your heart. Surprised though undefeated, we turned round and drove southbound, as u</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nknown to me till we reached <a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Tangwick+shetland&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x489ee0b3acd966d5:0xa0c681c77dfc980,Tangwick,+Shetland+Islands&gl=uk&ei=Jb98T-LfCsyn8gOEit2gDQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CDEQ8gEwAA">Tangwick</a>, P had to deliver a fire extinguisher to a friend of her's. Lunch would wait a little longer, as P proposed we take a loop to Haylor, on the shores of one of the most impressive mini-fjords, Ronas Voe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>And the magic began again.</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xM1u-BA6DXM/T3y_Axkz8UI/AAAAAAAAB30/_4DHUiBo0EY/s1600/haylor's+old+pier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xM1u-BA6DXM/T3y_Axkz8UI/AAAAAAAAB30/_4DHUiBo0EY/s200/haylor's+old+pier.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ODlxAFxxMGE/T3y8tYIg_JI/AAAAAAAAB3k/46OsjzMAzWo/s1600/haylor's+old+bod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ODlxAFxxMGE/T3y8tYIg_JI/AAAAAAAAB3k/46OsjzMAzWo/s200/haylor's+old+bod.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love that road in any season. Lushness of summer, bleakness, eeriness of winter, though majestic at all times. The old fisherman's booth by the pinkish beach remains a magnet to any visitor,. I call it a gem well hidden inside the treasure chest. By that time, cold rain overrode wet snow showers and we pushed it to the very shore. Closer to the old bod and boat. P once parked her caravan just by the beach in some past summer. I guessed the place would always turn very popular due to its sheer beauty. The old stony pier caught my eye. So many fishermen must have landed on the shores of this deep<a href="http://www.wordnik.com/words/voe"> voe</a> to download their cargo of herring and other fruits from the North Atlantic. Tens, if not hundreds of hands must have toiled to gut and pack the very fish into barrels filled with flesh and salt... The local folk from the parish must have traded wool, knitted socks, shawls, hats and <i>gansies</i> (jumpers) for basic commodities (bread, butter or alcohol - if not anything slightly illegal!) Today, the stones remain silent and mussel farming has changed the face of the long & narrow inlet of water.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-75Hf1NgurUI/T3zGw_bp-jI/AAAAAAAAB38/CvtSEXzaDxI/s1600/saat+fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-75Hf1NgurUI/T3zGw_bp-jI/AAAAAAAAB38/CvtSEXzaDxI/s200/saat+fish.jpg" width="133" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And where did we have lunch, you may wonder? Well, we ended up inside the warmth and comfort of <a href="http://www.shetlandlive.com/mid_brae_inn.html">The Mid Brae Inn</a> in the settlement of <a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=brae+shetland+islands&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x489ee55890a4350d:0x607046da388cd078,Brae,+Shetland+Islands&gl=uk&ei=48J8T7TNIISr8QPqk83NDQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CFAQ8gEwAA">Brae</a>. Although we arrived late, we were not refused a table and delicious food. <b>Highly recommended</b> to anyone eager to explore the northern parts of the island, together with<i> <a href="http://www.frankiesfishandchips.com/">Frankie's Fish & Chips</a>, <a href="http://www.bustahouse.com/features/62/food">Busta House</a></i> and The <i><a href="http://www.stmagnusbayhotel.co.uk/dining.html">St Magnus Bay Hotel</a></i> in Hillswick, <span style="font-size: x-small;">should you be unfortunate enough to find the Breiwick Café "closed". </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rain might have washed off icicles, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">it is a day to relish and treasure :-)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-89180300780218179292012-04-03T17:35:00.000+01:002012-04-04T23:33:18.839+01:00once upon a big sky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EOtH3ICmsrM/T3sVFkByk3I/AAAAAAAAB10/VoMCYHOlKXM/s1600/blue+reflected.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EOtH3ICmsrM/T3sVFkByk3I/AAAAAAAAB10/VoMCYHOlKXM/s200/blue+reflected.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">...how many words for snow?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Up to four seasons in one day</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> we can enjoy on the island. April feels capricious. If I can start to remember what an after 6 p.m. sun can feel, a sudden U-turn to Svalbard (without the polar bears) still surprises the most astute and tolerant mind... So is our fate in the Far-far North. The forecast hardly changed since the past week. I looked at my flowering redcurrant shrubs and thought, <i>argh, weel...</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-orx5JiD4yYE/T3sYTkfUEMI/AAAAAAAAB18/mdUuVyBIkdM/s1600/peewit+%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-orx5JiD4yYE/T3sYTkfUEMI/AAAAAAAAB18/mdUuVyBIkdM/s200/peewit+%5B1%5D.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an effort to break the spell, I played Kate's<i> 50 Words For Snow, </i>though in vain. Since Saturday, a determined sky began to spit flurries that warned us of more to come. I pit-stopped at the main country shop in the southern part of the island to get basic necessities (including those precious firelighters) as part of my effort to spot an early <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17027565">Northern Wheatear</a> around Spiggie. The bird having been reported on Fair Isle, I took my chances. However, I came home without our felines' favourite food... (NOT the bird.) Peewit looked at me with disdain. Baboo walked away through the flap and Tystie nearly broke a lamp! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With snow forecast, I can't afford to mess around. Second shopping spree in the town to return home with a jute bag filled with delights, fit for felines and our own needs :-)</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4X5hFD5gsFA/T3sZ4aMcljI/AAAAAAAAB2E/KU81dx1KMTw/s1600/working+hearth+%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4X5hFD5gsFA/T3sZ4aMcljI/AAAAAAAAB2E/KU81dx1KMTw/s200/working+hearth+%5B1%5D.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">T</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">hen north wind began to gust</span> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">around the walls of our Shetland Hut. N/NNE, as time went by and our hearth began to work on a constant basis once more. From those directions, it really feels cold! My other half later joked about Yule time... "Why not set up the tree again and bake mince pies?" I laughed in the face of whiteness! Snowflakes flew in diagonal and by this morning, we opened our door to a mini-version of Svalbard, or mini-mini Canada, not so unusual for April after all, though still slightly disheartening at first sight. Sparrows still sing during snow showers, though blackbirds vanish from their pedestal and wonder if they won't lose out on <i>courtisanes</i>... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">first view this morning</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7z8MXiD_duQ/T3sek4k7KWI/AAAAAAAAB2s/MVen7dHbCCE/s1600/snow+morning+3-4-12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7z8MXiD_duQ/T3sek4k7KWI/AAAAAAAAB2s/MVen7dHbCCE/s200/snow+morning+3-4-12.JPG" width="200" /></a> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although I expected flurries, I did not imagine so much would stay overnight... Snow does not stick long enough to the ground after the equinox. Still tucked in my fleecy blanket with two hot water bottles at my feet, I did not really feel like getting up at 0830 - especially since I am free from timetables! So I lingered in bed a little. All three cats did not make any fracas on the other side of the door. White, white, white, white!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No snowday disrupted the winter term (oh, barely a February weekend) and, gosh, now it's arrived!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>White out, psycho-hail, twisting, ankle-breaker, blackbird's Braille, drifting, avalanche... Stellar tundra, crème bouffant, Hunter's dream, hooded wet, terror blizzard, vanilla swarm, sorbet de luge, as through the lips of Stephen Fry. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Let me hear your 50 words for snooooowwwwwwwww! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My world had vanished once </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">again</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> under late winter's white blanket. This morning's <a href="http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2012/04/03/late-winter-snow-flurry-causes-disruption-to-isles-transport">Shetland Times</a> did not read too encouraging either...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the other side of the coin in one day</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--d754vpbz3E/T3sirOEq1vI/AAAAAAAAB28/oV413-CHU2o/s1600/afternoon+garden+%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--d754vpbz3E/T3sirOEq1vI/AAAAAAAAB28/oV413-CHU2o/s200/afternoon+garden+%5B1%5D.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trillions of snowflakes melting at the speed of ligh</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">t!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just by magic, as a bitter NE began to sweep away snow shower clouds, a more dignified spring-like blue filled our afternoon sky.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This time, white light filling our world!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tFsFD71m518/T3slL7rBQ0I/AAAAAAAAB3M/bzjArOkR99s/s1600/cat+passage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tFsFD71m518/T3slL7rBQ0I/AAAAAAAAB3M/bzjArOkR99s/s200/cat+passage.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1MOkkpSpNEQ/T3skzzUG__I/AAAAAAAAB3E/ViRVf6ix0nY/s1600/garden+scarf+%5B2%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1MOkkpSpNEQ/T3skzzUG__I/AAAAAAAAB3E/ViRVf6ix0nY/s200/garden+scarf+%5B2%5D.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The garden still bears a few remnants from this morning's capricious sky - with scarfs around trees and shrubs, blotches of crystals dispersed and and there in the shade... But nothing serious. The cats' passage looks safe from grass level. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Arctic spell to spring Technicolour!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love the island. Its light changes all the time. Now time to listen to <i><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland/news/rs_good_evening_shetland/">Good Evening, Shetland</a>, </i>just in time for the weather forecast :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-13945555384583429442012-04-01T19:31:00.003+01:002012-04-02T11:59:29.201+01:00sun stories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yXgJICcq4ok/T3iLcMLWIpI/AAAAAAAAB0o/5Rvlc9IMx8Q/s1600/6+oclock+sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="115" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yXgJICcq4ok/T3iLcMLWIpI/AAAAAAAAB0o/5Rvlc9IMx8Q/s200/6+oclock+sun.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>6 o'clock sun</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Burn,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>burn,<span style="font-size: large;"> burn, </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">burn!</span> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the advent of the Vernal Equinox,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a constant battle takes place between sun and fog. Incessant duel between earth, air and sea. And yet, every time our star turns victorious, a beaten fog retreats, burnt out... The very first encounter took place last Sunday, as a defeated Haar allowed us to enjoy a very first evening of light till a lazy sunset and dusk. I never tire of those honey skies all around us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Latest sightings</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W59H2fwoBPM/T3iN5ne9itI/AAAAAAAAB0w/-ZyzCM0jTeE/s1600/evening+blue+at+Quendale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W59H2fwoBPM/T3iN5ne9itI/AAAAAAAAB0w/-ZyzCM0jTeE/s200/evening+blue+at+Quendale.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Emerging from a cold and damp winter, I nearly forgot how an after 6 o'clock sun felt like. <i><a href="http://shetlopedia.com/Quendale">Quendale & Brake</a></i> looked so serene in light blue. A quick run around that shallow Loch of Spiggie remains a must in early spring, and it did not fail to amaze us.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dLRMRZAgMsI/T3iRp_KAcfI/AAAAAAAAB04/bqclIDyMqRc/s1600/shelduck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dLRMRZAgMsI/T3iRp_KAcfI/AAAAAAAAB04/bqclIDyMqRc/s200/shelduck.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, geese, Goldeneyes, Long-Tailed ducks and other seasonal wildfowl - including Whooper Swan, Red-breasted Merganser, Northern Lapwing, Teal, Wigeon, Shelduck, Moorhen, <i>shalder </i>and a grey heron<i> </i> - dwell on its edge. But somebody spotted the very first <a href="http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob5690.htm">Bonxie</a> of 2012 yesterday. So summer's definitely on its way! All seabirds need fresh water to wash off seaspray off their feathers, as salt burns the very fabric of plumage, keratin. Damaged feathers will only make life difficult to a seabird, just as it does to our local population of otters. Any creature that feeds from our maritime world needs fresh water for survival. </span><br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Pirate spirit, moi?