The Valley Of Shadows

Shorter days. Longer shadows.

Clocks go back at midnight. Time to light the fire.

Ophelia Part II

8 am this morning the tree surgeons arrived.

10 am bough down, logs in a neat pile and a whole heap of tree bark for my garden. All for little more than 3 mugs of tea and a plate of biscuits.

I feel blessed.

Ophelia

I woke up this morning to find that Ophelia had left me enough fire wood to keep me warm through the winter.

It was quite strange though, because all the house roof slates seem to be intact and the poly tunnels weren't a bit torn. The wind must have channeled high speed  through a very small area.

I took a photo today of  a pheasant roosting up in a nearby tree.
He wouldn't have done that yesterday.

Blood Red

 A strange sort of a morning. All over was covered in a thick blanket of cloud and it was still dark enough to need the light on at nine am. It was quite warm though when I went out to feed the cats. No sunshine but  the sky completely tinged with an orange/yellowness. It had the feeling of everything being put on hold for the time being. Almost like it was holding it's breath for what was to come.

 I had intended to go into Welshpool today to refuel my car but decided against it after I heard the weather  forecast. I started to clean a cupboard out instead. I happened to look out of the window - and saw the most amazing sun. One of those moments when you've just got to grab your camera and shoot - except the battery was low on mine, just when I needed it most -

It hardly shows the outline of the sun but there it was - blood red and a perfect circle. And everywhere else a thick blanket of grey.

I tried to play around with the colours/ saturation etc with Windows 10 tools on screen but the blood red still didn't show like it was.
I've just read in the news that apparently it was a dust phenomenon thrown up by hurricane Ophelia and did actually appear to turn the sun a blood red. Amazing.

Did anyone else see it?

The wind was wild here late afternoon and getting wilder.

For Tom