A Quiet Christmas

On Boxing Day

Mist, frost, snow, ice, rain, wind, even, occasionally, sunshine – the first part of Christmas (we adhere to the traditional 12 days) has seen a mix of rapidly changing weather with much freezing and thawing. Christmas Eve began with the last and was mostly damp and dull. The cloud though gave way to a lovely orange sunset followed by an almost full moon rising in to the sky.

Christmas Eve Sunset

 Later in the evening as the clouds continued to thin a giant halo – the biggest I’ve ever seen - formed round the moon with the bright dot of Jupiter inside the ring.

Christmas Eve moon halo with Jupiter

The soft nondescript weather continued on Christmas Day but we did venture out for a stroll in the wet woods and fields. Boxing Day dawned brighter and sharper with a frost on the grass and a sharp nip in the air. Layers of thin clouds streaked the sky and patches of mist lay in the glens. In the distance the white snowy peaks of the Cairngorms shimmered in the weak sunlight. I worked off some of the Christmas Dinner  - a delicious melanzane alla parmigiana (aubergine and cheese bake – it sounds better in Italian)  with garlic roast potatoes for which much thanks to stepdaughter Hazel – by cutting wood for the fire before we headed off to wander in the chilly sunshine and gaze out on the misty mountains and dark woods. 

Wood Cutting

Boxing Day Walk

Since then wind and rain has swept in but snow is forecast for the early hours of the morning of the 30^th. Whatever the weather the countryside will be glorious.

Boxing Day Walk