Let's walk.

Let's face it. Shetland is more than just WoolWeek. How much I thoroughly enjoy the talks and workshops about wool, techniques and spinning, knitting etc., I was struck by the beauty of this islands the second I set foot on it, 2 years ago.

First look: Sumburg 

Because I deliver mail 4 times a week, I tend to walk a lot. I do that without any resentment and found there are amazing walks on these islands. Both times, 2012 and 2014, I went to Burra: 

And it was sunny weather and a great walk.
In 2012 there was Hermaness at our feet. Not this time, we spent time at Norwick (Unst).
A short walk on a long beach. I stood on a rock but the waves were quick and I got my feet wet. 

The day before I had chosen to talk a walk on the 'red' island. I had looked on my little map to find a place I hadn't been before. And somewhere I could walk and be back in time for the next workshop.
Muckle Roe. Just take a left at Brae and you'll have to hold on to your seat! 

Brae

Muckle Roe. 

It doesn't 'look' special but it sure was. Wikipedia told me there was a small bridge (there was) and that the island has red rocks. It does. 

 I didn't see that anywhere before. It was a bit more rugged than other parts I've walked. After I had reached the end of the road, parked the car and started walking into the fields, I noticed a sign.

 Hé, I can walk 2km and back ánd be back in time for a workshop in Lerwick.

 Little foot holds to make sure the sheep don't escape.. hahaha. No path. So, decided to walk up to the beach.

 This was amazing! Not a soul in sight. Just cute little bunnies. Nature can be cruel, though. I saw their little white tails hopping. Had I been a hunter, I could have shot them. Luckily for them, I'm not.

Now... Where is the 'path' to the lighthouse? 

 Found a path, and kept on walking. Enjoying the view. It was so quiet. Just as quiet as I had experienced on Sandness 2 years ago..

 This just looks like a nice picture but the beach is a lóng way down...

On the blog by Jan, I had noticed a pile of rocks. I had found 'my own'!! Searched for a nice stone to add to this 'memorial'. And one more hill to climb. Had to use the 'riverbed' for lack of other ways to get up the hill. 

The views kept getting better. Although I did start wondering when the darn lighthouse was going to appear.

And finally... There it was. You see that little white boxy thingy? That's it. I think the expression on my face says it all. The walk was great, but I had expected a bit more... well... like this.

Muckle Flugga...  (Picture by Andy Strangeway).

One can dream, right??
Because I didn't get to it in 2012, I thought that maybe, perhaps, somehow, with a similar name, came a similar lighthouse. Nope. Oh well.
It was a great time spent on my birthday. I did manage to phone my husband, even at that remote location. And got back in time for the workshop.

Back to my little red car and to Lerwick. Dreaming of maybe another trip to another lighthouse...

Mile stone...

A little over 2 years ago we got some very scary news; Chris was ill. Very ill.
( if you've missed it, you can read all about it here)

At the end of that summer the medication had done it's job and Chris got 'better' pretty quick.

Life picked itself up, back to work, school and sports. Eventhough we had to go to the hospital every 3 months for check ups, and it was emotionally very hard to go back there, we always got good news and could go home..
(knowing there are lots of sick children that are not able to go home...)
And now...

He turned 18!!! A big (reasonably) healthy young man!

He is quite busy at school, going to his school every day in preparation of becoming a soldier! One week out of the month they all go to a real unit to train and practise. Sleeping outdoors; fall, winter, spring and summer!

This picture is taken last month, when they had show and tell at the 'daily' school location. They showed us what they've learned so far. When he's graduating from this school he'll get a "10-week" discount on his next training when he joins the real army!
His favorite hobby??
Riding the 'wheels' he got from the Make-a-Wish-Foundation.

For his 18th birthday he got a matching tattoo (his dad had his done a couple of years ago)
It is a reminder of his granddad... Chris' leg is the one on the right, his father had his tattoo refreshed.

We still have to go to the hospital every 3 months, they moniter him very well. Still 3 years to go, the shadow will be over all of our heads for the rest of our lives.

So far so good!!!

The cake is done by Zoet. I don't do cakes very well, best to leave that to the experts.

