Thursday, August 27, 2009

Wednesday, 27.8.09 Mixed Bag


Dark Skies Over Lough Graney, taken from our local farmer Kevin's back field.

Lake Walk

I took Buster down to the lake, the quick way, via Kevin's farm. It had rained most of the day so I wasn't sure whether the weather would stay dry! This is were we go through Kevin's gate:


Buster came back to see what I was doing. Notice the trees are changing colour. It's really turned Autumnal the past week.
The water in the lake (Lough Graney) has risen and is now touching the boards of the fishing stand. Buster is already out there looking for any bits the fishermen may have dropped. He was a bit spooked by the noise of the water on the wooden boards. I just hoped they wouldn't give way.
A closer view, Buster wouldn't turn to the camera!
The sky looked dark and threatening

This is in the other direction - just as bad.

The clouds seemed to be heading straight for us.
A very watery sun put in a brief appearance.
It must be lovely to have a house so near to the lake's shores.
I usually walk along the shore a little way but the water was far too high. These flowers were above water a week ago. Buster had a bit of a paddle but not for long.

This is one of Kevin's old barns, look at the colour of that sky.

We walked back up the hill and I spotted this lovely moss and hawthorn berries:


Then a pretty colourful patch of hips and blackberries:

Buster eats the blackberries off the bush!

Look at the ladybird feasting on the ripe blackberries.

This made a colouful, Autumnal shot with ferns, bramble leaves already turned red and ripe grass seeds.
The sky was still dark over this beautifully colourful field.


Here, a dock leaf is all lacy after the slugs have been feasting. It looks rather pretty.

Some bullocks had appeared in one of the fields we pass and they had just been fed. I thought he was rather a handsome fellow.
They had no manners at all. The black one had his front hoofs in the trough!

A row of bottoms! Look how muddy it is.
Up on the distant hillside the wind machines were turning.
Looking back towards Lough Graney, the black cloud was still there.
We turned left and up our lane. Martin has had his field cut for sileage but it hasn't produced many bales. He doesn't feed it at all.

The Building Work

This walk was on Tuesday and the builders had been very busy all day trying to sort out our water and sewerage system. We came back to this amazing spaghetti junction:

Can you see Sandy investigating it all? He blends in with the pipes.

Taken from above. Could win the Turner Prize I reckon!

A long view. The building on the right is the new extension and to the left is the old barn, the one which is being demolished.

All the pipes will eventually be hidden of course. Today the builders didn't turn up at all!

Jim and I decided that it would be a good idea to remove all the plants from our rockery. AAAAH! It seemed a bit drastic but we feel sure that when the barn is demolished, the rockery probably will be too. We moved most of the plants up to the allotment, where the potatoes have come out and planted some around the garden. It was a busy afternoon. It was also mostly sunny today. Amazing.

Tomorrow

I have been invited for morning coffee at Mrs Broderick's lovely house. Her sister is now back from visiting other relatives and wanted to meet me again. She is a nun on a 3 month rest from her work in Zimbabwe. No doubt there will be cake....

I do hope you enjoyed our walk. It didn't rain in the end, in spite of the threatening skies.

21 comments:

Twisted willow said...

We've had far too many of those "we're all doomed" kind of skies this year. Just a pity you couldn't show the fantastic night sky we had this evening with the milky way showing so clearly, the odd shooting star, and lots of satellites passing backwards and forwards. That was magical wasn't it.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

The moody skies are quite lovely really. Buster is a handsome dog. I like seeing the cows and the face of the one highlighted is nice.

Tess Kincaid said...

Your dramatic sky pics are just breathtaking, BT. In fact, sometimes I prefer a grey sky to a blue one.

Anonymous said...

Awesome pics of the sky. I love this time of year and even a dark, rainy day sometimes. It's funny that Buster eats blackberries!

Arija said...

What a lovely bracing wald. The gathering storm clouds made it all the more beautiful. I only wish our dams were as full as your lake!
Can't complain with everythingreen here now. We have rather long-winderd builking works going on here too, all a bit of a pain as I really need the new shed.
I'm surprised Buster did not go for a swim, our Kip would have been in in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
I rally loved seeing your surroundings.

Bea said...

First of all your views look so much like the landscape around here. You would feel right at home. We've had so much rain our little streams and lakes are up high, too. What's with the weather?
Those berries, almost made me want to reach out and grab it.
Lots of work moving plants but a good idea. You would hate to lose any with the demolition. Tell Jim I just watched a science program about all the black holes in the Milky Way system. The science guy was almost gleeful about telling us how we would stretch like toothpaste when we got sucked into a ten mile wide one. lolololsnort
So, good job on the gardening and you get extra points for making more ATCs. ATTAGIRL :)Bea

Raph G. Neckmann said...

