Dolly

This is Dolly, our beloved hen.

She doesn't really understand she is a chicken.

She has taken to snoozing in the cloak room, and laying eggs beside the dryer, 

sat on top of a bin bag, full of grubby shoes.

She is funny old bird,

and we love her dearly. 

Today, I am thankful

Thankful for this beautiful boy, who picks me bunches of 'blowies'.

Thankful for this little girl with her beautiful smiles.

Thankful, for this wonderful guy who takes the time to share all his stories with me.

Thankful for the friendships the hatchlings share.

And thankful for new beginnings and such wonderful people with which to share each day.

When I wish you were here

I stop and remember why you are not.

And I want you to know, that I am thankful.

I am truly blessed to have you as my best friend, husband and soul mate on this journey.

I am grateful for the hours you spend constantly trying to move forward, and I wish you to know how much you are valued. That your ambition is respected, and that you are amazing to me.

Nonetheless, I wish you were here.

So that you could have seen this sunset.

The colour of the sky was incredible, then a chilly breeze came through, and someone snatched up the covers made of cloud and it disappeared.

And of course, I wish I could give you more time at the sea side with your hatchlings.

But for now, and for always, I want you to know:

I love you and I am thankful.

Finally she has a little sister

'I always wanted to be a big sister', she says.

'You have been a big sister for a long time', I tell her.

'But I never had a sister to be a big sister for', she points out.

And she is becoming a fantastic one at that. 

Folklore all around us

The hatchlings and I enjoy taking walks any day the wind is not blowing too strong.

Meanwhile, I am currently writing a book on Orkney folklore, 

and since I started researching,

Orkney no longer looks the same.

Let me share with you,

some of the things we have seen along our adventures.

A house within a house.

That house is actually Clestrain Hall, where John Rae was born. 

(John Rae is the explorer credited with finding the northwest passage.)

Land trow?

A selkie on the shore.

St. George?

And a pipe band at the Lammas fayre.

A beautiful Monday

Let me introduce Mrs. Sheep, gosh, can she chat the day away.

And here are her beautiful babies.

A little boy picked bunches of flowers,

while hatchling no6 slept.

We stopped at the park,

and this guy

really likes to swing.

He makes me so happy.

And these two boys played football in the sun,

 and even shared the ball!

Hope your Monday was as happy and sunny as ours.

Sunday mornings are happy

Teddy and me,

Teddy and me,

we like to...

jump all the way to space on the big bed!

One very lucky teddy bear.

Weird things happen on cameras that disappear

I do not own any of the furniture items in this video.

Nor do I recognise them.

I am guessing, somewhere, someplace, one of the hatchlings must have filmed this.

Which is kind of neat, if you think about it.

Like a geocache video clue...

I expect I will spend the next few weeks going about looking at under table level to try to find out where this came from.

And just because I was flipping through old photos, here is one of hatchling no3, not impressed that I wanted her to sit with the pretty flowers, and not eat them, while I took a photo. 

Happy Easter!

Some fudgy brownies

and

lots of squares and cakes,

french toast for breakfast,

before a successful

egg hunt.

Marshmallows 

and ridiculous quantities of chocolate,

before painting

all the duck eggs we could find.

Then,

time for a lunch of sandwiches

and a good run around outside.

Happy Easter!

Back to Saturday activities

Saturday activities have started again for the term and make for an early morning routine.

This little lady is very cheerful today.

'Am I going too?'

'Yay!'

Now, off on an adventure!