Arctic Sunday

back to whiteworld


We have been warned. That exotic (anything above zero Celsius) air would not last long... Kate's 50 words for Snow is playing inside the hut, as am I'm savouring a bowl of warm porridge. The island once more caught in some Arctic spell, with a thin, though icy sheet of snow, has clad every meadow, garden and geo. Our three felines ventured fully clawed on the icy blue.


Peewit the Cat clambered over the crab basket and watched geese in mid-morning sky from his post. He looked a sphinx in this ocean of ice.  Frozen garden in glorious light on Sunday morning. Overnight gales let us enjoy more magic from our Nordic sky, with yet another luminous display of aurora. Mirrie Dancers delighted eyes late in darkness. So cold though through this Arctic air. If at the start of February, I felt on the shore of the Labrador, today makes me think of Svalbard, or somewhere near the horizon of South Georgia, South Shetland or Orkney Islands, or even Iles Kerguélen...  A short walk around my patch transports my heart to those desolate freezing realms. Scott, Charcot and Shackleton  belong to this catalogue of famous polar explorers, and yet, other names, no so well remembered, adorn this list. No leopard or elephant seal, just common and grey ones can be found all around my shore. Each print of snow boot has its rewards. I heard a snippick (snipe) in the nearby field, and geese calling above my head. So was the theme of my stravaig before lunchtime.


Everything belongs to the ice.

In defiance to eyes and claws of February, sparrows and starlings sang during snowfall on Saturday. So eager to chase this spell of desolation, they stood and chirped all around us. Every tree began to feel the weight of winter. Sticky snow whitened our world. But still, birdsong filled in sound this myriad of snowflakes. My Nordic world sounded so light. 

Such desire to feel alive and sing in Saturday's bleakest moments...

June & Richard's Old Manse looks so romantic clad in white. The old stone walls harbour comfort and secret worlds fit for a starling, gull or wren. They too feed birds that come to shelter from harshness. Among bits of twisted branches and frozen garden, tubes of peanuts hang from bareness. Birds know it so well. later they will find a suitable tree to love and fare for their offspring... In the meantime, they have to make do with whiteworld.

Recent haiku & tweets from 60N

Morning distorted by raindrops that could crystallize by Saturday - will have to tell curlews & wrens... #Geopoetics  

Magic words -

 inside book of incantations, 

one spell for snow.

 #haiku fae #60N #Geopoetics #flâneur #snow #dérive

Garde-barrière - 

sur le rebord du monde, 

deux étourneaux attendent la neige.

 #haiku fae 60N 

Now found your footprints in the snow - echoing round the 

whole island! 

Yule upon us

Time for reflection & celebration


Yule, upon us. Most of the day was devoted to reflect upon loved ones, far and wide, scattered around our world, as well as those who changed world and follow us from the sky. Since I have the silly habit of missing out postal deadlines, wishes have been flying around via the internet. So practical and easy to reach out in such a way. Trees remain treasures, time is precious and however wishes come to you, it comes from the heart.

Snow & ice have returned to the island. Days continue to shrink and this Arctic maritime air drifts everywhere. This morning, Peewit the cat hesitated to get his paws wet again, and walked on ice as if he would on eggs (!) The garden, once frozen in ice, attracted our regular squadron of starlings that have learnt to avoid our felines. 

We are getting accustomed to a pale sun on Sunday morning, so low in our Nordic sky. Soon, it will dip even lower. Yule, which coincides with the winter solstice , signals both the longest night in our northern hemisphere and a rite of passage for the gradual return of the sun. Yule light, so precious on our high latitude. Sunrises and sunsets will stagnate a little before precious seconds are regained. Meanwhile, the spirit of Yule has entered our home. Pine, holly, mistletoe adorn our walls & front door. More candles are lit on the chimney mantelpiece. The hearth glows on a daily basis and our larders are stocked for the festive season. 


Peace in our hearts, 


2011, a year of change & adventures


with a few highlights, a summer packed with a myriad of smiles, eyes, languages through The Tall Ships & visitors setting foot on the island; a flash visit to the home of Humblyband at Carbeth Guthrie, new eyes & pens through Serpentine Drama & Writers... And current creative projects in the making, including podcasting. Joining in talkwildlife.com has enabled joint showcasing of photographic portfolios as well as connecting with the natural world further and making new friends. (See 4 December entry below). Our profile page grows with grace.

My Nordic home feels peaceful, as night unravels serenity. No hissing gust or gale tonight. 

My wish to you,

thanking you for following, leaving feedback this blog and wishing you, each & everyone, a peaceful & joyous Yule, Christmas, Weihnachten, Navidad, Noël, Nollaig Shona Dhuit,  Yul, Natal, Nollaig chridheil huibh,

with all the very best for 2012.

50 Words for Snow

Revealed 


It's just past midnight and it feels like Christmas! 
All the reviews read unanimous,
Kate's ten studio album, 50 Words For Snow, is her latest masterpiece.


