Wednesday 31.08.2011

Lots of walking but pounding the streets of Aberdeen rather than scampering in woods. A grey day so the granite wasn`t sparkling but the city has some beautiful buildings, the trick is to remember to look up.

Then there`s the University and Old Aberdeen...................
"Founded in 1495 by William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland, Aberdeen is Scotland's third oldest university, and the fifth most ancient in the whole United Kingdom.Much of the original King's College still stands today, a famous historic landmark beloved of generations of students, academics, and local people who are, inspired by the finest examples of medieval and Renaissance craftwork remaining anywhere in Scotland."

......not to mention the hustle and bustle and promise of faraway places of the docks..........

........ and the wide open thoroughfare of Union Street

Spent a happy hour or so people watching: I`m becoming increasingly convinced we`ve got things back to front and should retire to the city where there`s lots of stimulating diversions and everything`s within walking distance.

Tuesday 30.08.2011

Shortening days and lengthening work hours: can`t help the former and don`t mind the latter but weaving the walks into a day can take some discipline.
Thus we scampered up the hill before tea tonight, a grey sky rimmed with gold and a smidgeon of blue peeping out between the clouds here and there. A chill wind kept us moving fast and the dogs tore round, chasing a fox that was silly enough to cross our path and scaring the odd rabbit.
Dark enough to shut up the poultry by the time we returned and cold enough to light a fire.
Have discovered the author Daniel Pennac of whom more when I`ve finished his book School Blues: already suspect it may be one that I have to purchase.

Friday 26.08.2011

A still, mild evening, the light going much sooner now, and - praise be - the grass in the woods has been cut so we can reclaim our walks without need of a panga (as in machete, not the small ocean-dwelling fish of the same name which I only just discovered existed when I checked on the word panga that had suddenly sprung into my head despite it being over 40 years since I first heard it used when I was in Uganda).
I digress.
The air was slightly damp and held the sweet smell of the cut grass as we tramped round, Dog 2`s first proper intro to the woods and very satisfactory she found them, full of interesting scents and sounds.

And, as we came back down the hill,the grey clouds now tinged with pink,

a flock of 40 or so lapwings wheeled overhead: after years of only seeing the odd one or two it was a most heartening sight.


This time last week I was in the parallel universe that is festival-land: Beautiful Days lived up to its name, a huge extended picnic with good music, much jollity and random eccentricity and perhaps best of all huge quantities of goodwill. To be recommended.

And meanwhile back at the ranch........

....isn`t that a beautiful sight.

Monday 15.08.2011

My very own son et lumiere, quite unexpected when all I`d done was go for a leg-stretch after a longish bus ride to Edinburgh.
Tide out along the foreshore at Granton and the sky turning a pretty coral pink, soon reflected in the water which was being gently ruffled by a mild grass-scented breeze.
Strings of lights along the opposite shore of the Firth began appearing and despite the strollers and dogs and cyclists and noisy wading birds rootling about in the mudflats, it was a tranquil scene only emphasized somehow by the distant sound of a siren in the city and the steady procession of planes coming in low over the water, wheels down, heading for the airport..
Discovered there is a causeway across to an island further along at Cramond and the tide was just right. Were it not that we have to get up at silly`o`clock tomorrow, would have been tempted on such a beautiful evening..........
However,for now, it`s all about Beautiful Days....to the South, to the South..............

Thursday 11.08.2011

Wonder what the plural of hiatus is. Or even if you can have them in plural. Thing is to fit your walking in as and when:
- along the Clyde on a wet, grey Glaswegian morning,

- a lunchtime jaunt from work up to the post office and back, nosey-ing in people`s gardens
- a couple of miles this evening, cool, clear and still, the moon and sun doing their balancing act opposite each other again, the beasts making the most of the remaining grass, swallows and martins swooping overhead but beginning to congregate on the wires and a smell of autumn on the air.

Wednesday 03.08.2011

Hiatus in what passes for routines due mainly to arrival of Dog 2, five months old and with a lot to learn but today made her first foray up Bennachie.

A perfect summer`s day - come to Scotland all you poor sweltering southerners - with a refreshing breeze above the treeline, the perfect introduction for her.