Thursday 29 April 2010

Thursday 29.04.2010

Hardly a breath of air this evening: walked the perimeter of the woods,legs and brain needed stretching after a long day in front of a computer in an airless too-warm building. Even the rain that overtook us on the way back was welcome - a proper April shower - though the temperatures are dropping again tonight and we`re due a cold May weekend. Walked past dozens of larch trees but only that fallen one has the red flowers.
Proust and the Squid, my current read, "the story and science of the reading brain", is heady stuff, complex, fascinating and ensuring I`ll never take the act of reading - or writing - for granted again.

Wednesday 28 April 2010

Wednesday 28.04.2010

Why can lambs wriggle out of a field easily enough but are then unable to find their way back? A little gang were cavorting on the road as dog and I approached this evening. Two found gaps to squeeze through but number three simply ran up and down in a blind panic, bleating for all it was worth. We managed to sidle past(the trick is to avoid eye contact)and noticed it had a large red number painted on its side, presumably for just such eventualities: "come in number 98, your time is up".
That little drama over we continued into the woods where the birds were still belting out the evening chorus of territorial warnings and alarms. The fluffy white clouds of the afternoon had become a flat grey roof over the landscape, diffusing the light and emphasizing the lustre of the new grass which is finally appearing.
There is something magical about walking in the diminishing light.As we walked up the last field a few slightly disgruntled crows lifted into the air. They hung there until we`d gone a hundred yards or so further on and then dropped back on to their roosts with hardly a murmur. A kind of peace descended, imperceptibly day had turned to night,time for the nocturnal wildlife to take over.

Monday 26 April 2010

Monday 26.04.10 (just)

Back from work on a stunning moonlit night at the end of a beautiful warm Spring day. Out walking first thing, it was irresistible. For the first time noticed larch flowers, the red making a pretty contrast with the new green needles. The tree itself was blown over in the winter and yet is putting on this amazing show of colour and new life. And the first swallow did a quick recce of the yard today. Hopeful signs.

Wednesday 21 April 2010

Wednesday 21.04.2010

The lambs were all bouncing around crying "It`s the wolf" * and racing furiously up and down today, partly no doubt to keep warm in the freezing wind, the same northerly wind that`s been blowing that ash in our direction. Now we`re told the potential danger has been exaggerated. Hmmm. Good walking weather anyway and dog was inspired to bring home a small tree that had been blown over. If I could train her to chop it up and light the fire she might be earning her keep.

* to which the correct response is: "I`z a-coming lambsy".
(http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Hanna-Barbera_Studios/A-C/The_Cattanooga_Cats/It_s_the_Wolf/ )

Monday 19 April 2010

Monday 19.04.2010


A quick bracing walk along Aberdeen`s beach front this afternoon, the sea churning gently before crashing boisterously onto the breakers in a flurry of white.
"From mountain to sea" as Aberdeenshire Council`s slogan would have it and it`s true you can drive from one to the other in less than half a day.
One wet-suited surfer on the water and a lot of birds, mostly gulls scavenging for left-overs outside the chip shop and beadily eyeing anyone walking along eating, very Hitchcockian.
A large red ship manoeuvered its way out of the harbour further along and set off for the horizon purposefully but not a single aeroplane of course. Wonder if the big volcano will erupt?

Wednesday 14 April 2010

Wednesday 14.04.2010










Chilly for sitting in the graveyard in the centre of Aberdeen, despite being in the sun and sheltered from the wind. Didn`t spoil the enjoyment of lunch, a magnificent Stilton, apple and walnut baguette, courtesy of The Beautiful Mountain*, purveyors of bespoke sandwiches of the most scrumptious kind.
Thus fuelled and with the cool air making for a good walking temperature, dog and I stopped at Bennachie on the way home and headed up Oxen Craig, not as immediately recognizable as Mither Tap but a full 34` higher at 1,733 feet.
Very pleasant in the woods, despite running into a couple of Ents.
Almost still at the top and warm in the sun: next time I might carry my baguette up there to eat.
The Kermode book (see Post 08.04.10) was laugh-out-loud-in-public-funny in places. It reads like he talks: in fact the tortuous analysis of his response to Mama Mia was word for word what he`d said on Five Live but it was probably worth writing down.
I`m only four pages into my current book but it`s already given me my quote of the week:
"You are what you read" Promising start eh?

