Sunday 31.01.2016

Last day of the month and very January it looked: bitter and grey but thankfully next to no wind - for now anyway.

Icy decorations

and empty wintry fields.

It was pretty wintry -and very windy - in Glasgow as well but warm @The Old Fruitmarket (http://www.glasgowconcerthalls.com/old-fruitmarket/Pages/default.aspx) on Friday night with The East Pointers (http://eastpointers.ca/) and Rura (http://www.rura.co.uk/) giving it laldy.

Then on Saturday my first game of roller-derby -as a spectator I hasten to add. What a revelation! Fast. Tactical. Go The Maiden Grrders! I`m hooked. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Roller_Derby)

And I`m sure one of yesterday`s players won`t mind me posting this pic (courtesy Dave McAleavy)...and I declare an interest...well done J!

Wednesday 20.01.2016

Round the by-pass at lunchtime on Monday - Bennachie looking splendid wreathed lightly in cloud.

But working later today so out by quarter past nine this morning, into a sparkly, icy stillness, the sun still quite low and

casting long shadows.

Bright blue sky,

light and shade,

and even a little warmth in the sun as we came home. Boiled eggs, soldiers and good strong coffee never tasted better. :)

Sunday 16.01.2016

Yay! At last two `proper` winter walks on two `proper` winter days.
Yesterday it was icy blues,white and steely greys on an afternoon when the air was cold enough to bite your nose but there wasn`t a breath of wind.


Enough snow to crunch satisfyingly underfoot without impeding progress,

winter silhouettes

and icing on the gorse.

This afternoon, sunnier, still freezing but with a nippy little breeze to keep us moving briskly along, noting that the local sheep, still out in the fields, solve the heat or eat dilemma by sitting on their food

On a January afternoon like this,


the last few weeks of deluge and floods seem a long way away - as do Christmas and New Year for that matter. In between there`s been much pounding of streets, not to mention dancing,mummering and merry japes on the streets of a Gloucestershire town.

Good food, good company and two wonderfully long train journeys which amongst other things afforded time to read this extraordinary book:

which has had me completely hooked from the first to the last (720th!) page. Harrowing, intense, challenging and in the final analysis very moving.

Phew.

Monday 4.01.2016

On the other hand....maybe just go with this....

Thursday 31.12.2015

Lulled into a false sense of mildness after days, nay weeks, of unseasonably balmy weather but suddenly this afternoon as we set off on an end of year canter up the road and into the woods, the sky cleared and a chippy easterly wind sprang up.

Sun came out though - was there the very slightest suggestion of a little bit of warmth to it - creating long winter shadows, a reminder that the days may be drawing out but we`ve a way to go yet.

So Happy New Year: at least I don`t have to think up resolutions as mine stay the same each year.........

1. Read more books
2. Plant more trees
3. Drink only good coffee
4. Swim in the sea whenever you can
5. Walk frequently
6. Strive to see live music regularly
7. Watch films
8. Use your local library
9. Read more books
10.Don`t sweat the small stuff

Onwards and upwards. :)