Friday, 16 December 2016

It is nearly Christmas.

Not sure how I have managed this but everything appears to be sorted.  

Because of health issues I took the easy way out and to the nearest and dearest they got cash.  I have no idea what toys all the grandchildren have or as they are so small what they would want or what parents would deem acceptable.  

Parents ditto.  

Of course since I did that I have been blasted with adverts and thought oh now I should have got that.....

The more distant relatives our sister and brothers will hopefully receive an unbroken pottery gift.  And I managed stuff for the Dawn Patroller which he doesnt know about so has something to unwrap from under the tree.

The cards are all made and sent

So here is yours.



Ptarmigan in the Aberdeenshire Mountains painted by me.

From now on in my posts will probably be about the things I have totally forgotten about.  But the shops are still open.  And Amazon assures me it still has its slaves on the case.

Unless we get snowed in.

Tuesday, 13 December 2016

Aberdeenshire - and cats.

Anyone get to see Countryfile on Sunday?  It was about the area I live in, Aberdeenshire.

Macduff Marine Aquarium we have visited many times.  It is open all year round so somewhere to visit with grand children - or without.




Crovie, pronounced Crivie , has no road to the cottages so everyone has a wheelbarrow. This is used to transport shopping from the car parked at the bottom of the road to the village.  This transport mode was not mentioned at all !


Gardenstown is another village further up the coast from us.  Bryan Angus, fellow artist, lives there .  He and his partner run the Creative Retreat and have courses in Art.



It was a great programme with lots of other interesting stuff. We recorded it but those of you who know how to use catch up things - do it.


Our cat, Cait Sith, really enjoyed it.  Here he is with the Dawn Patroller.  Then he had to get closer.





Cait Sith is possibly a Kellas cat.

His double (stuffed and in a glass case) we saw at Aberdeen University Zoology department.  Very large black cat  Sith was a few centimetres shorter from nose to tail.  The Kellas cat is thought to be a cross from a Scottish wildcat which is currently subject of a lot of hoo ha of protection, and a feral cat.  Feral cats and any loose domestic ones are being neutered.....

Today I walked my .59 of a mile before lunch instead of after.  Daylight is very short now and I really wanted to paint.  Never seen so many Oyster Catchers having fun as the tide came in.



My granddaughter wants a painting of a cheetah.  Sadly not found in Aberdeenshire, except on my drawing board.


Monday, 12 December 2016

Today's Walk.



Very cold today after the few days of unseasonal warmth.  Whatever the weather our surfers and kayakers are in the sea.


The low sun sheds its light and does its own art work far better than I can.  This group of Oyster catchers made me smile.


The pools where the Oyster Catchers gathered.


More of Nature's art work with the gull gang.

Christmas here has come rather early.  The Dawn Patroller has had his camera lenses and already been out playing with them.  On the domestic front I finally ditched the bedroom curtains which were teal in colour, and I still dont know what possessed me.  They had a lining which was blackout.  Necessary in the summer when it dont get dark.  But the thickness of the lining led to the curtains forever removing themselves from the curtain pole.  So I received my present early too.  Gold curtains which match the rest of the rooms decor.  (Why did I go for teal mutter mutter.)


All gold.  Rather fitting for the season.

Bring it on.  And more walking weather tomorrow.

Saturday, 10 December 2016

Apologies

I just found my comments.  Well your comments.  THANK YOU.  I was on the point of packing blogging in.  Nobody loved me.......... 

Why oh why do they do this?  If it aint broke dont fix it.

xxxx

Friday, 9 December 2016

Mill of Nethermill.

Today we went to visit our friends at the Mill of Nethermill. www.nethermillholidays..co.uk





This is 5 star self catering accommodation and as retired b&b providers we were blown away.  5 stars were well deserved.

We actually went to purchase some Pottery for Christmas presents. As  there is also a Pottery. Millshore Pottery and Collectables.


Who wouldnt!  What we actually purchased remains a secret.

Sadly the weather today was gloomy.


We saw very little daylight at all.

Better tomorrow hopefully.

Thursday, 8 December 2016

Nearly the big C.

Much better now.  


Back to charging up the Esplanade.  


And up and down the Path of Doom.  I call it this as it took me a long time to actually get to the end which is where the sand dunes start and no through road for my chariot.  It measures .59 of a mile there and back from where I park my car.  Every bit of fence I know intimately as I leant over and struggled to get control of my breathing again.

There has been some fantastic weather recently.  Temperatures into double figures, very little wind and sunshine.  Okay not much in the above pic but what a beautiful sky.



Oyster Catchers

Redshanks.

Plenty of material for my paintings!

Although not enough daylight for doing much painting.  I do have a daylight bulb in the shedudio, but it is not the same as the real thing.


3.30 p.m.  Sunset.  

So quite a struggle to .....


crack on and the cheetah looks more like a monkey...

The Dawn Patroller was out doing what he likes to do,  and does well,  taking photos.  He met a fellow bird watcher and photographer and they got talking.  Turned out this chap had less lung function than me, had COPD, but was quite obviously fitter.  All down to this.



Vaping.  I have struggled for many years to pack in smoking.  Tried everything including some drug which was guaranteed by the NHS to work and sent me doolally.  Obviously as I have COPD I probably was doolally smoking.  Well I stopped - 3 weeks ago.  Now I vape.  The difference is -  I feel as if I have got my life back.  


Best Christmas Present ever.

Wednesday, 23 November 2016

A Better Day - with some dogs.

Beautiful day.  Sunny, not much wind, cold of course.



Now driving my car as my legs no longer wobbling but still with the DP in attendance off to the Esplanade.

Today was such a good weather day there was the chance to chat to other walkers.



My friend M who has two lovely dogs.  When I returned home our cat Sith spent a long time with his fur fluffed up going over every inch of the chariot !  One of the dogs had made a big fuss of me and left lots of smells on it.  Winding round and round.  He also took great exception to a wee child in a bright pink jacket who was running towards us and M said he never barks.  

As I walked up towards the playground and the boardwalk going down to the beach this wee Bichon Frise (I think) dog came up and attached itself to me.  I shouted to the DP is this dog on its own?  He looked around and saw someone obviously looking for a dog.  The lady eventually saw us waving and came to join us.  Now this dog obviously wanted to be with me rather than her.  Most odd.  She eventually put the lead on and dragged it away. By this time I am thinking do these dogs know something I dont?  Protective big time.  



Redshank and Oystercatchers.







Rook on the Prom fence.

A different pheasant in the field behind our house.



A Better Day.