1.01.2020

So Hogmanay a relatively quiet one, very quiet in fact, sitting up in bed with a splash of whisky and two squares of dark chocolate, watching the celebrations live from Edinburgh. Just started what I think is going to turn out to be a very good novel so it was no hardship to have a quiet evening....all due to the fact I`m enjoying a sojourn in Lennoxtown, house/dog/chicken-sitting.

The weather as ever has been different every day, either mild and grey and damp or ferociously cold and frozen with bright blue clear skies.



Either way no shortage of walking here: along the old railway track by the river where, at this time of year, the lichen covered trees throw their shapes,

And then there`s the nascent forest,

not quite worthy of that title yet but it will be and meanwhile is the perfect place to meander or stride depending on how the mood takes. On New Year`s Eve it was stunning: frosted grass where the sun hadn`t touched, crunching very satisfactorily underfoot, contrasting with further up the hill where the sun had melted it all away and it might have felt like Spring with the sound of little streams burbling away and bird song were it not for the icy air which kept us moving along quite sharply.

Then yesterday the longest walk of all, through to Strathblane on the old railway line path. Would rather see trains on a railway line but this is second best.

Burns and tangled woodland, bridges and old signposts keeping us moving along,an excellent last day in this lovely place.

So that`s 2020 escorted in, lang may yer lum reek and I`m off to get a bus back up north.