The Middle of March…

Although it was the middle of March, nasty cold wet sleet was falling with a persistence and determination guaranteed to dampen the spirits of even the hardiest inhabitant of the wild west Highlands, and yet Algy was undismayed. In fact, he was feeling positively cheerful, because his assistant, who had been unwell for several months and unable to record his adventures, had at last recovered sufficiently to assist him.

Trying not to shiver, Algy perched in a dripping young larch tree, listening to a song thrush nearby, who was evidently feeling equally happy as he belted out his defiance of the dismal weather at the very top of his voice. As he turned towards his assistant, Algy shook the icy water off his feathers, and smiled his sunniest smile…

Algy hopes to be able to continue his adventures more regularly now, albeit not daily, and would be delighted if you could join him as he shares his experiences in the wild wet Highlands of Scotland once again.

In the meantime, Algy sends you all his very fluffiest hugs, and his warmest thanks to all the kind friends who wished him a Happy Birthday a few days ago. Algy loves you all xoxo

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Algy clung tightly to the knobbly branches, riding the gale in his favourite tree. He was wearing his shades, of course, to block out the worst effects of the driving Scotch mist and the howling wind, and to ensure that he was able to maintain his sangfroid… Suddenly, above the roaring of the wind, Algy heard a thrilling sound which lifted his spirits high: on a branch just above his head, a song thrush was singing, blithely competing with the sounds of the storm…

Algy hopes that you will all manage to maintain your cool over the weekend, and that even if conditions are particularly trying, you will experience some moments of unexpected delight 🙂

Happy weekend, everybody xoxo

[ Some of Algy’s friends may remember this GIF from almost exactly a year ago… This slightly reworked version accurately represents conditions today, except that today it is both much wetter and much windier than it was then, and thus quite impossible to use a camera outside. ]

Lots of Algy’s friends and followers on Tumblr have been especially kind to him recently. This makes Algy feel very happy and warm underneath his bedgraggled feathers, despite the horrible November weather. Algy is blowing kisses to you all in the rain xxxxx

Algy sends special greetings to all his new followers, and his love and heartfelt thanks to all those loyal friends who have been following his Adventures for a while. Thank you all for your kindness, your “hearts”, your lovely notes and your messages – it truly is you who make Algy’s Adventures worthwhile 🙂

And Algy sends extra kisses and a rather soggy fluffy hug to his new friend Kara of telescopical, not only for reblogging Algy’s posts and introducing him to new friends, but above all for being the “stranger who cares”, and for all the time and energy she devotes to helping other people on Tumblr, especially young people in distress. Algy loves you for that, Kara xx

The weather had settled into its usual November pattern of wind and gloomy rain, punctuated by frequent biting showers of hail. Algy’s feathers were feeling very soggy, and his tree was growing awfully bare. He tried to look on the bright side, but no matter where he looked he came to the same conclusion – it was cold and dark and very, very wet …

Algy was safely back home, and it was November 5th. In Britain that means fireworks, and on this date Algy always finds a packet of magic sparklers at the foot of his tree. Unlike normal fireworks, Algy’s sparklers last for hours and hours, so he spent a very happy evening high up in his tree, oblivious to the darkness as the night closed in.

It was an exceedingly grey, soggy sort of day, but Algy was in very high spirits because his old friend had gone home from the hospital today and was even able to walk up the stairs! His friend was resting in bed again just now, and Algy knew that he would have many challenges ahead on his road to recovery, but he was already making excellent progress. So Algy flew up into his tree and sang a celebratory song in the mist, right at the top of his voice so that his old friend would be able to hear him, many, many miles away.

Algy’s old friend has asked him to tell you all how deeply touched he has been by your kind thoughts and wishes from around the world. It has been a great help to him at this difficult time, and enormously encouraging and heartwarming. Thank you all very much :)) xx

The West Highland summer had returned to normal, and everything was really very wet, including Algy. He tucked himself in tight against the trunk of his tree and let the rain beat upon his head and sing him a lullaby:

          Let the rain kiss you.
          Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.
          Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

          The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk.
          The rain makes running pools in the gutter.
          The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night—

          And I love the rain.

[Algy is quoting the poem April Rain Song by Langston Hughes.]

Unlike singers of the St. Louis Blues, Algy just loves to see the evening sun go down 🙂  On fine evenings around midsummer Algy spends hours in his tree, just watching as the sun sinks below the horizon and the sky and sea begin to glow.

At this time of year the nights are light, and Algy finds it difficult to sleep. There was a beautiful crescent moon sinking down behind the ridge, so Algy found a perch in his tree and watched the moon set. It reminded him of a haiku by Yosa Buson, the Japanese master:

          The short night –
          Broken, in the shallows,
          A crescent moon.

The weather was a wee bit disappointing for the middle of May. Algy sat glumly in his tree, riding the branches in the wind, and wondering whether it would ever get a chance to warm up before the autumn and winter closed in again.