Friday, 17 May 2013
Saturday, 11 May 2013
Orkney Nature Festival
Today is the first day of the Orkney Nature Festival , a nine day celebration of Orkney's wonderful wildlife and rich natural history. You can see the full programme of festival events here and our Reader in Residence, Alison Miller, has blogged about the Orkney Library and Archive's involvement in the festival.
Festival events take place all over the islands, with a number of events based in Stromness. Friday 17th May there will be 'Something Fishy at the RSPB' office in Stromness, when between 11am and 5pm you can drop in to see an Orkney beach:
– in the middle of the RSPB Orkney office! Find a wealth of marine treasure – and some things a bit less precious – as well as learning more from seashell expert Alastair Skene. You’ll see everything from the geriatric Arctic Cyprine, who may have been filtering seawater when John Rae was setting sail to the Arctic, to the microscopic components that make up shell sand. We’ll have a display of whale bones and strandline material and if you have a mystery marine object that you’d like identified, please bring it along. There’s also a big message from Orkney school children about the perils facing the world’s oceans and our Orkney beaches from marine litter... you’re sure to ‘pick up 3 pieces’ when you’ve heard what they have to say.
Then from 2.30pm - 4.3-pm you can find out about Crustacean conservation and enjoy a crabby buffet at The Ferry Inn. Tickets for this event cost £10 and can be booked through The Ferry Inn, by calling 01856 850280 or email info@ferryinn.com.
The day finishes with a real treat when former Storyteller-in -Residence, Ian Stephen returns to Stromness for an evening of poetry and tales of his adventures sailing around Orkney and other Scottish islands. We are delighted to see Ian back in Stromness for this event, which takes place at Stromness Academy in the Upper Library at 7pm, and are looking forward to hearing more from this talented poet and storyteller.
Saturday, 27 April 2013
GMB on the BBC
This will be the first of three stories to be broadcast over the coming weeks from GMB's second volume of short stories A Time to Keep which has recently been reprinted by Birlinn - the other stories to be broadcast are 'The Five of Spades' and 'The Masked Fisherman'.
As part of the BBC publicity around the series our very own Reader in Residence Alison Miller was asked to write a blog post for the BBC Radio 4 blog, and you can read more about the broadcasts and Alison's BBC blogging on her Reader in Residence blog.
So tune in tomorrow to hear 'The Wireless Set' and listen out for the opening music which will be "Shapinsay Polka" by Jennifer and Hazel Wrigley, taken from their album Mither O' The Sea.
It goes without saying of course that copies of both A Time to Keep and Mither O' The Sea are available for loan from Stromness Library.
So tune in tomorrow to hear 'The Wireless Set' and listen out for the opening music which will be "Shapinsay Polka" by Jennifer and Hazel Wrigley, taken from their album Mither O' The Sea.
It goes without saying of course that copies of both A Time to Keep and Mither O' The Sea are available for loan from Stromness Library.
Friday, 26 April 2013
Street Shapes
Sorry for the late notice but if you are free this evening you might like to get along to Northlight Studio in Graham Place, Stromness, for the launch of a new book of poems, prints and paintings offering a
Street Shapes features poems by local author Morag MacInnes and prints and paintings by local artist Diana Leslie and the launch will include an exhibition of the original artwork and poems as well as readings by Morag.
If you can't make it along tonight then the exhibition will also be open tomorrow (Saturday 27th April) and the book, which is available in black and white or in colour will also be available from Stromness Books and Prints.
journey through Stromness in time and space... full of childhood memories and well known places.
Street Shapes features poems by local author Morag MacInnes and prints and paintings by local artist Diana Leslie and the launch will include an exhibition of the original artwork and poems as well as readings by Morag.
If you can't make it along tonight then the exhibition will also be open tomorrow (Saturday 27th April) and the book, which is available in black and white or in colour will also be available from Stromness Books and Prints.
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Somewhere Towards the End
A quick reminder that the Stromness Library Reading Group meet tomorrow evening, Wednesday 24th April at 7pm to discuss Diana Athill's biography Somewhere Towards the End.
Described on the back cover as:
...a lively narrative of events, lovers and friendships: the people and experiences that have taught her to regret very little, to resist despondency and to question the beliefs and customs of her own generation.We are hoping for an equally lively discussion from the group - so if you feel like joining us to tackle those longstanding taboos 'sex, religion and death' over a cup of tea or coffee then we will be very pleased to see you!
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
A Week of Words
We hope you had a restful weekend because this week is full of exciting literary events for your enjoyment.
On Wednesday 10th April, Reader in Residence Alison Miller will lead The Poem's the Thing - an informal poetry reading group open to all who want to discover new poems and share old favourites - there will be a session in Kirkwall Library between 1pm-2pm and here in Stromness Library from 6pm- 7pm.