Day 3

Maandag. Het gaat beginnen. Maar eerst telefoon uit NL. Mijn ouders bellen om me te feliciteren met mijn verjaardag. Even later belt Manlief ook! De dag kan beginnen..

Monday. It's time. But first a phonecall from The Netherlands. My parents are calling to congratulate me on my birthday. Hubbie is calling also, but a bit later. Let's start the day.

 We gaan eerst een stuk wandelen. De vorige dag waren we daar verkeerd gereden en zagen dat we daar wel een heel mooi uitzicht hadden. Eenmaal om de bocht van de baai bleek een begraafplaats te zijn. Met hele oude en hele nieuwe graven. Eigenlijk was het mooiste dat bijna 'iedereen' uitzicht had op de baai.

First we took a walk. The previous day we had taken a wrong turn and saw it would be nice to be there a bit longer. Walking about a bit and turning the corner there was a cemetary. Old and new graves. The nice thing was that almost 'everybody' had a view of the bay (or "Sound" in Shetland).

Zie je dat kleine zwarte vlekje in het water?? Een zeehond! Er waren een paar aan het zwemmen in de buurt.
See the little black dot in the water?? A seal (Selkie). There were plenty of them.

Tijd voor wat lekkers. In het museum werden we gewezen naar een tafeltje bij het raam. Voor Amy hadden zelfs glutenvrije lekkernijen en ik nam een superscone! Met jam. In élke tafel was een paneeltje met een gebreid, geweven of gevilt item.

Time for some snacks. At the museum we were pointed to a table at the window. Amy was very happy to know they had an excellent choice of glutenfree products. I took a superscone! With strawberryjam. In évery table there was a little item knit, woven or felted.

 Fair Isle sweater

Finest lace knitted ever

's Middags was het eindelijk zo ver: De workshop van Kate Davies. Ik moest nog behoorlijk opletten; engels horen en NL schrijven. Enorm veel geleerd over ontwerpprocessen, vormgeven en het onvermijdelijke. Lévende modellen gebruiken. Ik wil zelf nog steeds niet op de foto, dus ik moet op zoek naar een ademend model.

The afternoon was reserved for the workshop by Kate Davies. I had to pay a lot of attention: listening in english and making notes in Dutch. Learned a lót about design processes, designing items and the inevitable. Using live models. I still don't want to be in the picture, so it might be time to search for some breathing models.

Op de voorgrond van deze foto zie je de Sixareen Kep. Een prachtig doordacht ontwerp van Kate, in de nieuwste garens van Jamieson & Smith: Heritage Yarns (6 kleuren). Ik heb alle kleuren gekocht en geloof me: het is heerlijk zacht. De Kep past me maar net, dus ik zal een maatje groter moeten breien (naaldmaat omhoog).

Kate had bedacht dat iemand van de workshop wel kon fungeren als model en dat de 'rest' mocht stylen en fotograferen. Bovendien mochten we discussieren over de naam en besluiten wat het uiteindelijk zou worden. Hier hadden ze nix aan mij; de taal was toch een probleem. Kate was erg aardig; ze heeft onze namen toegevoegd aan het patroon.

The inspiration...

In the foreground of the picture of Kate Davies you see the Sixareen Kep. A wonderful design with a well thought through design. She told us all about it, so later we were allowed to come up with a name for the design. Kate used the latest yarns of Jamieson & Smith: Heritage Yarns, 6 colours. I've bought them all and believe me: they're very soft. My big head didn't quite fit in the hat, so I will have to increase the needlesize when I knit it. Kate decided that we could also participate in the photographing and styling of the design.

Kate was very kind to add all our names to the pattern as coworkers. Thank you!

                                                                 Tile in the Shetland Museum: a sixareen

Later op de avond zijn we nog in Scalloway geweest; Amy wilde erg graag even kijken bij een groep vrouwen die bezig waren met erg mooie materialen. Er stond in het kleine studio-tje een paar prachtige weefgetouwen. Ik heb er geen verstand van, dus ik kan je er niet veel over vertellen. Maar gezellig was het wel!

Later in the evening we went to Scalloway; Amy wanted to look at a group of women working with amazing materials. In the small studio were a pair of looms, and Amy was very happy seeing them. I don't spin or weave, so you cannot get any useful information from me about that. It was a pleasant evening.

Day 4: Voe