Gennasus: November 2009

Friday, 27 November 2009

Long time no blog

Where has the time gone? I can't believe that it's been almost a month since I last posted anything. I think my beach series left me all "blogged out", I've hardly even looked at my computer. At least LSH has seen more of me than just the back of my head in front of a screen for hours on end...we may have been married for years and years but he does still seem to want to spend some time in my company...hard to believe, I know, and I'm lucky to have him. He really does deserve a medal.

Time for a bit of a catch up. Ian, Lynne and Euan came up for a visit earlier in the month. We went out for a celebratory lunch as it was Ian's birthday on the 5th and he has also just started a new job - his dream job - instructing parties of youngsters in outdoor pursuits. Imagine getting paid to go rock-climbing, kayaking and hill-walking!

Birthday lunch

Euan was amused

Doing the actions for the Singing Kettle
(Euan has been to one of the stage shows and is now a big fan. The songs and actions are enjoyed by adults as well as children. I was quite taken with Little Bunny Fou Fou)

A late afternoon walk along the coast path

Jura stepping over some interesting rocks

The sea had a lovely, silvery sheen

Jana and Euan watch the world go by

We had some beautiful weather while they were here, really quite mild for the time of year. Roseisle beach was looking at its best.

Burghead promontory and the peak of Morven across the Firth

Euan travels in style

A funny moment during a game of "touch the nose"

Jana did a few water retrieves...but not too deep!

Jura went in much deeper...

... only to be mugged when she came out

Kyloh also ventured deeper...

... jumping the waves as he went

A lot of effort goes into a shake!

It may look like a black blob but it's actually a passing seal

Kye tries his hardest to bury Lynne

Ever the agility dog, Jura finds a "table" on the beach...

... and an unusual obstacle in the woods

A table for two

A trip to the farm shop and Euan's now big enough to enjoy the trampoline

And he's on to the bigger vehicles too

Steering the pirate ship

One advantage of having a birthday on November 5th, as Ian does, is that it is marked by nationwide bonfires and fireworks. Of course, we really have Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot to thank for all the lovely birthday displays we've enjoyed over the years. As usual, our local town of Elgin put on a great show.

Across the boating lake, the bonfire really gets going

The lake made for some lovely reflections

Although the display was great, I know fireworks are pretty scary for many dogs (Jura being one of them) but at least with an organised event you know when and where to expect them. I think the ones that are sold over the counter to the general public are much harder to deal with, they can go off at any time and sometimes for a fortnight either side of the event. I've included a video of the whizz bangs but don't play it if you have a sound-sensitive dog.

Another day of clear, calm weather and we took a trip to Millbuies. There wasn't a breath of wind and the loch was like glass, which made for some amazing reflections of the trees and their last show of autumn colour.

Jura found another "table"

Back soon with a lumpy Jana and some puppy news.

Sunday, 1 November 2009

Beach seven and Teasel finds herself in deep water

For the last in the series of seven beaches, it was off to Nairn and Culbin Sands on Friday. This is another great expanse of sand, especially when the tide is out.

At one time this was an area of fertile land which belonged to the Kinnaird family but, possibly due to removal of marram grass and erosion, the houses and farms were covered by the shifting sands during a fierce sandstorm in 1694. Many years later, trees were planted to stabilise the dune system and they now make up the huge Culbin Forest, which stretches from just east of Nairn right up to Findhorn Bay.

The weather had turned dull so the beach and Moray Firth don't look at their best but it was still a nice walk and extremely mild for the time of year. We didn't have the place to ourselves, I think it is probably quite a popular beach.

Eastwards with Culbin Forest on the right.

Looking west to Nairn and the Black Isle over the firth.

These dunes are known as The Bar and make up a strip of sand which sticks out into the sea. The tide comes in quickly here and it would be easy to find yourself surrounded by water.