This afternoon was all mine, so I left these two lovebirds to go for a drive.

I wanted to see (and photograph) the newly arrived hill lambs.

This little cutie patootie made me smile.

I love everyone’s different colouring.

I was being thoroughly investigated too!

This is the Shetland hill, which is common grazing for crofters.  It is also known as the scattald.

Foula in the distance – about 20 miles west. Somewhere in that sea is the remains of R.M.S. Oceanic, a transatlantic ocean liner built for the White Star Line (same as the Titanic) in 1899.  She ran aground in 1914 on the Shaalds (3 miles east of Foula) when patrolling the waters from the North Scottish mainland to the Faroes on behalf of the Royal Navy (WW1). Wrecked in flat calm and clear weather but, one month later, she vanished altogether in a huge storm.  The Oceanic’s history is fascinating.

Apart from little lambs appearing, this is also the time of year when folk are casting their peats.

Peat is cut, or cast, with a special Shetland spade called a tushkar and laid on the heather to dry.  Once hardened a little, it is “raised” into small pyramids or walls (depending on the cutter) so that the wind can dry them better.

Then the peats are bagged up and taken home to burn to keep the house warm or for cooking on.  It has a lovely and very special smell when it is burning.

In the far distance, I saw this enormous bird on a rock. I think it is a cormorant.  It was too far away to get a clear photo.

 

Spring in Shetland is lovely – so much going on after the harsh winter, and the days are getting lighter and longer too.

When I arrived home, I popped in for a quick chat with Harry. He ate my camera!  The wee fatty eats everything these days.