It was raining yesterday. All day. It is Scotland. There is no such thing as bad weather here. Only the wrong clothing. I had spent a happy lazy and relaxing day in the cabin which was much needed as the previous day was spent loading drums into a hire van, driving it to an estate close by, unloading said van, running a one hour community drum circle for 50 members of the Carmichael Clan, loading van, driving home and unloading van. Sounds easy right? It is not.
The joys of living in an off grid cabin in the woods are occasional offset by having to interact with the great wide world outside. There are no spaces close by to park a van. So a wheelbarrow and bungee cords are employed to get drums from the shed next to the cabin across the meadow to the waiting van. ( 200 metres in the rain with a full barrow, 200 metres back with an empty one).
I can get 3 drums in a wheelbarrow and one on my back. I took 30 drums and 30 bits of hand percussion, which fitted into 2 bags. I clearly had to make more than one trip to the van to load up and of course the same to unload at the end of the gig. Please note that I am not complaining. Moving the drums like this is a kind of meditation. A slow journey that sets me up for the gig. I even wrote a poem about the wheelbarrow and the drums. I am wondering about including it here. I will however continue to write whilst I wonder because I actually meant this piece to be about the rain.
So once my herculean labours were complete I lit a fire in the cabin because it is a rule when it rains, even if it is summer. Rain=Fire. I sat in the warm glow for a while and stared at the rain on the window. I was fiddling with a camera and playing with some settings and so I took a couple of test shots.
I loved them and I decided right there and then to go out in the rain. Soon I was suitably clothed and camera’d up and off I set. The Foxgloves are just starting to appear. Slowly this year and not in their usual spot yet. I do hope they come to visit there. If they do you will get to see what I have seen every summer here for 17 years.
For now though, a few isolated Foxgloves in the rain will have to suffice. Think of this as an appetiser. All being well there will be Forests of them soon.
In between foxglove shots there were plenty of other wet wonders to see.
The rain adds a vibrancy to the green summer here and I was happily splashing in puddles on my way back to the toasty fire warmed cabin. Happy daays.
As for the wheelbarrow poem, I think it can wait for another day. Don’t you?
Oh, I love me a good rainy day. I love rainy days way more than sunny ones... always have. So much so, I have been trying to find a way to move further north along the coast where the rain is abundant. Such beautiful images, Paul.. I love the first ones in the window with that delicious bokeh background. And, of course, the moody landscapes get me every time. Thank you for letting me experience a rainy day vicariously through you.. here, there are no clouds in sight!
Thank you for the beautiful photos, but mostly for the description of the process of hauling your drums. It is meaningful and adds to the significance of your music.