Misty Mysteries

WARNING: This post may contain poo!

 As the second day of the weekend also turned out sunny (but not as balmy as yesterday), I had no choice but to go outside again.  But this time down to the beach where some misty mysteries lay in wait:

While most of the beach was basking in sunshine, the wet bits and the cliffs weren't

Navigating in Not-Wellies

I'm sure Ms Scarlet is tutting and rolling her eyes at my countryside traversing footwear....

  Despite the above - and a couple more muddy scenes further down - I managed to navigate in my Not-Wellies without getting them wet or mucky (at least, no muckier than they already are).  Fortunately - due to a few days without rain - most of the bogs and swamps that pass for tracks and footpaths around here have dried up, leaving only a few lingering patches of mud that were relatively easy to pick my way through/past.

 Yes, the sun was out so I had a wander around my neck of the woods this lunchtime.  First stop were the reservoirs next to the radar station, then it was across to Hungry Hill, down past the Shrieking Pits, alongside Fox Hills, though India Woods to Osier Carr and Little Broad.  Then, I crossed the River Mun at Gay's Plantation and made my way home via Frogshall to Northrepps, up Toll's Hill and down past the old station and Mole End, then home.

The old reservoir overlooking the North Sea

Of Reticulata and Rotas

 If it's good enough for Dinah and Ms Scarlet, it's good enough for me!  Yes, I'm back from an unintended mini-break from the blog.  Although, I haven't got much to say for myselves so, instead, I bring you the first small splashes of colour from the gardens of Hexenhäusli Device - just enough to drive off the doldrums until we get to Spring.

 Below, from the front of Hexenhäusli Device, we have the first daffodils 'Tete a tete' and species crocus 'Barr's Purple'.  And then, below them, just inside the gate to the rear grounds, a couple of cyclamen.

Blogorati Stars: Who's Next?

 This is the post I was working on before yesterday's walk in the snow photos (and that tit killing) usurped it.  Some of the comments from the last Blogorati Stars post (featuring 'Petra) got me thinking about how to get more of you lovely Blogorati into the night sky.  Short of launching you into orbit aboard Ariane 5, that is...

 As only two of you - the aforementioned 'Petra and the inestimable Mago - actually appear in the IAU's list of approved star names, some plotting scheming unconventional thinking is required to get the rest of you up there.  For example, Melanie Reynolds used to be known as Proxima Blue - in her words: "inspired by Proxima Centauri, yes I know its a red dwarf, shush! You don't know her heart." - so why not work up a star map of the constellation Centaurus and pop Melanie in there in place of Proxima?  Because I can't see it.  Centaurus is too far below the ecliptic for me to see its nether regions (where Proxima lies), so there'll be no photos and, therefore, no star map.  We'll have to come up with a different star.

The largest erection up Madam's Lane is obscuring Scorpius' tail

And her bush is obscuring what little of Centaurus that might be visible

Breaking: Death on the Embankment!

 This just in: Killing and carnage in the immediate vicinity of Hexenhäusli Device!

Bracing Blue Skies

 I wasn't going to post more snow photos because I'm sure those of us with snow are sick of it, and for those without it's just rubbing your noses in it.  However, I'm still working on the post which I'd intended to publish, so as I've gone to all the effort of trudging around the frozen countryside this morning, you might as well have a look at the best bits.

 The photo above is the view across to Hungry Hill.  To the left is the old reservoir which, as you'll see from the photos below, is frozen over.  But doesn't it look lovely?

Cloudy With a Chance of Snowballs

 Like much of the UK (except Devon, it seems), Hexenhäusli Device and its environs has become encumbered with a blanket of snow - the most we've had since the end of Feb/beginning of March 2018.  Unlike three years ago, I didn't have to struggle to get to work (not that I struggled very hard, it has to be said) thanks to working from home for some reason...

 Anyway, here are some photos (which are very similar to those 2018 ones):

The leading photo and the one above are from yesterday's lunchtime excursion

 

Blogorati Stars: 'Petra

 Almost a year on since the last Blogorati Star's post, may I introduce our next Star:

'Petra

 I don't know how I missed it, but Petra was in the same batch of approved star names as Mago back in December 2019.  Perhaps it's because she's...

Not Very Bright Marilyn Monroe GIF from Notverybright GIFs

 Yes, at 196 light years away poor Petra (AKA WASP-80) is too dim to be seen with the naked eye, with an apparent magnitude of only 11.88.  If you get your telescope out however, Petra can be found in the constellation Aquila (the Eagle) just off the tip of its beak at right acension 20^h 12^m 40.18^s, declination −02° 08′ 39.1″.  She also has an entourage - at least one planet, Wadirum, constantly orbits her, attending to her every whim and desire.

I haven't been out stargazing lately, so I put this star map together from a photo I took back in August 2019 (which is why Saturn is in Sagittarius here rather than Capricornus)

  Yes, Mago will have some stellar company with this Diva Lady.  And speaking of Mago, let's pre-empt his Sunday Music with some 'Petra-themed tunes:

Cloudy With a Chance of Mud Pies

 What with it being a remarkably nice day today, I decided to go out for a longer walk than usual (especially as the forecast for the coming week is cold and icy).  This walk turned out to be a LOT longer than I expected as I had to forgo many footpaths and cut-throughs because of all the mud (more of that coming up) and take the long way around (i.e. the road).

 I began by walking up Madam's Lane and cutting across to the old reservoir next to the radar station where I disturbed this heron: