Two Faces

29th November10,Christon Bank, 1pm

The sea is just visible from here but at the moment it's very audible. The sounds of the waves are carried on the easterly wind

30th November10, Newton Links, 2pm

There are very few places to park at the moment as the sides of the roads are several feet deep with ploughed snow. I'm limited as to where I can get to but the Newton Links beach car park is reachable with gentle feet and snow tyres.

Looking in two directions, a few minutes apart, you see two faces of the weather and light in this wintry showery weather.

Two faces of Daisy. The difference is a whistle.

autumn or winter?

27th November10,Christon Bank, 3pm

Another venture out through the deep snow. I thought we'd chosen a bright spell but the next snow shower was on its way from the NE (ie straight down from the arctic!)

In winter you get snow and bare trees but because it's still autumn, there are leaves falling on top of the snow. Every year we get a freak weather event somewhere. Ocean currents are changing and weather systems are slowing down as they pass over Britain so when it rains, it rains in one place intensively and it floods. Same last winter with 3 months of sustained cold, snowy weather, flash floods in Cumbria last year, in Cornwall 2 weeks ago and now this cold snap is forecast to last for a week - unheard of in November.

And still some say there's no climate change...

28th November10,Christon Bank, 8am

This snowman has 2 eyes, 2 arms and 2 cans of lager - Daisy thought this was very curious.

I've walked past these trees dozens of times but the snow made their sinuous curves stand out.

Icy pond

What's Snow?

27th November10,Christon Bank, 8am

While we were away* the snow came with a vengeance and, very unusually for November, we've got 14 inches (35cm). It seems like no time ago that we last had this much snow and it didn't take long to find the shovels and grit. (*For a few pictures from York click here)

Daisy is loving the new experience of snow. She runs and digs and runs some more...

Familiar

24th November10,Newton Links, 3pm

Familiar weather although now there's also snow in the air (but not much). Daisy was watching it fall from the sky, ate a snowflake off the ground, but seemed unimpressed.

For the first time Daisy took to running through the grassy dunes. Every so often she would stop and stare before plunging back into her personal melee. This is very familiar behaviour to me because Trooper used to do this all the time. A bit spooky.

Off for a couple of days "city break" back soon...

Animals

24th November10,Newton Links, 8am

From the house to the beach we went from dry to hail to sunny in 2 miles. The animals need excercised in any weather and the beach, although more exposed, leaves Daisy's paws as clean as in the summer.

The local horses were having a good trot up and down the beach.

Interesting effect here created by the sudden arrival of a small hound in the small of my back just as I pressed the shutter button. She then stood in the middle of the photo and barked. Charming!

"showery"

23rd November10, Embleton Bay, 3pm

"Showery" they said this morning. Well these were serious showers! At least, unlike this morning, we got a dry walk this afternoon.

The edge of a Big Shower passes a bit inland.

A bit of brief blue sky.

The next shower approaches out over the sea.

a winter seascape
as black as ink is the sky
we hurry homeward

Tunes & Songs

22nd November10, Ship Inn, Low Newton 8pm

It's ages since I've been to a folk session at The Ship and it was good to be back amongst friends playing a selection of uplifting tunes and depressing songs! There's a session on somewhere in North Northumberland every Monday. Another good reason to love this part of the world.

Daisy meets The Balloon Monster

21st November10, Newton Links 8am

A cloudy but entertaining morning

Two damp days

19th November10, Low Newton 3pm

Newton Pool from the bird hide on a still, damp afternoon.

20th November10, Thrunton Woods, 1pm

Another still, damp afternoon but this time me and Daisy went inland to the woods at Thrunton. The paths through this Forestry Commission plantation are shut at this time of year. You can still walk on them but the FC takes no responsibility of you slip on the mud! One consequence is that the waymarkers seemed to have been removed. I got a bit disorientated wandering through the misty woods on Callaly Crags and had to resort my map and the compass and GPS on my iPhone to make sure we went the right way. Never underestimate the kit you might need on a walk...

On top of Castle Hill there is an iron age hillfort which is a very atmospheric place. The beech trees on the site of the fort are ancient and gnarled but are mere saplings compared to the age of the fort.

McCartney's cave is a hand-carved retreat made by a local monk couple of centuries ago. I looked for beatles but there weren't any.

Looking down Hob's Nick. Reputedly the home of "little people' (think Hob-goblin) who used to be blamed for all sorts of mischief...

Any mischief hereabouts was being caused by this little pixie...

On the way home over Alnwick Moor this roadside waterfall is often no more than a trickle. Not today.

running free

19th November10, Newton Links, 8am

8 days after the operation and Daisy was back running free on the beach for a wee while. She'd had a long walk at Kielder yesterday so in fact she chose to lie around and sit and watch the waves...

A very grey morning is made more colourful by Hipstamatic on the iPhone.

frosty fingers

16th November10, Low Newton, 08:30

A very enjoyable morning with Bob. The weather is very changeable at the moment. Last night it was pouring with rain but the clouds had all blown away by this morning leaving a freezing cold but gorgeous day. I wished for my gloves several times before we eventually reached the point in the walk that we get a warm mug of coffee...