Colour on a grey day

Actually, today the weather has been classically squally so there have been dramatic grey skyscapes with wonderfully illuminated land beneath, choppy dark seas and rainbows. Really not your average boring grey at all.

Dad and I went over to visit the West Mainland today. Mum's ashes were scattered here and we had planned to go down to the beach itself, but the rain sloshed beach pebbles gave Dad second thoughts - being a 'quadruped' (as he's described his progress with 2 sticks and uncertain foot placements) meant there was a pretty good probability he'd stumble. So instead we noted the incoming drama and dived (slowy) back into the car just as the downpour struck.

Birsay Tea Room was extremely busy but we had smugly booked a table (thank goodness). This lovely summery colour combination was the outside seating area, trying hard to hang on to the feel of old warmth and balmy breezes.

We called by an old friend and lingered longer than planned, so our other port of call is now postponed until tomorrow. A quick dash home and out again to attend a last talk (for us), this time about 'The Woods Beneath the Waves'. The Orkney archipelago of 40+ islands used to be much more united; 8,000 years ago there were wooded areas where currently there is sea. The talk outlined current research, and interestingly, it seems two big 'burning' periods reduced the incidence of tree pollen in the soil core samples. So possibly land clearance was taking place. More recently, the soil cores showed a layer of clay with small pebbles which indicated some traumatic event which covered the peat beds, and then more peat deposits. All v interesting but it was a warm room, oxygen levels were declining and the lecturer was a fast talker ... some of it sadly passed me by but I think I got the gist ...

Thank you for all recent comments and apologies for being a bit quiet on the reciprocal front - hopefully things will be less busy soon ...