Sunday, 31 March 2019
Sunday 31.03.2019
When we first arrived on this hill, thirty years ago to the month, I thought the wind must never stop blowing, so long did it persist for those first few weeks. But it does of course. And you get Spring mornings like these: frost on the ground, sparkling in the sunshine, fresh, crisp, magically still air filled with birdsong and the trees poised to burst into leaf, almost as if they`re biding their time for the right moment.
Thursday, 28 March 2019
Thursday 28.3.2019
Quarter to nine and a perfect Spring morning: fresh but not cold, warm sun, blue sky, high white wispy clouds,the works. And it was all about the bird song: hardly dawn chorus at that time of the day but it echoed round the woods as if they`d started when the sun came up and weren`t about to stop any time soon. Over freshly ploughed fields, lapwings tumbled and larks soared skywards and it seems a real shame that the forecast is for it to get cold again next week! :(
Sunday, 24 March 2019
Saturday 25.03.2019
Biting, heart-attack wind sweeping in squalls of rain, sleet and hail. We scuttled up the hill to get into the shelter of the woods but even here the trees thrashed about,the trunks groaning and moaning as they swayed backwards and forwards,the branches shushing and whooshing furiously. Shut your eyes you could imagine the surf was up.
And in between out crept the sun, whispering promises of warmth and longer days and casting beautiful light and shadow
before scuttling away again in the face of the next onslaught of icy furies.
In other news, some good gigs at Aberdeen Jazz Festival: www.aberdeenjazzfestival.com
Nubiyan Twist
Red Hot Rhythm Makers
Queens of the Blues
Kris Dollimore
Gerry Jablonski Electric Band
and we finally made it to our first ever gig at The Tin Hut at Gartly,a small community hall out in the sticks that has built up a reputation for attracting good music and last night it was the very entertaining Thunder and Rain (https://thunderandrainmusic.com
An antidote to the current farrago out in the big wide world but at least there are a few honourable people left: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8oWrF2CXF8
AND he plants trees!
And in between out crept the sun, whispering promises of warmth and longer days and casting beautiful light and shadow
In other news, some good gigs at Aberdeen Jazz Festival: www.aberdeenjazzfestival.com
Nubiyan Twist
Red Hot Rhythm Makers
Queens of the Blues
Kris Dollimore
Gerry Jablonski Electric Band
and we finally made it to our first ever gig at The Tin Hut at Gartly,a small community hall out in the sticks that has built up a reputation for attracting good music and last night it was the very entertaining Thunder and Rain (https://thunderandrainmusic.com
An antidote to the current farrago out in the big wide world but at least there are a few honourable people left: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8oWrF2CXF8
AND he plants trees!
Tuesday, 19 March 2019
Tuesday 19.03.2019
Spring Equinox tomorrow and setting off at around 10 past 4 this afternoon felt like the first "longer day" walk, returning an hour or so later, not exactly in the gloaming but in a beautiful evening light as the setting sun briefly appeared between the clouds and the horizon.
In four days we`ve gone from this
to this, less than 48 hours later,
and then tonight a pearly grey sky, tranquillity and bird song, a delicious freshness in the air, tumbling peewits and soaring skylarks: could have simply kept on walking into the far distance...........
In four days we`ve gone from this
to this, less than 48 hours later,
and then tonight a pearly grey sky, tranquillity and bird song, a delicious freshness in the air, tumbling peewits and soaring skylarks: could have simply kept on walking into the far distance...........
Monday, 11 March 2019
Monday 11.3.2019
"Changeable" the man on the box just said and it certainly has been - isn`t that what March is supposed to be?
Yesterday, a raw, bitter wind straight out of the east and flecked with snow had us scuttling up the hill for the shelter of the woods.
Later it snowed in earnest, the sky darkening in the early afternoon, and we`d clearly had the best of the day.
By this morning the snow had stopped falling and the sun blazed out of a clear blue sky across a white landscape, the wind still snapping at our ears but not enough to deter the recently returned lapwings tumbling across the fields.
Smaller birds in the woods were noisily marking out territory, while back in the garden a foursome of bullfinches acrobatically explored the trees for food and a pair of sparrows were living up to their reputation, as cited by Chaucer, of being "hot... and lecherous" as they chased each other around enthusiastically.
Despite the cold and snow Spring has obviously well and truly Sprung - in some quarters anyway.
In other news - KT Tunstall gig on Friday night at the Aberdeen Music Hall absolutely brilliant.
Yesterday, a raw, bitter wind straight out of the east and flecked with snow had us scuttling up the hill for the shelter of the woods.
Later it snowed in earnest, the sky darkening in the early afternoon, and we`d clearly had the best of the day.
