2019: Favourite Moments Through the Seasons

profile head shots of two whippets in a forest

As the year is winding down we look back at 2019 with a lot of gratitude. Nature, her rhythms and her beauty have been the star in our photographs and poems and we treasure every moment we can spend exploring the great outdoors.

We are grateful to all of you who come here to visit and walk along with us, for your lovely comments and all your support.

Here is one more celebration of the joy and peace that nature has brought this year, throughout the seasons.

WINTER

  • two whippets in winter jackets passing each other on an incline in a winter pine forest
  • a black whippet in a maroon winter jacket pausing on a forest trail
  • two whippets in maroon winter jackets by a tidal lagoon
  • close up shot of a blue whippet in a grey and maroon winter jacket running towards the camera
  • a blue whippet walking through a shallow tidal lagoon and a black whippet suspended in mid-air above the water beside her
  • close up shot of black whippet in a blue winter jacket looking over the snow-covered bent grass
  • Portrait of a mature black whippet lit by the sun on the beach
  • close up portrait of a blue and white whippet with a pink collar in a sun puddle
  • a blue whippet and a black whippet playing in the sun on tidal sands
  • a black whippet leaping across a tidal pool towards the camera
  • a black whippet in a grey and maroon winter jacket sniffing the sand on the beach

This has been the mildest Winter since we moved to the Highlands, with a few days in February reaching temperatures of 17C. Although we saw plenty of snow on the higher ground, we only had a light covering here on the coast.

Some of our most popular Winter posts were Two Ravens, Winter Mist, Bathing in Light, Colours of Joy and A Walk in Rosehall Forest.

Two Ravens, Winter Mist and Bathing in Light also feature in Between Heather and Grass, our second collection of photographs and poems published in aid of good causes.

SPRING

  • a black whippet in a multi-coloured jumper sitting beside his bed on a red carpet floor
  • a blue and white whippet in a black winter jacket walking on the beach and winking at a black whippet who walks towards her from the right of the image
  • close up of a blue and white whippet in a black jacket with a pink and write collar sniffing among spring heather
  • a black whippet in a black jacket leaping on the beach beside driftwood
  • a blue and white whippet in a purple harness beside a pine tree on a forest trail
  • a black whippet walking on sun-lit forest trail between pine and heather
  • a blue whippet in a black jacket on her hind legs between the heather, watched by a black whippet in a black jacket from the forest trail
  • close up profile shot of a blue and white whippet with a pink and white collar and black jacket in the forest
  • two whippets in black winter jackets sniffing the moss underneath a Douglas fir tree on a forest trail
  • two whippets in black jackets on a forest trail looking down onto a burn between the trees
  • two smiling whippets running on the beach beside the shoreline
  • a smiling whippet in a black jacket leaping across the beach in front of a choppy turquoise sea
  • a blue and white whippet panting on the beach with her tongue hanging out after a big run
  • rocks and outcrops flowing out into the bay with white sand in the foreground
  • close up portrait of black whippet looking straight at the camera

Spring was glorious this year. The snows from the higher ground had melted early and we had plenty of rain to nurture the soil. After the heatwave and forest fires of 2018 we were especially grateful to see so many buds and green leaves. We enjoyed forest walks, strolls and zoomies on the beaches and explored a few glens further North.

Our most popular Spring posts were My Friend, My Rock, Nature’s Spirit, Song of Sika, Passing Spring and This World we Sail in.

The haiku from My Friend, My Rock (The First Swallow) and edited versions of the other four poems mentioned above all feature in Between Heather and Grass.

SUMMER

  • a smiling blue and white whippet in a purple harness leaping across the beach
  • close up shot of a smiling blue and white whippet and a smiling black whippet striding out across the tidal sands
  • a smiling black whippet leaping across a small tidal pool
  • a black whippet with a shiny silky coat running between the heather on a forest trail beside a loch
  • a blue and white whippet and a black whippet playing in a forest
  • two whippets running side by side on a forest trail in dappled light
  • two whippets climbing on an exposed cliff base at low tide
  • a blue and white whippet running beside the surf with a pink ball in her mouth
  • a smiling blue and white whippet turning left onto a path through the dunes
  • a smiling blue and white whippet looking across Lochan an Ais in the sunshine
  • a smiling blue and white whippet and a smiling black whippet side by side on a fern-covered crag
  • a blue and white whippet climbing up a crag above Lochan an Ais
  • a smiling blue and white whippet crouching down to catch a pink ball on the beach
  • close up shot of a blue and white whippet on the beach looking up at the camera
  • a smiling black whippet in the dunes

Summer was as pleasant as Spring with plenty of rain to keep it lush and green. The temperatures never exceeded 24C, which made it perfect for walking and exploring and gave us some wonderful days in the West.

Our most popular Summer posts were Quiet Beauty, In Praise of Trees, Songs in the Grass, A Special Encounter and Radiance.

Edited versions of Quiet Beauty, A Special Encounter and Radiance feature in Between Heather and Grass.

