The humble Orkney sycamore tries hard.

Sycamore in autumn, Orkney

Look can you see it? The trees here are trying so hard to put on a show for us. Its time for autumn to hit the local sycamores (Acer pseudoplantanus, to you botanist types) and colour them up. Peer hard and lean in really close, here in Orkney, we're ablaze with autumn colour. Ok, squint real hard and imagine this IS a blaze of colour. Its TRYING. Trying really hard. I focused my inner colour and helped it along, but I'm not sure I made much difference. Unless crispy brown was the look I was after. I don't think after a couple of gales and a bit of snow, its up for much more. Poor leaves, best shed them and go to sleep Mr tree.

 

Sycamores are often the largest tree you'll see in Orkney, they're really tolerant to wind and salt. Whilst there's a lot of chat for those 'in the know' about whether or not this is a 'native' or an 'introduction' way back in Celtic times, who are we to say. The main thing is that they make 'real (ish) tree' sized trees here, whilst some argue their monotony is bland, I rather like thier tenacity. Hey its a tree, here that's quite an acheivement in our gales and soggy soils. 

Orkney sycamore, leaves attempting autumn tones, with salty wind burnt edges.

So we can embrace its humble attempts at resplendant autumnal glory. See past the gale induced shrivelled brown edges, and bask in its last stand of hues and colours before those nasty pesky winds rip their leaves from them forever. Life in Orkney is resiliant, so fear not, autumnal help is at hand, here come the lichens to save the day.........you can always rely on a pesky algae+fungi miscreant to muscle in, can't you? I like to think of lichens as the sea (aglae) meeting the forest (fungi), and having a party, quite fitting in Orkney I think.

 

How beautiful are they? A beautiful 'collective' splendid show here on Jenny's tree. Who say's cat sitting doesn't pay, I was able to stalk her trees whilst she was away and feast on lichens.

A riot of Orkney lichens

Whilst they're quietly here all the time, once the leaves depart in a (mini) blaze of glory, the rich colours of the lichens take centre stage. Am I right? I do hope so, I do like to see a good collective of lichens rampaging about the place. Keep up the good work miscreant symbiants. Lichens are awesome, a rather cunning partnership of algae and fungi growing in perfect harmony together. Sometimes cynobacteria come to the party too, but its a bit early for talking about bacteria I think.

Lichens in all their wonderful forms.

Lichens come in all shapes and sizes from miniture tree like (fruitcose), tree hugging (foliose), rock/tree clinging (crustose) and a few other types, fascinating little things. I've no idea how they all manage to fit inside those tiny colourful patches (microscope generally required). So, to all fit in such a tiny space, I'm assuming they take shifts or time share or are just REALLY good chums. And, they do really good colour! But I'll stop now, or you'll think I'm attempting to be a lichenologist, which I'm not.

Lichens colourfully resplendent in Islay - Image from this website, from a few old chums.

So to leave the lichens alone, and let the Orkney trees sleep, most of us take a trip 'sooth' at this time of year and goggle at trees a blaze with the same tenacity the hardy local sycamores try to. However whilst we might have to peer for autumn colour in Orkney, on the mainland, unfettered by gales, and a cooler end of season climate, they (the trees) tend to be a bit more flownsy and become 'boldly' dressed in their autumnal glad rags. I do like a tree in a good glad rag mood, its just so jolly. So those of us more 'northerly challenged' often head down the A9 through Perthshire's 'Big Tree Country' is one of the most stunning sights at this time of year. And if colour is what you're after this is of our favourite 'tree fix spots'  one of my favourite places, its the home of The Hermitage. [Mr K the rings are bought......., I just need a suitable frock to match my wellies and a strong rake for my hair.]

The Hermitage, trees showing a bit more autumn colour

So if you see many a car with a person appearing to be feasting on trees at this time of year, (look for lots of pointing and gawping at trees) it might be one of us 'islanders' escaping for a bit of a tree fix. We did this last weekend. And it was great, thank you nature. We also found trees being 'bold' in Edinburgh when we trundled slightly further south. Cities are cunning, their trees hide by buildings. Very cunning indeed you hardly notice them at all  they just kind of lurk until they turn all autumal and shouty. That one is about to get a 'ticket' from the boldly coloured chap polishing cars (!) for being so colourful. He's just jealous that tree is far bonnier than him.

An Edinburgh tree lurking in secret, I'd like to say it was a sycamore, but sadly I never got close enough to introduce myself.

Our trip had nothing at all to do with the manchild reaching 18 and requiring accompanying to a dim sum feast in Edinburgh. If you happen to be hungry in Edinburgh, head for Siagon Siagon. They do exceedingly good dim sum.

