Taexalia

wild.life

Twitterings

Eerie out there what with vixens and owls... # Rare species of bumblebee discovered in Scotland: http://bit.ly/bdgwV4 (via @STVNews) # Are the election tricks campaigns going to be murkier and dirtier than usual? # @givemestrength sad isn't it. I would scrap the party system altogether. in reply to givemestrength # @givemestrength who are the Tories? * Scottish grin* I suspect the turnout will be depressingly low in reply to givemestrength # Bit concerned at amount of smoke coming ... read more

Getting High With Mither

If you are going to climb Ben Nevis then I highly recommend not doing it on the first heatwave day of the summer. I don't recommend doing it during any other heatwave either - but the first heatwave of the year and climbing Ben Nevis is a combination that will leave you puffin, pechin, puggled an pitifu... Last year we didn't heed this advice. Thinking about it, we didn't really not heed it, we just didn't really think about it in real terms. The day before we just thoucht "Aye fine ... read more

Birds

Winter Aconite Spittle of Cerberus

Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) emerges soon after the Snowdrop. Although not a true aconite, it is closely related to them, being also a member of the Buttercup family. As with true aconites, all parts of the plant are poisonous, however ingestion would mean enduring a bitter taste sensation. Aconites are sometimes referred to as Wolfsbane ~ plants that were said to repel werewolves and also said to cure lycanthropy, the cause of the shapeshifting condition. It is said that these ... read more

Is It Spring?

I'm hearing this question all over the place as people wish the moments away looking for something better. I look for signs of new life emerging - the snowdrops and winter aconite shine their carpets of hope amongst the decaying humus of the woodland floor, the owls and foxes make eerie night noise as they mark territory and call for mates, buds on trees seem to swell a little more and my flowering redcurrant is uncurling leaves... The wheel is turning, but the Carlin/Cailleach has not ... read more

Sunscapes

Sunworship with my ... read more

Plants

A collection of photos of trees, plants and flowers that have caught my ... read more

Twitterings

Glasgow children believe violence against women is acceptable: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8516387.stm # is not liking the number of WP plugins that don't work on my blog. # @misssym will keep you in my thoughts! in reply to misssym # Councils warned of challenging times ahead: http://bit.ly/dsavLm (via @STVNews) << time for them to weed out the blog surfing money wasters? # I have two boxes of notebooks filled with writing - today I am going to ... read more

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Some of my photographs of foxes collected into one ... read more

Bird Haiku

Perched Kestrel watches Frost holds the earth in stasis Five Curlew fly ... read more

Twitterings

Mon The Saints! # Bum. Quarterback sack. Not so bum. Field goal. Catchupcatchupcatchup. Pwease. # @btocher they can do it!!!! It's already a cold day in hell ;) in reply to btocher # Shock horror! Advertising on Auntie! # Touchdown!!! # :-| # Yay! First team to kick 3 field goals outside 40 in Superbowl GO SAINTS! # @btocher looking better now :) in reply to btocher # @blogmum no commercials on beeb ;) in reply to blogmum # Yippeeeee!!! # Yippeeeee! # Yabba Dabba Doooooo! ... read more

Today It’s About Love

I can recommend The Inch View Hotel, Burntisland, for a delicious meal in an intimate setting. I'm not a food critic, so I'll just say that feeding me pork and me relishing every bite is a rarity. I would eat their pork tenderloin twice. That's how I spent my Valentine's evening yesterday. Yesterday because today is all about love. Forty years ago today @ popped into the world and gifted those of us lucky enough to know him with his special brand of Different. Happy Birthday Mister @! ... read more

Messages About Marking Territory

The birds that catch my eye just now are the birds marking territory. Is this a message, or a mirror, or an affirmation? The Buzzard is not hunting when it glides against the clouds. The Buzzard hunts from the vantage point of a fence post, a telegraph pole or a tree. No, when the Buzzards are tilting on the wind, soaring and circling, they are marking airspace and conversing over who can fly where. They may even be describing their home and territory to a potential mate. But they do not ... read more