</i><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iNJTyiOhIFs/T3iSu9mEYfI/AAAAAAAAB1A/HJYbBwHQBmc/s1600/Pirate+de+l'Air+%5Bface2farce%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iNJTyiOhIFs/T3iSu9mEYfI/AAAAAAAAB1A/HJYbBwHQBmc/s200/Pirate+de+l'Air+%5Bface2farce%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not many of us like <i>bonxies</i> on the island. Although they were once highly hailed by crofters as the liberators from the <i><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/White-tailed_Eagle">Erne</a></i> - and the last pair of eagles were last seen in 1911 - great skuas have since replaced the then "evil" eagle, and has been associated with more modern & <i>economic </i>folk tales. They are amazing flyers and fishermen, when our sea feels generous. Moorland nesters, their varied food diet ensures survival. Furthermore, many of us also forget that bird colonies would be plagued with disease during summer, for they act as muckrakers, cleaning off ledges with ill, injured or dead seabirds.<b> </b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #f4cccc;"><b>Every creature has a function on our planet, or they simply do NOT exist.</b></span> </span><b style="font-style: italic;">People need to accept this simple fact. </b>As a species, we may have placed ourselves at the very top of the food web, however, financial greed can lead some of us to abuse of our homeworld's generosity and/or deplete the resources that are so vital to our healthy planet. The animal kingdom needs our help more than ever! Let's be reasonable and the laws of the karma will be favourable to the future generations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>Back to sun stories</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WdsZIpoYWgU/T3iZmHB512I/AAAAAAAAB1Q/vyfUz3TM5Yg/s1600/stravaig+and+share+by+the+waterline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WdsZIpoYWgU/T3iZmHB512I/AAAAAAAAB1Q/vyfUz3TM5Yg/s200/stravaig+and+share+by+the+waterline.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Longer evenings enable us to wander around the island till a later dusk, </span>especially in the unusual clement climate we've experienced till yesterday! Folk walk around, go to the beach and tidy up their gardens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the first of our British Summer Time season, we ended up on my favourite sandbridge and marvelled at a pale blue world.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fIl4OJMIBHQ/T3ibxS2SMkI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/qXW0wgb5PeM/s1600/arctica+islanda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fIl4OJMIBHQ/T3ibxS2SMkI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/qXW0wgb5PeM/s200/arctica+islanda.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The surf was gentle at our feet and my other half showed an amazing mollusc he found partly uncovered at the edge of the Atlantic: <i><a href="http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138802">Arctica Islandica</a> . </i>Amazing find! </span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h0OxcsWNFJA/T3icTgkD_WI/AAAAAAAAB1g/T7fp8ju8Uls/s1600/blue+horizon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h0OxcsWNFJA/T3icTgkD_WI/AAAAAAAAB1g/T7fp8ju8Uls/s200/blue+horizon.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"> </b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the sun dipped below our horizon, the edge of our world turns blue... </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9NZEucUWHq4/T3iW3BzkEeI/AAAAAAAAB1I/puTNvAuI9rw/s1600/blood+sun+over+atlantic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9NZEucUWHq4/T3iW3BzkEeI/AAAAAAAAB1I/puTNvAuI9rw/s200/blood+sun+over+atlantic.jpg" width="152" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other end of day, I caught a bloodshot sun through the lens of my pocket camera, as we do not see very often. Our northern sky was filled with a uniform of grey but then, an unusual glowing red sun appeared amidst clouds from the front and I stopped the car to admire such spectacle. I trust other folk stopped on a passing place... It was awesome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And as we are now reverting to a much more typical early spring spell for our latitude, I can only hope that this arctic moment will not last too long, and be kind to our much precocious spring. Our grass needs a first cut and birds begin to nest. It is <b>no</b> April fool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Looking forward to the return of our closest flamboyant star :-).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-77500038315462751532012-03-25T14:45:00.002+01:002012-03-25T15:17:04.046+01:00from merrie dancers to the haar<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2E5CrMuqudQ/T28fDQtco9I/AAAAAAAAB0Y/b1OWLaUjvpo/s1600/lingering+dew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2E5CrMuqudQ/T28fDQtco9I/AAAAAAAAB0Y/b1OWLaUjvpo/s200/lingering+dew.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Not a same spring blossoms the same... </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year's is a precocious one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A wander round the the eastside of the island revealed not only celandine, but unexpected primrose in bloom at Fladdabister. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our greylag geese still grace our world, together with a plethora of summer visitors in search of a great pedestal for courtship display. The fertile pocket of lushness that is the Tingwall Valley was littered with<i> shalders</i> (oystercatchers), common & black-headed gulls in full regalia... Summer's definitely on its way! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And on the theme of green...</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XIomVmRzWhg/T28ozkjMpoI/AAAAAAAAB0g/HffyAGDQKsc/s1600/aurora+glow+in+sandwick+sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XIomVmRzWhg/T28ozkjMpoI/AAAAAAAAB0g/HffyAGDQKsc/s200/aurora+glow+in+sandwick+sky.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two nights ago, we still marvelled at auroras in much calmer conditions. Oh, not the draping, shimmering ones in my Sandwick sky, but a green glow in this late March starry night. Wonderful moment, for northern lights do remain one of my favourite earth spectacles, together with sunrise & sunset, and storm petrels trading places on the isle of Mousa during the <i>Simmerdim</i>. </span><br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-large;">tied a'da <a href="http://www.shetlanddialect.org.uk/john-j-grahams-shetland-dictionary.php?word=1664">noost</a></i><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wfZ7d_xaMjg/T28Twqv8kxI/AAAAAAAABz4/STeFFdXqinY/s1600/day+oda+haar+ada+shore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wfZ7d_xaMjg/T28Twqv8kxI/AAAAAAAABz4/STeFFdXqinY/s200/day+oda+haar+ada+shore.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/surfing/sites/features/pages/seafog.shtml">Haar</a>, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as this maritime natural phenomenon is known in Scotland, has come early as this year's spring buds. Today, we reverted to summer time in white, as seafog veiled most of our shore on the eastside of the island. Every building turns a ghost shape, every silhouette, a spirit. Yesterday, west and east were heavily shrouded down. The drive to Weisdale proved an eerie journey from start to finish... Today, the Haar turns in to mist, and as I type, begins to lift around my township. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0x3FdqbGu7I/T28YolWANfI/AAAAAAAAB0I/5I5Stmc4aH8/s1600/day+oda+haar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0x3FdqbGu7I/T28YolWANfI/AAAAAAAAB0I/5I5Stmc4aH8/s200/day+oda+haar.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Magic, mystical, as our world gradually warms up, we watch in white; listen for birdsong, calling gulls and the sea in a <a href="http://www.scottishrecipes.co.uk/cullenskink.htm">cullen skink</a> sky... I redesign the horizon. </span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WRDomZid8MA/T28aIbtzaTI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/NE7xqt1t3Fw/s1600/noness+ida+haar+%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WRDomZid8MA/T28aIbtzaTI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/NE7xqt1t3Fw/s200/noness+ida+haar+%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kiss of life from our cold North Sea!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can only hope for a sun that is strong enough to burn it. My friend Debbie, who lives in <i><a href="http://shetlopedia.com/Aith">Aith</a></i>, on the westside, recorded a morning of sunshine. Mind you, the Haar is a trickster, for</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> wicks and voes vanish and reappear at will. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> it wanders around each bay, and engulfs long narrow inlets of water at amazing speed! It could be called Loki... I much prefer a more feminine persona, as <i>Lady Mist.</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-42298213679934371182012-03-19T22:59:00.000+00:002012-03-20T18:49:35.725+00:00côté cour & côté jardin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UgXF7drNuyQ/T2eh_ufhtYI/AAAAAAAABxY/Z_FhrOrABwQ/s1600/cote+cour+et+cote+jardin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UgXF7drNuyQ/T2eh_ufhtYI/AAAAAAAABxY/Z_FhrOrABwQ/s200/cote+cour+et+cote+jardin.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Old habits die hard</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">An empty stage demands respect. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">W</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hen we arrived for our four hour long technical rehearsal, Lerwick's Garrison Theatre felt like a great vessel's empty hull. Keith's Morrison & David Wagstaff's team of technicians - light, sound engineers hovered like sailors back and forth before the cast left the dressing rooms. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I sat in the front row on the old velvet chair and watched the crew at work.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UDx2zMA92Rk/T2elBCOsMeI/AAAAAAAABxg/AsDTJSThFyU/s1600/the+bride%27s+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UDx2zMA92Rk/T2elBCOsMeI/AAAAAAAABxg/AsDTJSThFyU/s200/the+bride%27s+chair.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: right;">I love the warmth of each spotlight. Arrays of colours lit the very belly of our craft. When I look back at those moments, I remember an array of orange and yellow shining on the chair placed in the centre of the stage. In the backdrop, a blue ocean. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K9sxvDBkGdY/T2emiTPnBXI/AAAAAAAABxo/i08xfnQ6ASo/s1600/Thoughts+from+the+big+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K9sxvDBkGdY/T2emiTPnBXI/AAAAAAAABxo/i08xfnQ6ASo/s200/Thoughts+from+the+big+chair.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter eventually sat on the chair, as light beamed down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.shetlanddrama.co.uk/2012/03/19/shetland-county-drama-festival/">Serpentine</a>'s "A" was just about to shine and emerge from a mist of smoke. Peter Ratter's <i>Three Brides - The Un-Wed </i> did not fail to impress, neither during technical rehearsal nor at this year's 62nd Shetland County Drama Festival. Avant-garde, from the technical, production and visual viewpoints, it did not leave the 2012 adjudicator indifferent. How could it?</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wr-N5StdueU/T2eokOlNGMI/AAAAAAAABxw/wf7k69UZgic/s1600/Cast+in+smoke+%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wr-N5StdueU/T2eokOlNGMI/AAAAAAAABxw/wf7k69UZgic/s320/Cast+in+smoke+%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L0t6YAK1reQ/T2eqi5FIcDI/AAAAAAAAByA/jUzM6eiYEHo/s1600/Clint+%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L0t6YAK1reQ/T2eqi5FIcDI/AAAAAAAAByA/jUzM6eiYEHo/s200/Clint+%5B1%5D.jpg" width="135" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfcZBQ83h0o/T2eqUj0orpI/AAAAAAAABx4/pot-o1SuD1A/s1600/Jane+&+Wendy+%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OfcZBQ83h0o/T2eqUj0orpI/AAAAAAAABx4/pot-o1SuD1A/s200/Jane+&+Wendy+%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Prompts, costumes, make-up, monologues, repartee, light. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter playwright & director made it a show to remember. Powerful snapshots of Gothic literature united from his brainchild and vision. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3YQ0MeNe28c/T2er5Zt-HZI/AAAAAAAAByg/YlTfYR_V5y8/s1600/Mathew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3YQ0MeNe28c/T2er5Zt-HZI/AAAAAAAAByg/YlTfYR_V5y8/s200/Mathew.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4QpCWQ3pmNU/T2etKGRJtII/AAAAAAAAByw/WazxH8kigDQ/s1600/Johnathan%27s+eyes+%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4QpCWQ3pmNU/T2etKGRJtII/AAAAAAAAByw/WazxH8kigDQ/s200/Johnathan%27s+eyes+%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Count, The Creator & Created and the Poet... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Their unwed brides. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The play was presented on Friday 16 March 2012 at The Garrison.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_TYKvvYN3w/T2eeu-hJiGI/AAAAAAAABxQ/ej63K_zFk9s/s1600/Woods+set.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_TYKvvYN3w/T2eeu-hJiGI/AAAAAAAABxQ/ej63K_zFk9s/s200/Woods+set.