Siagon, Siagon - Edinburgh

 Not that I had any on my tree mission, no no, see my bowl is empty, not a dim sum in sight. It was absolutely ALL about the trees. See there's another one hiding in Princes St Gardens. No ones noticed it yet, its not gone all glam and aumtumnal yet. Just wait, they'll spot it soon, or given the 'tram' craziness going on, it might just get away with glamming up in full autumn colour in broad daylight. The place is chaos, no ones noticed the trees further down shimmering in yellow, they're just walking on by. You see tram chaos is good for the trees.

Trees lurking in Princes St Gardens, Edinburgh

And now that we've seen several hundred fold mainland tree species (including some slightly more showy sycamores than the Orkney's beasts) reseplendent in their autumn colour (breifly) for this year, we've headed home. Whilst the humble Orkney sycamores slowly fall asleep, exhausted by their exertions this autumn I think we'll all agree they attempted to produce a fine show for us, prior to slumber which no doubt will follow another gale robbing them bare. Then they can then allow the lichens to shine whilst they take a well earned rest from the winter gales. In the mean time I'll continue to admire the lichens or maybe I'll be hiding in the colourful bracken, pretending I'm a giant surrounded by the rich autumn colour of their fronds, akin to a taspestry of trees on the hill side, colouring up nicely for us.

Autumnal bracken, Rackwick, Hoy, Orkney

I must get a better coloured hat, but the pigtails work well I think.

 

And what am I hoping you take from this ramble?

 

Lichens are miscreant rampant symbionts partying hard in a tiny space.

 

Orkney is perhaps not the Scottish county to come to for a riot of autumn colour. Perthshire has the edge on this one, but only just. The sycamores here try really hard. There's always next year.

Adventures.....The Hermitage, Dunkeld

Off for a walk at the Hermitage in Dunkeld under the bridge, Peedie the cairn terrier is waiting for us to start!

We like to go off on adventures, often in wellies - the whole family do - when we were away last week we feasted on many special places we enjoy - one of them in on the A9 which heads northwards - The Hermitage, Dunkeld it's special to both me and my partner and my children - all for different reasons. What a glorious place for a walk with my partner and with the other good friend in my life 'Peedie' the cairn terrier when the children were away visiting their Dad, who does live with us anymore.

On the way into the woodland - Peedie the cairn terrier leads the walk into the hermitage dunkeld

Getting out of the car park and off through the bridge.....first stop its to scuff our way through the leaves - it's glorious in autumn here - and in the spring time - this area, just through the bridge is a riot of snowdrops. Peeide leads the way to keep us on our toes.



Going through into the forest, The Hermitage Dunkeld

When I was younger my Granpa and I would go here on one of our adventures with Grannie and her dog; Toyah. It was always a treat to go into the forest, look at the giant trees and Granpa would talk about the walk upto the waterfall with the goblins and trolls which lived under the bridge, wondering if we would see them. If you were lucky and they were around the left you a sweetie -  but first we needed to go through the wood of the giant trees......... 

A beautiful place to have a sit and a think, The Hermitage Dunkeld

When I go here - I remember so many fun times - too many all muddled into one - here's the bench I put my bike against last time I went with my partner and the dog and the bikes. It's where Hazel threw her first snowball, Jamie made is first sword, we've walked with many friends in the wood and Peedie who's from Orkney, where there are not many trees, had one of his first ever walks in the forest. It's a special place to us all even though these days it's 200 miles away.

Autumn colour in The Hermitage, Dunkeld from the beech tree wood, mixed in with the douglas fir trees

One of my favourite times of year is the autumn - I love the colours, the swishing of the leaves on the ground and walking through them crunching away - I love the way the leaves fall like snow all colourful and bright.

Bridge by the waterfall, The Hermitage Dunkeld

Here's the very bridge the trolls would leave sweets when I was little (Granpa told me!) - to tempt you to stay, so they could fatten you up to keep you on there longer and feed you up ready to eat you when you toppled over the bridge looking into the waterfall - they never ate us - we were always too quick - maybe it was Granpas way of keeping us going on our walk, keeping it interesting!

Looking from the bridge, The Hermitage, Dunkeld

The waterfall is amazing - there is a 'folly' built just up from the bridge where you can stand and hear the full noise of the waterfall when you are up above it - truly amazing - well worth a visit - especially in the autumn for the colour - but at any time of year it's beautiful - it's a small walk - 1/4 of a mile maybe - but magical all the way.