Then on Thursday 11th April the Orkney Book Festival 2013 begins with a Film night hosted by West Side Cinema at 7.30pm when they will be showing That Now by Sarah Forrest, who was the first Margaret Tait resident in 2012. This will be followed by a showing of Blue Black Permanent by Margaret Tait.
A full list of events during the four day festival can be found on the George Mackay Brown Fellowship website , or pick up a programme from the library, but we would like to draw your attention to the events being held in Stromness on Sunday 14th April.
At 11am here at Stromness Library, Bryce Wilson will give a talk on 'Stromness and John Rae'; then in the afternoon from 2-4pm Ian Macpherson will be running a Workshop on comedy writing - if you would like to sign up for this workshop please email pamela.beasant@virgin.net
Still in Stromness on Sunday evening starting at 7.30pm in the Stromness Hotel Ian Macpherson and Magi Gibson will host an evening of entertainment entitled 'Bemused'.
Entry to all events costs £5 (£4 concessions) at the door, with a Whole Festival Pass costing £20 available in advance from Orkney Library in Kirkwall, or on the door at events.
After all that excitement you may need a peedie sit down with a good book, so don't forget there will be a book sale running in Orkney Library, Kirkwall on Friday and Saturday, while here in Stromness we have our own small selection of sale books at the bargain price of 5p per title, with the offer that, should you buy 5 books we will give you a 6th for free.
It's going to be a busy week!
On Wednesday 10th April, Reader in Residence Alison Miller will lead The Poem's the Thing - an informal poetry reading group open to all who want to discover new poems and share old favourites - there will be a session in Kirkwall Library between 1pm-2pm and here in Stromness Library from 6pm- 7pm.
Then on Thursday 11th April the Orkney Book Festival 2013 begins with a Film night hosted by West Side Cinema at 7.30pm when they will be showing That Now by Sarah Forrest, who was the first Margaret Tait resident in 2012. This will be followed by a showing of Blue Black Permanent by Margaret Tait.
A full list of events during the four day festival can be found on the George Mackay Brown Fellowship website , or pick up a programme from the library, but we would like to draw your attention to the events being held in Stromness on Sunday 14th April.
At 11am here at Stromness Library, Bryce Wilson will give a talk on 'Stromness and John Rae'; then in the afternoon from 2-4pm Ian Macpherson will be running a Workshop on comedy writing - if you would like to sign up for this workshop please email pamela.beasant@virgin.net
Still in Stromness on Sunday evening starting at 7.30pm in the Stromness Hotel Ian Macpherson and Magi Gibson will host an evening of entertainment entitled 'Bemused'.
Entry to all events costs £5 (£4 concessions) at the door, with a Whole Festival Pass costing £20 available in advance from Orkney Library in Kirkwall, or on the door at events.
After all that excitement you may need a peedie sit down with a good book, so don't forget there will be a book sale running in Orkney Library, Kirkwall on Friday and Saturday, while here in Stromness we have our own small selection of sale books at the bargain price of 5p per title, with the offer that, should you buy 5 books we will give you a 6th for free.
It's going to be a busy week!
Saturday, 30 March 2013
Easter Daffodils
The sun is shining on Stromness this Easter Saturday morning, and on our way into the library we noticed, among the bright oranges and purples of the crocuses, the first golden daffodils unfolding to greet the spring.
For, despite the cold, spring is here (don't forget to put your clocks forward tonight as we enter British Summer Time) though for many places in the south tomorrow's Easter egg rolling will be complicated by lying snow.
In view of the mixture of weather and season it seemed appropriate to share the first stanza of George Mackay Brown's poem 'Daffodil Time'
Both Stromness and Kirkwall libraries will be closed on Monday 1st April for the Easter Monday public holiday. We wish all our readers a day full of warm spring sunshine and golden daffodils.
For, despite the cold, spring is here (don't forget to put your clocks forward tonight as we enter British Summer Time) though for many places in the south tomorrow's Easter egg rolling will be complicated by lying snow.
In view of the mixture of weather and season it seemed appropriate to share the first stanza of George Mackay Brown's poem 'Daffodil Time'
1 Daffodils
Ho, Mistress Daffodil, said Ikey (tinker)
Where have you been all winter?
There was snow in the ditches last night
And here you are.
Did you light your lamp in that blizzard?
When Ikey came back
Next day, with his pack, from windy Njalsay
The yellow hosts
Were cheering and dancing all the way to the inn.
Both Stromness and Kirkwall libraries will be closed on Monday 1st April for the Easter Monday public holiday. We wish all our readers a day full of warm spring sunshine and golden daffodils.
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