No snow, fog, ice or even rain - yet!

Yesterday we went to Lochinver.  We have the  usual winter coughs and colds and didn't much feel like a long hike. But with wall to wall sunshine we couldn't stay indoors. The scenery up along the west coast it has to be said is staggeringly beautiful in the winter sunshine. The landscape photos are straight out of the camera. The light and colours were simply fantastic. There is a view that looks out across to Stac pollaidh that melts my heart and takes my breath away each time I see it.
I keep thinking it will snow, but apart from the occasional flurry at ground level, the snow stays up in the hills.
We listened to the traffic news on the radio and learnt about hold ups on the roads due to the snow and ice. Here the roads stayed clear of snow - and clear of everything really, apart from us.
I'm preparing myself for the really really cold winter weather by knitting a hat and scarf. "Ronnie's hat and scarf." I don't know how Ronnie got on with it, the hat was simple enough but a nice lady on You Tube had to show me how to knit an i-cord. She told me the 'i' stood for idiot It's like a bit of French knitting with a bobble on top. My dear husband says my hat looks like a joker's hat (I think he means a jester's hat)  The scarf has eighteen i-cords with bobbles - I might modify the pattern a bit! The wool comes from a North Ronaldsay sheep and both the wool and pattern came from Sheepfold. My hat doesn't quite look like the one in the pattern, I think it's because I haven't blocked it into shape yet - I'm relying on my head to do that!

Contrasting coasts

At the beginning of December we were down in the south of England for a few days. We visited some friends in Sussex and on the way stopped off in Brighton and walked along the pier.Last week, one month later almost to the day we walked along Ardmair Bay on the north west coast of Scotland. I love the contrast between these two places. I love Ardmair Bay at any time of year and mostly I love Brighton Pier - but there is something that both attracts and repels me, standing at the end of the Pier, on a cold winters day listening to a cacophony of sound blaring from loud speakers to no one in particular hoping to entice people like us on the empty 'Wild River Flume'
But Brighton Pier is a wonderful place to watch the Starlings return just before dusk to roost. I failed miserably to get any decent photos of them swooping the loop. But Starling 'Murmurations' as I think they're called can be spectacular to watch. There were just a few hundred of them when we were there last month but it was still exciting to see.

Down the Lane in 2013

My first walk in the lane in 2013! I used the dramatic setting on the camera for all the pictures apart from the rainbow. The dramatic tone seems to sum up the weather we've been having just lately - moody swathes  of mist and cloud rolling in from the sea. Intense light and dark. The rainbow was already beginning to fade by the time I'd raced upstairs to retrieve the camera. It was dazzlingly bright and beautiful.

There is an old shed in the lane precariously perched on the edge of a steep bank. Each winter more planks of wood drop off it, and each winter the shed  grits its teeth and holds on - for how much longer I wonder?

A very silly Christmas!

We all agreed this was the silliest and funniest Christmas we could remember. We laughed and wore silly hats, and played silly games. Now it's nearly New Year's Eve and we shall prepare a traditional Danish New Year's Eve meal  for family and friends.

I have wanted to blog before now, but we were down in England for the second week in December and on our return I was busy trying to prepare for Christmas. Family are still here which has been wonderful especially as all three of our children decided they will stay for New Year's Eve.

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kind and encouraging comments on this blog. I think it amazing to have met so many varied and interesting people and while we may never have met in person I feel  I have found friends in many different places and share many interests.

I wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year.

and then it snowed

The lupin needs to learn that it's winter! Yesterday morning I drove to Beauly. Up and over the Dirrie More. This is the road that runs between Ullapool and Dingwall.  In Gaelic, Dirrie More means the long ascent. It rises to a height of 277m (909 feet)
It's only a few miles from where we live but the more extreme winter weather can be found here. I pulled off the road and walked towards Loch Droma  - you can see my footsteps through the wing mirror. I stopped again on the return journey home as the sun was setting. The temperature on the car thermometer read -7°c.  It  was good to come home and be cosy.
This morning the snow where we are has turned to rain and it looks pretty grim outside. I think I'll stay indoors and carry on the cosy theme!