6/01/2013

I should have introduced you to my Katie dog. Katie is a 13yr old Afghan/Deerhound cross that I rescued from the Dogs Trust 3yr ago and my constant companion when I'm walking. Here she is-

Well today was bit milder than the last wee while. On the drive up to where we were gonna walk, there was a common Buzzard perched on a tree top but was to slow with the camera. Need to learn to be prepared eh. At the start of this walk some would see it as being knida bleak I like it especially this time of year as you can see all the little things the things you miss when all the foliage is out. Here are a few examples-

Look at the colour of this foliage and you would prob miss it if the grass was growing etc.

More foliage this time shining so brightly on a dull day well I adored it.

The moss on this tree showed me where J.R.R. Tolkien got his imspiration for treebeard from, for me the greatest character in the Lord of the Rings.

Believe it or not this is the same tree. Picture was taken the same day within seconds of the above pic and shows how different a few feet can make when taking those outdoor shots.

Both of these pictures how attractive Lichen can be when seen in the correct light at the right time of year.

If these had been taken in summer I doubt they'd look half as good. They both show Larch cones, twigs and fallen trunks.

Thought I'd drop this one in to show those straight lines that where created by the foresters who originally planted these trees. A sure sign of a maintained planted forest

This however shows that even in maintained forests the financial situation we are in is having an effect.

This shows how bad some areas are after the recent strong winds and you can understand the forestery worker can only do a limited amount with limited resources. However it does allow mad auld men like me to see the smaller details that might have been missed if they'd all been growing.

Last picture for the day showing the young growth of Broom all spiky and fresh looking. A sign that spring is definitely on its way. While walking today it was great to see 2 other dog walkers and 3 mountain bikers in the forest and must have been 15 bikers on the wee minor road to get there. I often think we don't spend enough time just looking at the world around us. We speed through life rushing and missing so much beauty. I hope this has shown you that even at this time of year there is much of beauty to be seen if you just stretch your legs for a wee walk.