Hoping for Smooth Sailing

The standing stones of Stenness, Paleolithic monuments, on the main island of Orkney.

The wind has eased, which up here is always good news. The temperature has dropped sharply and the rain has given over to hail or freezing rain intermittently. For some weeks now I have been looking forward to visiting Orkney with two of my women friends.


Fair weather makes everything more fun, but in this case it is particularly important to have moderate weather. Between here and Orkney is the Pentland Firth--the often stormy union of the North Atlantic and the North Sea.

So tomorrow I may be on the ferry from Gills Bay to Orkney or, depending on the weather, sitting right here at my keyboard in several layers of wool.

Entrance to cemetery at St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. The cathedral was built from 1137.