José’s Hogmanay in Peebles

And look at it. I keep scraping the car off and digging the drive out and then wake up to more. It’s enough to make it feel like a proper winter, the sort that José the bear remembers, although his memory may be playing tricks. He does admit that, having been away for a couple of hundred years. Well, it is a 108-year round trip to Starain and although it’s only 24 years on board at light-speed, José felt he should linger a century or so to make the holiday worthwhile.

Despite an unreliable memory, he’s noticed some changes in his absence and I’m sure he’ll be letting us know about them in due course. Be warned: he’s not impressed.

He has enjoyed the birds coming to the feeder the last few days. He likes that idea although he’s almost sure that you couldn’t move for birds when he left. As you may be able to see, I’ve scattered some seed around. The ground-feeding birds are probably having the hardest time of it. The nuthatch and coal tits help them by turfing out the seeds that don’t quite come up to scratch. They do a good job.

All this activity today starts my 2010 car-free list. That caused me to stop. I drove up to Peebles, of course. In fact, I could argue that I don’t get anywhere but by car. Ever since I popped out 54 years ago in Southampton, I’ve moved home and holidayed by car or plane. I have to take some of this on my aunt’s authority; she thinks my granddad ferried us around before my parents finally got the trusty old Anglia.

Anyway, you know what I mean. I haven’t turned the old motor’s ignition to get the list off to a roaring… ten. Well, hey, you can see what it’s like out there and I’ve been sick. Even so, I’m going stir-crazy and may venture out this afternoon.

Is anyone doing worse than ten so far this year?

Related posts:

1. An Excuse for More Snow Pictures
2. 2000: Lake Cunningham, San Jose
3. Whinchats, Glen Orchy