Thursday, 30 September 2010

No ravens

The tree was empty of birds and guarded by a solitary sheep.













This guardian behaviour seems to be a characteristic of sheep on the island. They will stop and stare in what is a most un-sheep-like manner, holding that stare for a disconcertingly long time. It would be easy to spend several days here just taking portraits of sheep - but that would be true of all the islands. If there is one without sheep, I'd love to see it; the difference in vegetation would set it right apart.

At low tide Colonsay is attached to Oronsay by a strip of sand, a strand. As we waited for the water to recede yesterday, a stock wagon pulled up. According to the newest book on these two islands, the quality of the sheep from this little dot in the ocean is such that the farmer does not need to take the beasts to market. Here was proof.

Looking back towards Colonsay from Oronsay shows what a calm topography the larger island has.














So many of the other islands seem almost hysterical in their topography. Given the calmness of the people here, I wonder if the inhabitants of those other islands also reflect the topography in their character.

Next: gardening on the edge.

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