That was then..... ( May)

 I can't quite remember April, there was a bit of painted egg rolling, a birthday for me, but somehow the eggs rolled us into spring, tumbling faster than I could keep up with and I landed in a heap at the beginning of May.
It has been wet, very wet for the last few weeks. I managed to avoid most of it by being ill, twice or looking after our daughter who was also ill twice, so we spent a lot of time looking at the river rise and fall, rise and fall, from our hall and toilet window!
There is something so amazing about your first view in the morning being of a river, there is no getting away from the impermanence of life when it is so quickly changeable.Yesterday's drought replaced by a swirling frenzy, today's chaotic turbulence replaced only hours later by a calm spring valley river. It does not wait for any creature. All the river birds are busy the time we get up, dippers bobbing up and down on rocks as if curtsying. Herons beating their weighty wings in an effort to gain height, always looking like they aren't going to make it. Like birds from another age or place, they somehow look awkward, only just fitting in the valley. Effortless like bees they are not. Lately we have seen a squirrel sitting on a broken off branch on the larch tree, tail curled over his head like an umbrella, sheltering from the rain, gleefully we watched from the window.

We did get onto the moor on a wet and wild day, mostly to tire out the dogs as we had stuff to do, it wasn't a day to hang around, it was a brutal cold wind.The clouds and their shadows were racing across the pale grass strewn ground.Walking boots set a determined pace ahead.Frog boots jumped in black peat bog puddles behind..This was a rare patch of blue.

We battered our way against the wind, up through the bronze age stone rows, without ceremony or ritual just sheer determination and a lot of encouragement for the little one in so much down clothing her only complaint was that she was boiling.We changed direction to avoid the wind in our face and headed for the long stone. Always good for a lean and a think, oh and a pose.

Rosie the pup was having a wild time, racing full tilt chasing her doggy companions, ears blowing about and gait sometimes sideways in the wind.We looked up to see her running far away with her new collie friend, a brief moment of oops and a whistle and they were heading back. At times like that we are so glad she is a collie.


Some of you have seen this recently but it's too cute not to include.....
Rosie on Kestor.

The weather came in fast then and we ran helter skelter down from Kestor, as we have on many a day. Faces screwed up against the rain and howling wind, knowing it won't be long.Cosseted by down and waterproofs and a car ride home.The shelter of warmth and quiet, and excited blown about humans phewing their relief.

Later in May..

A yearning for Scotland finally eased by a surprise wedding and a weekend trip to Dumfries and Galloway.This is The House on the Shore where we stayed in Scotland.The beach just steps away.

We woke up to this view from our room. Ah bliss. Just what I wanted. Space, sea, sky.

Glacial boulders dropped 10,000 years ago dominate the beach. We took it in turns to shriek," Come and look at this!", amazing fossils blowing our minds.

I have a piece of coral here at home that looks exactly the same as this fossil. Except my coral was a gift from Bali.Where was this from and how long ago was the coral

living?

The Solway Firth stretched between us and the Lake District. Scotland to England.

We spent time trying to unsuccessfully get a grip on time while Daisy also struggled with Scotland being another country.

Time, space.Hah what a trip.x