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 28.04.2010

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 26.04.10 (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 21.04.2010

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 19.04.2010

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 14.04.2010

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 10.04.2010

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?)