This is when you turn off your lights. 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. and make plans to save the earth. We have done most of the things on the list. Almost eliminated using plastic. Green electricity provider. etc.
Sitting by candle light is good too tho does make hitting the right ket on the ket board difficult.!
So - the rest of the day. Early morning saw the DP off on a day's bird watching. With two mates. I managed to get up early enough so as to have my breakfast provided. After that it was all downhill. I had to load the dishwasher. Load the washing machine. Tasks the DP does seamlessly. Me? Lots of regaining control of breathing but I did it.
Off to the Prom. Lurched into Lidl on the way and fought to the death over the last Press and Journal daily local newspaper. Actually there was no-one there to fight with but you never know. I was ready.
Now this has to be a first. 5 Oystercatchers. AWAKE!! Eyes open and not one beak tucked under a wing!
Just look at Nature's colouring on the beach.
The Gull Gang abluting.
Back home I did some brightening up of the background wash, more blue, more on the twigs that this Crow seems to have almost come a cropper in.
Much later watched the sun go down. Clocks forward tonight. I can cope with that. Sith Cat however is a different matter. He has his tea at 3. So fine tomorrow he will not start asking til 4 p.m. Its when we turn the clocks back in October and have to try and ignore him from ? Earth Hour? Cat feeding hour? Confused.
Right it is now 9.30 p.m. Earth Hour is over. I did my bit I am now coughing after blowing out the candle and getting smoke up my nose.
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.
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.
Now that Summer is almost over we have a proper dawn. In that the Dawn Patroller can go for a walk at a reasonable time (tho not for me) 5 - 6 a.m.
The best time to see, and photograph, the local wild life.
Whooper Swans. Also arrive at this time of year to overwinter here.
Pheasants we have year round. Although we have noticed this year a reduction in numbers. And no sign of any young ones. Hope (?) Ptolemy is surviving this dearth Jessica.
This delightful puss we viewed at a later hour while having dinner.
Although the same colour as our Sith, Sith was snoring in the sitting room.
My time for going oot and aboot is after lunch. It generally takes me at least two hours to come round and get washed and dressed. Up at 8 the DP brings me breakfast, toast, rhubarb and ginger jam. A Cappucino. So after lunch is when I go out, drive to the beach and record the wildlife.
The long way back to the car. I sometimes wonder how I do it.
Tonight we have lit the wood burner but have had to also switch on the liquid gold burner. It is freezing. Tomorrow will be misty. But when I venture out sunny, warm and no wind. Proper Dawn !
Not been very summery so far but apparently weather is to improve.
The garden is certainly blooming. Fantastic blossom on the cherry trees, Laburnam and now Lilac.
We have a new gardener. So far he has cut the lawns for us. And done an amazing job, he strims first, then cuts, the grass looks as if it has been shaved. One still has to ignore the weed infested borders. However the fact the hated grass cutting is done has led to the DP giving them his attention.
He has also been emptying the pots, re-filling and re - planting. My view from the shedudio is vastly improved.
The other border to the left of the shedudio is about ready to burst forth in colour.
Peonies and Poppies.
Just beyond the fence at the rear of the peonies there is to be a path created by our gardener for me to wheel the chariot (wheeled walker) over the grass and straight down to the shedudio and , more importantly, back up. I currently have to use steps so cannot use the walker. So carrying things to and from falls to the DP. So a bit more independence for me.
I am currently improving from a chest infection. Been out today for a great walk, watching our life boat on manoeuvres .
The bottom photo also shows a surfer ! Both show the haar on its way (mist).
Hope you are all, like me, looking forward to the rest of June being blooming.
The Dawn Patroller had one of his days off and out. He went on a boat trip from Buckie, further up the North East coast.
He was hoping to see a White billed Diver.
Image from tinternet.
What he did see were lots of these instead.
Dolphins. I wouldnt complain!
Meanwhile I did my .59 of a mile which is from the car to the start of the sand dunes.
Although on this photo the dunes have encroached somewhat. This was taken after the last big storm, the council removed the sand. They have some amazing machines. But you cant beat people power. This lot turned up yesterday, and collected an amazing amount of rubbish from the beach. But the council were on hand to remove all the bags etc.
The sea was flat, calm today. There was no wind, it was warm. What this paddle surfer was doing out there I really do not know. Practising balancing?
I did see a seal off the rocks by the caravan site.
This photo was taken on a more normal weather day but thats where I saw the seal. Every time I took a photo as I clicked it sank beneath the waves. Hey ho.
But then I have seen these and the DP hasnt.
Not this day . Sunday, sweet Sunday.
Well March was spent mostly in bed groaning and coughing, but enough of that...
More family visitations over the Easter weekend. Eldest daughter and two grandsons.
The weather has been incredible. Warm, no wind, sunshine from dawn to dusk.
St Combs beach is good for rock pools, golden sand , and seals. But none this day. ( Not good for Zimmer frames, even with wheels.) (The new header to the blog shows Killer Whales off the beach here, last year.)
Takes 3 to build a sandcastle.
An excellent rock pool find - Long Spined Scorpion Fish. Good job they didnt pick it up or touch it. Grandmas are good for some things, I have been asked to do a painting of it.
So what was Grandma doing while they were all off with the Dawn Patroller visiting Museums, Aquariums and many, many play parks?
Painting of course.
The above is Fluffy. Been dead for 20 years. Owner (ex?) well pleased.
Mountain Hare from a photograph by Adam Caird, who liked my painting so much of his photograph he posted it on his facebook site!
And I watch the birds while waiting for the paint to dry. There were 2 Redwings in the garden outside the shedudio. Now that is a first. The DP was quite miffed he had missed them. (There are some kudos for an old infirm Grandma. Ha!)
Working title for the above is rather rude, "P*** Off." But thats me.
I am painting, painting, as we are coming into the exhibition season. You are seriously going to get bored my friends.
Hope the weather was kind to you this holiday weekend and you have all had a good time. I really do not want you to P*** Off.