*www.thebeautifulmountain.com

Saturday 10 April 2010

Saturday 10.04.2010












An away day to watch a daughter dance so, while they all rehearsed, walked through Banchory and up Scolty Hill. Banchory was like Skeggy on a Bank Holiday, park full of people doing the kinds of things people do in parks on warm, sunny days.
The walk up the hill also busy but it was good to be walking somewhere unfamiliar for a change.
Trotted up the spiral staircase in the landmark commemorative stone tower when I got to the top of the hill but didn`t linger: not that good at exposed heights. Anyway, the views from terra firma were spectacular enough.
Back in Banchory had an ice cream and decided that a town which has a bookies and a bookshop next door to each other can`t be a bad place to live.
Later, back at Woodend Barn to watch the dancing, looked across at the hill and its monument: get a disproportionate amount of pleasure spying a distant peak that I`ve recently climbed.
Inspiring dancing, delightful venue (and the new restaurant is excellent),a splendid day all round.
(Oh yes, and my horse won the National. Who says backing the jockey doesn`t work?)

Thursday 8 April 2010

Thursday 08.04.2010

When I was a kid I never wanted to come in from the garden and I still don`t want to come in on nights like this: the sky all greys and whites and gold; a clamour of birdsong and a lot of squawking and carrying on from the crows; water everywhere, pouring off the fields into the burn which carries it noisily away, bustling with self-importance.
Lots of deer,which dog insists on pursuing but never comes anywhere near catching, as well as rabbits scampering about and lambs, bleating and scuttling to Mum after one startled look at dog and me. They haven`t yet reached the stage of tanking maniacally up and down in posses of mischief but it won`t be long.
Meanwhile, if I have to come in, at least I`m reading a very entertaining book - Mark Kermode`s It`s Only A Movie.

Wednesday 7 April 2010

Wednesday 07.04.2010




Bob Harris is working his way through the A-Z of AOR (Album - or Adult if you prefer - Orientated Rock to the unitiated which included me until about ten seconds ago) but so far absolutely living up to its tag of "the ultimate rock radio playlist": one fantastic track after another. And there`s 6 episodes.*
A couple of hours between shifts today so dog and I headed for the hills. Last week`s blizzards a distant memory: this was all dappled shade and babbling brooks, elves rather than orcs - even picnickers. Overtook an enthusiastic and extremely friendly Chinese gentleman carrying his bike up to the top, presumably so he could cycle back down though I hope he took a smoother route: with the snow gone we were back to cathedral steps in places, which would make for uncomfortable riding.
*(Radio 2 Wednesday 22.00 - 23.00)

Friday 2 April 2010

Friday 02.04.2010





Inertia. `Tis a strange phenomenon. Given an unexpected day off, a crisp, sunny day and a handy mountain, you`d think there`d be no reluctance to walk. Instead it took a while to get going and I had to lie to my sluggish, unco-operative legs: "we`ll just set off slowly and see what happens, no need to go all the way to the top." Fortunately they fall for it every time and soon get into their stride, so to speak.
Champagne air, bright sunshine, blue sky and snow: snow hanging precariously in the brances of trees then noisily clattering off; melting snow dripping onto my head; knee-deep snow making the climb hard work in places; sparkly snow; smooth snow like white velvet and soft, slushy snow, perfect for running downhill, like running down a sand dune.
As long as I can keep talking the legs into it, things`ll be fine. Which is quite close to what Kierkegaard said.
(Though my favourite walking quote is this one:
"My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-three today and we don't know where the hell she is." ~Ellen DeGeneres)