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Then lights </span><span style="font-size: large;">switched off and back on for a second time </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">on côté cour & côté jardin </i>once the set for Jane McKay's <i>If You Go Down To The Woods </i>was ready for its Première on the following night.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-voiM0PSQzUk/T2ev964sNzI/AAAAAAAABy4/663Aw0tPI2Q/s1600/Woods+Jeff+and+Louise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-voiM0PSQzUk/T2ev964sNzI/AAAAAAAABy4/663Aw0tPI2Q/s200/Woods+Jeff+and+Louise.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spent evenings of laughter, passion and devotion to bring the farce to its climax. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vjh5JryFD54/T2ezemnnLsI/AAAAAAAABzI/YwNalzMeoIU/s1600/Woods+DeliveryMan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vjh5JryFD54/T2ezemnnLsI/AAAAAAAABzI/YwNalzMeoIU/s200/Woods+DeliveryMan.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On <i>côté jardin</i> (left handside of the stage from the audience's viewpoint), a white door where mystery and misunderstandings would emerge... On <i>côté cour (right handside of the stage), a black door, </i>from which more confusion via strange comings & goings would flourish and unFURl.... Hungover Dan soon woke up to un-real moments! Clues of many kinds - furry gloves by Betty's French friend, Monique, red sauce by a sleazy photographer, Frank, a strange creature captured & printed by Graham, and even a parcel by a pothead, yes, the Deliveryman! - would ultimately reveal a farcical tale of a very furry kind. Betty's falling in love with Frank.</span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dbBhg_VKrXQ/T2e87XtcCQI/AAAAAAAABzw/k3BOjaNzl0Q/s1600/laughing+in+the+face+of+danger+12-2-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dbBhg_VKrXQ/T2e87XtcCQI/AAAAAAAABzw/k3BOjaNzl0Q/s200/laughing+in+the+face+of+danger+12-2-12.jpg" width="138" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4cR5cFQQ8jM/T2e38CjdaaI/AAAAAAAABzg/oLtXn7qtX7o/s1600/Woods+revelation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4cR5cFQQ8jM/T2e38CjdaaI/AAAAAAAABzg/oLtXn7qtX7o/s200/Woods+revelation.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Norwicks' kitchen will never be the same again!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Betty tries to lure us with her sudden escapades to the ponies... Igraine is young and naive... Janet, her friend, tries to keep Igraine's feet on earth. Monique cannot put her hands on Betty until she brings a rolled sheepskin... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shock horror!</span> Betty and Frank - two consenting adults - armed with a knife, tail-chase themselves like two children!</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VFdkWabxykM/T2e3UfFikzI/AAAAAAAABzY/Z0Ixsnsj0Qw/s1600/director%27s+eyes+12-2-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VFdkWabxykM/T2e3UfFikzI/AAAAAAAABzY/Z0Ixsnsj0Qw/s200/director%27s+eyes+12-2-12.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Directed by Jonathan Sinclair, <i>If You Go Down To The Woods, </i>kept us on our toes till its première, and received an award for Jonathan's debut as Director. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Congratulations to all involved in this madness - weekly Tuesday nights and Sunday afternoons are tattooed in my heart with sheer moments of giggles and laughters!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a great remedy to winter blues!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a more personal point, it was a formidable opportunity to rekindle my flame for theatre and be part of such a great adventure, the very first of many to come, as a member of Serpentine Drama Group. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8YSSBvREdaI/T2e4LbAHjKI/AAAAAAAABzo/Rw8DdcGK828/s1600/what%27s+up+Doc+12-2-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8YSSBvREdaI/T2e4LbAHjKI/AAAAAAAABzo/Rw8DdcGK828/s200/what%27s+up+Doc+12-2-12.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Born To Be Wild! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Oh, </span><span style="font-size: large;">and if you want a taste of it, just click </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcZIU511Tzs">here</a></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">!</i></span></div>
</div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-15370563058279771412012-03-19T19:27:00.000+00:002012-03-19T23:54:51.954+00:00half & half world<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wCmWUybb2mc/T2d5QEGXGQI/AAAAAAAABwo/D3OYdeU7Xxs/s1600/nightlife+fae+60N.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wCmWUybb2mc/T2d5QEGXGQI/AAAAAAAABwo/D3OYdeU7Xxs/s200/nightlife+fae+60N.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Beyond the stars, light, </b></span><b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">equinox</b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQomXNUjv1k/T2d7V9j5jqI/AAAAAAAABww/TVXpWmoidnk/s1600/spring+bud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQomXNUjv1k/T2d7V9j5jqI/AAAAAAAABww/TVXpWmoidnk/s200/spring+bud.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nothing prepares us for such cosmic rite of passage. </span>Not even the dazzling displays of aurora borealis that filled our sky since last summer's dusk... As we wandered through February, the island began to display precocious signs of revival. Strangely, our trees began to share so early buds... Winter bowed out without complaint, as milder air filtered through March. Not ice, but rain dominated our Nordic skies. March, month of rainbows and wild hares!</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wsn2S4VthWI/T2d8P_NcwiI/AAAAAAAABw4/27U9hWxgYCw/s1600/fencepost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wsn2S4VthWI/T2d8P_NcwiI/AAAAAAAABw4/27U9hWxgYCw/s200/fencepost.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Revival, renaissance, a promise of return</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From <a href="http://www.chalicecentre.net/imbolc.htm">Imbolc</a> to <a href="http://www.wiccaspirit.net/vol6is02/">Ostara</a>, our earthly calendar of life feels more than generous.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://hedgerowmobile.com/lessercelandine.html">Celandine</a> popped up with a good fortnight in advance... Avian movements have turned our skies into fantastic motorways! From wildfowl to waders, via blackbirds, <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/skylark/index.aspx">skylarks</a> and <a href="http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3302">common guillemots</a>, the island gradually welcomes back its summer visitors. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-57l-bpyfDjI/T2d_QOqeK-I/AAAAAAAABxA/GEkRDfpKDB4/s1600/Geese+in+gaggles+at+Stove+4-3-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-57l-bpyfDjI/T2d_QOqeK-I/AAAAAAAABxA/GEkRDfpKDB4/s320/Geese+in+gaggles+at+Stove+4-3-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And wherever you decide to walk, Greylag geese feast about everywhere! Their sound and sights slash days and nights. I love to listen to bird calls in a crepuscular sky. Geese make the best use of stars for night navigation. Somehow, I think of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's <i><a href="http://apc-aia.com/vol-de-nuit-1931">Vol de Nuit.</a></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Night. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The one that weaves solace and fears through a curtain of love & hate... </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ep4XJxjWObw/T2eGH-g4zQI/AAAAAAAABxI/dN78UVI6lYQ/s1600/lesser+celendine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ep4XJxjWObw/T2eGH-g4zQI/AAAAAAAABxI/dN78UVI6lYQ/s200/lesser+celendine.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet night will shrink even further as we jig with spring equinox! What began from late January will now accelerate at some amazing speed. <span style="font-size: large;">So until then</span>, I shall make the most of our stars and walk through spring till they faint away past Beltaine - enjoy a walk through the meadows and re-discover my world's palette of colours, though quite timid at first, when petals open to the sun. On Sunday morning, I heard my first skylark. Now I can truly welcome <i>Voar</i>, that wonderful dialect word for spring.</span><br />
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Voar haiku string </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Voar -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">wind of spring in rattling blind,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">distant echo of wheatears.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">#haiku fae 60N</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let it out -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">March, month of rainbows, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ghosts & angels,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">my grief still tattooed in grey sky.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">#haiku fae 60N</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Les choristes -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in their chocolate & white suits,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">on every corner of the stack, guillemots sing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">#haiku fae 60N</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-76455585190877303942012-03-10T23:24:00.000+00:002012-03-11T13:42:43.017+00:00one world, many tongues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rEj31_E1uNs/T1vqkbemCtI/AAAAAAAABwg/72cMASJtcu0/s1600/foghorn+in+blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rEj31_E1uNs/T1vqkbemCtI/AAAAAAAABwg/72cMASJtcu0/s200/foghorn+in+blue.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>world poetics under one roof</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When Kate called me to read in French, I knew she was up to something. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me rewind to that final week of February. Somewhere, I read that the Island's main Library would host one of those nights when folk gather to share a verse, a tune or a stanza... Karen usually orchestrates those wonderful nights, but for this once, she would ally with the Adult Learning Centre for something very special. And so she did. With Jen Hadfield as Reader in Residence, who, in the past already requested such reading in my native tongue, The<i> International Poetry Night</i> was born.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And what a night. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OjL4FjK-ddQ/T1vQBC-C_VI/AAAAAAAABvQ/j3iysZi72H4/s1600/our+ALC+Hosts+Genny+and+Kate+2-3-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OjL4FjK-ddQ/T1vQBC-C_VI/AAAAAAAABvQ/j3iysZi72H4/s200/our+ALC+Hosts+Genny+and+Kate+2-3-12.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Genny & Kate</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Friday 2 March, the Library kept its doors open till late. Our co-hosts gathered so many voices under one roof. Karen always hosts such nights in style. This time, Orkney beer and fudge were available to be sampled at the event's interval. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whereas Jen made a very brief introductory appearance, her co-hosts, Kate and Genny, enacted a farcical scene before a fifty strong audience. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0tJ8rvwVWis/T1vR2gBfPvI/AAAAAAAABvY/wvY3k42hMw4/s1600/KlaudiaM+Intern+Poetry+Night+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0tJ8rvwVWis/T1vR2gBfPvI/AAAAAAAABvY/wvY3k42hMw4/s200/KlaudiaM+Intern+Poetry+Night+2012.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Polish born Klaudia Marosek</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So many voices, languages filtered through the mesh of the open mic'. English, Polish, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Bulgarian, Russian, Frisian, Gaelic, Shetland dialect, French, Moroccan, Malaysian... A world symphony motion! It felt just home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not only poetry, but songs and dance for some of the performers. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TinIaNMlnsI/T1vW01qXCFI/AAAAAAAABvg/dgGH0wCZfSk/s1600/Bernadette+and+Jim+2-3-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TinIaNMlnsI/T1vW01qXCFI/AAAAAAAABvg/dgGH0wCZfSk/s200/Bernadette+and+Jim+2-3-12.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Local fiddlers Bernadette & Jim</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This night of world celebration united fantastic voices, who have elected their home on the island, </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EHdU1o15KPQ/T1vXviTxCOI/AAAAAAAABvw/V03R-sDg2jY/s1600/Radina+and+Alan+%5B2%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EHdU1o15KPQ/T1vXviTxCOI/AAAAAAAABvw/V03R-sDg2jY/s200/Radina+and+Alan+%5B2%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bulgarian born Radina, with Alan</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TncT7CvR3F8/T1viJ_0ItZI/AAAAAAAABwI/D_Gm_rZZg-M/s1600/International+Poetry+Night+2+March+2012+Nordicblackbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="127" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TncT7CvR3F8/T1viJ_0ItZI/AAAAAAAABwI/D_Gm_rZZg-M/s200/International+Poetry+Night+2+March+2012+Nordicblackbird.