As another storm approaches......

Having taken the dogs out twice in the rain today, the prelude to yet another storm (Henry) approaching from the West, it isn’t surprising that people in Britain are obsessed with weather. Surely even the most sceptical of individuals need to accept that weather patterns are changing and that as a worldwide society, we should be considering what we can do to limit the impacts of climate change. We are as guilty as anyone of taking flights to foreign countries but try to reduce our carbon footprint impacts in other ways. None of us can continue without doing things differently

Standing water in the garden

The storm debris in this tree is 12 feet high

January blues

January 2016 has seen the deaths of several much loved “celebrities” including the ground-breaking David Bowie, talented Alan Rickman and affable Terry Wogan.  My generation grew up with David Bowie’s music, Alan Rickman setting hearts fluttering in Truly, Madly, Deeply and Terry interviewing everyone who was anyone on his TV show and “fighting the flab”on Radio 2. Although they were personalities with public faces, they all had private lives and their loss will be as keenly felt by their families as happens when any much loved family member dies. But many of us too are the poorer for their passing!

Murmurations at dusk!

As I walked home with the dogs the other evening, I was enthralled by clouds of starlings in a “murmuration” above me.  There were hundreds of birds, swooping and reeling in a breath-taking, synchronised, balletic display. The musical sound of their beating wings as they soared and wheeled above me was magical to hear. Although the birds are seen as a pest in urban areas, they’re on the critical list of birds at risk in the UK so it’s important for their survival that they safely gather each evening in the local woods after they have performed their aerial display 

Haggis, tatties and neeps. And a wee dram!

Despite my immediate antecedents being of English Irish origin, I always enjoy haggis, tatties and ‘neeps on Burns Night and despite Mr Glis being away in Nottingham, prepared myself a traditional supper on Monday. Being a solitary diner at home, there were no bag pipes nor did I make any address to the haggis, or toast to the lads or lasses as is customary at formal suppers. But, I did pour myself a wee dram of Mr Glis’ Jura whisky and enjoyed it as I tucked into the rich, flavoursome, peppery pudding. It was a very satisfactory evening, culinary wise!

A moment of reflection

I often take a photograph of the river when I’m in Newcastle as I love the changing face of the Tyne.  But on Monday, my enjoyment was tempered for after I’d taken the photo, I spotted several small boats bobbing around under the Staithes. I realised that they were probably searching for a lady who left her home in the middle of the night during the Christmas weekend and was last seen walking on the Quayside.  My thoughts are with her, and her family who must be living through a nightmare and all those who endure the burden of depression

Snowy scenes again

Last week, I had to go to York for a meeting. Because of landslip problems on the railway line at Corbridge and changes with diaries and schedules, I ended up travelling across via Leeds on the Carlisle-Settle train line. Despite making plans to travel on the line for recreational purposes with family sometime last summer, that never happened so it was with a sense of deja vu that I looked out onto a snowy landscape as it was wintry weather when I last travelled across in March 2015. We really must do better this year and make that summer journey

Lake of the Little Fishes

Lake Louise was named by Victorian explorers (as was customary at the time) for a child of Queen Victoria although the aboriginal name for the lake is “Lake of the Little Fishes”. It’s a stark reminder that before the coming of settlers, the railroad and generations of explorers and tourists, the area was home to the Stoney Indians and a myriad of animals such as bears, lynx and moose. Now, conservationists have a challenge to manage the enormous numbers of visitors to the area while maintaining the habitat of an increasing number of vulnerable species. That presents a real challenge.

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a truly beautiful place, Having only ever seen the lake and Victoria glacier in photographs, I decided to take a bus up to the chateau style hotel that dominates the eastern shore and explore. The hotel, originally developed at the turn of the 20th century when the coming of the Canadian Pacific railway began opening up travel opportunities, gives visitors wonderful views out onto the lake. Being winter, the lake was frozen and the mountains blanketed with snow, creating a magical, fairy-tale landscape. It was definitely worth slithering about in ski-boots on the ice for the views!

Fourteen years on!

Thank goodness for Google! During our recent holiday, Andy and I had one of those inconclusive conversations on a chair lift about the length of time since our previous visit to Lake Louise.  Dredging our memories, we remembered sitting in our log cabin at Castle Mountain watching Australian, Steven Bradbury (no relation!), win a gold speed skating medal during a Winter Olympics. Once back at our hotel, we were straight on the iPAD where a swift Google revealed that our namesake skated to Gold round the “Korean crash” in Salt Lake City during 2002. That was 14 years ago! Impossible!

It's all downhill from here

I was talking to a colleague about skiing in Canada as he went on his first holiday a few years ago and had become, or so I thought, an enthusiast.  But, it transpires that he has become bored with the concept of downhill skiing, seeing little point in catching a chair lift up a slope merely to ski down.  Apparently, his new enthusiasm is for cross-country skiing which appears to him, to have a greater purpose. Having just enjoyed 9 days of downhill, I can’t say I agree with him but then I’ve never tried cross-country! It’s food for thought!

Parting is such sweet sorrow....

Canada is a wonderful country; tolerant, diverse and with an outdoor and sporting lifestyle that would suit our family very well. So, whenever we visit, our thoughts invariably lead us to the “If only we had discovered Canada sooner” conversations. But sadly, according to Canadian immigration rules, we’re too old to make that move, and in my case, the cost of health insurance would now be astronomical. However, being positive people, after allowing ourselves that indulgence, we remember to count our blessings as we are very lucky, enjoying happy, fulfilled lives in the UK. But leaving Canada is always bittersweet. 

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! In true celebratory fashion, Mr Glis and I spent the magic hour tucked up in bed, dead to the world and the sounds of any local merriment. And the rest of the first day of the new year hasn’t been much livelier, with a short appointment first thing, an afternoon with Nerea in front of the fire watching The Sound of Music (while Alex and Mr G rebuilt rose arches), a damp, muddy, dog walk and then an evening catching up on some festive TV! We really know how to party and live life on the edge!