Sunday 30 March 2014

Sunday 30.03.2014

Misty, cool and grey and still the chippy wind but at least we had lapwings tumbling over ploughed fields, oystercatchers skimming around beneath them with that familiar cry and - at last - larks, invisible but audible overhead.
Happy Birthday L, basking in sunshine down south - 22 years ago your arrival was heralded with a light covering of snow - and even lower temperatures than today!

Wednesday 26 March 2014

Wednesday 26.03.2014

Another walk in the freezing wind on Sunday

(with the odd Ent emerging from its winter slumbers)














a lunchtime walk on tarmac on Monday,














and then this morning,still and warm and truly springlike.
Well yes,it was in the morning: chippy breeze again by the time we were able to get out later on but a fresh-washed feel to it all and though "clouding over" sounds gloomy it really wasn`t.....







And just now it is dark,quiet...and preternaturally still.

Saturday 22 March 2014

Saturday 22.03.2014

Once more unto the icy wind, dear friends, once more.......though it was slightly less than gale force this afternoon and, once in the woods, when the sun came out it was positively if only temporarily mellow.

The skies were full








and - in places - blue.......







but where are all the larks this year? And where do they go in the winter anyway?

Thursday 20 March 2014

Thursday 20.03.2014

First Magnum Classic of the season on the way home and first post-work evening walk.

Eye watering, brain freezing icy wind (remember how they all went mad in Centennial because of the wind?)but hey - first day of Spring and it was very bracing....

Tonight there`s a yellow moon sitting on the horizon and diamonds in the sky and - oh yes - a strong cold wind........

Sunday 16 March 2014

Sunday 16.03.2014

A Spring busy-ness in the air: the wind (still the wind) busy spinning wind turbines, making wires hum and gates wail; the sky full of busy clouds sailing past overhead; the trees busily rattling their still bare branches, birds busy having fun zooming by on Red Arrow type trajectories and the dogs busy scaring every other living creature in the woods to death.

All quite exhausting really.

Saturday 15 March 2014

Postscript

A wild night now, the trees and stars being tossed about and the full moon ringed dramatically in blue and gold but it`s so mild there`s an air of magic to it all - or maybe that`s because I`ve just started a book that might be about fairies...or not....
watch this space.

Saturday 15.03.2014

Took a gamble this morning, which was grey and damp and windy, that we`d get up Bennachie after work this afternoon and so it proved - still a bit grey and very windy especially on the top but worth it - the first time up there this year!









Always gratifying to find it hasn`t moved when you haven`t visited for a while.......

Friday 14 March 2014

Friday 14.03.2014

Fortuitously took an early ramble this morning - just because we could - grey and breezy again but fine in amongst the trees.
Had the best of the day though - blowing a hooley now and spattering rain.

Time to start a new book: just finished Dave Eggers The Circle A salutary tale if ever there was one......might put off signing up to FaceBook a while longer though they`ll get me on Twitter anyway..........

Wednesday 12 March 2014

Wednesday 12.03.2014

Warm,warm sun infusing woods with scents of grass, freshly turned earth and pine, the air quite still but with enough of an edge to be refreshing, birds in full voice - including, glory be, the first woodpecker.
Pics of a day like this superfluous but hey







Hard to see how it could have been better - and it`s a spectacularly clear and lovely night now too.

(And never mind the neighbour I met who said it`s going to snow next week.........)

Saturday 8 March 2014

Saturday 08.04.2014

Most sorties this week have involved struggling up the hill in the face of a freezing southerly wind, grey skies one minute, fresh-washed blues and white the next and - yesterday - several short lived mini blizzards. Hey ho for March.

Today the wind still tried to blow us backwards but there was a shift in temperature - milder - and quite warm in the woods.

Warm enough for a quick dip anyway













and then blown back down the hill, the skies a cheerful blue








and firewood to fetch home.

Sunday 2 March 2014

Sunday 02.03.2014

A very light covering of snow overnight, mostly gone in the morning sunshine but later the day turned leonine once more: blanket of grey cloud, spittery-spattery rain (technical term) trying hard to be sleet and that strong still freezing wind, turning the ears blue (cap rather than woolly hat a bit optimistic) and making the gates wail. Even the dogs happy to be back by the fire tonight with the wind still howling outside.

Saturday 1 March 2014

Saturday 01.03.2014

March shaping up well so far: freezing wind but a fresh-washed look to the landscape


and in the woods really quite warm.

What`s that about "in like a lion?" or is it a lamb? Can`t decide what freezing cold but dry and sunny counts as.............