A formidable tour de force, Kate releases not only one, but a second album in one year! Director's Cut revisited a patchwork of old songs revamped to suit her taste as fully finished work... In its footsteps follows a mystical album, fresh from her world. For your pleasure: Kate's home site: Fish People

It is a seasonal hymn to joy, as much as Aerial in its very own right.


It is currently downloading in " my little black box" (iPod's) iTunes... It is already imprinted in my heart. And if you want to give it a first listen before you order it, 
please visit: 50 Words For Snow 

Thank you, Kate, for a wonderful

album. Wild Man was a magical hors d'oeuvre!

With all the very best wishes, Kate & The Fish People! 

With grateful, very grateful thanks for the photographs,

they are wonderful!

Astronomical Wonders of our Neck of the Cosmos

cosmic magic

I love to peep through my window before sunrise.
Sometimes dawn taints itself in blue, indigo, titanium or black... At other times, Venus retires without a sight... Or our great sky reflects the mood of some angry horned deity. 

Today was just something special.

Last night I hoped for a blue dawn... Well, angels granted my heart such wish!
Our crystal clear celestial vault offered first-class view of some starry sky gradually switching itself off - but, then, N by NW, before 7 a.m., I saw "yin & yang", as our Cold Moon absorbed all sunrises and sunsets! Clad in the shadow of our world, our familiar satellite friend eclipsed itself in cabaret style!

Full lunar eclipse coinciding with Solstice Day, such spectacle leaves hearts speechless.

wonder-world,

caught through a more dare-devil lens before I left for the bus stop.

shameless blue

On shortest day, our island graced with untamed light, nordic, magic, almost shameless or pedantic........................ Shetland Blue!

From other windows, I kept an eye on one of my favourite Sounds (or stretches of water), Bressay Sound, as I hovered around lessons. Rare sight, fog in winter on this latitude. We are far more accustomed to traditional seafog in summer!  Bressay clad in ice and freezing lace. Wow!

However, by midday, true Shetland Blue unveiled beauty. 

... That's more like it. Perfect day bleu. In other words, my nordic version of The Big Blue.

But then, I remembered sunset would turn snow into shades of pink after lunchtime. By 1440, les jeux sont faits, for the island slides into duk for the the longest night of the year. 

It feels a game of frantic blues...

I love that blend of tainted hues inside our world. Behind 19th century windows from the second floor, honey preceeds pink on snowflakes. George Peterson's poem entitled Contrasts deals with snaa (snow). Second Year pupils explore a peerie grain o dialect, as they re-draft their own version.

As lesson ends, steam fill glass panes without a sigh - strange graffitti popped on windows. 

By the time of the final bell, we switch back to electric glows, mostly orange. 

Back into black.

So was Solstice Day 60N.

As I'm about tro click PUBLISH, our Moon returned in full splendour, illuminates our longest night , boreal sky and crystal land.

Tomorrow, my last day of term.

Just over a year ago...

nordic flutters

"Hello Earth, hello Earth..." e-resonated for the first time on blogger.com just over twelve months ago, as I still remember friend & poet Norman Bissell encouraging my heart to start blogging in the name of geopoetics! 


Norrie, I dedicate this entry to you, dear friend!


Just over  twelve months ago, I began to make friends and let poetics fill pages, animate many kindred spirits and embrace readership from the whole world.


Reader, dear friend, I also dedicate this entry to you!


Wherever you breathe and walk on the planet, may you keep enjoying those boreal flutters. They emanate from a tiny group of islands lost in blasts of arctic blizzards (as I type!) I call home with pride & joy. 

Today's walk takes us all

Back into Yuletide spirit

 

The island is just a few sleeps away from the great solstice... With it, Yule begins. Mind you, winter was very precocious this year! Yesterday afternoon, I was still meandering in the town to catch the festive spirit... I love the toon after dusk! My wandering on flagstones on the way to the bus stop at The Esplanade via The Peerie Shop Café, let me marvel at the magic of this nocturnal orange world.

Eye and lens captured moments.

I love those granite façades lit at this time of year. Everything glows like fireflies! 

A traditional spruce from Norway adorns the commercial street's focal point called Market Cross. Shop windows turn magical, as if spirits wanted to play or simply guize inside jumpers...

Hom Bru band member Brian Nicolson entertains the street via the speakers from his High Level Music shop... Da Street, as Lerwick's major trading artery is locally known, comes alive. 

All celebrate in their own style!

Today, da Street would be slightly quieter, as snow and ice sprinkle flagstones once more. Fishermen would seek shelter from wild gales in the natural harbour, that very stretch of water that separates Lerwick from its natural barrier, the Island of Bressay.

With such gales, trawlers and other crafts moore their wisdom on bollards.

Tonight, pub landlords will smile once again behind their counters.

Facing the harbour is the Peerie Shop, a well-known façade to locals and sailors alike. A Café can be found at the back of this colourful trading post... Trendy, cosy and snug, jam-packed around mealtimes, many familiar faces gather to share a slice of life around a hot drink, soup and/or other delicious savoury/sweet delicacy!   