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Nordicblackbird</i> in full swing</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">would remind us all that their respective native tongue adds so many colours to the poetics of such a small community such as ours. Cultural joy to be able to breathe and walk through life with more than one language. Too many folk take it for granted. And although Shetlanders experience such bi-lingualism through their own dialect and English, their own<i> midder tongue </i>once suffered through cultural cleansing at the start of the 20th century, when English reigned king in the classroom. Too many local dialects, patois and languages have suffered too much already. In an effort to revive local languages and dialects, regions revive their own, hence declaring their unique cultural distinctions. At local level, the island thrives to keep it going and has even taken the step to re-introduce it in today's classroom, via <i>Shetland ForWirds</i>, even though it is fighting against linguistic imperialism as notably exposed by today's media. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nch24VHm0yk/T1vXDtFVPQI/AAAAAAAABvo/nJO7hvUIwdk/s1600/Feri+Batai+in+Hungarian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nch24VHm0yk/T1vXDtFVPQI/AAAAAAAABvo/nJO7hvUIwdk/s200/Feri+Batai+in+Hungarian.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hungarian born Fari Batai</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sDov5dLyO6o/T1vbE8BigBI/AAAAAAAABv4/CD77Kzsjhoo/s1600/JenH+Intern+Poetry+Night+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sDov5dLyO6o/T1vbE8BigBI/AAAAAAAABv4/CD77Kzsjhoo/s200/JenH+Intern+Poetry+Night+2012.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jen at the mic'</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the first time, I discovered Robert Burns in Hungarian through Fari's voice. How enchanting! Re-discovered the magic of those more northern and eastern European languages. <i>Whit a hansel!</i> What a present!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To hear it, or any language spoken by folk in the island really defines the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wealth</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> of our local community.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jen reappeared during the session to share with us her version of a traditional Irish tune entitled </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She Moved Through the Fair - </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a song which is familiar to my heart thanks to Kate Bush's own version. Precious moment from our Reader in Residence.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve Davidson and Alan McKay closed the Open Mic' session with a Gallic tune, a </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ2DdpZtdho&context=C4fb9310ADvjVQa1PpcFOjvo2JEyMvgXB6Xs8tuw857Ki6poj9OoM=">bourrée</a>. </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Part One)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scot born Steve is a francophile and an avid & very accomplished musician, who spends parts of his summer holidays somewhere in<a href="http://www.auvergne-tourism.com/-1-2.html"> Auvergne</a> (among his favourite destinations) with a gang of kindred spirits in an attempt to widen his love of traditional Gallic music. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Steve & Alan's Bourrée (Part2), please click <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98dwplCGQsU&context=C444cc3bADvjVQa1PpcFOjvo2JEyMvgSCpflzHPFYJH2Ze8fsEYVE=">here</a>. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shetland Library's hospitality</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: right;">My renewed thanks to Karen and Kate for such a brilliant night of celebration. Blending with the world feels such a </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: right;">privilege</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: right;">, especially when we live on an island somewhere in the North Atlantic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: right;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: right;"></span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-7856552137362208822012-02-27T18:18:00.003+00:002012-02-27T22:07:41.181+00:00venus & the crescent moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xhjU8HWkTt8/T0u8vupqxBI/AAAAAAAABuA/0D-Dq9Ca3H0/s1600/Venus++et+le+croissant+de+lune.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xhjU8HWkTt8/T0u8vupqxBI/AAAAAAAABuA/0D-Dq9Ca3H0/s200/Venus++et+le+croissant+de+lune.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>tales from our sky</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you don't look, you'll never see. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturday night and all is blue. Well, at least till dusk...</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Ckz7ICy5Ok/T0u_eMzZttI/AAAAAAAABuQ/Xky_0_3_08g/s1600/saturday's+puddles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Ckz7ICy5Ok/T0u_eMzZttI/AAAAAAAABuQ/Xky_0_3_08g/s200/saturday's+puddles.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0vr1s8Fj014/T0u_U_BMzxI/AAAAAAAABuI/fc8PiOXHUPw/s1600/waterlogged+land.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0vr1s8Fj014/T0u_U_BMzxI/AAAAAAAABuI/fc8PiOXHUPw/s200/waterlogged+land.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The land is waterlogged. Peatlands,</span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F3SzZgxmq5E/T0vDOyzn4JI/AAAAAAAABuY/0ZrQ3Dviadk/s1600/sky+full+of+birds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F3SzZgxmq5E/T0vDOyzn4JI/AAAAAAAABuY/0ZrQ3Dviadk/s200/sky+full+of+birds.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ditches, roadsides. That snow remains a memory. And from the roof of my marshy world, I felt water beyond the edge of hiking boots, as I walked around my hillside. In search of the first song of the skylark, I found some early visitors at its bottom: orange-billed, pied, beak inside earth, foraging hard in search of grubs hiding in mud... Yes, our dear<i> <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/o/oystercatcher/index.aspx">shalders</a></i> (oystercatchers) can dine in style! Saturday bathed in this springlike air and I could not resist making the most of such moment. The Lush fields around <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lochofspiggie/">Spiggie</a> (though waterlogged too) act as magnets for geese and farmland birds. And geese graze about everywhere! In a game of <i>"catch me if you can",</i> ravens stayed high when they were not hopping around mangers among sheep. <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/commongull/index.aspx">Common gulls </a>made me grin from one to the other end of field edges. <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/shelduck/index.aspx">Shelducks</a> , <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/redbreastedmerganser/index.aspx">Red-breasted mergansers</a> and Tufted ducks (now in their pairs) kept well at bay... <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/redshank/index.aspx">Redshanks </a>& <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/ringedplover/index.aspx">Ringed plovers</a> patrolled the loch's edge. Whooper swans fed in their usual position (tail up) and large rafts of gulls and <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/f/fulmar/index.aspx">maalies</a> ... I later saw a <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/slavoniangrebe/index.aspx">Slavonian Grebe</a> at the southern end of the loch. My Saturday sky filled with feathers against blue. </span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f0AIWdCf3WU/T0vEK4HYAHI/AAAAAAAABug/dmJE22LfoLk/s1600/common+gulls+at+spiggie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f0AIWdCf3WU/T0vEK4HYAHI/AAAAAAAABug/dmJE22LfoLk/s320/common+gulls+at+spiggie.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love the island in such light. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">raw, majestic, i</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">t shines through the eyes of deep space.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sky speaks many tongues in a myriad of voices. It learnt to whisper and to shout... it cries and smiles without reasons. Today it unveiled the colours of late February.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And when you wonder to the shore, birds walk the length of ocean's edge. </span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5uujVkZ4yFo/T0vIlbqu-1I/AAAAAAAABvA/18McTRuKwuQ/s1600/wandering+turnstones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5uujVkZ4yFo/T0vIlbqu-1I/AAAAAAAABvA/18McTRuKwuQ/s200/wandering+turnstones.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And when we begged goodbye to the day, dusk settled its trillions of treasures. I love our sky at those moments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blue, orange, indigo, crepuscular, and still so calm.</span><br />
<img border="0" height="136" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mun5_SjX418/T0vHobI3qWI/AAAAAAAABuw/64Z4yRh0y-Y/s200/magic+dusk+Feb+2012.jpg" width="200" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And Venus shone left to the Moon.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g198y0ISdQI/T0vHyOgjMNI/AAAAAAAABu4/6MwGzr-whhQ/s1600/saturday+dusk+on+60N.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g198y0ISdQI/T0vHyOgjMNI/AAAAAAAABu4/6MwGzr-whhQ/s200/saturday+dusk+on+60N.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-62179137778688030812012-02-25T00:06:00.000+00:002012-02-25T00:06:13.568+00:00late night listening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aT8k5brB0DY/T0gi7yQGdUI/AAAAAAAABt4/A6VhUOVsh9s/s1600/waiting+4+northern+lights+28+Sep+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aT8k5brB0DY/T0gi7yQGdUI/AAAAAAAABt4/A6VhUOVsh9s/s200/waiting+4+northern+lights+28+Sep+2011.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Geopoetical rhythms</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Over the winter, late nights have unveiled magic. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Magic of Northern Lights, listening to night, turn of the tide, gale, gusts or breeze...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love the sounds of earthly moments that take you away from the consistent bombardment of a "noisy" world in its many forms. Tonight, the wind has dropped and I imagine rainfall between <a href="http://acrosstheminch.wordpress.com/">The Minch</a> and the island. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then, music comes through the hut. Piano and voice. Kate Bush's music plays late tonight too. I was in the middle of "Misty" when I interrupted that wonderful song for a rare interview with Kate. And what an interview! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please click<a href="http://blog.kexp.org/2012/02/24/exclusive-kexp-interview-kate-bush/"> here</a> for a moment of joy, punctuated with Kate's giggles and humanity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Some great insight into her world.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-11779950445200440452012-02-24T18:27:00.002+00:002012-02-25T11:13:17.560+00:00february & ravens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BMYQ9_GYZs/T0fJstKu-0I/AAAAAAAABtY/qKRM_AYv3_Y/s1600/headland+of+ravens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="74" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BMYQ9_GYZs/T0fJstKu-0I/AAAAAAAABtY/qKRM_AYv3_Y/s200/headland+of+ravens.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>LOVE YOUR HEADLAND</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">February remains an extraordinary month. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a time when life returns, even if only through whispers. For every journey through the land, familiar sounds add to the light. If gales still prevail through most mornings, precocious signs of renewal become more flagrant after dawn. One hears excitement through the bare trees of my garden. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blackbirds, sparrows, gulls, corvids of northern kinds... Geese in gaggles or above heads. All so more noticeable now. It is a hymn to early spring.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ySr60r85PYo/T0fL-L6MqbI/AAAAAAAABtg/1m0rcFDMbAA/s1600/junction+to+gale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ySr60r85PYo/T0fL-L6MqbI/AAAAAAAABtg/1m0rcFDMbAA/s200/junction+to+gale.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That main trunk of tarmac that links the island from north to south. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My daily run to the town means a good opportunity to watch one of my favourite birds: ravens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">February draped by their early aerial display, those majestic jet black flyers defy laws of acrobatics. Now they come to perch by the roadside for breakfast. Tarmac offers free restaurants for them and all our local gulls that come to feast on carrion. Some unusual and strange way to survive... Yet their success for survival depend on our rate of road kills, mostly rabbits that plague the land.</span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ShSTEJ-ano/T0fQbRHvFxI/AAAAAAAABto/r9LHEuS5hog/s1600/raven+poem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ShSTEJ-ano/T0fQbRHvFxI/AAAAAAAABto/r9LHEuS5hog/s200/raven+poem.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ravens have learnt to tame tarmac. Usually found perched on fenceposts, they reconvene every morning in gangs of three, four, five or six and clean the roads of fur and bones...