I will not be posting much next month

[John Fenna]

Due to circumstances beyond my control (but mainly good) I will not have access to a computer for most of June. I am not leaving you - merely taking a break - and will be back on-line towards the end of the month.
If you are looking to buy anything from me please be patient - I will be back!

 

[bopdude]

Sounds interesting, hope it goes to plan

 

[Mesquite]

Look forward to seeing the trip report

 

[Toddy]

We'll keep your seat warm and you can tell us the tale when you get home

M

 

[ValeTudoGuy]

Ditto, hope you have fun with what you are doing... I know I am going to.

 

[petrochemicals]

You want to change your location to "lost until July"!

Have a good time !

 

[GGTBod]

We will forgive this absence, next time though

 

[John Fenna]

I am back!
Most of my time away was my holiday to Orkney - visited a couple of digs and saw bronze age artifacts arise from the ground ... seen for the first time in thousands of years... did a lot of bird watching (saw the Sea Eagles as well as lesser birds) and generally chilled. It did me good as I heard just before I went that my(more or less estranged)sister had died and I needed some head space to process this.
The last few days of my time away were spent visiting my aged aunt in the outskirts of Blackpool - and even there we saw a Sparrow Hawk and a fox from her garden!
Now I have one day to prepare to go back to work - running a Bushcraft and Leathercraft - then I have a weekend in the woods booked!
Well they do say that you need a holiday after a holiday

 

[Mesquite]

Glad to hear you're back safe and reasonably sound John

 

[ammo]

Welcome home John.

 

[GGTBod]

Welcome back John, I really need to get my bottom up to Orkney

 

[Blundstoned Love]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbmB9ztRAFs

 

[John Fenna]

Of course, I could not do much in the way of Bushcraft on islands that have about 3 trees between them but a little driftwood became the material for some carving ...
I was looking for a fusion of Celtic, Pictish and Neoolithic styles... the darker figure was carved from wood found on Westray where the "Westray Wife" was found ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westray_Wife ). The Festival of St Magnus is on at the moment as well and I think that had some influence...

The carving was done while the wood was still wet and as it dries the tool marks actually get more prominent!

 

[Countryman]

Welcome back. Sorry for your loss mate.

Looks like you had a chilled old time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[crosslandkelly]

Welcome back John, see you in August.

 

[petrochemicals]

Hello again john, condolences on the loss of your sister.

By coincidence I too saw a grey bird with yellow legs take a dickie bird, it didn't know what to do really, it jumped up and down on it a few times and waited for a few minutes. I do not think mature birds take so long and parade themselves, wondered whether it was the sparrow hawk or a flegling peregrine? There must be a lot of fleglings around this time of year. Very envious of your sea eagle viewing, I must go there one day, sea eagles white tipped and golden are not something I have ever seen.