Joys of Winter

Lovely Butternut I've just looked out of my bedroom window and that's exactly what I can see!

A sharp clear black night
A paper cut crescent moon
A sparkling, brilliant Venus
A juxtaposition of beauty.

ButternutIt was!
The noise they make as they fly is called a murmuration. The RSPB warden said that some people call a flock of starlings a filth! ( I'm not sure whether that was his little joke!)
I had watched them roost the night before so it was easy to find them again. They rose up into the air in two large groups, you could hear the noise before you realised they were ascending from the reeds. They flew directly over us which was when we heard the murmuration.

I've never seen a rising of a million starlings. I know it's called something else but I don't know the name of it and I rather like the rising vision. That must have been awesome ogm.

Sky, earth and water - three beautifully depicted elements. Thank you bagitha.

reed not red..... must have had colour in my brain after Bagitha's image!

Bagitha... nice image: 'Scotlands special winter rust'.
Got up at 5.30 yesterday to watch a million starlings rising from their overnight roost... cold and windy but well worth it. After they had cleared the flattened red beds a great white egret flew in, unable to hide it was clearly visible.
There followed the most amazing display of aerial gymnastics by six or seven flocks of lapwing. Were they imitating the previous evening's display by the starlings now that the coast was clear? Each group flew into the distance only to return to the shallow water just in front of us, some wheeling low over the hedge against which we sheltered.

On a sunny late January afternoon
The hills to the north of my house
Take on a pinkish glow
As the sinking sun's angle to horizon
Gets smaller.
Smaller yet and the pink is transferred to sky
While the hills return to white.
Pink sky, white hills, blue loch
Reflecting the still blue sky.
Now as I write, after sunset,
Sky and water match in a grey-blue,
The farther hills have taken on their night white,
(Which is not the same as day white)
And the near hill, across that water,
Is Scotland's special winter rust
Of dead but beautiful bracken.

super & bagitha ......giggles and sunshine and an afternoon of tennis ..... just lovely.

baggy It's good to giggle

I've watched and whinged
and leapt from my chair
and peeked through my fingers
and ranted and raved
and full-throttle praised
and sighed and dismayed
at the skills and the nerve
the power and the verve
of two talented men
fighting to master
a small yellow ball...

Not meant to scan just a wee rambling and what's more, the sun it is a

Wet sleety snow all morning
Then at noon some SUNSHINE.
Headed outside
To pick up damp wood
And arrange it in my
Wood drying department
(an old pan stand next to a radiator).
Sunshine continued into a second hour
Enough to encourage a little –
A very little –
Spring cleaning of the wash house
With the door wide open
And chickens sun-bathing just outside.
Sunshine into its third hour now
And I've washed up,
Including two old but servicable mouse traps
Found in wash house.
I opened the springs to give the underneath
A good scrub.
I let go under water.
Now I have wet hair and the giggles.

Snowflake has my vote! Was thinking Tech could adapt the sunshine one but it has eight points. How sad. Have to start from the beginning again.

But if we ever need a compass.....

Vote now!

I like!

Perhaps a snowflake companion to the sunshine?

She who dares wins!

?? Oh dear...

What a delight - snowflake emoticon.

I don't think I dare ask for one, do you??

What a delight - snowflake emoticon.

I don't think I dare ask for one, do you??

bagitha love it!

Lovely picture!

Waterproof trousers, hill boots –
My new ones, very comfortable –
Waterproof coat, scarf, woolly hat,
Hood, gloves, hi-viz ankle bands,
And off I go to meet DD
Coming out of school from the
Cross country running after school club.
A mile on
Meet her and her pal,
Sauntering home,
Hoods down, heads back, tongues out
Catching snowflakes.

Fabulous OGM

OGM Brilliant! You could be the next Poet Laureate [thnks]

lovely OGM
My sarcococca confusa is doing what i intended. Kicking out a lovely scent, right next to the front door.
It is still very small and I have missed it the last 3 years, so the first time i have appreciated.
Confusa presumably cos it is confusa-ed about the time of year
Net to it my white flowering quince is just starting to bloom, although i have pruned it a bit too much... live and learn.