Northernlights

Its our 40th wedding anniversary today and Aurora Storm and her husband are visiting. The rains on again at 17c. Fine sunny day back in "83 when we got married in Aberdeen

Wet evening here. Up to train at Aviemore over moor road it was 9c Just like an October day

More rain on again cannot get a dry 24 hours for any fieldwork. Currently calm and 16c

Maybe its a bit above average temperatures in Europe but its been hot enough and dry enough to cause severe mildew infections in vineyards and total loss of crops in areas of France. Growers are being offered lots of help to get through to another year.

We almost had a dry day all be it cloudy but this evening we have had a heavy shower. Got a few outside jobs done today tried to cut some domestic grasses but gave up as too wet choking mower so definitely to wet to cut field grass for hay or silage. Very humid with very little drying in calm conditions. Currently 15c

Anyone else find it fascinating that we are so cool currently 13c here and Europe is so hot.

Just for interest an article Aurora Storm and I wrote for a Scottish farming magazine in 2013.

Put petrol in garden mower this morning as it looked dryer with a fresh west wind. Lo and behold heavy showers again this afternoon. Currently 16c

That's just what the temperature is right now with light rain and for a chinophile with a Norse surname it's very comfortable weather. I know everyone is different.

Talking to some German tourists last week and Dutch tourists today staying locally They give a different point of view. Although the currency is helping they are coming to escape the heat nowadays of European summers. They are just loving the cool rain. In fact the Germans went to Italy every summer but its now to hot to go and they now come every summer to Scotland for the past five years. Could be a new selling point for holidaymakers from Europe the UK cool wet summer.

After such a nice June July has turned very different. Reminded me of an article Aurora Storm and I wrote for a farming magazine back in 2013.

So storms from yesterday have caused areas of leaning in spring barley but not too much flat. Leaning barley will recover a bit but flat on the ground never does and is difficult to combine. Currently 17 c with showers looking likely this afternoon.

And here is a photo of the Elgin storm to our east just now. Have literally have had continuous thunder and lightning since about 11.00am.

Horrendous rainfall , thunder and lightning. Must be some flooding and damage being done

Fascinating to see all the thundery showers out in the Firth although there several surrounding us with thunder being heard every few minutes.

And on cue we have some thunder close by

Very humid start to the day after more overnight rain. Some very thundery cloud formations round about so expecting a wet afternoon. Can see us making last of hay in September gales (Has happened before) Good job veg in garden well advanced as able to swamp the massive germination of weed seeds. Saw the first advert for hay straw and silage left over fr 2022 as quality will be far better even if stored for a year.

Very wet few days and now cool Obviously no haymaking and most spring cereals to far advanced to benefit from the rain. Winter barley on next door farm is ready to cut probably 2 weeks earlier than I have ever seen due to the heat in June. The countryside is really upside down trying to work out which season it's in. On phone just now as router away to be replaced only 6 months old. Field grass is trying to come again even domestic grasses slowed right down.

Went out of a cool house this morning into a wall of heat and fresh south wind Temperature reached 23c this afternoon. In spite of recent showers lots of cereal crops are changing colour as ripening commences. And many look short and thin due to June's drought Wildlife looking for food too badgers (3) coming in every evening to bird feeder and have stripped some dwarf rasps. During the day have a great variety of birds at feeder including woodpeckers, pheasants pigeons house sparrows lots of chaffinches,siskins blue tits. Even had a red squirrel this wee Grass fields have greened up but countryside beginning to take on a late summer look with most plants 2 to 3 weeks ahead of their normal growth stages due to the very warm spell in June

Strawberries finished in garden yesterday. A full month ahead than in the 1960s and 70s Same variety Cambridge Favourite. A real sign of climate change.. Cool today at 15c with sunny intervals and a fresh west wind

Fresh afternoon with heavy showers and currently 13c. Snow forecast for the high tops over the weekend so more like Scottish summer weather. However it's good for physical work.

Quite unusual but not unheard of . Only just out of June when it occurs more frequently

Banks of mist rolling around tonight cool air over warm damp ground? Our nocturnal visitor has turned up early to pick up spilt bird feed.

After a 23c start to the day we had a dry breezy morning and a spell of moderate rain in the afternoon. Blessed relief its now 13c and rain clearing

26c maximum here too very humid after last night's rain but strong sunshine this afternoon. Real grumpy old farmer that does not like this type of heat. Hope its fresher on Monday