Summer looking

28th May10, Low Newton, 8am

Blue skies, retreating storms out to sea, shimmering sea in the morning light - it looks like summer! Actually it was 10 C with a chilly NE wind off the sea and it was back to 4 layers (but with summer hat)

Changeable weather

27th May10, Newton Links, 8am

A fine morning to wander along our normal route. Time was we would stop at Trooper's favourite spot and he would chase the ball endlessly. Nowadays he pads along, happy enough but looking older.

This woolly bear caterpillar reared up very impressively to defend himself against my close-up lens. The caterpillar of a tiger moth, his other defence is that he tastes horrible.

27th May10, Boulmer Coast, 5pm

Huge hail storms passed over, dominating the whole sky to the East. Meanwhile out to the West the sky temporarily cleared and the sun beamed down with a warm light. Before long, the next shower started to appear, darkening the Western horizon. A gorgeous late afternoon's walking and utterly fantastic photography conditions so there's a good few from this evening...

The gannet is a majestic seabird in life. This one has eaten his last fish supper but his final resting position had a macabre beauty to it.

Big Views and Big Shoes

26th May10, Howick to Craster, 6pm

An evening walk after the rain has cleared and it was bright and clear.

Continuing my series of suspicious flotsam, this fine size 9 stilletto is a thing of beauty. A couple of oars and you could take to the high sea. Just who lost this overboard?

Trooper is still a bit restless at home but nearly back to normal. Out and about he's full of the joys of life.

Spring Squill

Thrift with Craster and Dunstanburgh enjoying a blue-sky evening.

The Green Woods

A wander through Fallodon Woods with Trooper on a lead to protect the squirrels and deer from his refound vigour. His steroid pills have made him ravenously hungry; I caught him with rabbit bones in his mouth twice this morning and this afternoon he was hanging off a bridge trying to get at a mouldy fish.

26th May10, Fallodon Woods, 2pm

A gentle rain was falling on the parched earth. For the first time in many months it's possible to say that the ground is properly dry and this wee bit of rain will do nothing much to ease the minor drought. As can be seen it's all very green around the woods so the plants are not suffering from the dry here although I noticed the golf course is going brown.

The old greenhouse in the grounds of Fallodon house is in perfect decay.

The ferns are coming to their sculptural best; their fronds seem to reach ever outwards as if stretching after a winter's sleep tightly curled up. I like black and white for ferns.

Orkney 2010

I have uploaded a few photos from my recent trip to Orkney onto my other blog as they are geographically inappropriate for a Northumberland diary!

Hope you enjoy them.

Orkney 2010

monochrome and colour

24th May10, Low Newton, 8am

After a hot weekend with temperatures of 24 C (we Brits think that's hot) it was back to normal this morning with some rain in the air and a subdued atmosphere as if the sea was tired out after a busy weekend of visitors to entertain. The sea was quiescent and reflected a monochrome sky.

This chap headed out across the haven in his kayak. I don't care for white water but this looked like a fine way to waste a couple of hours exploring.

Two yachts had been beached and their crews were getting ready to float off on the rising tide. I assume this was deliberate but yachts are a closed book to me.

Then up onto the dunes and the bluebells are putting on a beautiful show this year. Suddenly the world was full of colour again.

Back on the beach these sandcastles have been a bit battered by the rain.

Flat feet

21st May10, Embleton Bay, 8am

A trip to Embleton Bay for a couple of hours training with Martin. Very nice to meet with you Martin and I hope you enjoyed the day. A distant mist hung out to sea although closer in the sun shone brightly, sparkling on the water. Inland it was already getting quite warm under blue skies. As we walked and chatted, the mist rolled closer in and evaporated as it hit the beach. An interesting morning.

Part of a nicely dilapitated cable reel that had washed ashore.

21st May10, Newton Links, 4pm

Now here's a sight for sore eyes. Trooper was even running after his ball and briefly did his "Happy Hop" which we haven't seen for over a week.

So warm the shoes were off. I'd forgotten what a pain it is to dry sandy feet without a towel.

Almost normal

20th May10, Embleton Bay, 8am

A slow amble along the beach but it's nice to have Trooper with me.

The Coble is back with his nets stretched out to catch the fish migrating up the coast. I haven't checked but I'm sure it will be the same time of year that I last photographed this coble at sea. (I also photographed it pulled out of the water in Seahouses harbour not so long ago.)

Still a bit unsteady and with various bare patches where the vets shaved him but he's out and about.

Trooper update

Thanks to all who have asked after Trooper's wellbeing.

He is home, groggy and bearing the scars of numerous shaved patches but still with us.

No photos today for obvious reasons...

Andy

No Dogs Allowed

Trooper is under sedation in hospital so we went to Howick where dogs are not permitted. It was good to walk around where we can't picture his face at every corner.

Decision time tomorrow morning.

18th May10, Howick Gardens, 3pm