Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkin’s conceptual drawing of the Paleozoic Museum. Image credit Annual report of the Board of Commissioners of the Central Park (1858)
Power Struggle for New York City & the Mystery of Dinosaur Destruction
The Lost Gardens of Orkney, 13, Gardening Tools
Gardening implements could be expensive, especially the larger ones like stone rollers which would be used to flatten lawns in large gardens. These were usually pulled by men as there was concern that if horses or other animals were used the lawns might be damaged. Casual labour would often be used for this purpose supervised, of course, by the head gardener.
Fibromyalgia Awareness Day 12th May 2023
On the 12th of May, 2023, join the millions of people around the world who will be participating on this day by holding various events to raise awareness for fibromyalgia, an invisible and life altering chronic condition.
When the Barriers Closed & the Ferry Stopped
“The islanders complain they are now totally cut off. Before the war the islanders could rely on a regular two vessel service, but this was withdrawn when the barrier was opened.” – Sunday Post 08.02.1948
Miss Agnes Shearer Takes Flight to Wick, 1931
“The plane was piloted by Flying Officer Fresson, and the flight was intended to put to the test a suggestion made to the Press a day or two previously by the well-known Orcadian airman, Oscar Garden, who considered passenger transport by air over the Pentland Firth to be an institution of the near future.”
Orcadian Stories
Last year Martin Laird and Fiona Grahame took on a project to record in filmed interviews a few of the untold stories of Orkney from those who were there at the time. Filmed over many months the interviews recount events from the 1970s to the present day.
Yesnaby, where small is beautiful
The Scottish primrose: listed on the Government’s Scottish Biodiversity List and is classified as being ‘nationally scarce’. Only found in the wild in Caithness, Sutherland and Orkney.
Celebrate the Dawn Chorus
Morning and evening are especially good times just to take a break from what you are doing and listen. Some of the tiniest birds have the loudest song.
‘Only the sea and sky the same’
Image – Rosie Hopkins, ” ‘Seek the beginnings, learn from when you came,” Edwin Muir
#Lusitania On This Day
On the 7th of May 1915 the Lusitania was sunk on her 202nd trans-Atlantic crossing, by a German U-boat 11 miles (18 km) off the southern coast of Ireland, killing 1,198 passengers and crew.
