The Arctic chill has finally arrived. It's well below freezing as we head out of the gate. Another, more frigid, snap is forecast for two weeks time. The Manhattanites, who trade LNG futures and who monitor such things, tell me that the Arctic air core is at -84 degrees a full 15% colder than last year and 25% larger. 'A Mega winter awaits' says one of them with misplaced cheerfulness. Sophie is intrigued to find that the water in her bowl has frozen solid. Here on the coast we're snow free but the wind is piercingly strong. By the time we've made it down to the shore, skirting the fallen gate, the PONettes coat has fluffed up into a thing of wonder.Recent gales have covered the beach in a thick layer of seaweed. The storms have also thrown up a couple of battered lobster creels. Sophie cannot believe her good luck - intriguing scents and invigorating temperatures. Her companion, although wearing no less than seven layers of clothing ( plus a bobble hat ) , is less enthused with the temperature. The ever skittish oystercatchers take wing as soon as we make it onto the beach. The gulls, cormorants and skuas all ignore us. Sophie finds a dead fish which she carries away in triumph before she can be told to 'drop it'.
Sophie loves the beach but is mindful that venturing too close to the water runs the risk of getting wet. She remains prudently on the landward side of the rocks. This is where she munches, contentedly, on her festering herring. From time to time she holds it high in her jaws so that I can observe her extreme good fortune . Life is wonderful !
At the local farm shop freshly baked custard creams make an appearance. They're £1 a pop which I guess makes them luxury custard creams.
5 comments:
The image of Sophie with her festering herring made me laugh out loud, and made Indy green with envy! She wants to know why there are no rotting fish on our beaches. Not that she'd be allowed on the beach to search for them.
The thought of wearing seven layers against the Arctic chill, and with worse to come, makes me glad that I'm living a bit further south. I can still go outside wearing a lightweight dressing gown to feed the garden cats their breakfast, and not have to freeze in the process.
Home made custard cream biscuits - surely not 1 pound each! They look more like macaroons, which cost a small fortune here. Well, most things cost a small fortune here these days.
Nobby is envious of Sophie's lobster pot.
Gail is envious of her wonderful fluffed up insulation. Having returned from a few days in sunny Dunoon yesterday, we woke to 3 inches of snow in Aberdeen this morning...
So today's splash of colour in the Christmas video is especially appreciated!
She looks so good with a nice wind to fluffy her up. I hope the fish settles well on her digestion.
Hari OM
As Gail says, Dunoon has been sunny - but that does not mean we are escaping the drop in temps! It is refreshing, though.
LOVED that SA take on a Christmas classic; colour, rhythm, fun! YAM xx
Sophie! Your coat is magnificent! And I, too, enjoyed the colorful African costumes in the video!
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