Day 1637 a very early and tired Rambling Sloth today – that once in a lifetime Aurora came back!!

Since I stopped drinking I have found a zest for life, that crops up at times, that feels a high way beyond what alcohol could give me. Wow.

Now I should say here, I am actually working at Tartan today. I haven’t worked a Friday in a long time but I’m full time this week to give me a Monday off for my trip to Milan at the end of the month.

I knew the Aurora was a very strong possibility last night. I kept getting alerts on my phone and then Rachel two doors down was the best alert ever….. “it’s here!” so I call Claire next door and drag her out the back and we “meet” in our respective gardens.

I then tell her that I’m now dragging her out the front and slightly up the hill so we can get the best views. 😆

We walked out the front door and met Emma, another of our running girls, wondering the streets 😆 and the 3 of us set off.

It’s not visible to the naked eye, but I still pretty impressed given that the 10th May showing was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

There are a lot of electric lines up here that spoil my shots so I use them. 😆

It was so beautiful… I stay out longer than the others as I keep taking photos and never know when to walk away, in case it gets better.

This is the village hall.

Back in the garden.

I am so chuffed and tired. It’s 10.20 by the time I get into bed which is late for me! Craig remarks when I come in that I just look SO happy….. this is what makes me tick. Capturing and sharing beautiful things. It may not pay the bills but the buzz I get off this is incredible.

I’m fast asleep when Craig comes up to bed at 12.30 and I get up for the loo…. My brother has posted some very vibrant shots above his house, on our family chat so I head out into the back garden and it’s there above our house and all over the sky, visible to the naked eye. Red.

I get dressed up and head out the front. Purple from this angle.

I head across the road and up the hill again.

I have no fear at all…. Even when I hear a cow munching in the field beside me!

That once in a lifetime opportunity is back and it’s brighter than it was on 10th May.

I am close to tears.

I cannot explain how this makes me feel. I am so glad to be alive, to witness this. So grateful for my courage letting me walk out in the dark and not be scared for once.

I should also say that I’ve put none of those through my photo filter yet. This is just an iPhone 15 pro and holding it in my hand.

💥 ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️💥

The stars are so vibrant too behind the colour.

There’s a car coming from the bottom left. Zoom in on those stars. ✨

Same car lights dull the Aurora but brightens the stars a bit.

Unfortunately Craig’s car was right outside our house.

The village hall again. The streetlights are stopping the real beauty but that’s kind of what you can see with your eyes without the phone camera.

And I am just blown away with gratitude for life. If Craig hadn’t come up to bed late I would have missed it.

He woke me in that high peak.

My alarm didn’t go off this morning because it’s not set for Tartan starting…. Oops… but thankfully I wake at 6 randomly with a pain in my right big toe joint….. 🥴😆 I went straight back out.

It’s cloudy and raining but very atmospheric.

What an amazing night.

Now I have to get a shimmy on or I will be tired and late for work!

And sending positive Aurora vibes for my Canadian bestie Tracey who’s off out to chase them in Vancouver now. It’s just starting for her!!

Stay safe everyone ♥️💜💚

Day 1484 amazing Aurora last night in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ♥️🩷💜🩵

Oh my word. (Polite terminology for blog purposes….)

I actually want to scream with excitement!!!

What a wonderful night to be alive.

The Aurora Borealis slammed earth last night, I follow several FB pages and Aurora Hunters UK & Iceland said there were 5 enormous solar flares all sandwiched together and expected to be a direct hit on earth. He said direct hits are rare but to have 2 M class flares and 3 X class flares, together in one massive hit, is totally unheard of.

We may never see these stats again at least for the next 7 years.

That is the reason I was not going away this weekend.

I was meant to be at home.

I sat out on a seat in the back of the garden after it got dark. Letting my eyes adjust. There was nothing….. except Craig about to get into bed.

I’m in my Auntie Jac’s Christmas onesie and Ugg boots to keep warm. I do look ridiculous!

