lazy holiday

24th December10, Newton Links, 9am

Daisy was very lazy this morning after a night in the pub so we all had a relaxing morning and a late walk together for Christmas Eve.

The horses had been waltzing on the sand again.

Last night's high tide has melted the snow into beautiful, tiny ice sculptures at the top of the beach.

Happy Christmas to you all from Daisy...

...and from all 3 of us.

victims

22nd December10, Christon Bank, 2pm

We're not venturing far due to the weather in part but also there's a spring high tide around lunchtime so there's not much beach to play with.

The snow returned in showers today.

As the last shower retreated to the South West a mist arose, swirling around the sheep. Poor old sheep; they aren't finding much to eat and the last thing they need is to be enveloped in a freezing fog!

Another shower sits heavily out to sea heading for poor old Morpeth which has had more than its share of this weather.

adventure

20th December10, Dunstanburgh, 2pm

An adventure even getting here as there are a few ups and downs on the road to Dunstan. These are noticeable only a) when on a bike or b) when it's slippy and slidy.

It was far too nice a day not to make the effort to get out and about.

Such efforts are wasted on Daisy who is happy to be out and about anywhere.

A truly beautiful winter's day.

There's a total eclipse of the moon tomorrow morning at 06:33 I'm not promising pictures so try and catch it yourself (if you live on the right side of the globe!)

White Christmas ahead

19th December10, Christon Bank, 2pm

Back to snowy conditions. It meant a cancelled trip to Glasgow so no family Christmas for me. We'll make up for it at the weekend with Su's family. There are folk much worse off than we are with closed airports etc etc.

20th December 2010, Alnwick, 8am

Winter limousine services have resumed so I had a wander around the park with my iPhone camera. It was a beautiful morning and the conditions aren't nearly as bad as they were 2 weeks ago.

queen of the hill

17th December10, Christon Bank, 7:30am

Daisy went up to the top of the lime kiln to sniff around the rabbit holes. A bit dark for photography but she looked great in silhouette.

This is a giant puffball fungus - Pure white and edible when younger and capable of releasing trillions of spores in a big cloud when old and brown. Apparently they fruit in the same location each year so I should watch out next September...

Definitive dusk

16th December10, Low Newton, 4pm

I heard a thing on the radio while half asleep last night about "the 7 stages of night". They were, I think, defined as follows:

Sunset, Dusk, Twilight, Dead of Night, First Light, Dawn and Sunrise.

In that case, this is Dusk.

a picture of patience

14th December10, Newton Links, 3pm

Another in my mini-series of abstract coastal seascapes. The subtle differences in light are captured quite nicely.

Daisy doesn't mind my photographic experimentation as long as she still gets to play with the ball...

15th December10, Embleton Bay, 8am

A grand view across the bay from the dunes. Note the disturbed sand where previously Daisy and her two new friends had had a good old chase about.

..and another slight variation on the abstract project.

The grey returns

14th December10, Low Newton, 8am

As the thaw progresses, the world has gone a bit dull.

Back to a world of monochrome beachscapes and muddy paws.

The Pink Dog of Anticipation

10th December10, Christon Bank, 8am

+5C: The last snowy morning???

11th December10, Embleton Bay, 8am

Everything's flooded after two days and a night of thawing.

This is the first tee and putting green and Dunstanburgh Golf Course...

A beautiful morning once we could gain access to the beach. This image is the result of a technique I learned from another local pro photographer. It creates a lovely soft impression of the beach, sea and sky.

..and this image is the result of a technique involving welly boots and standing in the sea.

Someone once called Daisy "the only pink dog I've ever met" Certainly in this morning's light you couldn't argue.

11th December10, Low Newton, 2pm

This is Dasiy's special face of anticipation; waiting for the ball to be thrown for her to chase.

sinister silhouettes

9th December10, Newton Links, 3pm

The thaw is underway and there is a lot of dripping.

These sinister silhouettes are canny sheep watching me and Daisy approaching. More in the hope of some unfrozen food than in fear of the hound.

Not far from the shortest day now and the sun sets in the middle of the afternoon.

Frozen Freedom

8th December10, Low Newton, 9am

A late start as the car was frozen inside and out. -5C this morning at home and -3C at the beach. Seems like an age since we've been along here.

As a snowy bonus we came back across the frozen, deserted golf course and Daisy enjoyed the freedom.

Snowy Hound

7th December10, Home, 2pm

A beautiful snowy day and Daisy wanted to make the most of it so after we came back from our walk so she hung out in the garden for a while chasing her old glove around the snow.

Three's company

5th December10, Home, 2pm

A rare treat for Daisy to have both of us out for a walk. Nice for me too.

Black-Headed gulls watch the world go by from a snowy roof ridge.

6th December10, Christon Bank, 8am
No snow all weekend but lots of hard frosts and the icicles are coming along nicely.

We're promised a thaw by the end of the week; back to normal November temperatures of +6C. As there must be a few tons of snow on every roof, that should be interesting...

Having said that, the roof of the chapel is very steeply pitched so it's about the only roof with no snow lying on it.

not my words

4th December10, Home, 2pm

A day spent decorating the house for Christmas.  Seeing as we're away for Christmas and New Year nobody but us will see the decorations but it's nice to have the house looking jolly.

Daisy couldn't escape the decorating frenzy.

5th December10, Christon Bank, 8am

 I heard this poem on Radio 4 this morning and thought it was beautiful.  Soft words, intriguing mystery and an ending that seems to fade off into the snow...

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep. 

picture perfect

4th December10, Christon Bank, 8am

Lovely pastel sky this morning.

Half Light

2nd December10, Alnwick, 7pm

I don't visit the centre of Alnwick very often and this is the first time I've seen the Christmas lights. Very bonny in the snow.

3rd December10, Christon Bank, 7:30 am

Out early this morning in the half light of pre-dawn. Joining the crescent moon is Jupiter (edited - no it isn't, it's Venus - Thankyou SC!)

It was -5C this morning and the wind has changed round to the SW from the East. Still the beetle isn't going anywhere soon.