Fife

Today began like any other with breakfast and chores, Just as I was loading the washing machine Veda rang so that was it for the next hour. Comparing notes on Christmas and reminiscing about the past. When I lived in West Wemyss there was a cave in the cliffs supposedly haunted by Green Jean. We walked through the wood to it with candles in the twilight when Veda's daughter Claire was about four. I'd forgotten but Claire still remembers. It was an adventure. Scary but not too scary. My adventure today began after lunch. The sun was shining and I drove up to the Clink to photograph three of my favourite trees from a different angle. It's single track and quite busy with cars full of dogs and dog walkers. I pulled into a lay by quite far up and got stuck. The road is tarmac but the passing places are just rough ground and muddy. Couldn't go back or forward. I have recovery and a mobile but was still dithering when an old man, probably younger than me, came along. When he realised I couldn't walk to the nearest farm he offered to push but with no success. Just then a van stopped, a man got out and said "I'll get you out in a jiffy. I've got a tow rope." I had one too. I come equipped for most eventualities. But a tow rope wasn't needed. Once he'd had a good look and I'd straightened the wheels, he and the old man pushed while I gingerly reversed and got back onto the tarmac. While this was going on cars were going up and own, just managing to get past, but everyone stopping and offering help and commiserations. My rescuer wasn't content until he had got out a ground sheet and checked for damage underneath. Turned out we both use the same garage. With great difficulty I managed to get him to accept, not payment, but a thank you for his help and kindness, I think he only gave in when I said it would make me feel less guilty for taking up his time. After thanks all round to him and the old man we parted company. I went off to take my photographs feeling that the human race were much kinder than I sometimes gave them credit for. When I got home I took the hose to the car to clean off the caked mud. It would have been a bit much to leave it for Andy. Came in and decided I deserved to spend the rest of the day in recovery mode so I did.

Woke to go to the loo at one in the morning and found the street covered in pristine snow. Andy's light was still on and George's. Got my cameras, opened the window and took some photos, a couple with flash from my Canon G12. Then straight back to sleep. Woke very late. I think I half hibernate in the dark months. Checked ipernity as one always hopes. Came down to put out a mini Christmas cake for Beaky in the hope of a "cute" photo but he regarded it with deep suspicion. Emma and Courtney were out, Courtney running around in ecstasy in the snow scaring most of the birds. Eventually got a photo and came in to have brunch and read gloomy news which was silly of me. The postie turned up with late cards and a present. We had a good rant together which cheered me no end. Opened the cards and found two letters which was lovely. One from an old Flickr contact and one from an old colleague from when I worked in Westminster libraries. This was great as she is not a letter writer. The present was from Linda. Little bottles of gin from a small Scottish brewery and a tiny bottle of prosecco which will toast in the New Year. Phoned her and Margaret which took up the afternoon very pleasantly and later photographed the moon. I'm lucky as it almost circles the house. I've got quite a queue of 366 photos waiting to be uploaded to ipernity. I do hope a solution to the problem is found. I'd like to complete my year on time.

Well, snow has arrived with a vengeance. We've been inundated with yellow and amber warnings but only ever had a powdering or a few snow flurries. Today the weather God thought "Right ! Better play catch up." Took this photo first thing because I liked the lacy edging at the bottom of the window. After I'd showered, dressed and faffed around I went out to feed the birds. Had to put boots on as there were several inches of snow. Cleared it off my car which was going to the garage later today to be serviced and MOT'd tomorrow. By three o'clock I'd cleared the car twice more and had lots of exercise shovelling snow around and putting down more salt and grit. I'd probably have got it out OK but reversing the car in again over a snowy pavement doesn't work. My front garden is on quite a steep slope. A little later I phoned Alan to see if I could bring the car round. The garage is just at the end of the street but the snow was over six inches deep by then. What a nice person he is. Said there was no parking space just bring the keys round and we'll pick it up later. Plowtered round in a blizzard so did quite well on the exercise front. Much to my surprise, when I came back, 15 kilos of sunflower hearts got delivered when I'd decided it wouldn't be coming. The birds will be happy. I wonder is Sainsbury's will make it tomorrow. Thank goodness the freezer is full.

A good night's sleep and a busy day. Some tidying and the kitchen got a good clean and disinfect. My groceries arrived, were put away and I immediately used some drain clear on the bath. It's been draining quite slowly so tomorrow a kettle of boiling water goes down the plughole and hopefully it will be problem solved. Went to see if there was anything to photograph in the garden but nothing excited me. I did a bit of clearing up and much to my relief Beaky appeared and began pecking around the disturbed soil. I didn't see him at all yesterday which was unusual. Went off rather aimlessly in the car afterwards and unsurprisingly ended up in Newburgh. It wasn't the best light but I had a walk and photographed the crumbling pier. Barriers are put to stop people going onto it but everyone with a camera ignores them. Today I looked properly at the cracks. I think it's more likely to be a slow crumble than a quick collapse but who knows. Once home I took my car round to Alan's. He's fitting the new timing belt tomorrow but was checking it would be OK if it wasn't ready till Friday morning. Doesn't really matter. It's not as if I'm going anywhere.

