An offaly good birthday weekend

Thank you friends for all the lovely birthday greetings. Let me tell you about my weekend.

It was kidney with kibble for my dinner on Friday, then fried liver the day after! I bet you can't think of a tastier way for a chap to celebrate reaching the grand old age of twelve.

Oh and we've had snow here these past few days. Just a sprinkling in the city, but in the forests inland the snow was in places a bit too deep for 'not as bouncy as they used to be' WFT limbs (but not so deep as to daunt this exceptionally game little terrier). 

Most improved?

I am pleased to report that Gail appears to have learnt the error of her ways, and two days after the 'winter clothing left in cupboard' debacle we returned to more or less the same spot, this time with our friends M and J, and once again experienced adverse weather conditions, but here you see I was appropriately clad in my warmest outdoor jacket - cosily fleece-lined with a waterproof shell.

At this point we must congratulate M, the only one brave enough to operate her camera, despite the fierce and bitterly cold wind driving snow across our faces. (I think the humans were a little envious of my protective facial fuzz during this part of the walk.)

Later on, the flurries of snow subsided, the sun emerged, and we found a sheltered spot down in the valley, so I am delighted to present you with the latest in a long line of  'M and J sitting on a log enjoying elevenses with Bertie' photos.

I am confident that this 'Elevenses on a Log' series of pictures (see also post from 12 July 2021) will be thought of in the same category as Monet's water lilies in years to come...

Performance rating: Unsatisfactory

It is no excuse to say "well Bertie it was sunny when we set out".

Neither will the line "I was too busy trying to figure out a path that wouldn't be blocked by fallen trees" quite do. 

In a cupboard back at home I have two winter coats and four hand-knitted sweaters, all capable of conferring useful protection against the worst of the Aberdeenshire weather.

Although not so capable if left in cupboard when we are out walking and the snow arrives.

And it's not even as if Gail succeeded in finding a route that wasn't an obstacle course. 

Oh well. I guess it's a bit late in the day to trade her in for a more satisfactory model. Sigh...

It's a deal

Living together is all about compromise, don't you agree? 

Although I do not in all honesty approve of my owner's bicycling habit, I have come to appreciate that her unfortunate hobby is important to her mental as well as physical wellbeing and so we have made a deal. 

For every time that Gail heads out of the house on two wheels to join her cycling buddies for the morning (and sometimes the afternoon too) it is agreed that the next day, or as soon as the weather allows, she will take me out to a place where I can have an exciting adventure, roaming unleashed in the glorious Scottish countryside.

So it was this week. 

When Gail showed me this photo of her pals getting togged up to ride home after an elevenses stop at  the 'Teacake' café in Chapelton near Newtonhill, I successfully negotiated a compensatory walk in the hills, setting off from near Ballater.

It turned out to be a pretty good deal.

Invigorated by the snow, I set a lively pace up the valley towards Morven*, our favourite hill. 

A couple of miles on, we were out of the trees and our way was increasingly impeded by remnant snow drifts

So on reaching the deer fence, with the rounded slopes of Morven glistening white in the background, we called a halt, and after a tasty snack...

 ...it was back down the valley at pace.

Can you believe Gail could hardly keep up?

*Gail says: I haven't taken Bertie up Morven for at least a year, thinking this steep 2800' climb now too much for his 'not as young as they used to be' legs. But judging by the speed at which he raced up and down the far from flat valley on Friday, a round trip of over five miles, I began to wonder if I've been underestimating my plucky wee pup! 

Still in fashion

I'm pleased to report that Gail and I survived Storm Arwen on Friday night, with no damage to person or property in our little corner of Aberdeen. Gail felt a bit sorry for the folk who were stuck on a train inbetween here and Inverness for 17 hours, but in my experience Scotrail staff keep generous supplies of shortbread on board, so no-one would have had to go hungry. 

By Sunday the storm force winds had been replaced by snow and ice.

So Gail pulled my red 'Nordic snowflake' jumper out of my winter clothing bag and suggested I put it on for our planned outing to Forvie Nature Reserve.

For some reason she seemed delighted that I would be able to wear this home-knitted sweater for a second year, and rather scoffed when I expressed concern at being seen in last season's outfit. She assured me today's trend is for clothes which last, and that 'fast fashion' is no longer de rigueur. 

Whatever. 

To say the weather at Forvie was changeable would be an understatement.

But I will say one constant was that everyone we met* on the hour long walk did comment on my fine knitwear. 

So I guess for once Gail was right. 

*Gail says: "everyone we met" - that would be just three other hardy walkers.

The elastic ruler...

Happy Nature Friday friends! 

It was a lovely sunny day earlier this week when Gail took me for a walk up the Hill of Fare. 

As you know, here in Scotland just now our walks must begin and end not more than five miles beyond the city boundary. And I think we should leave it as a matter of conjecture as to whether, on this particular occasion, the ruler Gail used to measure the five miles on her map was an ever so slightly elastic one...

We start off with me posing nicely in the farmland near where the car was parked.

We then ascend a track through a mix of broadleaf and conifer plantations, our ears ringing with the merry sound of birds anticipating spring.

Before long, we find a small patch of snow.

And as we climb higher, leaving most of the trees behind, the snow patches across the track get bigger and deeper.

The Hill of Fare is a broad and gently undulating plateau of heather moorland, and at the summit we enjoy stupendous views all across Aberdeenshire, from the snow capped Cairngorm mountains to the North Sea.

Or at least Gail enjoys the view, while I focus my attention on scavenging for any picnic leftovers which previous hikers might have dropped in the vicinity of the little summit cairn...

It is thin pickings I'm afraid, picnics being one more of life's pleasures not allowed in Scotland right now...

Thank you once again to our friends the LLB Gang for hosting the Nature Friday blog hop.

Can one have too much weather?

All in the last few days. 

Our street (these photos are not black and white)...

Two miles to the east at the harbour mouth...

https://youtu.be/vsiyoV_qiSc

In the woods five miles to the west...

It's all been quite exhausting...

A quiet week in Aberdeen.

So I understand there were some ructions in Washington D.C. last week. 

Meanwhile it's been a quiet few days here in Aberdeen. 

We had an inch or two of snow ...

... which was fun for a while.

But then it melted. So we went to the beach. 

Oh and I slept quite a lot too. 

Sometimes quiet is good. 

How was your week?