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They've learnt patience and great timing on the approach of vehicles, and will get aloft as headlights become too near to their feathers. As morbid as it may sound, those muckrakers have turned such formidable opportunists, and their dare-devil flying skills have made them one of the most successful species in our world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fascinating species that inspires tales of all kinds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From folklore to music, their jet black wings do not cease to amaze and awake musings of all sorts. According to culture, they turn devil or gods... In Native American realms, they bring change and allow you to travel between worlds. In Scandinavian history, Vikings came to our land to collect young ravens as means of GPS - by launching them at sea to find land ahead - on their travels westwards/north-westwards. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They are present in so many folk tales, songs and omens!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In Music, as here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And There, the tale of <b>The Three Ravens</b>, Germanic style.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To my humble heart, ravens remain fantastic birds that symbolise freedom in flight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Every morning begins with them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-85518728849950369722012-02-19T15:41:00.000+00:002012-02-20T19:26:04.954+00:00Arctic Sunday<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--lnMvxNXIwE/T0EAujuOa6I/AAAAAAAABsY/jmmE94IFEtE/s1600/rope+in+ice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--lnMvxNXIwE/T0EAujuOa6I/AAAAAAAABsY/jmmE94IFEtE/s200/rope+in+ice.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>back to whiteworld</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We have been warned. That </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">exotic </span>(anything above zero Celsius)</i><span style="font-size: large;"> air would not last long... </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kate's <i><a href="http://www.katebush.com/discography/50-words-snow">50 words for Snow</a></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is playing inside the hut, as am </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm savouring a bowl of warm porridge. The island once more caught in some Arctic spell, with a thin, though icy sheet of snow, has clad every meadow, garden and <i><a href="http://shetlopedia.com/Geo">geo</a></i>. Our three felines ventured fully clawed on the icy blue.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sy9hUHjjwt0/T0D-neK-xnI/AAAAAAAABsQ/IWf7knJfr0g/s1600/feline+vigil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sy9hUHjjwt0/T0D-neK-xnI/AAAAAAAABsQ/IWf7knJfr0g/s200/feline+vigil.jpg" width="161" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peewit the Cat clambered over the crab basket and watched geese in mid-morning sky from his post. He looked a sphinx in this ocean of ice. <span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Frozen garden in glorious light on Sunday morning. Overnight gales let us enjoy more magic from our Nordic sky, with yet another luminous display of aurora. <a href="http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/3398-mirrie-dancers-delight.html">Mirrie Dancers</a> delighted eyes late in darkness. So cold though through this Arctic air. <b>If at the start of February</b>, I felt on the shore of the Labrador, today makes me think of Svalbard, or somewhere near the <a href="http://www.south-pole.com/homepage.html">horizon of South Georgia, South Shetland or Orkney Islands, or even Iles Kerguélen... </a> A short walk around my patch transports my heart to those desolate freezing realms. <a href="http://www.rmg.co.uk/scott">Scott</a>, <a href="http://www.south-pole.com/p0000095.htm">Charcot</a> and <a href="http://www.south-pole.com/p0000097.htm">Shackleton</a> belong to this catalogue of famous polar explorers, and yet, other names, no so well remembered, adorn this list. No leopard or elephant seal, just common and grey ones can be found all around my shore. Each print of snow boot has its rewards. I heard a snippick (snipe) in the nearby field, and geese calling above my head. So was the theme of my <i>stravaig</i> before lunchtime.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nvnmCTvt5Tc/T0EKKKAxVAI/AAAAAAAABso/VpkWZptDBmw/s1600/whiteworld+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nvnmCTvt5Tc/T0EKKKAxVAI/AAAAAAAABso/VpkWZptDBmw/s200/whiteworld+2012.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FKnVb25qIX8/T0EMW-TqY5I/AAAAAAAABsw/hVn64zJ5kJE/s1600/wildman+world+18-2-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FKnVb25qIX8/T0EMW-TqY5I/AAAAAAAABsw/hVn64zJ5kJE/s200/wildman+world+18-2-12.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In defiance to eyes and claws of February, sparrows and starlings sang during snowfall on Saturday. So eager to chase this spell of desolation, they stood and chirped all around us. Every tree began to feel the weight of winter. Sticky snow whitened our world. But still, birdsong filled in sound this myriad of snowflakes. My Nordic world sounded so light. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Such desire to feel alive and sing in Saturday's bleakest moments...</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G1THR3fGw5E/T0ESMKhm9cI/AAAAAAAABtI/JPlX_XKCzGc/s1600/Manse+in+ice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G1THR3fGw5E/T0ESMKhm9cI/AAAAAAAABtI/JPlX_XKCzGc/s200/Manse+in+ice.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aWrPl88GvTg/T0EQd93NfcI/AAAAAAAABs4/LilF1tTpqy4/s1600/Arctic+Stove+on+Sunday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aWrPl88GvTg/T0EQd93NfcI/AAAAAAAABs4/LilF1tTpqy4/s200/Arctic+Stove+on+Sunday.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">June & Richard's Old Manse looks so romantic clad in white. The old stone walls harbour comfort and secret worlds fit for a starling, gull or wren. They too feed birds that come to shelter from harshness. Among bits of twisted branches and frozen garden, tubes of peanuts hang from bareness. Birds know it so well. later they will find a suitable tree to love and fare for their offspring... In the meantime, they have to make do with whiteworld.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Recent haiku & tweets from 60N</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Morning distorted by raindrops that could crystallize by Saturday - will have to tell curlews & wrens... </span><a class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23Geopoetics" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="#Geopoetics"><span style="color: cyan;"><s style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">#</strong></s><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; font: inherit; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Geopoetics</b></strong></span></a> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Magic words -</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> inside book of incantations, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">one spell for snow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="color: cyan;"><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><a class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23haiku" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="#haiku"><s style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">#</s><b style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">haiku</b></a></span><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">fae </span><span style="color: cyan;"><a class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%2360N" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="#60N"><s style="text-decoration: none;">#</s><b style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">60N</b></a><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><a class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23Geopoetics" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="#Geopoetics"><s style="text-decoration: none;">#</s><b style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Geopoetics</b></a><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><a class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23flâneur" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="#flâneur"><s style="text-decoration: none;">#</s><b style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">flâneur</b></a><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><a class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23snow" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="#snow"><s style="text-decoration: none;">#</s><b style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">snow</b></a><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><a class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23dérive" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="#dérive"><s style="text-decoration: none;">#</s><b style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">dérive</b></a></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Garde-barrière - </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sur le rebord du monde, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">deux étourneaux attendent la neige.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="color: cyan;"><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><a class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23haiku" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="#haiku"><s style="text-decoration: none;">#</s><b style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">haiku</b></a></span></span><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="color: cyan;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;">fae 60N</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now found your footprints in the snow - echoing round the </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">whole island! </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NAk7FhSmDDw/T0ETW6U29tI/AAAAAAAABtQ/GPuKFtXV_CA/s1600/birdprints+in+snow+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NAk7FhSmDDw/T0ETW6U29tI/AAAAAAAABtQ/GPuKFtXV_CA/s200/birdprints+in+snow+.jpg" width="139" /></a></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-53515952866696208802012-02-05T19:07:00.000+00:002012-02-05T19:07:03.608+00:00roosting time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>where do you stand?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tonight I heard the blackbird's Braille and caught our Moon in eastern sky. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We, islanders, have endured gales instead of snow. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Morning downpours led way to light.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The air was as freezing as our wild North Atlantic. The Westerlies feel so bitter, as sun ventures across our sky. February, the coldest, harshest month with a desire to make you feel its sharpest claws... Raw, incisive, as wolf fangs through the flesh of a buffalo, and yet as invisible as a dream, snowless winter grips you and turns you blue. I could have felt on some shoreline in Hudson Bay; along the coast of Labrador... Those cold deserts, tundra landscapes, where permafrost still dreams of warmth and waders' calls, feel just like home. Each tongue of land holds its secrets.</span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcKvGaNJT9M/Ty6_T7txh1I/AAAAAAAABrw/VBRXRKi1UHs/s1600/luminous+horizon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcKvGaNJT9M/Ty6_T7txh1I/AAAAAAAABrw/VBRXRKi1UHs/s200/luminous+horizon.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mine stands so proud in-between North Sea and Atlantic. Battered and constantly windswept, the island withstands anger from currents, rotating blades of each roller, ending their race on sculpted sand or against rocks, stacks and natural arches. Earthly<i> Rodin</i>. They shape our shores like a sculptor... They carve through basalt and Old Red Sandstone without shame and carry the world in their bellies. Every pebble locks its nomad's tale. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yet I grab those precious stones, as I retrace my steps back home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Birds unfolds wings to brave currents and reach heavens.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sweet freedom, flowing in my heart.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FIpQyoI1L2Y/Ty7AfHhay-I/AAAAAAAABr4/uZ5iv1SBXgs/s1600/home+garden+at+5-2-12+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FIpQyoI1L2Y/Ty7AfHhay-I/AAAAAAAABr4/uZ5iv1SBXgs/s200/home+garden+at+5-2-12+.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m2EQ5MZ2at0/Ty7HdUxucVI/AAAAAAAABsA/hWHUiLVtUx4/s1600/gathering+at+sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m2EQ5MZ2at0/Ty7HdUxucVI/AAAAAAAABsA/hWHUiLVtUx4/s200/gathering+at+sunset.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By sunset time, I watched gardens fill with our most common visitors. Since we planted trees in not such a distant past, they have now grown to perching springs, well above ground and feline eyes. As soon as I opened the door onto the sliding sun, the sky unveiled earth symphony, as starlings, sparrows and blackbirds hovered around barren branches. So many voices filled our sky. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wintersong,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gathering on top branches from June's secluded garden and fly off for roosting time.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xMQb5f8cFLc/Ty7Ixi6oFhI/AAAAAAAABsI/3dmr5hmnYVk/s1600/the+gathering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xMQb5f8cFLc/Ty7Ixi6oFhI/AAAAAAAABsI/3dmr5hmnYVk/s320/the+gathering.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Life, a constant flight for survival.</span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx9d05TosYgIbNm2QPlXmxtegnKLqNXhKzlVD89Kt9tsBH-iac9bjRg7dPM8F_TlHf5LbkQmYskQ69bDz7SGw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> </div>
