Sunrise Flisk North Fife July 7th

At this time of the year night time is short. Last night as I lay in bed there were some really beautiful cloud formations and I havered over getting up and recording the spectacle, with regret I remained and fell asleep.
A few hours later I awoke to another wonderful sky, by the time I was clothed and outside it had changed of course but it was fabulous light anyway.

Looking NE the sun rising over Dundee.

 

 Looking North over The River Tay and exposed sand banks.

Hedge Parsley and Daisies in the morning light, the parsley crawling with beetles feeding on the pollen.
These photographs were taken over 5 minuets at 04.50 ... 0455 BST . I might get up early again as the light though quickly changing has a more interesting quality.

Barley Parkhill Farm North Fife

A field of Barley Parkhill Farm Newburgh North Fife today 5th July. To my eye it looks an exceptionally dense planting, vibrant and healthy. Maybe winter sown. The heads of grain hang down when fully ripe.

16 days later on 20th July ....Ripening.

Fields of wheat and oilseed rape along side the River Tay today. So far it's turning out to be a brilliant year for arable growth, how it will be at harvest time might be another story. Lets wish for the best.

July 4th North Fife

July 4th North Fife. Independence day in America. Meanwhile wars rage in many parts of the world, some the consequence of prior American and British  intervention, millions of people displaced, hundreds of thousands of civilians killed. Massive human suffering caused by geopolitics and religious vying for domination. It is very saddening, what is there to celebrate?

 

 The moon follows the sun as night follows day. Some things never change.

Hay Bales North Fife

A good crop of quality hay, cut and dried over a few perfect days and now baled at Parkhill Farm Newburgh North Fife

THEBE - IMO 9199696 - Callsign V2OS

THEBE - IMO 9199696 - Callsign V2OS cruising by just off Flisk Point on its way to Perth two days ago. Now it's sea bound heading to the Tay Bridge and beyond at the time of this report.

IMO: 9199696
Name: THEBE
MMSI: 304011026
Type: GENERAL CARGO
Gross Tonnage: 1846 t
Summer DWT: 2500 t
Build: 2000
Flag: ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
Home port: SAINT JOHN'S

Wild Rose flowers North Fife

A drive of 5 miles to Newburgh today, The verges and hedgerows are a wealth of wonderful wild roses. I tend to drive slowly, just taking it all in. Later of course in the Autumn all is speckled with deep red coloured rose hips, a brilliant product for syrup.

Roses and Broom in bloom.

Sheep North Fife

Just 10 Metres from my house is field of sheep, whenever I pop out our eyes meet, I'm thinking mint sauce, I hope they don't pick up on my carnivorous nature.

The Ewes are Romney, offspring...have black faces and legs, must be a cross of some sort.

Sunset North Fife 11th June

Sunset over The River Tay, a view from my garden. The world is in constant change, weather, growth, life death. I'm bursting into song....what a wonderful world....

In a second or two the sun dipped below the horizon.

Wild Roses North Fife

Roses in abundance, along the roadside from home to Newburgh North Fife there are stands of intermittent roses, some white others pink and deeper pink.

I love this time of the year, it's getting warmer, a delight to be about and enjoy the succession of different flowers.

Along with the roses are the occasional Elder trees the flowers and fruit providing a rich addition to foods and wines. Rose hips and Elderberries follow on.

Orange-tip Butterfly North Fife

Orange-tip ( Anthocharis cardamines )  North Fife. This very lovely butterfly has become numerous and wide spread locally this year. Only the male is tipped with orange, the female largely white with similar black markings to the male.

A mating pair of Orange-tip butterflies.

EATS, Food for Free North Fife.

On Friday 30th May interested peoples assembled in Newburgh North Fife to partake in a seminar on how to create an EATS (Edible And Tasty Space) A grass roots movement. Converting public grassed spaces into productive and attractive amenities for the benefit of all.

Refreshments before the start.

Kevin O'Kane starts the ball rolling in Newburgh Church of Scotland, the use of donated free for Christians and mainly others. An appreciated gesture.

Lesley Riddock speaks eloquently on empowering communities and the importance of food and her recent book. Blossom.Blossom: What Scotland Needs to Flourish (Viewpoints)

Greig Robertson instructs in an entertaining and anecdotal way of his experience in converting moribund spaces into productive amenity communal gardens. See

Alan Carter enthusing Forest Gardens beyond the allotment fence. Basically planting trees, shrubs and plants that require no maintenance, all in accord and in the right place. Alan's web site reveals a lot of good information.http://scottishforestgarden.wordpress.com/

David Ross with help from his daughters replanted the space in front of the Laing Library Newbugh. Instruction was of planting a mixture of edibles mixed with flowers, Marigolds, for instance scent the area and mask cabbage from butterfly laying eggs and so it goes on....mindful planting that requires no maintenance . This is how it was last year.

Newburgh Community Orchard. Goes beyond the ordinary.