There are certain things humans seem predisposed to be anxious about, perhaps these are some kind of folk memory or self preservation. The howl of a wolf reminds us that dangers are real and fog the great consumer that eats colour from our world and distorts sound and senses. One of the draw backs of living on an island in summer is fog it has lingered for three days now.

In the need to escape I head of in the car usually these days journeys are along the main road Stromness to Kirkwall and back. Today I decided to drift to seek out places where the fog wasn't. It led me to places I hadn't seen in years and sights I have never seen.

Out at the Stenness loch the sun was out and in the mood to play it could see it glinting and laughing as it played hide and seek across the rippling surface. At the Stones of Stenness it lit up the faces of the visitors walking around the ancient stones you could see their bodies relax in its warmth.

Farther on I came on an abandoned house the windows beginning to rot out and the garden overgrown. I remember many years ago stopping at that house so my dad could talk to the man tending the lovely garden. Does it make me sad to see the decay? No time passes and nature has her own beauties and will reclaim what's hers.

All to soon however it is time to turn homeward deciding against returning the way I came I turned onto a road I hadn't used in many years. It is single track and twisty most people prefer to go up to the main road where they can drive faster. Today I did not want to rush back to my meeting so I meandered my way along the top of the loch.   In the warmth I had let down the window as I drove I watched what appeared to be lazy spirals of smoke rising from a field up ahead. As I arrived at the scene I quickly closed the window what I had been seeing was not smoke but swirling spirals of a fly hatch. What a fascinating sight I have seen may hatches around the loch but never have I seen them form miniature whirling black tornado's along the verge.

I turned onto the main road relaxed and smiling no longer filled with anxiety about having someone else in the house. The difference in perception carried me through the day she came and we worked together well my house will get back to being organised .