Northernlights

Cool day with a maximum of 4c after a frost came in after the sky cleared at dawn.Some very weak winter sunshine. A very wintry picture round the Firth with most of the hills having some snow down to about 800 feet .Ben Wyvis in particularly has a substantial covering above 2000 feet. The snow on the Ben was very visible this afternoon against a dark cloudy sky to the north west

Fed cattle and washed cars this morning in fine calm conditions. Felt it was getting colder put there and its currently 4.5c with thin high cloud and with frost seeming likely tonight. Back inside for a clean up as we have some V.I.P. visitors this afternoon and I have to be on my best behaviour. Its going to be a long afternoon. Young Mr. Northernlights picking up the neeps that were weighed for the competition.this afternoon so we have some clean unfrozen neeps for sale or gifts at Christmas.

Just an update on the summer drought/heat . Auctioneer told me yesterday that the biggish sale for time of year at Thainstone yesterday was the result of farmers taking cattle in straight from the fields and selling them as they had to reduce numbers to enable them to eke out scarce supplies of feed and bedding .Obviously prices are taking a hit. Do I believe the predictions in the model thread? Yes absolutely as it will just compound the problems of last summer for farming and the broken down funicular seals it. Noticed too the council are only gritting the corners on the side roads in the last week so do they know something? or are they very short of cash/grit Currently dull and 7c after a shory night.

Real winters day here now gusty lazy wind at 5c with short sharp showers Cows out for thair daily feed of neeps came straight back to gate once finished to come inside, no hanging about today its a real cold wind. Mountains must be getting snow and all this on a west wind

Still -0.5c here so I think we just qualified although it appears to be rising.

Fabulous first ice day of the winter at -1c currently with no wind and weak winter sunshine from a clear blue sky.

-3c here first thing this morning. Ground hard so easy walking. Still have concerns about a dry winter for next summer.

Another wintry day with frost lasting all day in the shade .Sunny and calm Currently 1c Hills to the north across the Firth had a covering of snow overnight down to about a thousand feet and kept it all day so the snow is heading down to us.

A nice bright early winters day with some wintry looking showers across the Firth to the north just before sunset. Currently 3c. Cows and calves settled in tonight inside on a straw bed after taking them in yesterday. Calves vaccinated for pneumonia but if weather stays cold should help to prevent it after coming inside.

Fine day again bright cold calm and sunny. Tweaked back again last weekend levelling mole hills in garden.Had second visit to the remedial therapy lady today and am fully mobile again just in time to sort out cows and calves when they come in tomorrow. New bull arrived this week and has been a busy boy so found him lying on cleared ground in neep field today. An indication of how dry the ground is just now, unlike this time last year when the fields were a sea of mud. Currently 3c

I know I keep saying it but we have had another almost dry day but with some ferocious southerly gusts. Watched a tree snap in front of me this morning Soil getting dusty on the surface again in the milder temperatures. Cows and calves still out at least till this coming weekend. Currently 13c and still very windy

2.5c maximum today with frost lying all day on the ground especially hard in sheltered areas. Compensation was bright sunny skies Currently 0c

Don"t know why there is so much gloom in the cold model thread as apart from a couple of nights in the middle of the next week most nights have at least a ground frost in the next fortnight for my neck of the woods so it should feel seasonal. Currently 0c calm and partly cloudy

Same here lack of air movement has resulted in a pneumonia in an adult cow a bit unusual . Cows and calves still out as ground still fairly dry and pneumonia risk very high if taken in in this type of weather even if they are vaccinated. Looking to next weekend to take them in now . Ploughing all done and a store of neeps up for inside cattle. Currently dank ,calm and 5c

Just what we do living in a tenanted farmhouse with mostly single glazed windows . Halls at 7c just now .Have fireplaces that just heat half a room at a time so mostly live in the kitchen diner with rayburn.Wear lots of wool jerseys and thermals in the winter.No heating in bedrooms but extra wool blankets in winter on top of duvet with the latest all night electric blanket.Don"t know how any one can live in 18c in every room.

Back to the end of February with the radar pattern.Strange outside this afternoon feeling an east wind instead of a southerly one. Currently 4.5c

Fine day again put one of the last cows to calve out with her calf.Calves sunbathing next to south facing dyke this afternoon although temperature only reached a maximum of 6c with frost lingering in shaded areas all day. Finished tidying shrubbery in garden.Usually do it in pouring rain/sleet and mud

Young Mr Northernlights practising his ploughing skills today in perfect weather. Cows at neeps to the left

Cooling down, starting at 3c with a ground frost this morning followed by clear blue skies and sunshine. Currently 8c. Going to feel more seasonal this week but if it stays dry another week for cows and calves to stay out preserving stocks of straw and silage for later in the winter.

Yes fabulous windy drying day.Taking off stones on fresh ploughing in dusty conditions. Turned cows and calves into a fresh grass field (which has been stock free for a month ) with a couple of inches of new grass to allow old grass field to be ploughed in. Quite remarkable for November but next week is looking more seasonal. but still mostly dry. Currently 14c.

Have to say we have had another fine day here.Winter ploughing progressing and cales thriving in the sun. Speaking to a local gamekeeper last week and we were both said the countryside and wildlife no longer resembles the one we knew as kids.with masses of geese in the autumn,masses of badgers all year round wiping out all the ground living wildlife and he has even shot 7 Red deer in the last year in woods at under 500 feet above sea level only 3 miles as the crow flies away from us. Spent all day chasing geese off 18 acres of young grass we are trying to keep for the wintering sheep over Christmas and New Year.

A shower overnight to lay the dust and another dry sunny calm morning starting off at 3c. November so far has been an exceptional month with grass still growing .Had to take dog and chase off about 10000 geese on two 18 acre grass fields this morning. Their numbers are really climbing so big breeding success. Another observation is that next springs bulbs have just broken the surface.

Another fabulous day sunny and breezy.Ground now exceptionally dry but grass still growing. Started to lift neeps for winter store yesterday in spring like conditions with dust flying . They are an amazing crop probably the best we have had in years in spite of the dry summer with enough heat and rain in the autumn to allow them to recover and keep growing. They will definitely be full of sunshine and the cattle just love them. Currently 7c. Cattle lying in the sun next to south facing dykes all afternoon.

Fabulous day again ,dusty underfoot ,slight ground frost this morning, and breezy. Dung spread and ploughed in, cows and calve sunbathing . Maybe nothing but all the masses of holly berries seem to have been stripped in the past few days so Xmas is going to be a bit dull.Not usual for them to be taken so early!!. Natures forward forecast?,

Reading last years diary and at this point still had cows and calves out but very muddy and wet. This year is totaly different with dry dusty conditions at turnips giving a very clean pick up. Another windy day today making the ground even dryer. Calves playing in the field with even a small bit of fresh grass to eat and cows lying in sun this afternoon as ground so dry. If it stays dry this winter then eastern areas of the UK are in for an interesting summer next year. Of course a change in wind direction from southerlies to northerlies would make this area wetter..Currently 8 c and dry.