Misty....

..... the chalet is in the Scandinavian style.... bedrooms on the first floor, and kitchen/living room taking up the entirety of the second floor.... the second floor has a huge, high vaulted ceiling clad completely in stained fir boards..... a central beam runs along the ceiling and extends beyond the south-facing glass wall for about ten feet... and beyond the glass wall lies the verandah.... wood and glass and high, open space is the general feeling in this room where we spend most of our time....

... looking out through the glass wall, you see a row of adult Scots pines and the occasional skinny birch... a moss covered stone wall runs parallel to the trees and separates the civilization of the chalet from the open field that lies beyond.... grouse, rabbits, hooded crows, red squirrels, wood pigeons, and pheasants fill this space with a constant flow of movement..... walking onto the verandah gives one a kaleidoscope view of the wildlife - with the trees both blocking and revealing your view of the animals as they jostle for pecking-ground and airspace....

.... daffodils, dotted here and there, provide a contrast of color against the green and gray of the land and sky.... both yellow and white, they grow naturally in small clusters around the border of the field.....

... the bright green field extends two hundred yards or so, and bustles with life and activity.... damp this morning, it's springtime buds have halted their growth due to last night's cold snap.... and the view of the snowcapped mountains in the distance have been completely hidden by this morning's thick blanket low cloud and mist.....

.... a road runs alongside the field..... a turn to the left would take you to the village of Ballater... a turn to the right would take you further inland towards the ancient Celtic settlement of Braemar - famous for it's annual Scottish Highland Games....

... crossing the road, a steep, heavily wooded ravine falls 200 feet down to the peat-rich waters of the River Dee......

.... Scotland - especially on days like this - exudes an almost claustrophobic aura..... the chilly breeze sweeping down from the mountains seems somehow out of place underneath the heavy, impenetrable clouds and mist that hide the view of all but the closest countryside.... the air is dense and cold...... and the very faintest of rain is falling slowly...... the sky is a heavy, gray blanket that makes you want to kindle a fire, pour a whiskey, and barricade yourself inside until the sun returns...

.... they call Scotland the "Big Country" because of the extreme skylines she proudly displays - and the nickname is very well deserved..... but today, she is the "Small Country"..... quiet, cool, and brooding, she is hiding today....

..... thank goodness I am inside, dry, and have scotch coffee...