Joys of Winter

Lovely for you, butty!

More snow on the hills this morning! Or, as they say around here: Mair snaw.

There was a little yesterday but there's more this morning, so that was cold rain we had.

Snaw on oor hills this mornin', tae! In our case it's the Lomond Hills, and the high winds have covered just the one side of them. The sun is lighting them up beautifully at this moment.

Ooh Green I'll have to go up and over so I can see - maybe there's some on the Pentlands, will have a look next time I'm up the stair

We don't have any stairs....we're too wee and tiny.... In the (now bare) oak tree there are eight ring-collared doves perched. They're preening themselves in the sunlight....

greenmossgiel
such a stunning view and ring-collared doves, too.
butternut...such thrilling news. I'm so happy for you x

Today -
So far
I've been very lazy
Apart from
Sprucing feral Rory's little den
How can one cat
Get into such a pickle!
Sweeping leaves
Chopping down the wilting
Gunnera's leathery leaves
Big as umbrellas
And twice as tough -
Marvelling at the graceful
Willow and sturdy pine
Battered by
Another night of seering wind
And unrelenting rain.
Window-gazing now
Across a mighty sea -
Waiting for the Hebridean islands to
Paint their lofty image on
The distant horizon

15 degrees here in Devon for the fifth day running..positively balmy.Have to keep taking layers off instead of putting them on!

Have just been pottering round the garden 'inspecting' while on my way to fill the bird feeders, and the first of the snowdrops are poking up their little heads. Looks like they will be in flower before Christmas.

I like it, super, and if that's a lazy day, whatever are you like when you're energetic?

Meanwhile on our brae:

In a sunshine gap —
Which is a gap in the rain clouds,
Rain, and the howling wind
That have dominated the last two days
That, between them, have driven water
Into a miniscule space in our chimney wall,
Water that has seeped down
Through the ancient wall
And dripped, softly, onto DD's boots
In the outhouse (that same outhouse
Beloved of chaffinches) —
I have noticed the soft green
Of the lichens on the sodden trees,
Trees that are shining now
In that beautiful, cool, northern light
That we love so much.
I have noticed the bullfinch pair
Investigating a huge old buddleia
And a bunch of sparrows
Chip-chipping and bouncing around
In the gold cotoneaster.
I have noticed kind neighbourliness
In a retired builder, who will 'speak to his son'
About our leak because the chap who came before
Has gone to Portugal for the winter.
Builder neighbour said: "You and I
Should get a job like that!"

Baggy Brilliant!

Well...
Feral cat's marathon
Walkabout
Kept me ever watchful -
His apartment home
Clean
Tidy
Empty!
Bowl of food
By his door...
Just in case!
Tabby visitor and her kit
Take advantage -
Dishes
Clean
Tidy
Empty.
Lick their whiskers -
Wander off with rounded bellies.
Early hours
In a dream
I hear his plaintive cry -
Leap from bed
Fill his bowl
Open door -
'Where've you been?'
'What time do you call this?'
'Treat this place like a hotel.'
Rory, the wayward cat
Leads me to his den -
Tucks in and leaves his bowl
Clean and tidy and empty.
Welcome back
Big, black, bolshy cat.

supernana - love your bloshy cat - Lovely - and been feeling fairly bolshy today, too.

Yes, I agree supernana - brilliant words by bagitha. It's amazing what a sunshine gap will have you noticing........ (wink).......! Hope 'son' comes and fixes things soon. We have similar walls....

Oops - is there a word 'bloshy'? (I wonder what it might mean ). Actually quite like it, but of course meant 'bolshy'!

I love bolshy cats - and this poem!

In one direction
Dark larch against a pink-orange sky
And pink reflected in still water.
The other way,
The cloud and snow mingle
So that it's hard to tell
Which is which
Until the sun gets up a little more
And shows the cold we felt last night
To be indeed mair snaw.

From now on, it's bloshy cats for me! Love the poem supernana

bagitha The Kintyre day is grey. Big landslide at the rest and be thankful, so partial cut-off for us.

Butternut Indeed...bloshy cat it is x

Bloshy cat
Big and black
Snuggles down on fleece
Inside his igloo den
Inside the wheelie-bin.
He wears a cross-patch face
And considers -
'Should I contact the
Leveson Enquiry?'
'Invasion of privacy...'
'Papparazzi-mania!'
'Since becoming a celeb-cat
Of humble origins
The little old lady indoors
Cannot help but be intrusive...
Shining the mega-torch
Into my private apartment -
Anxious to know
Whether I'm in residence, or not...'

Supernana -a great sense of humour. Really enjoyed reading that over my late-lunch sandwich.

A pretty and chilly morning morning for you bagitha.

Now I understand why next door's bloshy cat is forever sat at the side of my wheelie bin - brilliant!

Carol Bloshy cats are very particular! When Rory [part wild] turned up in our garden, we thought [wrongly] that a few scraps would help to add a little luxury to his life. Then we were concerned that the scraps would get wet in the rain. Husband constructed a wee shelter under which a dish could be left. Rory liked the wee shelter - ate his scraps and duly proceeded to lie on the empty dish! Friend suggested wheelie bin. It had held sand, so not at all pongy. Scrubbed bin, lay it on it's side and cut the flap in half...to keep out the worst of the wind etc. Looked on eBay and bid for a very grand igloo cat bed...which we "won." Furnished the igloo [which is thick and cosy] with a few jumpers and a fleece. Put newspaper at entrance [for wiping the paws on.] Bought two smart bowls. Sold some unworn clothes on eBay and with proceeds, filled the cupboard with a decent supply of cat food and biscuits. Rory now lives in the igloo in the wheelie bin - with the Scottish flag [only wee] flying over the lid. He gets two nourishing meals every day. Sits on top of our wheelie bin, looks through kitchen window and mimes, "FEED me!" Door opens...bloshy cat strolls in, sharpens his claws on the doormat, and then leads ME bearing HIS feast back to his residence. I shine a huge torch through the bedroom window into his home when I need to know what he's doing. On occasions, a very sweet female tabby [his mate] and a young kitten [his offspring] stroll by and finish his leftovers. It's a cat's life...

That's one very wise cat who has chosen you well supernana. Next door's cat likes to hang out by my wheelie bin but there are no mod cons, just a vantage point from where she can see whether I am going to open the door for her, much to my dog's disgust! Cats do rule........

Carol Cats are their own persons and will never let you forget it

I'm teaching myself to knit
On big fat needles
It's amazing what you can find
On You Tube these days.
I'm knitting squares and counting
And only doing 'plain' - not even purl yet
Hoping to make an old-fashioned blanket
For my knees.
I've a wicker basket for the big balls of wool
Bay greens, fire oranges, and stone creams
Some lichen yellows, mixed in with tree-bark browns.
I do wonder if I'll finish it this Winter
Or next.

Have just read 'The Knitting Circle', Butter. You sound dust like a character from the book!