Unhappy trees

We brought a few (well - 50) different sorts of apple trees with us.  They got planted around the place, hopefully in sheltered spots  as reported

-here 
-here
and 
-here

The remaining trees went into the old sandschoool - we reckoned that they would get some protection due to its high banks. But we are wrong.



 

The sandschool is actually far too damp and the trees are struggling  to survive. A couple  have died, so the most affected ones are being redistributed. If we can sort out the drainage they can go back , perhaps in the polytunnel and  we think they will do well.

So I've moved a couple and the rest will be moved over  the next few days

The proof that where they are is too wet - I dig a hole adjacent to the tree and it fills with water







A few weeds , but clearly trees that are poorly . 

the top half of this one has dies - still a bit of greenery  ( no fruit though) so I'll move it and give it a chance
















Ive moved this one to the East-facing bank, replacing some roses.  Well, you cant eat roses , can you  ?

The other will get move and put somewhere drier over the next week or so .

We are not alone

The weather has been  miserable - as indicated in Cold, Wet and miserable  and the situation in Orkney has made the BBC website  with

'Orkney cows stuck inside with the rain '

where Robbie  Fraser (the neighbour helping with the lambing  last year) interviews a local farmer
of course the headline  doesn't reflect the true situation

It should be 'a coo' . And the plural of coo  is kye.

But its too wet for the  cattle to go out in the fields and  farmers are running out of feed for them .
And the grass isn't growing so they wont have silage for the cattle when they are inside next winter.
So they will have to sell off some cattle and get half the normal price for them , so that they can feed the ones they keep through the winter

And our biggest complaint is the mud

Sun's back

There are considerable advantages to living in a valley
- we get a nice view
- its relatively sheltered ( by Orkney standards)
- we can grow trees

But we realised there is a disadvantage. There is a hill to the south of us. And the sun disappeared behind it several weeks ago .
But today  I noticed that the sun has come back into the  house.

The house - at about 1400

 And if I turn round and take another picture :
 

 
The sun hasn't been high enough in the sky to appear over the hill since the middle of December. I'm sure that the sun has been on the house for a few days, as the hill is a bit lower towards the  west.

 Another 20 minutes or so and there is  bit more sun.

 The sun probably came back a few days ago, but the weather has been so overcast that we didn't notice.

63.6

Its been a bit windy over the  last few days. Of course its nothing exceptional that gets reported in any of the local news.  But the anenometer  came up with a new highest wind speed  - 63.6 mph .

There is a storm coming in the next 24 hours - the are saying up to 90 mph ( but that's the Western Isles , so we may not be as bad )  . Watch this space for a bulletin !

Red Sky in the morning

and this is whats coming

whilst its already been to the Western isles

But the red sky is quite appealing.

Some weather photos

From few days ago , when we had snow .

And  rainbow whilst we were  trying to round up the ewe. 

Not sure what this is about

This is looking West at about 8 pm.

The forecast isn't for rain over night ( although Shetland is due some)