If it's August in Orkney, it must be ...

... time for the County Show and the Flower Festival.

I think I have said here before that we go to the County Show most years and come away saying 'It wasn't as good as last year' and that is exactly what we did this year, except that this year it was so disappointing I can't see us going again for quite a long time, if ever. 

There seemed to be a lot fewer animals this year than previously; the selection of sheep was particularly lacking. The craft tent, which is always stuffy and overcrowded, seemed even more so than usual and  we couldn't; bear to stay in it long enough to get all the way round. I did win a can of Spanish beer on the SNP bottle stall but I wouldn't have bothered even trying had not my Director of Studies waved us over with an imperious hand and shamed me into buying a quid's worth of tickets. Even the pancake from the Cathedra stall was too thick and didn't have nearly enough filling in it. 

Or perhaps it was just my mood.

Anyway here are a few pictures of some of the sheep and goats

it always amazes me how they have to wrestle the sheep into position. 

you don't often see a sheep sitting down, especially like this

hungry goat

curious kid

milling sheep with creepy white faces

I did treat myself to some alpaca yarn. I am supposedly not buying yarn just now but this was special. I had no idea that the small school on Papa Westray, one of the smallest populated islands of Orkney was home to several alpacas which are looked after by the children. The alpacas are shorn and the fibre washed, carded, spun and dyed by the  children with help from others in the community and they sell the resulting wool to raise funds. I have no idea what I will use this for, but it was a lovely clear turquoise colour and I couldn't resist it. 

Hot on the heels of the County Show was the Flower Festival which is held in the Cathedral. There is always a theme, some of which lend themselves to flower arranging rather more than others. I remember the Fairy Tale year with particular fondness. This year, it being the 900th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Saint Magnus (and let us leave aside that no-one is quite sure exactly which year he died and moreover the fact that it was not in actual fact a martyrdom) the theme more or less chose itself. It is however one of those which do not lend themselves particularly well to interpretation of the floral variety. There were a few lynch points*. 

The axe is a bit of a giveaway here, obviously the murder of Magnus.

Viking ship - so in the general area of what we're trying to illuminate

My favourite arrangement of the day, which had nothing to do with the overall theme, it was one of the occasional pieces which fill out the gaps between the big set pieces. 

Don't get me wrong; despite the slightly jaundiced tone which stems mainly from disappointment, I am full of admiration for the women who produce these arrangements. As someone who could never even arrange sticks of pussy willow in a  jam jar at school I do appreciate what a lot of hard work and artistic ability goes into producing things like this. I am just sorry that on this occasion it was for me all a bit 'sound and fury'. 

Maybe next year they'll pick something that is more amenable to being said with flowers. 

*This should say linch. As in linch pins. Possibly. I'm sure you get my drift.