ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Sunday 22 January 2012

CANTANKEROUS (22/01/12)

The weather and I. A proper Victor Meldrew day. I hadn't walked a mile through ankle deep sludge this morning when back came the wind and rain. I retreated got back home soaked,  before the kettle had boiled out came the sun. I’d decided to give the truck a polish inside. Three hours later the sun was still shining so we went out. This time I’d glooped and slurped my way a couple of miles when down came the rain again. The dogs are filthy. Little point in cleaning the van, little point in doing anything.

Tomorrow, I'm having a couple of days on a proper campsite. Washing machines, showers the works. I’ll finish the spring clean and then I'm going up to Coniston for a few days. The weather forecast is for more of the same. Mild and wet……it does get unbearable. January is the worst month for being in the camper. Sites that are otherwise open tend to shut this month. So choice is limited to the very expensive or with a few exceptions places I don’t want to go.

Next week Keswick is open so the dogs can have a hair cut. I could do with one but I’ve got used to the wild and woolly look.

I’m sitting here waffling on and moaning. I waiting for the starlings to come back.

I had an unusual visitor to the feeders. It had it’s back to me and the lack of light prevented any worthwhile pictures. It had a red head was about sparrow sized so either a linnet or red poll. A posh bird whichever it was. It’s not been back………I don’t believe it! I bet the damn kestrel ate it.

The sky cleared and the starlings started to appear. They seemed to be heading straight to the roost. I was lucky last week.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA This is a picture of Wastwater and Yewbarrow taken in February two years ago. There is still hope for some winter.

Have a grand week.

20 comments:

  1. Wow, this is so beautiful, love the reflection!
    Have a great week.

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  2. This wet weather can be so depressing at times Adrian. It certainly puts limits on what can be done.
    Hope you get to see your mystery bird again; but your guesses sound along the right lines.

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  3. Still very cold and windy here Adrian but thankfully no rain.
    Looking forward to seeing Coniston and Keswick through your eyes..

    A lovely image of Wastwater.
    Yewbarrow is a really steep climb and a scramble to get back down..bit of a boring top though.

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  4. Beautiful photo. The reflection was so great.
    Have a nice week to you.

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  5. Quite a landscape i have to say!
    Still moaning Adrian??!! We had quite a sunny day here...told you, better to travel south! :)

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  6. Fantastic this picture....the light , reflections and colors are wonderful.

    greetings from Holland, Joop

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  7. Adrian the weather the world over seems to have gone mad. Midsummer snow in New Zealand yesterday!

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  8. The photo of the reflection is gorgeous, Adrian.

    RE: winter. Be careful what you wish for! You just might get it. We've had ten days of snow with accumulations of up to 18" accompanied by closed roads and electric power outages. My daughter down in Federal Way just got her power back after three days! Too many hills and long distances to put the power underground I guess, so every couple of years the customers just have to suffer without heat or light until Puget Sound Energy can get it fixed and back up and running. However, we are all fine here, though other folks have not been so lucky.

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  9. Sorry to hear that your weather is so poor. We got our second batch of snow the last couple of days. The snow is bright white, a little hard on the eyes, at first, when we go outside. The Temperature has finally gotten a little warmer, Minus -4C today. Three days ago it was Minus -30C and at night it went down to Minus -40C, a little on the cold side, with a brisk breeze that made it feel like -50. We had to plug our cars in so they would start in the morning. Otherwise it not to bad this winter. Still another couple or 3 months until spring. Have a great week.

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  10. Great reflection shot. It was rainy here too, for days, very unusual January in this part of the world. It made me grumpy, too. I wish you a better day and a cleaner pair of dogs.

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  11. Not two days ago you were happy ;-) Ah, Meldrew! I love him and watch the DVDs regularly, not so keen that husband is turning into him though...

    Hope you get a return visit from the new birdy and maybe some photos.

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  12. I have a bad habit of laughing at the misfortunes of others (and my own too most of the time) so your trials have amused me and when you accused the kestrel of eating your mystery visitor, you made my day. If that hadn't, the reflection image would have!

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  13. Remember there's a webcam near Keswick's Moot Hall - you can wave at us :)

    http://www.friarsofkeswick.co.uk/keswick-town-centre-live-webcam

    I do enjoy following your adventures, but am somewhat relieved that I don't get as drenched as you or your dogs...although if I wandered out tonight it wouldn't take long!

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  14. Stunning reflection shot! I hope the weather turns around before you get to Coniston.

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  15. Oh, what a sorry tale today.!!Hope the weather gets better for you soon.
    Great reflections in the photo,love it.
    You must put Ireland on your agenda this year,I have plenty of parking space and Freddie would get on fine with the dogs.
    Carolyn

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  16. Mette, thanks, you too.

    Keith it hasn't been back this morning. So I'll never be sure.

    Andrew, I've never climbed it. I came back down from Steeple. Was ok in the snow.

    Hilda, many thanks.

    DeeBee, it wasn't bad here but the ground is waterlogged.

    Joop, many thanks.

    Graham, it can't be dithery dave's fault...or can it?

    Canadian Chickadee, they should get a gen set. End of problem. I love snow. We rarely get eighteen inches and if we do the country is shut for a month.

    Horst, the climate here is temperate. The North Atlantic Drift keeps things warm. We are not equiped to cope with cold at all.

    JoLynne, no worries nothing lasts for ever.

    Jan, I do suspect it has been devoured. Kestrel, merlin and sparrowhawk here. Plus a Marsh harrier and Buzzards. They must all be eating something.

    Fernando, obrigado.

    Pauline, you laugh, I do!

    Glo, I'll give you a wave. It will have to be a very slow wave as web cams only take a picture every so often.

    Ruby, it will and will turn around again. Weather here is a vicious circle.

    Carolyn, I'll give Ireland some thought. I love the place. I have only been on the east coast but that is always fun. Arklow wasn't brilliant twenty years ago but I managed with a Yorkshire accent. Glad i didn't come from the home counties.

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  17. Beautiful image. Feels like I'm relaxing on a boat in the water.

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  18. Wow - what a stunning shot and how lovely to see starlings too!

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  19. Great reflection photo Adrian. Fingers crossed for better weather for you (and me!)

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