The long tailed ducks are back

And so are the storms

I love seeing long tailed ducks ducking (of course) and diving off our beach. They are so beautiful and today there have been more than I have ever seen before, riding the waves rolling onto the beach. There must be plenty of food there and, come to think of it, they are in exactly the same place as a couple of seals have been frequenting in recent days. I can’t get close enough for a good picture so thanks to my friend Anne Flint for the use of one of hers, taken on a calmer day.

The ducks call with quite a low, almost animal sound, reminding me of seals calling which brings me to the two that have been keeping an eye on us and our dogs as we walk along the beach at higher tides. We are having a patch of very stormy south eastearly winds which is bad news for the survival of the seal pups bred on the beaches near us. Unfortunately I spotted a dead one this morning. Nature usually works breeding seasons out well but, I have to say, seals pupping in October and November is an exception to that observation. Here’s the beach before the wind really got up.

Now for some Orkney food. Brussels sprouts grow well here and we have a few plants in our kale yard which is built from stone from a farm just a mile or so away. Here’s the veg patch on a calmer day and in its first summer. In years to come people might marvel at the stonework as they do when visiting the Ness of Brodgar!

We love warm Brussels in salads. I just cut them in half after trimming, boil for 3-4 minutes until just tender and then add whatever is appropriate in the fridge. Yesterday we had carrot simmered with the sprouts then tossed in some humus, on toast and it was delicious. Various friends have been Very Rude about that combo.

This salad with chopped apple, rocket and landcress from the Keder, the local Burnside cheese, chopped walnuts and broken breadsticks, tossed in vinaigrette, may appeal more?

Just two stalks of sprouts won’t last us for long - I love the tops of the plants, cooked like cabbage, and wonder why they are not offered for sale commercially? I am thankful that there are market gardeners on the Islands who will satisfy our sprout habit for the next few months. Which leads me to a Young Farmers bale art installation which gladdens our journey into Kirkwall at the moment: again thanks to Anne for the use of her photo.

Tomorrow looks very wild and so, having secured some local eggs, I shall set to and bake our Christmas cake. It has to be done. Will the Barriers be closed again? It’s all part of Island Life.