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July 08 2010
if the mountain defeats us…
Mither Tap against sun
but it didn’t, so we did not have to brave the mines of Moria, 3 times up and down Bennachie accomplished and quite a bit of money raised for the trees :) My legs hurt today!
at the bottom of the Mither Tap path
top of first climb up steep Mither tap path
down the Donview way
caterpillar
back up on top and heading down Rowan
These new signs help to avoid confusion, there are even paths at the bottom linking different carparks so you can go down different ways without reclimbing if you wish 
no such plan for us - back up Rowan
This was the toughest climb being our third, even though it is the easiest path and most gentle slope.
resting on way up - some of the shoes did not make it (5 years old, ethical wares, much walking done)
reaching top 3rd time
steep final descent
down down down
treat picnic at bottom
rose cupcakes
Related posts:
July 04 2010
rhubarb, tweets and elderflowers
rhubarb and ginger jam
We have a veritable forest of rhubarb so into jam some of it went yesterday! recipe over on frugal where there is also a twitter competition detailed on the front page to win my copy of The Moneyless Man (who is vegan by the way, don’t think I mentioned that before) 
Gathered some elderflowers in the wood yesterday too and made some cordial sort of from this recipe though I made much less as I know it doesn’t keep for long even in the fridge, even with citric acid which I didn’t use this time… the taste of summer in it is amazing…
Related posts:
June 12 2010
trees for life
Four of us girls (Charlotte, me and Lucy and Eleanor from moonrabbits) are doing a sponsored climb to raise money for trees for life, the wonderful charity that is replanting the Caledonian Forest. We intend climbing Bennachie 3 times in one day, taking all three routes to the Mither Tap in about a months time. Trees for life is not a member of just giving or any such online fundraiser but please feel free to donate directly on link above if you wish For every £5 raised a tree will be planted.
A favourite of our kids years ago, the lorax speaks for the trees. Richard St. Barbe Baker “the man of the trees“ who inspired Trees for Life, was sometimes fondly known as the lorax
(lorax on amazon) Buy UK or Buy US
A nice tree filled place we cycled round recently, thanks to a neighbour telling us the best way to get in there:
rhododendron way into the woods
more rhoddies
a little loch
June 09 2010
Peregrines
Peregrine Wildwatch Centre
Wonderful place this, great home ed group event there
quarry face where the nest is
red squirrel
female peregrine in tree - she was making a lot of noise!
fast
building a hide
impression of a caterpillar called Bob
best friends
a few more pics in our home education set on flickr
and a short video of the squirrels below, much topical talking in background…
May 25 2010
faeryland
the borders
highly perfumed bluebells, wild garlic in back
on the faery path
path
flowers
These cards remind me of the woods – a lovely story telling tool
story telling cards
Other faery places:
gorse blooms
pink snow is falling in the garden
CD of ROC’s lectures UK and US, there is deep wisdom within, much before it’s time as concerns the environment.
May 01 2010
leaping fences in the woods
cowslips
sometimes has unforseen consequences:
ouch
safer suggestions for woodland activities:
sunbathing
sitting
April 25 2010
wood sorrel
wood sorrel on forest floor
beautiful plant – edible too
in a tree stump
Perfect book for this time of year if interested in wild foods and foraging: Richard Mabey’s Food for Free
April 11 2010
Loudon Wood, feet and newts
feet of sleeping Lion
After many years of searching in vain, we finally found Loudon Wood stone circle. The length of time was contributed to by a council sign pointing into completely different, unconnected bit of wood – ignore that and use google maps instead if wanting to visit! Beautiful place.
path to circle
first glimpse
recumbent and flankers
flanker and white tree
through the tree
carved lines
stones
cloud formation as we leave
Davie put on music down by the pond as he set up some solar lights we were given and it did seem to attract lots of newts over to investigate
newts
newt rising to surface
April 08 2010
of Russians and swans
woods and loch
Totally loving the gorgeous springness that is all around now Had some lovely wild garlic pesto yesterday and think may do same today. Seems to have less of a garlic hit when very young though still very good.
freshly picked wild garlic and the sky
Swans are still following us around – whooping ones fly over the garden and woods regularly just now and look – we have new swan taps on the bath following a water gushing disaster with the old very antiquated ones!
swan tap
fitted for us by a Russian plumber, first plumber to come here who didn’t make a soap opera-esque drama about getting the water on and off with our old system and was also gentle and kind to elderly cats and frenzied frogs! More Russian-ness in The Turning Point from the beautiful Misha and Grishko ballet shoes from here:
ballet shoe heel
sandy shore of the loch
March 09 2010
reflections and windows
The bridge did get finished:
Now this may appear to be a blurry photo gone wrong – well, it is - but it is also a picture of trees reflected in chocolate so worthy of inclusion
It is a montezuma’s very dark bar…
February 20 2010
fox in the snow
Lots more has fallen – we are ankle deep again…
just as I was taking photos this fox came and had a good look into the garden. We do see them quite often here, but not usually when holding a camera
then, while eating my porridge by the window this morning I noticed I had an onlooker!
February 06 2010
swan lake
There were swans on the loch yesterday
Had a lovely day with friends morphing into a very balletic afternoon which was great fun. It’s been wonderful rediscovering ballet being for enjoyment, rather than an eternal striving (not to mention starving) for perfection. Looked out the old class music etc. I have but it’s all on cassettes – technology moved on a bit fast for me there 
Watched Fast Food Nation (quite good trailer there on amazon), fictional film based on the non-fiction book – strong stuff, a round of exploitation to go with the fries… good cast, making it very watchable though gradually more horrifying.
January 30 2010
among the snowdrops
more snow… some little bits I’ve been meaning to mention spread among the lovely signs of spring to come
Wayne Dyer’s new program: Excuses Begone! – been enjoying listening to that – he is always so motivational and uplifting.
The Bristol Dyslexia Centre has some interesting stuff on it’s site including some free educational games taken from the Nessy learning program.
Sensory Perceptual Issues in Autism and Asperger Syndrome: Different Sensory Experiences, Different Perceptual Worlds
Olga Bogdashina has written a wonderful book here – helpful in very practical ways and quite refreshingly non-patronising in it’s manner of looking at autism and the associated sensory and perceptual issues. There is evidence that these may be at the core of ASDs and what is actually physiological has been treated as purely psychological for far too long by the so called experts. A fascinating read
Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
January 06 2010
bloggage, food and snow
First off the Home Baked blog is having a monthly baking challenge - read about it here and see January’s theme here. I’m the guest judge this month - v exciting
Then we have a new blog on the sidebar - Vegan Kid - lots of gorgeous looking food there too…
Then, thanks to the Skint Vegan blog I found an amazing bargain food site - Approved Food, sellers of clearance food and drink (close to or just by the sell by date) where I got various goodies such as 5 bottles of Mayola for £1 and 4 bags of soya mince for 99p
It snowed heavily all morning here (we were doing a 6 mile hike in the woods at the time - quite an experience in such weather) leaving great beauty all around
it’s a great expanse of layered up ice and snow that - looks like really flat land!
December 23 2009
snow and trees
A stroll round the garden yesterday:
Wonderful things that help us through the Scottish winter: hot water bottles filled from the big kettle on the wood stove each night, so cosy for the feet and full spectrum light bulbs, good for the mood in the dark times
December 21 2009
December 12 2009
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