Saturday 20.03.2021

 A quite different morning - a perfect spring equinox morning in fact. Where the rising sun found the damp, slightly frosted grass there were wraithlike swirls of mist - steam? vapour? or haze even, as in 

          "a slight obscuration of the lower atmosphere, typically caused by fine suspended particles".

Settle for wraithlike swirls probably, all very atmospheric and quite beautiful with the birds singing from the tops of the trees and that early morning light full of the promise and optimism of a new day. Not forgetting the catkins of course. 😊

             

Friday 19.03.2021

 Genuine scotch mist at seven o`clock this morning, chilly with a mithering wind from the north but in the woods it was still, the trees were bearded with luminscent lichens, 

and mosses sat plump and happy in the damp air.

Dripping trees and bird song the musical background to the trek....

...and we were warm by the time we got back but with no sign of the cloud lifting the fire has now been lit.........catkins notwithstanding it`s still very early spring!

Thursday 18.3.2021

 Sunday morning early as the sun came up,we walked to the woods: that evening we watched from the top field as it sank below the horizon 

 though of course it`s us that`s moving, the reality of which demands a shift in the brain and always comes as a surpise somehow.

But yesterday was the Equilux, which apparently is an isophot, (who knew) and different from the Equinox which is tomorrow:

"equilux (plural equiluxes) An isophot. A day in which the durations of light and darkness are equal, contrasted with an equinox, where they may differ slightly due to the angular diameter of the sun and atmospheric refraction."

Most importantly, it was a truly lovely afternoon, the wind slowly dying down, the sun warm, birds a-warbling and catkins everywhere.  Spring sprung whatever the "equi".

Tuesday 9.3.2021

 Not at all the grey, damp morning that was forecast. Sun just coming up, it was fresh and bright so younger dog and I hightailed it for the woods - the bird-loud woods this morning - and cantered round at a brisk pace. Something very special about that feeling that you`re up before anyone else....though we weren`t of course, just felt like it. Showered, coffee`d and at my desk by nine o`clock - who can resist a little smug-hug?

Even smugger on Sunday because we did the same thing but in the rain!  As it happened that was a good move because the day deteriorated and we could justifiably stay in and by the fire. Today looks as if it may hang on to the fairer weather so may venture out again later......meanwhile, more coffee please.......

Tuesday 2.03.2021

 Absolutely baltic this morning as we did our very very slow plod round the bottom field with poor old dog who has recently completely lost all sight and won`t move without somebody with her. Not nearly enough clothes for such sedate progress - had even forgotten my hat. Hardly any discernible frost on the grass and the snow has pretty much gone, but the air was so icy had there been a breeze as well, my lungs would have been sliced apart. The overnight mist lingered in patches and the sky was very grey on the eastern horizon - perhaps there was still fog over the sea.

Anyway, slightly later on, younger dog and I set off practically at a trot just to try and warm up, which by the time we got to the woods we nearly had.  Tale of two climates: the sun with some real warmth in it against the immediate drop in temperature when it dropped behind a cloud. Good walking though if we kept up the pace: clear, bright 

and with just one last splodge of the white stuff reluctant to leave.

In other news......while we`re out walking and enjoying the surroundings...have just finished this. 

Quite splendid: warm, funny and revelatory. 

Short review @  http://splendiferousstoriesheadyideas.blogspot.com

Sunday 28.2.2021

 Up the road just before seven on the most glorious cold morning: not a breath of wind, hard white frost, a blood red sun peering over the horizon as the now waning moon descended below the one opposite. 

The birds were already in full throat but in that icy, motionless air their songs and calls seemed to resonate even louder, echoing around the woods, topped by the noisy drummiing of a woodpecker.

The rising sun lit up the top of the trees and would soon dissipate the frost  

 but as we turned for home the open ground remained rock hard and sparkling, with only one tiny lonely reminder of the big snow. 

And so back to the full Sunday morning breakfast and coffee and more coffee.........

......when the day starts this well the rest of it has a lot to live up to.

Friday 26.2.2021

Weather: changeable

Terrain: shifting

Walks: various

Mountains of snow, catkins, blizzards, dawn chorus, knee-deep drifts, snowdrops.......... Is it still deep winter or are there signs of spring?  Er, yes to both of those.

This morning was definitely spring though.  The sun emerged just as we hit the woods and it seemed like there was an explosion of bird song to match. The grass had been completely flattened by the now more or less departed snow - it almost looked like it had been mowed - but it was certainly nice to have firm ground underfoot once more.

The large hills of snow which, last week, had us clambering over fences to get out and avoid sinking up to our knees,

 have been slowly disappearing over the last few days

and today were shadows, or blobs, of their former selves 

The day got better and better, warm sun, blue skies and then my neighbour phoned and said "Shall we take a turn round the woods?  And we did. And we kept pausing just to say "isn`t this wonderful", turning our faces to the sun while the dog scampered around unable to believe her luck........and the forecast is suggesting the weekend might be the same.......