Carpe Diem

The weatherpeople are forecasting snow, ice and the coldest spell for ten years. 

That's for tomorrow.  Today we woke to sunshine and blue sky.  The decorating is done. We awarded ourselves a day out. 

First to Peebles, by the little roads crossing the valleys of the Ettrick and the Yarrow and the wild and empty high ground between. I saw a stoat in ermine racing across  in front of us. It clearly knows what's in store.

After brunch at Coltman's (French Toast and bacon, with a shared cranberry and walnut scone to follow), we drove on to the lovely arboretum at Dawyck.  

As we'd hoped, the snowdrops were at their peak, great drifts of them under the trees and carpeting the sides of the burn.  The redwoods  looked massive against the cloudless sky. And the bare branches of the deciduous trees had their own drama, shrouded in lichen and  outlined theatrically in the strong, low light.

As the sun sank, the wind got up, the warmth of the day died.  I wonder what tomorrow will bring?