Grey

We had a sun break but now it’s a return to the grey although the feature photo shows the effect of evening’s blue hour on the overcast. The daytime photo from below shows how very grey it actually was.

We have snow at the 700 metre (2396 ft) level but none here at the valley bottom.

It’s Monday. It’s grey. But I hope you have a good day anyway.

A Red, Red Rose

O my Luve’s like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve’s like the melodie
That’s sweetly play’d in tune. 

As fair art thou, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry. 

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

A Red Red Rose was based on traditional sources and complied by Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759-1796) in 1794 originally as a song. Robert Burns is considered to be Scotland’s national poet and is also responsible for compiling Auld Lang Syne.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Duck Pairs

The mallard ducks have all paired off …

… and are busily eating as much as they can in preparation for the spring arrival of their hatchlings.

The male mallards help with the nesting but once the young ones arrive, they go off by themselves to suffer through their moulting period. The moulting makes them feel terrible (and look rather terrible, too); I have seen lots of male mallards looking very listless and ill.

Did you know that mallards are the progenitors of nearly all domesticated duck species except the Muscovy ducks? And did you also know that despite the name, Muscovy ducks are native to the Americas and not at all to Russia?

Happy Wednesday.

Reblog: Snow, Trees and Sky

A final image from the recent visit to Hurricane Ridge (Olympic National Park). I thought you might like to see a more ground level shot. The snow is…

Snow, Trees and Sky

A stunning photo from Allan at Allan J Jones Photo Blog. Please click the link above to see more of his beautiful photography.

Sometimes, life is like that.