Lerwick is a beehive whatever the season.

...This is as far as city life can go on the island!

So, dear friends, let me thank you again for all your support and comments of appreciation over those past twelve months. Walking the shore with you remains an adventure!

some gods must be crazy...

from this to that

Our homeworld's amazing - unpredictable, skyshifting like a celestial chameleon - from ash plumes to ash-tainted mini-blizzards and back into blue before sliding down to the monotony od speckled white. Wow! This morning was so promising in spite of melting snowflake during overnight showers... And then, our nordic sky blackened again and snow flew towards us at great speed. Big, gluey, fluffy, fat snowflakes falling on and off all day and still at the time of typing this entry...


Both amazing and mental... Not uncommon on this latitude.  That cold airflow from more nordic latitudes (Arctic circle, Iceland.... Oh, poor Iceland. I do not mean to stigmatise you - you've got enough on your plate at the minute) can bring such mini-blizzards as late as... June! Our British Met Office has been very accurate recently. Snow was just the last thing many of us wish to see right now. Our garden here, so promising with buds and flowers everywhere. Argh well, I trust nature has ways to deal with the elements. 

 

Lost

Wish for pebbles.

 I’m losing sight of horizon, that blue barrier in heavens,

where all my dreams in single file

gather and dance;

 Now I walk through mirrors in ice,

icicles betray more than eyes –

out there,

somewhere,

here comes a monster in disguise; ego shadow,

blown by west wind invincible,

that doesn’t breathe,

direct or talk.

Sandwick, May 2007

Last of February

I love this more and more precocious light.

Sunrise and sunset stretch like a celestial rubberband - yes, we're sliding away from darkness! What a joy to wake up to a lightsome sky and today, on this final day of February, we have been blessed with nordic blue, that washed off colour in our eyes that fills your heart, inner spirit with energy and flawless joy. But now I try to harness my patience to reach  the Vernal equinox, in the hope that, until then,  winter will at last begin to losen its grip upon us...

February remains traditionally our coldest, harshest month of the year.

Although the North Atlantic Drift (the most northerly edge of the Gulf Stream) protects us from the kind of deep freeze our Scandivian neighbours have to endure on the continent, by now you are fully aware we are not spared with snow! Although we sometimes tend to forget we are part of a very natural world, the elements rule our islands. And until we accept this, we're sometimes forced to a stand still, as the planet reminds us all... Dormant garden, hedgehogs still fast asleep, starlings feasting on rotten kelp, the world feels meagre to its dwellers.

As nordic sun gathers up strength, we nonetheless feel its increasing power again. To put on record this last day, I opted for a lunchtime walk around Stove. Although our roads have now been cleared, motor's still stranded on thick ice on the driveway (!) Let's be stoic about it all, walking doesn't produce any carbon footprints and will be counting on my school bus on Tuesday!

My current Nordic blue world is very pleasing to the eye, however, I miss the shades of green around our land!

We must never forget we live in circles and light rotates with us in harmony.

The following piece reflects this final thought.

It is very much an earthly one which was well  received at the 2006 Shetland Book Festival in Lerwick.

 

Light Recordings

spring

indigo blue,

interwoven sounds of curlews,

wrens & blackbirds – tap-dancing rain,        

            snippik drumming beyond midnight;                        

                        migrating shalders to Iceland.

summer

boreal-blue, electric white,

sunsets too lazy in sea fog –

redshanks, peewits just won’t shut down;

                        waders return from Arctic.

autumn

     dim, honey-gold,   

            often tormented by the wind –

                        a million feathers on passage

                                    are hiding low in our heather;

                                                wild geese talk russian in their sleep…

                                                                        Early gales whistle their return.

winter

metallic grey, blunt eerie dark,

sometimes draped to elude our eyes –

yellow, red, green,                                         

gift from the sun…                                                    

gangs of starlings gather to glow                                           

better on snow, black against white;

                        10 days of gale

                                    shortened by night

                                                deafen our souls.

Copyright © Nat Hall

Poet’s Note: “snippik”: a delightful Shetland breeding wader

 a.k.a the snipe.

With a little more on the Vernal Equinox

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/riteofspring1.html

Snow Day on 60N

Three images to celebrate Snow Day on 60N.
This big rock, bathing in the North Atlantic, just like a gem.

White World has indeed reached Shetland and with it a new sense of peace. Daylight is melting like ice to the sun. This nordic sun, all clad in pink from either angle of the day, warms up my heart. From flamboyance at Simmerdim to timidity in winter, this colossal celestial star provides us with distinctive light on such latitude.

For every time I walk the shore, my eye is rivetted to that perpetual game of light and it will search for deep contrasts, those reverbarations onto mirrors - from the lochan to the ocean - as light gives colour to our world. And when we look at each brae (hillside), those hues of green, purple and brown change all the time. My photographic portfolio is a testimony to such light.

Today my world bore a blue tint so uniform as snow covers each inch of land. How long it will last is another question... However, we shall soon find out!