Never mind the pink skies..

 

It is important when visiting the park at sunrise

Not to get distracted from the main task at hand (or paw)...

Happy Nature Friday friends!

Oh and we have a special bonus today - a late season fungal cascade spotted on an old beech stump in the woods by Banchory last week. Who can tell where the mushrooms end and the fallen leaves begin?

And just one more thing.

Can you believe we saw this solitary rhododendron flower in bloom (near where we saw the fungus)? In November!

Thanks once again to our dear friends, the LLB Gang, for hosting the blog hop. Gail and I were so very sorry to hear the recent sad news about Arty. He was an adorable worldwide superstar, a character without peer, and his immense contribution to Blogville will not be forgotten. We are sending Rosy, Jakey, Sunny and their Mama and Daddy more love and hugs as they come to terms with their loss.

Reassuring sunrise

There have been days, these last couple of months, when the skies have been so dull and gloomy that one's wondered whether the sun in fact forgot to rise at all.

But I'm pleased to report we've also had mornings here in Aberdeen when a fiery technicolour backdrop has lit up my early romp around Duthie Park - a welcome reminder of how even in the heart of this grey and austere northern city, midwinter can be a time of transforming beauty.

Happy Nature Friday friends! And thanks once again to our ever wonderful blog hop hosts Arty, Jakey and Rosy. 

Why don't we do this more often?

As you know, my usual early morning constitutional consists of a walk to Duthie Park and back.

So I was a bit surprised on Saturday when Gail bundled me into the car shortly after seven a.m. and announced:

"Bertie, we're having a change today and going to the beach for a dawn photoshoot".

It's only a ten minute drive to Aberdeen City Beach and we arrived about half an hour before sunrise.

Not all the photos Gail took in the low light with her smartphone turned out as intended...

But amongst the many fails (Gail blames cold hands which I guess is a valid excuse - the air is always, er,  'bracing' besides the North Sea), there were a few photos I have deemed acceptable for my blog.

As it started to get properly light, some other pups showed up on the beach.

Gosh it was all such fun,  I do hope we can do it again some time.

Rise and shine!

At this time of year, we only get to see sunrise on our morning walk if we're LATE (i.e. it's not a workday for Gail).

So this was last Friday in Duthie Park, Aberdeen.

And these are from Sunday morning near our cottage on Loch Torridon.

East or West, Scotland's best!