Cries, almost human,
deep in the night, wild, eerie -
lonely vixen calls.
Our neighbourhood fox (now thought to be a vixen) has come of age and is seeking a mate.
Many times we have glimpsed her, day and night but never have we managed to capture her on camera. Until now, her presence has been unobtrusive, slipping quietly through hedges, behind bushes and over fences.
Now though, it is mating time for the Red Fox and she is calling like a bean sídhe (that's banshee to those without an Irish education) through the dark of the night, calling for a mate. It is an eerie, otherworldly awakening.
To hear a recording someone else made, click here
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Friday, December 31, 2010
Noël Blanc
Late rising sun, bright
through branches bare but snow capped
- brilliance reflected
The last of the white days dawned clear and very cold (-13 degrees celcius). Pipes froze all over the country. And we went out to play...
Hopefully everyone had a fun and peaceful Christmas day. The best part of ours was Neil being able, at long last, to discard his sling and take up the camera again.
The worst part - going to work the next day in the post-Christmas retail brawling match !
And then the rain came and melted all the snow.
*
through branches bare but snow capped
- brilliance reflected
The last of the white days dawned clear and very cold (-13 degrees celcius). Pipes froze all over the country. And we went out to play...
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| Branches slowly appearing from their snowy cover |
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| We wanted to make a really big snowman but the snow was too dry to stack high |
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| Exhausting work |
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| Blackrock foreshore |
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| Frozen pond in Blackrock Park with Howth over the bay in the background |
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| ...and back home for a warming snack before cooking our Christmas dinner |
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| Cranberries and blueberries for the sauce |
Hopefully everyone had a fun and peaceful Christmas day. The best part of ours was Neil being able, at long last, to discard his sling and take up the camera again.
The worst part - going to work the next day in the post-Christmas retail brawling match !
And then the rain came and melted all the snow.
*
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Solstice
Across white silence
fog horn's mournful echoing -
shortest, sunless day.
Minus 10 this morning and the snow keeps on coming. A simple walk around the neighbourhood brings so many new things to see.
Birds sheltering in foliage, feathers fluffed for warmth. Trees outlined in startling white, blooming like May time - big wavy branches of Horse Chestnut, smooth limbs of Beech, upright Maple, writhing Cherry.
Furbelows decorate rooves and fences, cars disappear under white hillocks, scraped footpaths are covered again in minutes, the distant hills have vanished.
*
fog horn's mournful echoing -
shortest, sunless day.
Minus 10 this morning and the snow keeps on coming. A simple walk around the neighbourhood brings so many new things to see.
Birds sheltering in foliage, feathers fluffed for warmth. Trees outlined in startling white, blooming like May time - big wavy branches of Horse Chestnut, smooth limbs of Beech, upright Maple, writhing Cherry.
Furbelows decorate rooves and fences, cars disappear under white hillocks, scraped footpaths are covered again in minutes, the distant hills have vanished.
 | |
| Sumac, so colourful in autumn, has a few berries left for the birds |
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| Song Thrush amongst crab apples |
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| Carysfort park in the heat of the afternoon |
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| Mandarin Duck, Carysfort park |
*
More snow fun!!
Snow falls, chaos reigns
Panic throughout Dublin's streets
I'll simply walk home
Another big dump of snow today - started out light, as you can see below, then it looks like nature decided to mess with the Dubliners again. It took me an hour and a half to make about half the journey home on the bus (to UCD from IFSC for anyone who knows Dublin) so I got off and walked. Left the bus far behind.
It's actually amazing. At the first sight of snow or ice, drivers panic everywhere. Everyone pretty much ups and leaves their jobs, desperate to get home before anyone else. Most of the time, if someone falls over on a patch of ice, people won't stop to help, because they're too busy fleeing for their homes.
I am possibly a bit too bitter about this, as it happened to me during the last lot of snow and ice a few weeks back. I hit some black ice, went over on my side and no one helped me or even asked if I was ok. And this was when I was full-time in the sling following the shoulder operation, so well done Dubs!
Ahem... rant finished, I promise. Enjoy the rest of the photos!
Panic throughout Dublin's streets
I'll simply walk home
Another big dump of snow today - started out light, as you can see below, then it looks like nature decided to mess with the Dubliners again. It took me an hour and a half to make about half the journey home on the bus (to UCD from IFSC for anyone who knows Dublin) so I got off and walked. Left the bus far behind.
 | ||
| The first fall of the day |
It's actually amazing. At the first sight of snow or ice, drivers panic everywhere. Everyone pretty much ups and leaves their jobs, desperate to get home before anyone else. Most of the time, if someone falls over on a patch of ice, people won't stop to help, because they're too busy fleeing for their homes.
I am possibly a bit too bitter about this, as it happened to me during the last lot of snow and ice a few weeks back. I hit some black ice, went over on my side and no one helped me or even asked if I was ok. And this was when I was full-time in the sling following the shoulder operation, so well done Dubs!
Ahem... rant finished, I promise. Enjoy the rest of the photos!
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| Again, from this morning |
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| I like this one, looks like it's from the same land as a nightmare before Christmas |
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| Our car on the right, currently hibernating. All of that snow fell today |
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| Looking up the hill towards the N11. You can see people at the roundabout with shovels, helping any cars that get stuck. The road was already pretty much solid ice by this time |
Sunday, December 19, 2010
The big chill
Bands of cloud, light edged,
behind stark leafless branches.
Fresh snow lies aground.
Thursday last week we saw flattened grass appear through thawed holes in greying ice. By Saturday the world became coloured again - never was grass so vividly green or churned mud so chocolate seeming. But with the return of colour, brilliance fled.
And now, a week later, not quite rid of the vestiges of our last icing, we are frosted again. Sodden ground is now frozen stiff (is this an iron frost ?) and snow lies gently like icing sugar, in a light layer. Only a couple of light falls in Dublin, nothing compared to much of the country and the rest of Europe but without any warmth during the short days, it stays.
And yes, I am dreaming of a white Christmas...
*
behind stark leafless branches.
Fresh snow lies aground.
Thursday last week we saw flattened grass appear through thawed holes in greying ice. By Saturday the world became coloured again - never was grass so vividly green or churned mud so chocolate seeming. But with the return of colour, brilliance fled.
And now, a week later, not quite rid of the vestiges of our last icing, we are frosted again. Sodden ground is now frozen stiff (is this an iron frost ?) and snow lies gently like icing sugar, in a light layer. Only a couple of light falls in Dublin, nothing compared to much of the country and the rest of Europe but without any warmth during the short days, it stays.
 | ||
| Footprints of a foraging magpie |
And yes, I am dreaming of a white Christmas...
*
Friday, December 3, 2010
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