The silver birch, larch and beech were wonderfully rich in the soft northern light so I've chosen photos of them, mostly taken in our favourite and often-visited valley - Glen Tanar.
This year the acid colours of the larches and the rich ochres and browns of the beaches seemed especially pronounced ...
Then, there was the extraordinary pinky red of an ornamental rowan tree with its pale salmon coloured berries ...
On our way back to our cottage, we diverted to the pretty town of Ballater on the River Dee - to collect a consignment of black pudding (deliciously wicked ...) from the excellent butcher - and saw more strong rich yellows by the river ...
And lastly, there were the deep maroons and russets and the pale pinky-biege seed heads of the Rose Bay Willowherb in the ditches and waste ground where little else seems to grow ...
The weather was cold for much of our visit and hinting at winter. If you look closely at the mountain in the background of the last photo you can see snow ... definitely time to come south and hunker down with the heating switched on - more stitching and blogging and visiting my favourite sites - lots to catch up on there ...
You have taken us on a beautiful tour of autumn. Gorgeous colours! Autumn is my favourite season and it's hard to believe that nature is about to go to sleep. It seems more alive than ever.
ReplyDeleteWe are having an unusually warm autumn here in Spain, the temperatures can still go up to 25ºC (77 F) and at this point I find it a bit boring. Winter, where art thou?
Be careful what you wish for! 25C sounds very inviting to me in the UK. Right now it's a mere 5 C and raining steadily and I hear there has been more snow on the Scottish Cairngorms.
DeleteAlthough I love all the colours of autumn, that last photo of yours with those deep russet reds, the rosebay willowherb and that pale blue sky are colours I remember best from Scotland.
ReplyDeleteIt has been many years since I was back up there. I had an aunt who lived in Ballater when she retired, and I was originally christened in Crathie. But that was long ago!
We know the whole Dee Valley well - including Ballater and Crathie - and never tire of visiting. In all seasons, it's beautiful.
DeleteWe often go right up the valley beyond Braemar to the Lyn of Quoich - one of the most peaceful places I know and somewhere I return to in my mind's eye when I'm free to dream. But now with winter approaching we won't return till spring.
Hi Charlton,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments on my blog. I'm taking Jane Davies' online course, Dynamic Composition. She teaches it once a year online.
I don't have your email and can't find it anywhere here on your blog. Please email a response to me so I'll have it in my address book.
Cheers,
Connie
Very many thanks for replying - I will indeed email you. I'll be very happy to be in contact.
DeleteBeautiful' pictures. May I ask what 'black pudding is? When I read it I thought perhaps it was some deliciously decadent dark, dark chocolate goodie -- but then you said you got it at the butchers and that stumped me.
ReplyDeleteBlack pudding is a very wicked - heart attack on a plate - large sausage found in eastern Scotland (and many other parts of the world). You buy it in a length and cut off slices which are then fried. I sometimes serve it as a starter with a large open mushroom and a balsamic vinegar glaze. My husband loves it with an egg on the top - on festive days only ...
DeleteWhen you consider the ingredients, it doesn't sound appetising at all as it's made by cooking cattle or sheep blood with suet (very unhealthy), and, in Scotland, oatmeal and bread. Does that put you off?
We seem to have been a bit short-changed on the autumnal colours front around here, so excellent to be reminded how good it can look.
ReplyDeleteIt always looks good in Aberdeenshire - something to do with the mixture of tree species and the more frequent autumn frosts.
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