Deer - deer

Mother deer and her offspring, which is nearly a year old now, are regular visitors now that the snow has gone and both enjoy munching the forest foliage and mowing the grass on the bank in front of the house. They come quite close and are not too alarmed when we go outside to watch them - although the mother naturally maintains a watchful eye and ear to protect her young who is getting quite bold.

Wild primroses in the snow.

As the snow gradually melted at lower levels we found this clump of wild primroses emerging on the bank in front of the house. They are flowering rather earlier than last year but possibly all the precipitation of late has encouraged their growth. In the next few weeks the fields and forest floors and roadside verges will be covered in a mass of these wonderful wild plants - a real sign of Spring.

Snowy start to Spring.

Continuous blustery snow showers all over the Easter weekend accompanied by very cold temperatures and a chilly wind. The birds have been well fed, numerous deer have been wandering around at lower levels and a large brown hare was clearly spotted running along the snowy forest track in front of the house. The gorse is beginning to flower and the daffodils are about to emerge. A very picturesque, albeit chilly, start to Spring.

Journey round Loch Ness......

We had some business to attend in connection with our tourist group on the northern side of Loch Ness at the village of Drumnadrochit on Urquhart Bay and we were pleased to leave home with the sun shining. We enjoyed a pleasant leisurely drive into Inverness, crossed over the River Ness bridge and onto the busier A82 - the main road from Inverness to Glasgow.

After concluding our business near The Loch Ness Exhibition Centre at Drumnadrochit we continued on our homeward journey passing the ruins of Urquhart Castle jutting out on a rocky headland onto Loch Ness. Suddenly the clouds rolled in over the loch, the weather became more overcast and down came the rain. The water on the loch began to look more grey and menacing with the ominous rolling rain clouds approaching.

Luckily we were able to clearly see our house and Aspenwood Cottage above it on the opposite shore of Loch Ness nestling in Farigaig Forest.

During the Easter break we are going to design and create a new bird table for our own garden area and - fingers crossed - it will be the highlight of the next entry here [watch this space!].

'Lord of the Glens' on Loch Ness.

The luxury cruise ship 'Lord of the Glens' has been busy this week. It travelled along Loch Ness to Inverness on Saturday when we experienced a fantastic reflection on the water of the loch. This morning the ship has just sailed back laden with passengers on an Easter cruise heading to the Inner and Outer Hebrides.

Journey to Fort Augustus.

Attended a very interesting and informative meeting associated with the Green Tourism Board in Fort Augustus on Loch Ness at The Lovat Arms Hotel . There was an excellent turn out - mainly with accommodation providers from all over the Highlands, one coming from as far afield as Arisaig on the west coast. After a buffet lunch we listened to four very articulate speakers with different working knowledge and experience with regards to green tourism. On the journey over to Fort Augustus we drove through such beautiful scenery that we realised that we all have to do our bit for this wonderful planet.
Loch Ness has been quite calm over the last few days so we must be in the 'eye of the storm' which has been battering other parts of the UK.......so far anyway!

Overnight snow.

The weather has been extremely erratic during the earliest days of March. In the daytime we have experienced strong winds,rain,sleet and then suddenly the sun appears in a patch of blue sky to cheer us all up. Had freezing temperatures and snow overnight which has covered the mountain opposite. As I look out of the window now the top of the mountain is lost in the snow clouds and it is beginning to snow at lower levels with snow flakes swirling around the house.