What a week

What an amazing week we had last week. It all started at the Mareel when we attended the Monday & Tuesday Shetland School Music festival (Free) which was superb and shows the musical talent of many of the school children in Shetland. The variety of music covered Traditional, Classical and Blues delivered by Orchestras , Fiddles, Piano, Song and Flute. The festival ended with a gala concert on Thursday night playing to a near packed audience.

                                                                         Da Ness Accordion and Fiddle club (young ones)

The concerts continued this week making it eight concerts in the last eleven days, these were mixed with accordion and fiddle music, singing, and even bagpipes

 Its good to know that the fish and chips that you can buy in Shetland is quality, Frankie's No1 in the UK !!!- Mine a Muckle Fish Supper please

It would also have been great if we had been able to see the Amazing Aurora that happened last Wednesday night, but cloud stopped the best show in 10 years. The following day I managed to see a faint aurora from Sandwick which lasted about 20 mins, in and out of the cloud.

Its a week since the eclipse what a superb sight it was (see more at (shetlandsky.blogspot.co.uk)

Also I had my first two photos published in the Shetland Times. The first was a scene showing a busy Lerwick Harbour. Two cruise Liners arrived on the way up to Iceland and Faeroe where they eventually failed to see both Solar Eclipse and the Aurora. The second a group photo of the Ness Accordion and Fiddle club (Juniors) taken at the Levenwick Hall. (see photo above)

After some great weather the clouds come in and create a splendid landscape view over  Bressay

Its time to think about holidays, although the whole time spent in Shetland is a holiday.                     In June Diane's sister and brother in law are making there way to Shetland for the first time, just in time for the start of the Shetland Showcase at Islesburgh.  We hope to visit Sheffield in August. it seems amazing that next month it will be a year since we moved to Shetland, but more of that soon.

                                                                                              No they are not staying here !

Even though the decision has been made by the high courts giving the go ahead for the 103 Wind Turbines, Sustainable Shetland has decided to continue to fight against it and have recently sent a letter to the council asking them to debate the situation. The council have said a big NO but this has not deterred them and they will look for other ways to stop the turbines from being erected. The turbines may start to be erected in 2018, this still depends on whether or not the Inter connector is given the go ahead.

                                                         Part of the proposed Wind Farm site just south of Voe

Meanwhile an alternative source tidal power has received a boost as Nova Innovation has received £573,000 to continue the work. Nova developed the worlds first community owned tidal turbine in 2014 at Cullivoe in Yell. This has to be the way forward and would take away the problems associated with the wind Turbines.