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<i>Another night, morrow or year. </i></div>
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<i>I wonder if they too stick to almanacs.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-73735916130455863612012-02-01T17:55:00.003+00:002012-02-01T18:05:06.111+00:00Draco dans les étoiles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJNoO3Hl9Ho/Tylb82W7V1I/AAAAAAAABqY/W0CsMOHoY5g/s1600/dragonheart+e-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJNoO3Hl9Ho/Tylb82W7V1I/AAAAAAAABqY/W0CsMOHoY5g/s200/dragonheart+e-.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>time to reconvene with fire</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It has gained in stature. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is now known around the world.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It leaps from island to island... It fills our sky with sparks and light and parrafin lingers in our hearts forever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each last Tuesday of January, fire fever sparks off all around town. The dragon's back around our walls, and with it, hordes of boys and men in starting blocks for merriment. In my night sky, Draco awaits curtain of night to show the way. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OX4kf4EuFj0/Tylg4pMeRII/AAAAAAAABqw/wAzZZVL431k/s1600/classroom+invasion+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OX4kf4EuFj0/Tylg4pMeRII/AAAAAAAABqw/wAzZZVL431k/s200/classroom+invasion+2012.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On this last day of January, young islanders turn warriors and invest corridors inside their own institution. Everyone gathers to applaud and marvel at shiny helmets. The atmosphere is <i>bon enfant</i>, as staff and pupils play the game until our squad of young Vikings join their elders by the harbour. It is indeed a special day for those young men who represent our school. They too have their own galley to set on fire and walk in footsteps of elders. <span id="goog_1996074182"></span><span id="goog_1996074183"></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g90aC_ycNFI/TylfuPNS_rI/AAAAAAAABqg/jkZyFT_gq8M/s1600/an+extraordinary+school+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g90aC_ycNFI/TylfuPNS_rI/AAAAAAAABqg/jkZyFT_gq8M/s200/an+extraordinary+school+day.jpg" width="200" /></a><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/dxOQAAIdF34?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fire fever animates hearts throughout the day. It kicks early and will demand another day to recover from party time! It culminates with the now famous procession. In the meantime, boys and men have to endure a much accepted marathon by visiting schools, hospital, care homes and whoever wants to see them before sunset. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HRXuVoqTI8E/TyljVrjE2lI/AAAAAAAABq4/XavJ6KGNojs/s1600/sacrifice+for+the+sun+e-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HRXuVoqTI8E/TyljVrjE2lI/AAAAAAAABq4/XavJ6KGNojs/s200/sacrifice+for+the+sun+e-.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The procession well after dusk shines as highlight. Folk from the world come to marvel at boys & men ready to march and turn their boat into ashes. Impressive prints left in your eyes. As night progresses, the guizing men will engulf halls where women wait to serve and feed with <i><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/content/articles/2005/07/14/ig_shetland_recipes_feature.shtml">tattie soup</a> (or <a href="http://www.globebutchers.co.uk/recipe.html">reestit mutton</a>)</i> and other liquid concoctions until next dawn... For those of you familiar with the opening scene from the movie <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mKeLMDB2w0&feature=related">Beowulf </a>- </i>mind you, minus <i>Grendel</i> and treasures!<i> -</i> the allegory won't feel too strong. In our depth of winter, <a href="http://visit.shetland.org/up-helly-aa">Up-Helly Aa</a> feels so welcome as light begins to override night in a much more assertive way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>February born off ashes </b></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JbcDl9BIorc/TyluegxOxdI/AAAAAAAABrA/EEU9JxGQ8Fw/s1600/Imbolc-feb+festival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JbcDl9BIorc/TyluegxOxdI/AAAAAAAABrA/EEU9JxGQ8Fw/s200/Imbolc-feb+festival.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l-SO03wvhfI/TylydzvDUbI/AAAAAAAABrI/tzpMLr4_7wY/s1600/stravaig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l-SO03wvhfI/TylydzvDUbI/AAAAAAAABrI/tzpMLr4_7wY/s200/stravaig.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year,</span><b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imbolc follows so close to Lerwick's Up-Helly-Aa.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.worldspirituality.org/imbolc.html">Imbolc</a></i>, the Earth's true beginning of Spring, and with it, the very first and timid steps to renewal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our dawns have become precocious - our afternoons linger longer... Sometimes sunsets turn pink and blue in pastel style and this precious nordic light carve smiles in eyes and hearts. It gives us time to wander ("stravaig") around our shore.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FdeZJkWImEI/Tyly0UT5S5I/AAAAAAAABrQ/fzUj0PMiMHY/s1600/pink+and+blue+lerwick+%5Bpanoramic%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FdeZJkWImEI/Tyly0UT5S5I/AAAAAAAABrQ/fzUj0PMiMHY/s320/pink+and+blue+lerwick+%5Bpanoramic%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OCkgBdHT9gk/Tyl70cZz0eI/AAAAAAAABrg/-1yIYoqOByM/s1600/raven+poem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OCkgBdHT9gk/Tyl70cZz0eI/AAAAAAAABrg/-1yIYoqOByM/s320/raven+poem.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Long-tailed ducks mingle with Eiders & Goldeneyes, common Scoters, kittiwakes and selkies... Little auks have been seen. Ravens re-started their acrobatics, as courtship begins on roadsides at <i>breakfast</i> time. Ravens, once captured by Vikings around the island to be used as scouts & seekers of land beyond seafarers' horizon... Starlings and sparrows filled this morning's sky with calls and chirps, so quarrelsome can they become. Even if the land feels desolate, precocious signals are noticed. Our path to the Vernal Equinox looks now lit. And until then, we shall keep our beacons alight, watch out for ice at every dawn and salute <i><a href="http://starryskies.com/The_sky/constellations/draco.html">Draco</a></i> in our sky.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5poAt3cIGig/Tyl7kuAVtmI/AAAAAAAABrY/mKWTUwLiivM/s1600/night+of+fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5poAt3cIGig/Tyl7kuAVtmI/AAAAAAAABrY/mKWTUwLiivM/s200/night+of+fire.jpg" width="141" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hearth is keeping us warm. Candles bring smiles when all feels dark. And when our sky feels generous, the entire universe fills our eyes. In moonless night, we can enjoy our Northern Lights. Without a doubt, 60N is a magic place! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, prolific day at the wordbench. So here, a string of fresh haiku :-)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;">Nuit de feu </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;">- </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">dry wax & ashes for Imbolc, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">we have been burning wood all night. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;">Haiku</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"> fae 60N</span></span><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">Stravaig - </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">in-between ditches & potholes, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">follow rock doves & hooded crows. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">Haiku</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;"> fae 60N</span><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: 21px;"> </span></span>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">Parrafin - </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">elixir to sun worshippers </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">that lingers through depth of winter. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 27px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">Haiku fae 60N</span><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"> </span></span>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-29122623483900604722012-01-22T23:05:00.000+00:002012-01-22T23:42:03.877+00:00day of sun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5TUqTuteyMA/TxyBvGOeodI/AAAAAAAABpI/RJkty2V0MZE/s1600/sumburgh+222-1-12+light+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5TUqTuteyMA/TxyBvGOeodI/AAAAAAAABpI/RJkty2V0MZE/s200/sumburgh+222-1-12+light+.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>day of sun, day of light</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="font-size: x-large;">my fleeting soul, </i>as Bertie sings.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It all felt aerial, so ethereal and magical </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from dawn till now. The Met Office application on my iPod had somehow whispered to make the best of our Sunday... Dazzled by blue from dawn till dusk, the island weighed its mass of gold. Fuelled by might of our Nordic light, I packed my heart with adventures found on the shore of the South End - its very tip made of white sand. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2rIngjPAZOk/TxyGPPk_vPI/AAAAAAAABpQ/GMnn4pxXyJ4/s1600/westvoe+21-1-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2rIngjPAZOk/TxyGPPk_vPI/AAAAAAAABpQ/GMnn4pxXyJ4/s200/westvoe+21-1-12.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">West Voe was littered with uprooted kelp forests tides bring to rest on silver shores after each storm. Warmth on my skin, as I stepped out of the motor and began my first wandering. Whereas folk made it to the other side of arch, I followed the song of the waves and scrutinised the very edge of my own world. <span style="font-size: large;">Life </span>comes and feasts on rotting kelp, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">from wading friends to the tiniest!</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1O5sn3GnABs/TxyJKjPNxgI/AAAAAAAABpg/EOEofskVOrs/s1600/purple+sands+at+westvoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1O5sn3GnABs/TxyJKjPNxgI/AAAAAAAABpg/EOEofskVOrs/s200/purple+sands+at+westvoe.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UMnpxGJG_f0/TxyJA1gScDI/AAAAAAAABpY/W-xbzRbA4ks/s1600/purple+sand+on+the+rocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UMnpxGJG_f0/TxyJA1gScDI/AAAAAAAABpY/W-xbzRbA4ks/s200/purple+sand+on+the+rocks.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What better spectacle but watch waders - turnstones and purple sandpipers - mingle with lace made by the surf. Each one looked so mechanical every time they got their feet wet! I soon sealed time in a bubble and let my eye play through the lens. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7GiFD2KB9rQ/TxyMEEv7vZI/AAAAAAAABp4/5bpywSD14S4/s1600/waders+over+water+westvoe+22-1-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7GiFD2KB9rQ/TxyMEEv7vZI/AAAAAAAABp4/5bpywSD14S4/s320/waders+over+water+westvoe+22-1-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7T1cGsvCLy4/TxyKdekN9II/AAAAAAAABpo/Qu1WL1hXNkE/s1600/jenny+wren+on+kelp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7T1cGsvCLy4/TxyKdekN9II/AAAAAAAABpo/Qu1WL1hXNkE/s200/jenny+wren+on+kelp.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yet, behind me, the magic of our elusive jenny wren that too made the most of earth bonanza and played hide and seek in boulders. <span style="font-size: large;">Magic moments. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ttwrgKz9tPE/TxyM0VlglKI/AAAAAAAABqA/HLQi1Yw_ZE0/s1600/bean+goose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ttwrgKz9tPE/TxyM0VlglKI/AAAAAAAABqA/HLQi1Yw_ZE0/s200/bean+goose.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AeVL7luXWB0/TxyL4cSHC_I/AAAAAAAABpw/EiY2At_EDwA/s1600/white+fronted+geese+22-1-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AeVL7luXWB0/TxyL4cSHC_I/AAAAAAAABpw/EiY2At_EDwA/s200/white+fronted+geese+22-1-12.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A drive around Spiggie led us to geese - </span>greylag, white-fronted and bean - scattered around the loch and the lush fields in-between Spiggie and Bigton. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fUi2nZ65sQg/TxyPlI8rGJI/AAAAAAAABqQ/Vv2V1tKMQyQ/s1600/marram+grass+in+sunlight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fUi2nZ65sQg/TxyPlI8rGJI/AAAAAAAABqQ/Vv2V1tKMQyQ/s200/marram+grass+in+sunlight.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ELEjwJOuEps/TxyOIOqzVkI/AAAAAAAABqI/S1SgW15g_6c/s1600/in+search+of+shells.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ELEjwJOuEps/TxyOIOqzVkI/AAAAAAAABqI/S1SgW15g_6c/s200/in+search+of+shells.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bigton,<i> la voie royale</i> to Arcania! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I went to salute my dear sandbridge for the first time since Yule and found new rocks on its shoreline... We shall never underestimate the power of water. Oceans and seas carry the world in their currents. We came to find shells of all kinds. And so we did... As spray flew high half-way though the tombolo and tide was high, we found happiness at its base. I marvelled at the game of light through marram grass... Like angel hair all around us.