On the island today I walked lightly, so as not to sink too far into the mud, and also to better observe without disturbing. Sunrise (7:30am) and sunset (7:36pm) mirrored each other in colour and complexion. I explored the western side - seeking out the glistening lake I had seen from the lighthouse's headless twin. Twice I made wrong turns, but when I finally found it the sun was beginning to sink, and so the light hit the water (and the sea behind it) perfectly. The wind was turbulent in the morning, forcing its way in every direction. It really feels like an unprotected, wild place - the weather blows over it as if it was not there, as if there was only sea. In some ways I think of it as a boat. The sheep also seem wild, startled and wide-eyed when I come upon them, thorns and burrs hanging from their straggly coats. The island inhabitants are trusting, welcoming folk. They depend on each other, and are also respectful of a healthy distance from one another. This seems to be a sustainable system, and could be used as a case study, or a pilot program, for human community relations.
I am eating well, and keeping warm with milky tea (both caffeinated and decaffeinated).
