Not sure about anyone else but I always find December a funny month, such excitement and anticipation for Christmas as we face the darkest days and then propelled into the doldrums of the in-between time and New Years. Does anyone like New Years? well I do know someone who loves it and that of course is Louie and so do I, because of him. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Decembers blog is rest of my Isle of Man adventure and some of what happened after that and another quarantine. But I was reflecting about the year and all that we have experienced this year and how the year is closing and I thinking the one thing you can guarantee, (and that's a hard statement to make these days ) is that the days are actually getting longer. Maybe not that you would notice but all the while they are and as we look back and forward, as we teeter on the year end and the year beginning, I'm going to hold fast to that thought.
The was blue sky in the Isle of Man and one of the things that I appreciate there is the architecture. In looking above street level, there are treats
Red brick and lights
And general embellishment of the buildings
This is another kind of embellishment and this graffiti was spotted in Ramsey. Don't know who the little fella is, but he's cute Robot Yogi
This is Maughold church yard and here we find the amazing Celtic crosses. To get here you went down single tracks and road closing. It was bitterly cold but we just had to see those ancient crosses. For me the view from this North Easterly point of the Island back towards the interior is an absolute favorite view
Across Maughold Village and the smoky clouds resting in the distance
The fantastic crosses and devotion that those carvers had and their want of making their mark literally. Showing the intersection of Nordic artistry meets Christianity and the visual expression of the two societies meeting, is something I never tire of and lucky for my travel buddy he was game!
I love the flooring as much as the crosses!!!
Slate on Slate
And from the church yard you get this gentle sweep down to the bay and sea
You can guess which way the wind blows
The soft early winter light on the fields
I love this gate to the headland and the colour beyond
As I peeped over the stone wall to take pictures of the bay, I saw this ewe. Quite surprised I was and of course I wasn't expecting to see this creature and wow are sheep ever big. But she does look fed up! That could be the face of 2020
Another reason for the trip to Maughold was to try and capture the Mountain and the snow that fell there the other day. Too misty to drive over that way and there was not much left. It looked on the day it snowed up there like a giant had dropped a bag of flour. But you get the idea
The sun in the church yard and gentle slope of the tree tops, it really is sublime
The moss paths positively glowed
I suppose it is maudlin but I love this church yard and the stones staying sentinels. Just rather lovely and calm. They have been there so long.
Just a delight to be out in this little glen
Here he is, the travelling companion, braving the car park at the Sound. Only a few hardy souls were there this day
Waking up and looking out the window, the roof tops opposite had a real layer of frost
All the way down
Lovely morning for a walk along Marine Drive, all those colours
Boat coming past the headland and the headland looked like a face to me.
This hilly field is a bit of favorite, think it's the fence lines that give it interest and the furrows
The trees really are rather sweet on the Island and I love the rounded tree tops forming a line, shadows on these fields are fabulous too
But it was frosty!
Love this road works sign, so specific
Shiny holly in the morning light
Just so many textures and colours
This arch is wonderful and once it went to somewhere or something and Louie discovered that one pillar is in front of the other, huh?
The word that comes to mind is lush! You can see later in the blog why all this means so much, colour and richness of it!
Literally can't get enough of it
And exhale
Pretty idyllic scene of the Sloc views. This road is one of the internal roads on the island that leads from the very middle to either the West, which is where this is looking to and the South
It is a road I have travelled many many times and a real favorite
Just breathtaking
Here are the old mine ruins of Glen Rushen Mines
and the road that we travelled on to get here, narrow and single track as you can see from the vehicle on it
Sunlight on hillsides
The morning sun! Just wow, the clouds are amazing
Just a shot for home of the lush moss on our final days
Like a world in a world.
We had to go again to the Sound
It is never the same twice. I have pictures of the Sound done by my Dad and they are practically all the same view, but I never tire of it, either in person or pastel! It is a place that draws you, just because. As I said to Louie I've been going back for over 40 years!!!!
And homeward bound
Heathrow
and basement time begins
We did sneak a look at the drive and see our first snow of December
even had a scamper about
I put up some decorations, all socially distant and away from people inside the house. There is something weird about not being able to go in your front door
The back yard looked festive and like it was waiting for visitors
Even the bird gourd houses looked sweet in the lights
This is quarantine and we found the bistro table, we were very excited! and Louie even played Parisian music!
But the snow kept coming
and Louie and I found we liked clearing the path!
Although when you don't have to be anywhere and you are confined to the basement, anything happening is interesting
I did manage to bake with social distance, well awaited mince pies
Colours of the night time and peoples Christmas lights
Love the shadows and leaves hanging on
The inside from the outside
and ready for the basement Christmas
Wow he got down the chimney before the fire was lit! He's clever that Father Christmas personage
Oh and it snowed again, that would be a 'White Christmas'
Very! white
Perfect Christmas Tree
I got a couple of these panels to brighten winter. Seemed like being over the top at the time. Now I am pleased I did it. Bright and cheery
And then it was Christmas morning and stockings to be done
Don't you love my Christmas jumper, one of the gifts from the stocking and it's brilliant. It says on it "life without cake is possible but pointless" Pretty much sums up the whole shebang
These were knitted in quarantine! They did fit
This is what happens when you ask for a group photo
Bella never needs to be asked to pose correctly
Just lovely dinner time and laughing. Perfect
and it snowed some more
Hard to believe this is a normally leafy street
So excited to be outside after quarantine
All the pretty houses
Everyone of them is like a picture postcard
This is white on white
So bright these maple leaves in the snow
I've got to clean the car off!
first drive in 8 weeks!!!! I wonder if I can still remember how
Rare event: after being held captive, Louie is now fully Stockholm syndrome to inside and outside has now become an aberration. This is documentary evidence that he does venture out!
We had a lovely walk
and captured snowy scenes
Snow sculpture guy has been at it again
Not ploughed yet! Glad I don't live on this street
Fir trees decorated
and berries bright
I wish you all a Happy New Year this New Year's Eve and for the first time ever we know exactly what everyone is doing everywhere, this eve and it's staying home!
Stay safe, warm and remember it's getting lighter :) (My mantra for 2021)
