Birch sparkle, Craigellachie Lochan, Aviemore Bright sun sparkling on the reeds, as the shadow line from the sun setting behind the crag advances across the lochan. It was a perfect autumn afternoon with a shimmer of dragonflies playing above the reeds – after a very stormy week, with fresh snow visible on the hills. “Beginnings […]
Snow Birch, Craigellachie National Nature Reserve, Aviemore Another image from New Year, at the treeline of the birch wood on Craigellachie hill, on a day of deep frost and sparkling air. At the time I was amazed how deep the snow was, not realising how much more we would get over the next week! I […]
Birch Paths We still have a lot of snow in the woods, alternately deep, soft and cludgy, or treacherously icy. Many trees are still bent right over, cemented to the ground. Many of these have now split completely, in some parts of the woods there is total devastation. On this particular path through the woods, […]
Last Autumn Colour – Cairngorms and Rothiemurchus. The autumn here has been so colourful this year, now with the purple birch branches showing through the last golden leaves. This view looks across Loch an Eilein and the plain of Rothiemurchus to the Cairngorm mountains. Didn’t the full moon seem extra-bright this week? Maybe we haven’t […]
Birch Reed Reflections – Craigellachie National Nature Reserve, Aviemore I loved the effect of these reeds reflected against the golden birch backdrop. “The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self.” – Albert Einstein.
Autumn Mist – Craigellachie National Nature Reserve, Aviemore One of those rare days of perfection yesterday – morning mist followed by blue skies and stunning autumn colours. Voted ‘top day of the year’! “I looked upward into the vast expanse of world surrounding us and, giving thanks, finally understood that the world is truly a […]
Autumn Birches – Craigellachie National Nature Reserve, Aviemore Some brief sunshine this morning at one of my favourite local spots, turning the autumnal birches to gold. Now? Rain is doing its thing once again. Changing the world… “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make […]
Wooden Enemies The birch woods are full of them – a carpet of Wood Anenomes sparkling in marvellous spring sunshine. The first birch leaves are almost out, giving the bronze winter birches a coppery effect. “Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu, Buddhist, sufi, or zen. Not any religion or cultural system. I am […]
Natural Standing Stones, Dulnain I found these naturally standing stones, on the top of a small hill in the birch woodland, near the River Dulnain. The hilltop had a lovely feel to it, and it felt as though there should be something magical there! There has been a noticeable increase in the amount of light […]
Silver Birch, Winter Frost Some more from the beautiful weather over Christmas and New Year. In the freezing mist this frost-coated birch glowed as the sun caught it against the blue shadow of the hill behind. “If you would have a better world, create it for yourselves now at this very instant in your mind: […]
Solstice Birch. There’s been precious little “sol” this week, rather more of the wind, rain and sleet. So here’s an image from last year’s solstice instead. Solstice Greetings! – It gets lighter from here on – “You darkness, that I come from, I love you more than all the fires that fence in the world, […]
Craigellachie Mist. Thursday dawned misty, but I knew it was going to be good – and sure enough the sun broke through the mist, giving me time to get out there first! I love the coppery colour of the birches with the deep frost, while the sun peeking round from the crag catches the mist […]
