New Year

 It is from my home from home that I am blogging. Really it is that I won't be able to do this once I am landed back in Canada. There the landscape will be a totally different reality. But while I have been here saying my goodbye to Mum, I have also been walking and taking photos when I can.

I should really just call the blog seas shots and wild days. It has been an amazing start to the year with two storms that were pretty big and their associated big seas.

On arriving it was calm and cold. The intensity of the colours really beautiful and all the lovely reflections in the water on the sands

Big waves incoming!

But nice to be able to walk about and enjoy the calm places

But lots of rain makes for strange streams and this one is going along a stairs and footpath! 

A lot of water has fallen and the fields can't absorb any more. Well to be fair it did rain every day for a week!!!!

But New Year always has a bright glow

And cloudscapes

Another windy day and big skies full of drama

West Coast delivers the evening sun in a spectacular glow, like the hill is on fire

But it is cold and the temperatures are dropping

and suddenly we are into the freezer

The clouds are mesmerizing

With all the colours, we are spoilt for sunsets

and strange low tides revealing submerged rocks, I don't think I have seen these before

And in rolls the stormy seas and bright sky

Nightfall and snow!

Snow fall!!! and morning light

Dusting that changes the hillside

But that stretch of road is impassable by foot, yikes. 

Yet the hill positively glows in the morning light. 

It is a highlighted backdrop

Improbable flowers! just hanging about minding their own business

Walls to walk by

The curve of the smaller stones around the boulder, they are beautifully matched

The series of larger stones at the bottom, makes this like a patchwork of stones. 

Drystone walling is an absolute art and this wall shows that 

Working yard! I love all the different types of building in this one picture

and glorious heather

It really is blooming now

Storm sweeping into the bay

Mossy covered wall tops

No wonder walking to school I dawdled, the walls are amazing!

The storm is coming in. But these orange handles are so bright on this dull and heavy skied day 

And yet more colour and life

Fantastic snowdrops!

These won't been seen in Canada for a few months yet

It may just seem like a wall. 

But I found the placement of the stones really interesting for this dry stone wall. 

A unique design always

What the! really a daffodil. Yup one loan chap just standing in a sea of twigs

my favorite wall plant

Totally unbelievable that there is this sort of colour in January

So do tell me, which way does the wind blow again?

These trees tell you!

Chimney pots and stormy seas

The morning sun on the waves. 

This was quite hard to get this shot as I was trying very hard not to be blown over

The trouble with photos is that they are silent. So imagine the roar of the sea! The wind being due west is blowing straight at me

and yes repeat, mad seas and high winds and crazy me taking photos.

 At least the wind was at my back all the way home

and more lovely surprises

The plants are getting ready 

As I walked the exceptionally steep slope behind the house, I rounded the corner a horse was just stood in this field.

 I caught my breathe and just marvelled

Windy moors, whistling winds

The wind was so strong that I could only stop for a second. But I captured the Calf in all of its glory and the amazing sky with rain over Ireland. The path away from me utterly illuminated 

The sky is never still here and the wind is blowing madly, the noise of the wind was deafening. 

November sights

 I realised that I had so far skipped Novembers blog, which is no surprise, as it has been a mad month and December is equally busy. But I did manage to get some photos on the way to work and so you can see what it looks like in November here.

The yellow carpet

Still a lot of colour in November

But the leaves are falling

Early morning light and a surprisingly empty road, in front of my house!

Chilly starts though

And thank goodness I didn't miss the Ginkgo drop!!!!

Just beautiful and all down the avenue, the trees in unison drop their leaves, one frosty night

But wow yellow loveliness

The morning sun really making these remaining leaves glow

How about that for a flame bush!

And this fluffy Japanese maple, all the colours

But the canopy is thinning and we are soon not to have leaves

Wet streets always make the gingko drop more spectacular

I can't beieve the amount of fruit still about for the aniamals

Like stairs, this fungus on a stump

That's some bright ! love all those colours, right there that's autumn

I really liked the fading day light against the street. The trees are so spidery and the lights from the shops so cheery and welcoming

In this one you have the slopey roof of the little house. 

These are sort of oldish, maybe 30's - 40's. 

They always remind me of Hansel and Gretel cottage style. 

We have quite a few of these houses here. I just like the warm lights on a clear night sky

This was a cool one, fading day light and the bits of branches almost look like Christmas lights. It is just how the street lights are illuminating them

That's the end of the day

So love that we have this baby tulip tree. Even the dried bud/flower is cool

This is morning sunrise

It was lovely to see the expanse of this and how the clouds went away

This is preparation for the snow. They over the flower beds with twigs

and our new Love park. Rather sweet. On this sunny morning it was being lit by the sun. You can just see me in the shadow

Just some remnants of the ginkgo. You can see there was an early frost that got the leaves before they turned

Good morning little fella

Red berries!!!

And morning in the park. You wouldn't think this is in the city

Lovely reflections

I love this picture!!!! the reflection is almost complete! the twig I honestly didn't place it but works too. As for that sky, breathtaking. The Perimeter building in the front of the buildings is a fascinating one. I like the style and it is so modern but beautiful! The towers frame it well

OOH night is drawing in. Literally like a blind coming down

Love these sweet gum balls.

The oaks are holding on!

Lines and streets. This alleyway is rather attractive. It's old meets new

Morning walk and milkweed cotton

Achi has a new spot

The row of chairs, for no apparent reason?

Blue skies

Followed by....

Snowy walk to work

Ice cone? anyone?

This didn't last long and we soon were back to grey skies and damp. But we know it is coming back!