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>When the world sounds so loud, I always come back to the shore and listen for its earthly song.<span style="font-size: large;"> And love the island in such light. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By mid-afternoon, I reconvened with my troupe in the town, as theatre needs rehearsals. Dusk draped Sunday without a word. This epilogue back inside night - somewhat distracted by a glow of Aurora in the evening - hovers like a silvery cloak of a day more than well spent. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I want to remember how it all began, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here it is, immortalised,<span style="font-size: large;"> inside a triptych of haiku.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Vol de nuit -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">des oies sauvages en escadrille</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">par delà tuiles dans bleu de l'aube.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Night flight -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">wild geese in a squadron</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">beyond tiles in blue dawn.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">#haiku fae 60N</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Cri de l'aube -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">des fers de la nuit,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">merle noir se déchaine.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Cry Dawn -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">from night's shackles</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">blackbird unchains itself.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">#haiku fae 60N</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Chant du monde -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">au dire du matin,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">les étourneaux en rang par trois.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Earth song -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">to what morning whispers,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">starlings in rows of three.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">#haiku fae 60N</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With everlasting thanks to my other half for his precious shots of geese :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-88131784083765194232012-01-16T21:34:00.000+00:002012-01-18T23:42:32.023+00:00Stravaig is out!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n9oM4h-5m9A/TxSMa4EtB0I/AAAAAAAABow/S5ukmWwDtD4/s1600/dark+jade+shore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n9oM4h-5m9A/TxSMa4EtB0I/AAAAAAAABow/S5ukmWwDtD4/s200/dark+jade+shore.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>Geopoetics in motion</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Feel free to click. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Scottish Centre for Geopoetics, led by Scottish poet & essayist <a href="http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/contacts/norman-bissell-0">Norman Bissell</a>, released <a href="http://www.geopoetics.org.uk/online-journal-stravaig/stravaig-1-contents/"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Stravaig</span></a> online. Issue 1 has found freedom inside the cyberworld and its content is exciting! Friends, poets, writers, essayists, artists, photographers, designers and filmakers creatively mapped, chartered inside one world. It's... <i style="font-size: x-large;">Exciting! </i>There is a place for everyone who practises the discipline of intellectual nomadism. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still remember a friend who once asked me, "what is <i><a href="http://www.geopoetics.org.uk/welcome/what-is-geopoetics/">Geopoetics</a></i>?" My poetic heart & mind attempted to describe something like "the natural art of opening to a world, finding our place within it and celebrating our connection with this very world within the realms of every rock, mountain and shore... This natural, <i>real</i> world, in which every rock, shell, sandgrain, snowflake, birdsong, flower counts. <i>Not</i> somebody's delusional mind - but the very cross-disciplinary movement to this world in which our human intelligence interacts. The widening of our knowledge to cross-cultural bonds, just like the crossing of continents via the ancient (now submerged) land bridges... Kenneth White speaks of walking away from <i>those motorways of western civilisations </i>in which too many generations of our ancestors met a dead-end by keeping their scope on one-way roads. Geopoetics offers freedom to wander whilst embracing a world intelligence, the human spirit and creative genius, irrespective of civilisation. This international movement has found many adepts over time, and <i>The Scottish Centre for Geopoetics</i> belongs to this Archipelago of current, practising intellectual nomads for our region (and beyond), which remains, White's native <i>homeground</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.geopoetics.org.uk/online-journal-stravaig/stravaig-1-contents/stravaig-issue-1-editorial/">Stravaig</a>,</span></i> this wonderful Scot word meaning<i> stroll, wander, </i>will cross<i> <span style="font-size: large;">your</span> way</i>, I hope.<i> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Place, culture, world,</span> </i> in the words of Kenneth White.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That sunset on the second day of the first month...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">felt like a dream.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XJWsPowFqY4/Twnpzh3rWbI/AAAAAAAABoA/GTbOKBIR7B8/s1600/arty+blue+sunset+e-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XJWsPowFqY4/Twnpzh3rWbI/AAAAAAAABoA/GTbOKBIR7B8/s200/arty+blue+sunset+e-.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rocket-red, winter blue or B&W. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I loved the cloud movement that gradually clads our Nordic sky on a crisp day. It was awesome. For a moment, I thought this sole image would encapsulate a glorious end of holiday... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Until the unexpected strikes!</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OkYPqs2OI_c/TwnoZ9EwTWI/AAAAAAAABnw/PRaU9eiWoFY/s1600/grooming+peewit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OkYPqs2OI_c/TwnoZ9EwTWI/AAAAAAAABnw/PRaU9eiWoFY/s200/grooming+peewit.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He's not a cat, but a pirate. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I won't forget my last two days of holiday. <i>Peewit</i> The Cat gave us a fright on the third day of January, as he retched, hid, and vocalised in a strange way. He even refused his favourite, cuddles & food. We did not wait long to jump on the handset and called the Feline A&E. The Vet on call had a somewhat familiar accent, which I first thought South African. <i>Errare humanum Est! </i>We put our feline in his box and rocketed to the Westside in a bleak end of afternoon - Peewit mimicking a diva in every kerb, as tarmac took us close through gales and rain. I suspected he eventually developed a secret love for the veterinary surgery! Little did we know we took him on time. He was awaited by a young Veterinary Officer, who quickly diagnosed </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">feline bladder as the main </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">culprit</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Not South African, but Flemish, with beautiful French! This time, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peewit</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> would taste emergency surgery with full board till he would be fit to go home. The hut felt strange without him, even though our </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">two other feline pirates</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, Babooshka and Tystie, amused us till his return. </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peewit</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> came home yesterday with a shaved butt and many more loving </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">miaows. </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was ever so grateful & thankful to the devoted staff at the surgery, especially to Cathy (the Vet) and Kaye (the Nurse), who took so much good care of our muggy.</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our hearts felt so lighter.</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, yes, that first week of January will not be forgotten! I never saw classroom re-start, as days vanished like stones projected by a catapult.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--5A57OpFG_s/Twn-Gfpg_iI/AAAAAAAABoQ/xTOk67und_Q/s1600/Orcinus+orca+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="78" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--5A57OpFG_s/Twn-Gfpg_iI/AAAAAAAABoQ/xTOk67und_Q/s200/Orcinus+orca+.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, with the weekend came thrills and smiles! If yesterday, Saturday, was devoted to retrieve our loving feline, Sunday would take a twist none would suspect. As Peewit re-gained his gargantuan appetite, tuna chunks concealed his daily antibiotic mini-nugget. I first found Babooshka on the kitchen worktop foraging for any crumbs, just like a food hoover - or now nicknamed as<i> "Googlegrub" - </i>as she still thinks her grand age would let get away with anything... Tystie remains the only reasonable one. All three were tended with love and care.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rnTgG5bNtMU/Twn-4gQ37cI/AAAAAAAABoY/qCUiZN7bAFo/s1600/orca+bull+8+Jan+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rnTgG5bNtMU/Twn-4gQ37cI/AAAAAAAABoY/qCUiZN7bAFo/s200/orca+bull+8+Jan+2012.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> By late morning, a series of Tweets alerted us of island fun in our inshore waters. Orcas, Killer whales, were spotted and, although I had to be in Lerwick for drama rehearsal in early afternoon, the chase began. Grutness, Levenwick, Hoswick, Broonies' Taing, Sanick, Noness. Magic placenames that rhyme with breathtaking seascapes and opportunities to enjoy not only seabirds, but cetaceans when the conditions are united. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A first attempt to Broonies' Taing led us to the bay at Sanick, where dorsal fins were playing so close to the shore. Magic moment! Watching those wonderful beasts in the wild remains a formidable spectacle. Folk flocked to the roadside that leads to the headland of Noness, as the pod of orcas - one bull and two females, from what I could see - swam along. I felt like a child in a toyshop just before Yule! They were magnificent. Again I forgot time and sent a quick tweet to my Serpentine actors, for I knew I would be slightly late for the afternoon. I shan't forget my weekend either. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rnctZEKU7Wo/TwoAWf1Ut3I/AAAAAAAABog/NcHZ2eGEz6U/s1600/Orca+at+Sanick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rnctZEKU7Wo/TwoAWf1Ut3I/AAAAAAAABog/NcHZ2eGEz6U/s320/Orca+at+Sanick.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life on the island is never dull! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With renewed thanks to my other half for photography :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AND grateful thanks to Helen Moncrieff & Magnie Shearer for keeping us on the right track! :-))</span>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-7072361909370663362012-01-01T15:35:00.002+00:002012-01-01T22:28:14.821+00:00first sun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zzgVIPbFn_4/TwB1DnCgxoI/AAAAAAAABm4/askHQvE-JMw/s1600/first+sun+1-1-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zzgVIPbFn_4/TwB1DnCgxoI/AAAAAAAABm4/askHQvE-JMw/s200/first+sun+1-1-12.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">2012 awakening</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love to wake to Nordic sun. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A cold wind blows across the island. Last night's <i>Réveillon</i> at our friends began with a bang, as Andy lit that single rocket in black sky at the back of Midnight. We hung our last hour of 2011 on Monica's coat rack and gathered by a warm hearth for Hogmanay. We wished Cameron "Happy Birthday", smiled, kissed and toasted to a brand new year. Merriment <i>de rigueur </i>as we swung towards brand new dawn...</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Np6ubmY1GAQ/TwB4pcft9dI/AAAAAAAABnE/TgwDJ2lPLlI/s1600/brand+new+year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Np6ubmY1GAQ/TwB4pcft9dI/AAAAAAAABnE/TgwDJ2lPLlI/s200/brand+new+year.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love this isle from this point of elevation</span>. Brand new year, the wanderer walks through heather and looks for <i>now</i> bathed in pale blue and brand new sun. Kate Bush once wrote & sang, <i>"stepping out of the page, into the sensual world..." </i>This simple phrase sticks through my mind, as I stood still and felt this crisp first day against my skin. At around noon, my northern realm was so dazzling. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Untvky0I9H4/TwB5y7wCpjI/AAAAAAAABnQ/r1SBh_zxaOA/s1600/humble+sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Untvky0I9H4/TwB5y7wCpjI/AAAAAAAABnQ/r1SBh_zxaOA/s200/humble+sky.