Some of the running girls can see the Aurora before I can…. It turns out I’m looking the wrong way. Despite being told to look North, this one was distinctly in the south easterly direction!

It started like this….

To the naked eye it looked like wispy clouds but through the phone camera you could see the start of the colours.

I took a lot of photos but the south easterly view from our garden is all trees covering the sky….. I bravely stepped out the front door in Auntie Jac’s Christmas onesie…. I lost count of the amount of cars that saw me. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Faintly at first, it was like a giant rainbow over our village.

At this time, the colours were only visible through the iPhone camera and not visible to the eye.

I’m up the lane over from our house. I should say… that is not our house but a very photogenic subject!

Our lovely village. the colours start to become visible.

It’s moving all the time. I tried to video it but the light is not the same.

It was just breathtaking. I managed to get Craig out of bed so he could see it. Just as well really as I still don’t like the dark much. 😂

The light was changing all the time.

There came a point where it started to fade ever so slightly and we were both shattered…. We decided to head home.

Also so I could show other passing motorists my onesie 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

It’s right over the house. Just beautiful.

So yeah… 12.30pm I got to bed and 5.30 I woke up… still so full of excitement from the night before. Run club was on at 6.45am and there were 7 of us this morning!

My throat was sore when I woke up so I found it pretty hard this morning… but I still ran my fastest 5k ever thanks to Claire for coming back for me at one point and Michelle for dragging me over the last 20 steps.

I was not buzzing and loving life by the end but I’m very proud of myself for doing it. We ran 5.47k at a 7.54 pace. By comparison the subsequent dog walks were about 15 km/ hr pace.

It is a beautiful hot day. It’s been 18-19°C here today. My blogger friend the Windsor waffle laughs at the Scottish definition of hot! 😂

Bhru and Calaidh first…. I’m coming for you mumma!!

Then Freya and Khaleesi. It was nice and shaded here.

Spotted my neighbour’s beautiful clematis this morning, so lovely against the blue sky.

Craig was working this morning, popped home then was heading out to meet friends in Glasgow.

So I dropped him at the train station and decided to treat myself to a Mocha Jaks strawberry milkshake!!

Sooooo good! I may have had a salad too but this was the best!

It’s the first time I have solo dined anywhere locally…. I did feel a bit odd… but I’m so glad I went as that was my treat for the day.

Mochas was also surprisingly quiet. They suited me… I sat outside.

Since I got home I’ve been lying out in the garden dozing on and off. I had a blanket over me.

When the sun when in, it got a wee bit cooler. When the sun comes out I deblanket if that’s even a word?!? I know it’s not.

I’ve done another 3 washing loads. All the dog blankets are washed now. My machine has been going all weekend 😂

There’s a good Aurora forecast for tonight but it might be cloudy here so we’ll have to wait and see. They’re predicting 10.30pm through to 2.30am. Remember to look at the sky through your phone camera. Look all round tonight as it might not necessarily be north.

Happy Aurora hunting if that’s your thing!

Stay safe everyone 🩵💜🩷

Day 1327 Aurora Borealis edition!!!! Second blog of the day 🙌

I have finally captured photos of the Northern Lights. Bucket list item ✅

I was annoyed with myself as I didn’t want to go out in the cold…. I had messaged the Crochet Hookers group chat and said that I just needed it to come to the back garden.

And it did.

Now it’s not the brightest and it wasn’t that visible to the naked eye… but it was amazing and I’ve seen it!!

I put on my big girl pants on and went down to Kilbirnie Loch, by myself, in the dark!! I was a wee bit scared but the moon is so bright that I could see quite well once my eyes adjusted.

It still wasn’t that visible without the phone. I could just about make it out without it… but you wouldn’t know without having seen it through a phone first, if that makes sense.

The moon was so bright that it was just as pretty! (I have to say it was way darker than these photos make out…)

Looking over toward Beith.

This next one has the train moving in the distance… that straight line of lights… love the reflection of it in the water too.

Then someone turns up and shines their headlights right on me….. I was scared they arrived but they must have been terrified when they saw me lurking in the shadows!