The waterfall end at The Hermitage, Dunkeld

You can't imagine the beauty of the place - the smell and the sounds - a favourite adventure of ours when on the mainland to recharge the soul and of course to collect a pile of cones for the fire! After a big adventure of course the pup needs a big drink!  

A lovely drink later in the car park for Peede the cairn terrier, The Hermitage, Dunkeld

We'll go back again at Xmas - we always call in, it connects me to my Grandparents and my partner to his family - lucky we've this special place in common together and from before we met. My children love it too and when they were little - the sweets magically arrived on the bridge for them too! But, we were always too fast for the trolls to get us when we looked over the bridge to the waterfall..................



The etiquette of 'down-the-hill-and-over-the-fencelaundry'................an extreme autumn island sport.

A typical autumn 'extreme garden sport' in Orkney...... 'getting the laundry in'
Image copyright Alex Leanord http://www.giddy-limit.com/

As I listen to the wind, howling (OK it's only at about 50mph again) around the house I can be thankful I got the washing in earlier tonight. Whilst the clothes were still wet and could do with longer out 'there', I quickly did a pro-con evaluation of the situation. There is an ettiquette to this sport, after all; a brutal sport with a very short and unpredictable season.

OK it's windy - it's October - often the end of the outdoor extreme laundry season, this month the pegs just give up and ask to come in the hoose. I've a few hardened tough guy 'storm pegs' who think they can take it - but they soon beg for mercy.

OK each sock had the typical rule book 3 pegs each - each shirt had 5 or 6, trousers 3-4 on each leg, and jumpers a goodly few more. They *might* manage another half hour on the line, although I've given up on towels - the last couple I put out snapped the line - combination of the weight of the pegs used to secure the towels I suspect, the action of the towel being thrown about and an old line (well we put it up 6 months ago - in this climate I guess thats old). It should be stated however, our peg technique is well within the acceptable range of the local norm.

OK we are washing more than normal as we're off soon 'sooth' to the 'mainland' much excitement and the requirement for clean/dry clothes - our usual grubbiness isn't appreciated when we're gadding about with chums. We're going to have to wear oor 'posh mainland stuff' which might not even 'have' to be wind and waterproof, what a treat! Trips away often call for extreme laundry in the face of adversity - or getting it dry before the ferry leaves.........nevermind the wind speed, tether yourself quickly and just use more pegs....

OK, how much can I be bothered at this moment to retreive laundry from the line, rather than chance finding it later on various fences, fields, broken lines and potentially a nearby island, country or another continent - hmmm I'm not hugely fussed about doing any of that extra extreme laundry workout, I've alot on tomorrow. And, apart from that, the socks aren't bi-lingual and are quite shy really. An evaluation of other appointments is required when considering the timing of events during the art of extreme laundry - this sport often requires full committment for the 'post salvage match analysis' with phrases such as 'whar's my stuff'', 'did you give me two socks' and I can't remember exactly what I had out there - so I *think* I got it all............mebbe?!



Stage one 'attempting the pegging oot' typical scene for extreme outdoor drying in Orkney
Image copyright Alex Leanord http://www.giddy-limit.com/thegiddylimit


The washing came in, all accounted for like many in Orkney, I'm quite good at 'extreme laundry'. On the other hand - we do have a remarkable amount of odd socks - hope the 'lost' ones are having fun and learning the lingo elsewhere! OK, outdoor drying is more of an 'extreme sport' (the giddy limit character 'Liz' http://www.giddy-limit.com/thegiddylimitliz.html is clearly a black-belt see image above) which can be a good workout at this time of the year, than attempting 'indoor drying' but I'm more likely to find socks again if I dry it indoors (or maybe not......)!

We don't own a drier - there was one in this house which I asked to be taken away - they eat money with two kids, a beach habit, gardening clothes and outdoor life to sustain - we've never needed one, you get into the swing of juggling the laundry, even in a wet climate. I'd rather take my chance out there in the wind - or by having a regular laundry theme decorating the house than use precious money to dry clothes. The good life meets Widow Twankey, I can cope with that.

Alex Howard has a regular weekly column for our local newspaper - we cut out alot of the weekly cartoons and put them up in the kitchen - this is our all time favourite from The Orcadian 23rd October 2008.

Image copyright Alex Leanord http://www.giddy-limit.com/Year4Archive/no.165.html

Now, his website is hugely funny with a great archive of all the cartoons at http://www.giddy-limit.com/thegiddylimitarc.html we often give the books, calender or his cards as pressies - they truely are wonderful and great at portraying life here. And, no I don't get a discount!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]