With this title I do not just mean the weather, because in Scotland we can still have unexpected changes as I hope to show below. But social life is moving on as well, though if you include fly fishing I suppose I am a bit anti-social as most often I am out on bank or boat by myself. Plus I have heard a new table tennis club is opening in the next village soon, so I will be out socialising.
5th.
Easter Weekend and Easter Sunday, a time of joy, , church services for the family, Easter eggs, a Bank Holiday Monday making it an extended weekend. So what did we get for weather ? Cold, Sleet , rain and as shown below the occasional hail storm. This taken through our dining room window while eating a wonderful Hot Cross Bun. Joy and sadness as you think of all the Easter egg hunts outdoors.
6th.
The weather has changed a bit, so out for a walk.
Part of our walk was watched by the king /queen of the neighbourhood the local black cat.
7th.
I have joined a syndicate fishery with just twenty eight members on this beautiful loch below, fishing for Brown and Rainbow Trout. Two boats and a rota amongst the members on your day of having a boat, though if not in use you can use it. Bank fishing any day, anytime, lots of wildlife as it is really remote, so looking forward to that. Had a couple of hours in the afternoon so walked the bank (with my fishing rod of course), just to familiarise myself a bit. Strong wind but fishable but didn’t touch any fish, just a really pleasant place to be, as I hope to show you in the future. At least the sun came out.
Boat anchorage.
Middle part of the Loch.
The far end.
16th.
Still the weather is cold, wet and frosty in the mornings, today (though a cold wind) was warmer and no rain so went for a good long walk. It is wonderful that things are beginning to grow, both in the garden and in the wild.
We have a saying “Ne’er cast a clout till May is out”. Meaning do not take off your Winter clothing , or plant tender plants in your garden until May is out. Some confuse this with the meaning being the end of the month May, but in fact it referring to the blossom on the Hawthorn tree, which though very close to flowering, is not out up here. So we should not really have planted these plants in the garden just yet, but they seem to be surviving okay.
Various forms of Pussy Willow are looking beautiful.
Marsh Marigolds out on the water.
Tons of Blackthorn blossom about, many people will be hoping the frost doesn’t get it, as this is the blossom that produces Sloes to make Sloe Gin.
Fresh leaves appearing on all sorts of trees.
A early Buff Tailed Bumble Bee feeding on the Gorse.