Sunday 30.05.2021

 

These are the mornings that Shakespeare must have been referring to when he coined the phrase "darling buds of May". Up early for no particular reason and on the road by five to six. 

More of that ethereal shape-shifting mist which promises a warm day in prospect, the sun already well up, shining on the waning moon as they swapped places in the sky.

A noisy flock of crows swirling across the tree tops and hares scampering away from us set an energetic tone as did the cacophony of bird song in the woods which were looking particularly splendid, as if they finally dare believe that the Bard`s "rough winds" have passed for long enough to make it worthwhile unfurling.

The mist eddied round us, disappearing and reappearing but all the while thinning and dissipating as the sun shooed it away.

We took the extra mile round the other woods, known to us as Tim`s woods after the gentleman who used to look after them even though he left a while ago. Have to go round because whenever we go into them we get completely lost - which doesn`t necessarily matter but we`d been out long enough by now and coffee called.

Back by half seven, the last of the mist temporarily enveloping the house but it had been a morning walk to relish. Thing is - what to do with the rest of the day?!

 

Saturday 29.05.2021

 After seemingly endless days of grey and tumultuous rain woke up to a perfect May morning, blue sky with the last of the mists quietly dissipating as the sun burnt through. On the top field we were above what cloud there was, one wind turbine apparently floating free in the distance. An errant lamb tried and failed to get out of our field and back into its own, scurrying up and down the fence. No doubt as soon as we moved on it was back munching the "grass on the other side" - always lusher and greener of course.

Yesterday morning we set off early, also in the mist, the cows at the top of the road smudged silhouettes 

and a bold yellowhammer greeting us noisily at the entrance to the woods.

You could have been forgiven for thinking that we`d slipped directly from spring to autumn with the sparkly spider`s webs that adorned everything

but the trees have at last started telling the actual story.

Sunday 16.5.2021

 For once more blue sky than grey early on, beautiful morning light as we set off just on six.

Cool but no wind, the woods full of happy birds belting out the latest hits, hares scampering about and a couple of deer sitting quietly ruminating (literally and perhaps figuratively) in the sunshine until we disturbed them.

Looking out of the window as I write, the clouds have moved in but they may be only temporary: the weather has been and is forecast to go on being, very changeable but at least this morning it felt like a pitch perfect Spring morning.

Monday 3.5.2021

 On the back field at twenty past five in the morning on a cloudy Mayday on Saturday: the sun may have been already up but it was lurking behind the cloud and the air was absolutely freezing.  A far cry from two years ago: 

http://walking-quite-fast.blogspot.com/2019/05/monday-1052019.html

However, through the wonders of technology, was able to connect with folk luminaries Martin Green, Eliza Carthy and Maddy Prior with dancing courtesy of  Adie Baako and the wonderful Boss Morris:

https://www.facebook.com/events/3800713493381276/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2251%22%2C%22source%22%3A%2244%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22[%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22permalink%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22RHC%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A[]%7D]%22%7D&privacy_mutation_token=eyJ0eXBlIjowLCJjcmVhdGlvbl90aW1lIjoxNjE5NTQ5ODUxLCJjYWxsc2l0ZV9pZCI6MzU5MDM2MDAxOTY4NDMyfQ%3D%3D

   "Twas a lovely if slightly strange coming together but my dancing obviously wasn`t vigorous enough as halfway through I had to get walking to warm up so we set off up the road at a smart pace, listening and watching the rest of the event as we went.

By the time we were in the woods the last Spring Carol was ringing out and we then continued this very early walk to the accompaniment of birdsong, the sun now well up 

though there were patches of frost where it hadn`t reached.

By the time we were round, the day had become a beautifully clear spring morning, the clouds mostly dispersed, so we took an extra mile round on paths less travelled,

which is always a good thing for a slightly different perspective on the landscape.

Talking of which, two days away down at Lochwinnoch last week provided different perspectives on everything - just a delight to be `on the road`, mixing with folk and taking walks through woods and by the side of lochs.  Simple activities really, never to be taken for granted again. Not to forget the family breakfast BBQ on the way down more or less at the foot of the Campsie Fells. Simple pleasures indeed.