Spring – It doesn’t feel like it

Spring – it doesn’t feel like it today. As I sit in Edinburgh, I have watched it snowing all day. To start with, I didn’t think it would lie, but it persevered, and apparently is going to keep going until later tonight.

In the UK, we don’t do snow well. I have just looked on Twitter, and many areas in Edinburgh have traffic issues.

Up where we are, I was working away in my study, watching the traffic queue on the main road. Add to that, that many drivers can’t drive in the snow, they might think they can, but they can’t. I only have to listen to the slipping wheels outside.  I am so glad that I am not some miles from home facing the traffic chaos to get home.

On the very right hand side of the first picture, you can just catch a glimpse of a white Motorhome / RV. We are near a campsite. Just imagine what that family are feeling at the minute. Edinburgh won’t seem too welcoming!

Taken a bit later, now 3 inches of snow, quite wet and slushy… Looks very picturesque though.

 

 

 

I can’t wait for this tree to look like this again….

 

Now normally a bit of snow wouldn’t worry me, particularly if I am not going anywhere, but I am going on holiday this weekend. Not jetting off to the sun which would have been far more sensible, given how April is turning out so far. No I am off to the Western Isles. On Sunday we take the train up the West Coast. It is supposed to be really beautiful, I’d like to be able to enjoy the scenery. My husband has already prepared the map, so we know where we are at any stage, and what hills we will be looking at. Including the Harry Potter Glenfinnan Viaduct – not that we will be able to see it, as we will be on the train!

April can be a lovely month, so I have my fingers crossed, that the weather will dry up, even if not warm. We want to get a lot of walking done.

When I get home, I’ll post a few shots of where we have been, but our plans are

• meet our son in Mallaig on Sunday 8th April evening
• Tour round Skye on 9th April. At least the weather will keep some people away, I understand Skye is really swamped by tourists at busy times. My husband and I haven’t been to Skye since our honeymoon 40 years ago. (It was a bit grey and dreich then – I want to see the scenery this time!)
• Spend a couple of days on Harris & Lewis. I want to visit one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Luskentyre Beach, and also the Callanish Stones
• Then over to Inverness, not sure what we are up to there, and back to Skye where we meet up with our daughter-in-law and deliver both her and my son to the sleeper from Fort William to London.
• The next day we wend our way home, via some friends from university, and also do a drive past of the Harry Potter viaduct and get some nice photos

So here’s hoping the skies brighten, we get plenty of walking and come back nicely refreshed.

However, given the inclement weather, I have been spending the time inside ‘making things’. Despite the cold, I had the kiln in the garage on, where I spent time ‘playing’ with enamel paints. I have had them for a while but haven’t been able to use them, until I got my lovely shiny new kiln.

The picture isn’t very clear, but the enamel paints allow a level of detail not possible with sifting or wet-laying enamels

Then I continued playing with different techniques, The bamboo dish has been cut and shaped from recycled copper, then enamelled

These little squares were just a bit of fun. Using pure silver foil, you can make patterns. These will be getting added to a sort of copper wire grid, so now I will have to make some numbers to match them – one for another day.

And finally, I have done some copper work. The club I am part of is having an Open Day in May, and we have a sales table of members work. So I have made them some copper bangles and earrings…

A good use of a few cold damp and now snowy days.

I’ve just checked the weather for tomorrow – a clear but cold day – yippee, also the weather while we are away, a few days it will be damp, but most of them will have some sun.

So here’s hoping we get plenty of walking and come back nicely refreshed.

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