SkyWatch Friday

It's been weeks since we played SkyWatch Friday (since the Red Arrows were here) and it's one of our favourite memes....so here are some of our skies from the last few weeks that we haven't had a chance to post yet....biggify for maximum impact!

To play along or see skies from all around the world, visit SkyWatch Friday!

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Last night we went for a really long walk....Mum took a few photos but alot of them were blurry as it was getting dark.

Come on Mum, why have you stopped?

We went up to the Muiry Wood and back down past the golf course. Last time we came this way we saw a mum and baby deer and Mum was kicking herself as she'd left the camera at home.... this time there was only one. (that's not what Gabbi's barking at, none of the dogs saw it....phew!) The hedgerow was full of delicious raspberries which Mum picked.....Alfie picked a few too!

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We got the following email from our friend Kim:

Dear friends,

I just signed a petition to save elephants and rhinos from extinction by permanently banning the sale of ivory. Please add your name today: http://www.care2.com/go/z/19778191

Kenyan Wildlife Authorities recently seized $1 million worth of elephant tusks and rhino horns bound for ivory markets in Asia. And Kenya's government has called on the global community to support a permanent ban on ivory sales to ensure that elephants and rhinos won't go extinct. Let's support Kenya in trying to save their majestic wildlife - please join the global call for a permanent ban on ivory sales!

Sign the petition here: http://www.care2.com/go/z/19778191

Thanks!

Skywatch Friday and Rosie Packs Her Bag

If you're here for SkyWatch Friday, scroll down....

First, we have some busy work to attend to....

Rosie is very excited....today she goes on her first date with Petey....he's whisking her off to Bermuda! Come on Rosie, it's time to dust off the Diors and get your bag packed!

"Just a few essentials....some factor 15, hairbrush, toothpaste, shades, a (ahem, rather large) bikini....well, I can always go au naturale....and Alfie's froggy toy (he won't miss it, I love it way more than he does!) Sorry it's not a tennis ball Petey, i've skinned all those....it's a work in progress, he's a tough frog to skin, maybe you can help me :o)

Right, i'm all set Petey-boy...so what's the dealio....when's our flight?"

Meanwhile....

....Gabbi is so jealous....

....Alfie is sulking....

....and Snoop couldn't care less....was that the fridge opening??

Bye Rosie-Posie, bye Petey, take care, see you when you get back!

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I never thought i'd see the day....but I have taken NO sky photos this week, not one! These were taken at Roseisle back in December, my pre-SWF days, but i've always taken sky shots and these are some of my favourites.

The plane is an RAF Kinloss Nimrod....or is it an AireRuby jet on it's way to pick Rosie up for her hot date?

Camera Critters: Kong Hay Fat Choi! (And a day out.)

We have a few readers in the Far East so we decided to dedicate this week's Camera Critters to them. 2009 will be the year of the OX, we wanted to post a photo of some Heilan Coos (Highland Cattle) but after a 3hr round trip through Scottish farmland today we still didn't manage so it will just have to be an Aberdeen Angus! To those of you who will be celebrating over the next couple of weeks.....Kong Hay Fat Choi!! Or is it Kiong Hee Huat Tsai!! (hope that's right!) Either way, Happy Chinese New Year to you, may the coming year be a happy, healthy and prosperous one!
Today has been an eventful day....up at the crack of dawn to drive to Inverurie (just outside Aberdeen) for the Bon-Accord open show. No photos from the show as I was in the ring but on our trip we saw....

.....the most beautiful sunrise....

....some gorgeous scenery....

....a fox...well, two actually but the other was in the next field and even further away (camera- zoom in, damn you!) Release the Hounds? Tempting, but no!

....someone had stolen Dad's DB9 (lol, dream on Mum!)

....a cool rainbow cloud...not sure if this counts as a sundog?

....a helicopter flying low (wonder if it was anything to do with today's avalanche in Glencoe?)*

....and Alfie winning Best of Breed again, yippee! Well done Alf, only 2 more points to go my boy!

*Edit: I don't think the chopper photographed was involved in the Glencoe rescue operation. I have just read on AOL News that three people have died in this terrible tragedy today, our thoughts and prayers go to their families.

Another Roseisle Sunset!

Another post with very few doggy shots....sorry, Beagles tomorrow, I promise! The sunset was so beautiful today though that I couldn't stop snapping, think one of the little buggers might have sneaked into one pic! We also got treated to the Sea King helicopter flying very low and hugging the beach....loud, but so awesome! If I hadn't been so impatient I would have got a much better photo of it....nevermind, next time maybe.

Where we walk

Most of the pictures on these pages were taken while we're out walking at our favourite place, Roseisle Forest. We've made some great friends there, in the forest and on the beach. When we're not away at a show we walk there every single day, rain or shine, wind or snow as you'll see from some of the photos! There are so many lovely walks there, some are waymarked but once you get to know the place you'll find many more off the beaten track..............and if you're up for a bit of a challenge you can do the Moray Coast Trail!

We see plenty of interesting things at the beach........lots of big cruise ships pass by on their way to Norway and other far away places, oil rigs being tugged to or from Invergordon......we're more interested in the Seals though.......but Findhorn is better for Seal-watching and if you're lucky you might see the Osprey fishing in the bay. With Roseisle being sandwiched between two RAF bases as you can imagine, the skies are pretty busy too! It's Nimrods usually but sometimes the jets from Lossie fly over.....they're SO LOUD! Occasionally we see the Sea King helicopter which is very impressive, if it's flying low we give them a wave and they wave back, Snoop still really believes that he'll catch it one day :0)

As is the case along many other parts of the Scottish coast some remnants from WW2 still remain. The coastline from Findhorn to Burghead is a wide bay of beautiful white sand (with occasional pebbly patches depending on how rough the sea is!) and all along the beach there are pillboxes and tank blocks. You can read more about these here.
Another historical WW2 fact is that one of the Valentine Tanks used in rehearsals for the D-Day landings lies below the waters of Burghead Bay, another just off Findhorn Pier, click here to read an article about them.

Today Liam and I walked the dogs and thought we'd try and get a photo of them peeking out from inside one of the pillboxes, we think they've turned out really well, though it did take quite alot of encouragement.......and we had a bit of an audience who thought it was all very amusing!


One day while Craig and I were walking the Hounds Craig noticed something had been scratched into one of the tank blocks.............when we looked closer it said DOWN WITH HITLER.....the block next to it has someone's name. We were so impressed with our find that we took pictures. The Hitler one is quite sunken and sometimes you won't see it as it gets buried but the one with the name is taller.


Other nice walks in the area include the vast Culbin Forest which has a new viewpoint, lots of beautiful way-marked ways and is teeming with wildlife and packed with info......and Newtyle Forest by Rafford, it's part of the Dava Way. We haven't been there for a long time as last time we were there Alfie almost got himself shot by the farmer..........but that's another story!