Dreich

What a dreich day! I tried to capture the wind, and although I'm sure there's a better way, I liked the blurry feel to the branches and leaves, and the way they echo the curves of the balcony railings.

Dreich is one of those wonderful Scottish words that make me wonder how I ever managed to live without it before I moved here. It sums up in a single syllable what it takes several words of English to describe, and it is beautifully onomatopoeic.

My Old Scots dictionary has the following brilliant definition:

"A combination of dull, overcast, drizzly, cold, misty and miserable weather. At least 4 of the above adjectives must apply before the weather is truly dreich."

I've checked - definitely all 6 adjectives apply today. So I can accurately describe today as DREICH.

I hope you aren't affected by the floods, wherever you are.