I really enjoyed this walk, BT! I do love a dramatic dark sky, I find it exhilarating. Especially when the landscape seems to take on a luminous sort of glow.

BT said...

I'm glad you mentioned the stars Twisty. They were absolutely stunning, it was indeed magical. xx

Hi Lisa, glad you liked the sky photos and the cows! Buster is handsome but a bit overweight - like me!

Hi Willow, I just love those moody skies too, glad you enjoyed them.

Hello Mildred, I was just saying to Jim you hadn't been for a while! Buster is a very strange dog!

Hello Arija, it was a lovely walk. I'm glad you enjoyed it too. Aren't building works a pain. I hope yours are completed faster than ours. Buster likes to paddle but he's never been for a proper swim! He used to hate the water when he was little.

Hi Ralph, so glad you enjoyed our little walk! Weren't those skies dramatic? Love them. I know exactly what you mean my the landscape taking on a luminous glow, especially as the sun goes down, it can be magical.

Jason said...

Hello mother, all looking bright and cheery! Some great sky's.

We are still waiting proper rain since you left..lol Looking grey here today, and rain forecast.

Enjoy the tea and cake. xx

HelenMWalters said...

Great dramatic photos. You do live in a lovely place.

Carol said...

Gosh those sky's looked threatening!! Did it chuck it down?

C x

KathyB. said...

Weather like this actually inspires me and gets me going! Love the pictures of the dark clouds and water. Buster was still pretty brave, standing there on the fishing stand, and I am not surprised he was not looking toward you because it seems he needed to keep an eye ahead of him. A day like this should end with hot tea or maybe a good wine, and good company ( your husband),a warm fire to sit by, a good book or movie..then it is perfection!...in my ideal world anyway.

Blessings each day said...

Hi,

I just had to pop over here from Mildred's blog site when I saw you were in Ireland. I was blessed many years ago to go there for a visit and try to find some family history. Just loved it and only wish I could go again.

You have a lovely site here and your pictures are so nicely done...can't believe you captured that cow so perfectly!

Then, too, I loved the pictures of your dog and your walk.

blessings,

marcy

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes I did enjoy the walk Gina and I know Buster did because his tail is straight up int he air and that is always a sign that a dog is enjoying himself!

Heather said...

Beautiful pics BT, even the ones with the threatening skies. We had a spaniel once who ate blackberries. I couldn't work out why the level never rose in the bowl I was putting them in while I was picking them! Hope Sandy doesn't get filled in with the pipe trench. The lacey dock leaf is beautiful. Enjoy your coffee morning and I hope the cake is good!

Rachel Green said...

What fabulous pictures :)

soulbrush said...

what utter natural beauty, sigh, can't be beaten. and buster's ears look quite orange in that photo. talking of beauty, your cards arrived and they are simply gorgeous...as for thoe inchies.....super duper, thanks G xxx

Stampmaiden said...

Sigh. That's all I can say. Grey skies are not my thing but if I could be at home instead of work under those skies, I'd be fine with it.
Linda

BT said...

Jason, if I could send you our rain, I would!! lol. We have bucket loads.

Thank you Helen.

Hi Carol, surprisingly, it didn't! It has most of today though!

What a lovely comment KathyB. I did have a cup of tea when I got back, does that count? lol.

Hello Marcy, how lovely to see you. I'm glad you enjoyed my 'Irish' pictures! I do hope you'll come again some time.

Hi Weaver, Buster's tail is a sure sign of his feelings. It can go from wagging to droopy in seconds if we won't play!

Heather, I cannot imagine a dog liking blackberries, but it seems they do! I laughed at yours taking them from the bowl. Very civilised!

Thank you Rachel.

Hiya Soul. Buster's ears are a bit ginger, as are his eyelashes. Someone remarked on them today. I'm so glad your cards arrived that was quick.

I know what you mean Linda. Thanks for dropping by.

Heckety said...

Your photos are lovely, as usual, though the same could not be said of the weather! Like your pipe-work, and cat...we have permanent paw-prints from our dogs from when they were doing some of the concrete around this house! Looks like you could have pipe-cat problems!

soulbrush said...

i've done it G, i've opened an etsy shop....
and i just adore your cards i got....wowser.thanks again.