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

Monday 2 February 2015

HASTA LA VISTA LOCH NESS. (02/02/15)

_MG_2527     Loch Ness.

It was going to be a quick dog walk this morning as I have moved to Glenmore. I stopped at the Harbro farm shop for dog food and bird food. Their fat balls were a bit expensive but their top quality feeder mix looks grand at just over a £1.00p/kg. I can’t see any millet seeds or other padding; it appears full of sunflower seed and dried fruit, nuts etc. I’ll see what the birds think when I’ve thawed a patch of ground to get the feeder erected. I buy both dog food and bird food in 15kg sacks as it saves the 20% tax. It’s well worth doing as both birds and dogs are eating like horses now it’s chilly. I got waylaid as the Hair Ice had appeared again.

_MG_2524

_MG_2525      I find it fascinating. I’ve been reading about it and although it is extruded ice it may be triggered by a fungus. It’s not often I find something rare and stunning that folk aren’t sure about. I tried a wet Beech twig in Donald's freezer and it didn’t do it. It’s magic.

I called at the big Tesco and decided to risk a tank of their diesel. The van stopped in the road works on the A9, I drove between a couple of cones and drifted to a halt. It was the fuel cut off solenoid, it took a minute to fix, it only needed a tap with a heavy spanner but Fiat electrics are always entertaining. I’ve ordered a new solenoid just to be prepared.

The full gloss bird pictures look wonderful. When Vicky was round the other day she asked for an original RAW file of a Goldfinch. Her sister has colour balanced that and printed it at a couple of feet square and bonded the print to some sort of substrate. The colours aren’t as bright as mine but then I am semi colour blind. She sharpened it and it does look great. I bet the paper cost a tenner alone. Alex is a star bar, I couldn’t fault her editing, maybe a bit sharp but no halos. I’ve put her in touch with Peak Imagining. Top notch printers and mounters they are. I’m going back to Loch Ness for more birds and to get the Badger hide rebuilt. I’ll get a coffee machine popped in whilst I’m flavour of the month.

_MG_2528    The view from the van. It’s going to be chillio tonight. It’s going to dump another few inches of snow and Loch Morlich is frozen. I’m here for seven days and will probably make it a fortnight. I enjoyed it last winter but this winter is better; it’s cold and snowy.

Now I have to be a bit serious. I have really hard Blendering to do, I have to catch the perfect Crested TIt. a Pine Marten and a cracker of a Red Squirrel. There are Dippers here but I have lots of middling shots of Dippers.

I’ll have fun trying. Have a good week.

PS. I have a voucher from Tesco for £8.63p off my next shop. It lasts from tomorrow till my birthday. They say my shop would have been cheaper elsewhere. I only spent £56.00p and £22.00p of that was on a large bottle of campanology. A tip for whisky drinkers. Malts are better and Supermarket brands are seriously good value at around half the branded price. Just decant them into a posh bottle if it matters. Supermarkets don’t do the Island Malts so don’t try it with Talisker. Just buy Talisker and offer it to friends. No Ice, no nothing but a tiny drop of water.

29 comments:

  1. Ese hongo es precioso Adrian, parecen plumas de seda. Que lo pase muy bien ahí y nos regales buenas fotos.
    Qee tengas una buena noche;)
    Un abrazo.

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    1. Laura, es hielo y no hongo. Voy a tratar de algunas fotos.

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  2. That Hair Ice is amazing. Hope you don't get snowed in.

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    1. Margaret, It looks as if I am snowed in.

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  3. I hope you have a wonderful stay at Glenmore, Adrian. It's a place I know quite well as I usually stay locally to there once or twice a year. If you can get to the Pine Marten watch near Loch an Eilean one evening, they really do come up with the goods. If you're not familiar with the area, I'd be happy to discuss.

    Bacon sandwiches in the Glenmore Cafe, watching the Red Squirrels and birds on the feeders outside the window!

    Best wishes - - - Richard

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    1. Richard, pretty much snow bound today. It looks as if the Pine Marten is going to get some business. I'll investigate Loch an Eilean. Thanks.

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  4. Stunning pictures, as ever. But sadly, I can't get the image of those fat balls out of my head. Childish, I know. I blame you, Adrian.

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    1. Frances, the fat balls are for the birds. I'll take a picture later.

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  5. Replies
    1. Just a drop Graham, it releases the oils or something.

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  6. Hair Ice is indeed fascinating. I wonder whether the speed of freezing makes a difference.

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    1. John, it isn't just temperature as at -4C it doesn't seem to do it. -2.5C seems to do the job. -12C here this morning.

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  7. I was so shocked by that that I forgot to mention the beauty of my new favourite subject: your hair ice pictures. I think it's one of the most wonderful and fascinating things I've seen in recent years.

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    1. Graham, it is better for being unpredictable. Sometimes it is more of a clump.

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  8. I do love that hair ice. Very cool.. literally, even.

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    1. Hilary, beech branches with bark missing are where to look for it.

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  9. That hair ice really is something to behold. Please don't freeze to death in the Love Wagon.

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    1. YP, it's -12C outside and +12C inside. Lovely and warm. I'll pop out for a walk in an hour.

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  10. You are getting some genuine winter. No wonder you get hair ice.

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    1. Red, it won't last but I'll get out and see what it has to offer.

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  11. That hair ice is very pretty, so delicate and feathery.

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    1. Pauline, it is almost out of this world.

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  12. I too did a bit of further reading on hair frost as I was so intrigued and concure with you it seems to start from a fungus. Interestingly it was the German who theorised about continental drift who theorised it was a fungus

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    1. Douglas, it tastes very bitter and only grows on semi rotten sticks. I'm surprised it hasn't been researched properly. It is probably because it is so hard to find and doesn't last long. I set the microscope up outside to have a close look but the heat from the LEDs ruined it.

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    2. That's a shame I bet it would look brilliant under a scope

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  13. I think you need to drive south. Brrr. Just saying. Hugs to the pups.

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    1. R. Mac, I love winter. I can add layers to keep warm but hot and humid is horrid.

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