Not quite the day I expected to have but nice. I meant to clean the bathroom but delayed because the bath is still not draining properly and a plunger, a drain cleaning brush and liquid drain cleaner were being delivered. Got on with clearing up the garden much to Beaky's delight. I couldn't clear far and fast enough for him. I took photos and am now fairly sure Beaky is a male. Looking down on a robin the peak of the female's head forms a V-shape whilst the males is a softened U- shape. Came in just as my drain stuff was arriving and saw Andy cleaning his car so went over to ask him to do mine next weekend. Ended up going for a coffee which I shouldn't have. I feel mildly guilty. We sat at least two metres apart and at right angles but that's no excuse. It was lovely to chat though and have a grump and a laugh. Afterwards I tackled the drain problem. The cleaning brush did nothing so the problem isn't hair though the brush will be useful for that in the future. The plunger helped but didn't clear the blockage completely. I thought the drain cleaner had done the trick but not quite so the bath is having a second dose overnight and hopefully this will solve things completely. Went for a walk and got a photo of the sun setting behind the S plantation then settled on the sofa to eat seaweed crisps. Venison casserole for dinner. Yum !

Woke up to my leg telling me I had overdone the gardening so decided to have a very lazy day. Cossetted myself all morning then drove off about lunchtime to look for photographs and shop at Loch Leven's Larder. I wanted cake for Andy when he cleans my car at the weekend but naturally I bought two sorts, a lemon cake that Andy likes and a Selkirk bannock that I like plus one exotic pack of little shortcrust boats filled with hazelnut chocolate cream and sprinkled with crushed hazelnuts. Not content with that I added a couple of packs of nibbles. Sheep featured quite a bit in my photographs but I liked these ones on the skyline best. Stopped at Strathmiglo for a short walk on the way home. It's been a beautiful spring day and I noticed that the back gate to Falkland Palace was open. Hope it still is tomorrow as I could photograph the aconites again. Arrived home to take delivery of my new ground bird feeder, a nest box and a three quarters of a coconut filled with fat. As a result I did a bit of gardening after all as I want the feeder outside my big kitchen window for photography. Quite a lot of ivy needs to be removed so I made a start and I'll need to do some levelling as well. But not much. Pleased that I stopped before my leg began to complain. Maybe I'm getting more sensible in my old age.

It's been a lovely sunny day and a bit warmer too. My order of half coconuts arrived so the birds were happy and my mini window box house number came too. It looks good so all I have to do now is buy a small bit of 4x4 and give Andy a phone call. Decided to go off somewhere different to photograph but first of all I cut down shrubs at the front. That's another car load for the recycling. It was after three before I left having settled on the salt pans at St Monans. It's a long time since I've been and I can just about cover the distance from the little car park to the windmill. There were very few people around so I got peace to put up my tripod and try all sorts of angles. The windmill is lovely but it's the hills and hollows of the salt pans that I like best. As the sun got lower in the sky the light got better and better so I really enjoyed myself. Coming back I met a woman and her dog and got into a long conversation. Well she did most of the talking but it was enjoyable and pay back time as I used to do most of the talking in the past and still do sometimes. As a result I drove back mostly in the dark and arrived home starving. But a good day and no housework

Still in the doldrums but the kitchen had to be cleaned and disinfected so set the kitchen timer to see if I could speed up a bit and I did. Packed the jigsaw away. It's been sitting untouched for a week so I don't think it's been a success. There will be somebody I can give it to who will enjoy it. Did a quick check on my bank account and everything went pear shaped. The screen froze and I couldn't log out. Had to close the screen down then try to log back in but I couldn't. I wasn't allowed to access my account. Phoned the bank, eventually was transferred to the right place for help, waited in a long queue and while there my grocery delivery arrived. Transferred most of it before I got to the head of the queue and the grocery guy was very understanding and helpful. Then there was a long nightmarish effort to get me back into my account which eventually succeeded. I had to hang up as the bank was sending me a once only code to complete things. This didn't work and I got a message to try again later. Shortly after the phone rang and it was Andy. Did I know my front door was open with my groceries inside it. Gave him the whole saga which was good as it calmed me down and he's coming on Sunday to put up my house number. Took myself off to Newburgh in the rain for a photo then had a little walk in Heatherhall Woods. Tried again with the one off code and this time was given it. Whew ! What a horrible waste of time it all was. However I've made a note of what eventually got us back in just in case it ever happens again.

Well the sun shone as promised so a lovely day. The shrub roses got chopped down first thing plus a bit of the forsythia. Will it all go in the car ? I'll find out tomorrow. Had a little rest then dusted downstairs listening to Eric Clapton. Don't think I'm so keen on him as I was. I prefer B.B. King. Had another rest then went off photographing leaving Roomba to get on with downstairs hoovering. The trouble with a lovely day is that everyone else goes out too especially as it was really mild. I had peace at Creich Castle(see below) and found a new road with a view I really liked then drove on to Wormit and the Tay rail bridge. A dead end road goes down under it and gives nice views. Lots of cars and although there was a space I came away. Smiled to see a guy with a tripod photographing just at the bridge. Balmerino was the next stop but no photos. Lots of cars outside the Abbey ruins so I gave them a miss and walked along the shore. Quite a few people there too. I don't blame them but I remembered it as always quiet. It was all enjoyable though and I went home via the road with a view which I had all to myself. Saw another couple of promising shots so I'll be back.