AUTUMN

  • the silhouettes of two whippets running across the beach in the morning sun
  • a black whippet with a copy of Between Heather and Grass in his dog bed
  • two whippets running across the beach in the morning sun with balls
  • a black whippet and a blue and white whippet in winter jackets on a forest trail
  • two whippets in black jackets along the shore of Loch Migdale in autumn
  • two whippets in black jackets on a hill trail above Loch Migdale
  • a smiling black whippet in a jacket in woodland grass
  • a blue and white whippet in a black jacket touches a giant squirrel sculpture's nose with her nose
  • two whippets playing on top of the dunes
  • a smiling black whippet leaping along a forest trail in autumn
  • a blue and white whippet on the beach sniffing driftwood
  • a black whippet and a blue and white whippet on a mountain trail

Our Autumn was relatively dry and mild, perfect for more walks and exploring a few new places. Between Heather and Grass was published, which has been a true labour of love. After the whirlwind that followed our walks in nature offered an important breathing space.

Our most popular Autumn posts were Morning Glow, Beaver Moon, Heron in the Wood, Cover Reveal and Across a Carpet of Leaves.

We want to say a very big thank you to all of you who take the time to visit and comment on our blog and to those of you who share your experiences through your own posts, photographs and poems. You are all an enormous inspiration and help make this world a better place.

Thank you to those of you who have bought our books and shared your reviews. It is much appreciated and we look forward to continuing our support for good causes.

A very big thank you too to all the lovely bloggers who host regular prompts and challenges. With so many photographs and impressions to chose from it’s a great help in finding a focus or different angle from which to approach a subject.

We look forward to what 2020 holds in store and wish you all a great start to the New Year. May this new decade bring new understanding and greater care for animals and our natural world, with increased compassion and peace among human beings.

a black whippet and a blue and white whippet in black jackets on an autumnal forest trail

You can see the 2019 highlights from our sister blog Tranature in Looking Back at 2019 – Thank you for the Magic.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year,

with love from Eivor, Pearl and Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #77: Your Favorite Photos of 2019

Dutch Goes the Photo Tuesday Photo Challenge: Retrospective

Author: whippetwisdom

The stories, poems and photographs on this blog are the original creative work of Xenia Tran. Inspired by life in the Scottish Highlands and in awe of nature she gives voice to the wisdom of her adopted and fostered whippets.

71 thoughts on “2019: Favourite Moments Through the Seasons”

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Cee, we’ve been so lucky with the weather this year which allowed us to travel a bit further. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photographs too and for hosting your lovely challenges! 🤗💖🌺 xxx

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words and your support dear Na’ama, I’m looking forward to seeing more of your beautiful poetry too! Much love to you from all of us here and all good wishes for a fabulous New Year 🤗💖🐕 xxx

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  8. What a wonderful collection of memories and stunning photos of your very special and enjoyable 2019. Congrats on all your accomplishments and I’m so glad the great outdoors had you occupied and enlightened throughout the year. Have a fantastic New Year and may 2020 bring you and yours lots of peace, solitude in nature, good health, and wonderful times.

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words and your support dear Liesbet. It’s been such a treat to be able explore new places without the worries of the heat and wildfires we experienced the previous year. We wish you, Mark and sweet Maya a fabulous New Year to enjoy good health, lots of fun and all the blessings that nature can offer 🤗💖🐕 xxx

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Vicky, we’re very lucky to have so many walks nearby and a bit further afield. Eivor and Pearl have taken us to places we had not seen before and we’re so grateful we can explore the Highlands together. We hope you are enjoying the Holidays too and wish you and Tippy a very happy New Year! 🤗💖🐕 xxx

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Martha and for walking along with us here. A very happy New Year to you, Bear and Teddy too and Blessings for sweet Dusty – may she be happy and running free 🤗💞💜💞 xxx

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  19. You and your lovely Eivor and Pearl are the best company on our Highland walks, Xenia! Thank you for the inspiration of walking with you in the glorious Scottish nature! Visiting your blog is always a treat, and I hope 2020 will bring you even more joy and many, many more walks! Greetings from a drizzly Sweden and two wet dogs!

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words and for walking along with us here dear Ann-Christine, it’s always great to see you! We hope 2020 will bring you plenty more joy, walks and new discoveries too 💜Much love back to you, Totti and Milo from a drizzly Scotland! 🤗💖🐕 xxx

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  22. Pingback: Looking Back at 2019 – Thank you for the Magic – Tranature

  25. First Xenia let me say I loved your wish for the new year, beautifully said. Your images are all wonderful but my favorites have to be those with the pups in motion. Their agility, grace and pure joy come shining through!

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  27. “Understanding Care Compassion And
    Peace” That Naturally Come From Those Three
    True When We Set All of Nature Free Naturally too..
    The EarTH
    A FLoweR
    CoLoRinG
    LoVE MoRE
    Happy 2020 to You Xenia
    Family Friends And Happy
    SMiLinG FouR SeaSoNS Dogs True..:)

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  31. Pingback: Tuesday Photo Challenge – Round Up 193 – Dutch goes the Photo!

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