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">from blue to grey</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rOMQr-tGPxo/TwB6wn5GcyI/AAAAAAAABnc/x2w4xgk_qUY/s1600/chant+du+sansonnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rOMQr-tGPxo/TwB6wn5GcyI/AAAAAAAABnc/x2w4xgk_qUY/s200/chant+du+sansonnet.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But then light feels like trapped inside Pandora's Box as clouds gathered as if to signal end of gold... Birds hasted wingbeats and prepared for roosting time. But first, feast wherever it is offered to them. Inside willows and on feeders, before they switch to sleepy sky... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wind still bites after sunset. And from the comfort of my hut, I celebrate this brand new year graced by a generous first sun. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>inspiring world</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dR8uBwSdAOE/TwB8Ha05pjI/AAAAAAAABno/x8UgsP9W3-c/s1600/out+in+the+blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dR8uBwSdAOE/TwB8Ha05pjI/AAAAAAAABno/x8UgsP9W3-c/s200/out+in+the+blue.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">first sun -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">pioneer's fire through new year,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">January begins with pale blue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#haiku fae 60N</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">happy new year fae 60N :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-37760255141453804442011-12-31T14:18:00.000+00:002011-12-31T14:46:45.641+00:00wishing well<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zlo9meOiV38/Tv8Ir-J1p9I/AAAAAAAABmI/sECPnMIFfrg/s1600/HappyNewYear+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zlo9meOiV38/Tv8Ir-J1p9I/AAAAAAAABmI/sECPnMIFfrg/s320/HappyNewYear+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>To each&everyone,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reader, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">dear friend, </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9OM2xUVWnk/Tv8KQp496RI/AAAAAAAABmU/TDvyaA8MzNY/s1600/icy+world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9OM2xUVWnk/Tv8KQp496RI/AAAAAAAABmU/TDvyaA8MzNY/s200/icy+world.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="font-size: x-large;">compagnon de voyage, </i>you have walked with me through many paths, earth, heather, peat bogs, sand & marram grass - stood at the edge of sea lace, and shared in world foot prints. As 2011 will soon belong to ice, let me <span style="color: #fce5cd;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">wish</span> </b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #fce5cd;"><b>you</b></span> </span>all the<span style="font-size: large;"> very best</span> for the forthcoming year. May each new day be engulfed with fair winds in your sails; may 2012 help you realise your dearest projects and wishes. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dvCxX9w5Rkg/Tv8LzRCOWrI/AAAAAAAABmg/u0RSM9UcgZI/s1600/HomefromtheHill+%255Bcopyrighted%255D+e-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dvCxX9w5Rkg/Tv8LzRCOWrI/AAAAAAAABmg/u0RSM9UcgZI/s320/HomefromtheHill+%255Bcopyrighted%255D+e-.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">looking South to Sumburgh Head</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love to walk the very top of my favourite hill on New Year's Day. As you know already, the view is breathtaking, but it also helps me to enjoy a very special moment, which, in turn, will fuel my spirit for the twelve months ahead. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Already some projects are now well under way. 2011 fulfilled some of my dearest wishes already - 2012 will continue to help them reach fruitfulness. And<span style="font-size: large;"> I wish you </span>all the very same, happiness above all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: x-large;">Happy New Year!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: x-large;">Bonne et heureuse année!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">prost Neujahr!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">ath bhliain faoi mhaise!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KblrRn9t7FM/Tv8gEiqLhjI/AAAAAAAABms/6_5Lnl1ENBg/s1600/Mariner%2527s+Dream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KblrRn9t7FM/Tv8gEiqLhjI/AAAAAAAABms/6_5Lnl1ENBg/s320/Mariner%2527s+Dream.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">godt nyttår!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">feliz ano novo!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">szczęśliwego nowego roku</span></span>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #fce5cd;">С Новым Годом!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: x-large;">bliadhna mhath ur!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: x-large;">gleðilegt nýtt ár!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: x-large;">feliz año nuevo!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: x-large;">mwaka mzuri / heri ya mwaka mpya!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: x-large;">unyaka omusha omuhle!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-40309791041944358062011-12-29T19:15:00.000+00:002011-12-29T19:18:54.641+00:00high tide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6HR1eREQMNo/TvyudhplEnI/AAAAAAAABlA/VaeEOnNZe3w/s1600/Arcania+at+high+tide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6HR1eREQMNo/TvyudhplEnI/AAAAAAAABlA/VaeEOnNZe3w/s200/Arcania+at+high+tide.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>right of passage</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rpk58srfarA/Tvyw1EistMI/AAAAAAAABlM/IG9u0fGNx3E/s1600/ocean+power+%255Bninian%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rpk58srfarA/Tvyw1EistMI/AAAAAAAABlM/IG9u0fGNx3E/s200/ocean+power+%255Bninian%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Come to Arcania at high tide. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each side of the sand bridge acts like oracle. Oracle to the side of our own wandering. This afternoon, I wished to return to the shore and took this path so familiar. From the top of the<i> brae</i> (hillside) I watched as silvery the horizon glowing in my eyes. My heart filled with salt water, as I realised the mighty ocean would not be granting such right of passage. Tide was at its highest. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v3VTMsF54T8/Tvyz5JAplhI/AAAAAAAABlk/3cgps6jSEcs/s1600/lips+of+winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v3VTMsF54T8/Tvyz5JAplhI/AAAAAAAABlk/3cgps6jSEcs/s200/lips+of+winter.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dsX51RiiGiA/TvyykAv49_I/AAAAAAAABlY/1-o7siLU9dg/s1600/curtain+of+lace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dsX51RiiGiA/TvyykAv49_I/AAAAAAAABlY/1-o7siLU9dg/s200/curtain+of+lace.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rollers looked as that hue of jade-blue as the final days of December. Not many souls were in my sight. At least I thought at first. However, as I parked the motor, two other black vehicles flocked by the edge. Dog walkers. They too must have been mesmerised by the cloak of silver over the sand. So little patch of gold at our feet. Still a good hour till till dusk and I tossed my luck in pale blue sky to come as close as I could be from the edge of my world. The walk to this oceanic lace was littered with pebbles, shells, as well as a few signatures of humanity. Baltic air reached fingertips and still I advanced towards the very edge of flooded bridge. I felt the white lips of winter. I watched with awe the mighty power of each wave, roller, crashing and covering it with grace and anger. Already the island had been battered with so many hissing gales... This Nordic sky began to darken once again. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OPGBU1GoXF0/Tvy0vB-ZmcI/AAAAAAAABl8/vUwRNmfW_C4/s1600/impossible+passage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OPGBU1GoXF0/Tvy0vB-ZmcI/AAAAAAAABl8/vUwRNmfW_C4/s320/impossible+passage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">High tide would deny us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Impressive, moving and so powerful in action. I will try again tomorrow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-28147234784102072732011-12-29T11:13:00.000+00:002011-12-29T11:13:06.695+00:00Etat d'esprit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IR742UhCflw/TvxJ38h3UGI/AAAAAAAABk0/xDhA-wmJrhM/s1600/us+in+the+world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IR742UhCflw/TvxJ38h3UGI/AAAAAAAABk0/xDhA-wmJrhM/s320/us+in+the+world.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>frame of mind</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">in </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">one</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">world,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">in one song.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">And now the storm has gone, let's wander to the shore.</span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2446670791795795027.post-51515894265205689052011-12-28T19:02:00.003+00:002011-12-28T21:02:15.970+00:00in between silence and whistlers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jEzDwAuxTFY/TvtclzNZ2yI/AAAAAAAABkE/7iMMRHKFEsM/s1600/Yule+light+23-12-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jEzDwAuxTFY/TvtclzNZ2yI/AAAAAAAABkE/7iMMRHKFEsM/s200/Yule+light+23-12-11.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-large;">Tongue of winter</b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymGzm-3P-eA/Tvtd_CezANI/AAAAAAAABkQ/P1mE46fLVW0/s1600/tuna+time+23+Dec+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymGzm-3P-eA/Tvtd_CezANI/AAAAAAAABkQ/P1mE46fLVW0/s200/tuna+time+23+Dec+2011.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I still remember beginning of Yuletide...</span> The sky was kind to earth and folk. Our three felines, like clockwork mechanical toys, were sunbathing behind the glass of the kitchen and ate their saucer of tuna without raising an whisker... Rare moment of contemplation... We seized Yule light to pay homage to the many dwellers of the marsh, mire and loch. The island's rich in winter wildlife. Geese of many kinds and origins adorn hillsides and fields. Golden Plovers, Redshanks, Moorhens, Purple Sandpipers, and other waders grace our sky. Seals, all year round pop their heads at the surface of water... Winter visitors have arrived too. In addition to Redwings, Fieldfares & other thrushes, Long-tailed ducks & Goldeneyes paddle around. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MPCpF0Z3NYI/TvtgTjY2JqI/AAAAAAAABkc/5YsaoIdbAxU/s1600/greylags+in+the+marsh+23-12-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="58" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MPCpF0Z3NYI/TvtgTjY2JqI/AAAAAAAABkc/5YsaoIdbAxU/s200/greylags+in+the+marsh+23-12-11.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love wild geese.</span> To my heart, they epitomise winter on this latitude. They're scattered in small or large gaggles everywhere. Yesterday again (27 Dec) Greylags (as pictured here) mingled with Barnacles at Fleck. But light came to end so abruptly I even did not try to capture them through the lens. Another time :-)</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LDbltVQfbTY/TvtiAB90RaI/AAAAAAAABko/OmPzFoF6Xv4/s1600/Yule+Noel+2011+%255B5%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LDbltVQfbTY/TvtiAB90RaI/AAAAAAAABko/OmPzFoF6Xv4/s200/Yule+Noel+2011+%255B5%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All was quiet till 24 December. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yule celebrated within the comfort of the hut, with candles and delights, as night covered the many homes on the island. Peaceful and joyous, it was later shared with friends till very late in the night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">December 25 December </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">belonged to <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-16333710">hurricane winds</a> that wrapped homes day and night... Dancing tiles and incessant hissing gales always sound both impressive and terrifying, when the wind gusts at giddy speeds. Anyway, reprieve was felt yesterday and we seized the opportunity to check hut and garage for structural damage. So far, we resisted to the anger of winter... So we went out and spent the early afternoon at East Voe and Ninian's Sands in search of shells and adventures. And this we did. Our love of the natural world includes the shore, and what better place than an island? Among the few treasures brought home, I found a broken specimen of <i><a href="http://www.marlin.ac.uk/speciesfullreview.php?speciesID=2588">arctica islandica</a></i>, which used to be on the menu of islanders in a non too distant past. Will have to submit my record to MarLIN... They might accept it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://youtu.be/2N3ffHIMAtI">Ninian at dusk</a> looks so blue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hmmm, each day has its own adventures and I hear more<a href="http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/12/27/storm-force-winds-expected-to-return-tomorrow"> whistlers</a> may hit us again. Argh weel, so is the fate of the island. A day of light and silence from the sky remains a treasure, just like wood, rocks and shells. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Nat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02988451801046005601noreply@blogger.com0