By this morning the snow had stopped falling and the sun blazed out of a clear blue sky across a white landscape, the wind still snapping at our ears but not enough to deter the recently returned lapwings tumbling across the fields.
Smaller birds in the woods were noisily marking out territory, while back in the garden a foursome of bullfinches acrobatically explored the trees for food and a pair of sparrows were living up to their reputation, as cited by Chaucer, of being "hot... and lecherous" as they chased each other around enthusiastically.
Despite the cold and snow Spring has obviously well and truly Sprung - in some quarters anyway.
In other news - KT Tunstall gig on Friday night at the Aberdeen Music Hall absolutely brilliant.
Thursday, 28 February 2019
Thursday 28.02.2019
Cold! Cold, cold,and foggy and cold! But everything`s relative of course and it only feels cold because of the warm spell we are just emerging from.
All the talk is of seasonal and unseasonal but having attended a meeting of the local group of Extinction Rebellion this week https://xrebellion.org it seems we may have to re-think those terms in the not too far distant future.
Anyway, yesterday there were hints-of-cooler in the breeze and hints-of-haze as the blue sky disappeared behind a gauzy layer of high white cloud which diffused the sunlight
and lowered the temperature.
By contrast the two days previously had been so warm it required a cooling bath on the way round the woods.
The atmosphere was close, warm and still, and amplified the cacophony of bird song proclaiming the apparent arrival of Spring. (They`ve gone much quieter this morning). The scent of new grass and pine encouraged the same illusion: this morning the blanket of cloud has smothered all that optimism.
And, different again, last week there was an unscheduled climb up to Oxen Craig. Unscheduled because of a muddle with work hours and no swimming costume but that`s another story. And no dogs! How very strange to walk and climb without dogs. But a welcome interlude nonetheless. Icy patches all gone, the strong wind was drying everything out nicely,swirling the tree tops round and trying to pluck me off the top but it was as always the best way to forget all trials and tribulations, even if it did result in a couple of toe blisters because I didn`t have the right boots: so much for unscheduled and spontaneity.
Meanwhile, work calls, dogs look quite happy in front of the fire. Maybe eschew the walk today............
All the talk is of seasonal and unseasonal but having attended a meeting of the local group of Extinction Rebellion this week https://xrebellion.org it seems we may have to re-think those terms in the not too far distant future.
Anyway, yesterday there were hints-of-cooler in the breeze and hints-of-haze as the blue sky disappeared behind a gauzy layer of high white cloud which diffused the sunlight
By contrast the two days previously had been so warm it required a cooling bath on the way round the woods.
The atmosphere was close, warm and still, and amplified the cacophony of bird song proclaiming the apparent arrival of Spring. (They`ve gone much quieter this morning). The scent of new grass and pine encouraged the same illusion: this morning the blanket of cloud has smothered all that optimism.
And, different again, last week there was an unscheduled climb up to Oxen Craig. Unscheduled because of a muddle with work hours and no swimming costume but that`s another story. And no dogs! How very strange to walk and climb without dogs. But a welcome interlude nonetheless. Icy patches all gone, the strong wind was drying everything out nicely,swirling the tree tops round and trying to pluck me off the top but it was as always the best way to forget all trials and tribulations, even if it did result in a couple of toe blisters because I didn`t have the right boots: so much for unscheduled and spontaneity.
Meanwhile, work calls, dogs look quite happy in front of the fire. Maybe eschew the walk today............
Tuesday, 12 February 2019
Tuesday 12.02.2019
Meeting friend, friend`s son, friend`s newly acquired dog at Bennachie: thought we`d just be walking round the forest but son (and dog) keen to get to the top so off we went - an unexpected but welcome jaunt.
Despite improving temperatures there was still enough ice to threaten ankles and knees and the wind on Mither Tap was strong enough to blow a small dog (or child) off but fortunately we didn`t lose anyone and the views, as always were well worth it.
As we came back down, the sun emerged and it really felt like a spring day
In fact it must have got into the blood because once home it was up to the woods with Dog 1 and Dog 2, birds a-chirruping and the smell of pine permeating everything.
So two walks for the price of one.......legs a bit stiff now though!
Despite improving temperatures there was still enough ice to threaten ankles and knees and the wind on Mither Tap was strong enough to blow a small dog (or child) off but fortunately we didn`t lose anyone and the views, as always were well worth it.
As we came back down, the sun emerged and it really felt like a spring day
In fact it must have got into the blood because once home it was up to the woods with Dog 1 and Dog 2, birds a-chirruping and the smell of pine permeating everything.
So two walks for the price of one.......legs a bit stiff now though!
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