Surprise trip to Blairgowrie

 This morning a did some chores and the a bit of jigsaw before leaving to go to Blairgowrie with Darren who had something he needed to sort out there. Some different knitting in the little park, not so complicated but patriotic.

I made my way to the Nest and waiting to cross the road this enormous lorry was turning in a pretty narrow road.

I bought some bits in The Nest costing a whole £4.

We had a very nice lunch and went into a couple of shops before returning home. Loved this sign outside a shop, and very appropriate at the moment as it is exactly what was said to me.

Spent some time with Darren working on the jigsaw, not exactly racing through it are we?

This evening went grocery shopping with Tina and took this photo from the car on the way home.

Watching the European @Athletics Championships now, finger crossed ther will be a medal for UK

Quiet morning and ill advised walk!

 This morning I got some washing done, went across to the art centre to buy some fresh picked veg from ‘The Field’ volunteers and got dinner for 1pm as Darren was going out soon after five this evening.it was hot by Scottish standards and very humid, but I decided to go for a walk this afternoon. I went along the river path which is mostly shady and sat for a bit at the bench opposite the cathedral.

I walked a bit further to where there are two benches and sat there for a bit, I was beginning to flag with the humidity.

Then I thought I would try to get down to that stony beach.

I had got down quite a steep drop and on the way back I wasn’t sure I could get up it as the pressure on the hip isn’t good! I found a sturdy tree branch to use as a stick and did manage to get up. Took this photo on the way back, still playing with using ‘portrait’ mode!

I went through the community orchard to have a drink in Dunkeld and then back down to the river path to walk home. I was very weary, it was so humid my face was sweating, reminding me of the humidity in Ghana! So had a sit on the two benches en route and was very pleased to get indoors.

Watching some athletics with Tina, so that’s the evening sorted. I had thought of getting the bus to Aberfeldy  tomorrow but it is about n hour and wouldn’t be much fun in a bus if the humidity is still high.

Bus into Perth

 Not a lot to say today and not a lot of photos either. We have no large shops in Birnam or Dunkeld, and the shops we do have cater mainly for the tourists. There were a few things I wanted to get and today I caught the bus, takes longer but is free and the station is not in the city centre. It was hot ( Scotland hot, thankfully not England hot) but it was very humid as well. I wanted to find the library as I have booked to go to a pin hole camera workshop there next week. I did manage to find it, not a long walk, but felt long enough as my legs are rebelling a bit from the walk yesterday! There is another one of the bears outside the library and it is very colourful.

The angle makes that child look very small, it is an optical illusion!

When back into Birman I went to the arts centre to book on another course in September, it sounds interesting.

I felt quite tired when I got home so have sat and read for a bit. May do some embroidery or jigsaw this evening.

Made it to the aloch of the Lowes

 This morning I was up late, and then had an easy morning. After lunch I decided to try and get to the Loch of the Lowes, I tried once before when I got lost and did a mammoth walk but was put of by the steepness of the road out of Dunkeld followed by quite an arduous walk. But, with needing exercise and weight loss to kill or cure the hips I set off.

The road was at its steepest before the first photo of where I had walked and the second the next bit. Took it slowly and stopped to rest a couple of times.

Now photos of the walk and progress.

Just liked the dead fern in the middle of the green ones (photos are an excuse to have a breather too!)

Still not high enough!

That one and the next one I could see glimpses of the loch, but still a good way to go. Then the two after that I was on the final quarter of a mile.

The osprey statue at the car park!

I bought a cold drink in the visitor centre and let Tina know I had arrived. She asked if I wanted her to come and collect me and I said yes. I should have taken the walking poles as apart from the steep bits the path was often very rocky and uneven. The poles would have given me more confidence and take a bit of pressure off the knees and hips.

I went into the hide and saw the osprey chick, now almost full grown and the had a monocular telescope in position. Tina joined me in there so got to have a look too. A couple of shots from the hide.

This evening I have watered the garden and done a bit to the jigsaw.

To finish the Virginia creeper I bought a few months ago is climbing up the wall next to Tina’s office door has taken well nd should look splendid in the autumn.

Forwards and backwards

 Monday is garden group and knit and natter group. I usually stay in Dunkeld between the two groups but today I decided to come home, get changed and walk back again. I took this photo on the way this morning to try and get the reflections.

At St Ninians today I dead headed the roses and then weeded and swept the arched walkway, which has become my area to keep tidy. Only three of us today, and Moira, who runs the group had to leave early as she had been called to do jury service. When I was walking home I took this photo of the ancient sycamores trunk as I think it looks like a face!

I walked back for the craft group and took my new embroidery. Well, new to me, I bought it at The Nest at a very reasonable price. It is sort of sewing by numbers, and there are a lot of numbers! Some artistic license may come into play, either way it is going to take a while. A photo of the kit and another of my start.

I was feeling a bit weary walking home, it was quite hot as well. I took this photo as I thought the white butterflies in the lavender was pretty.

We have had dinner and I have just been out watering the plants. May do a bit of embroidery!

Morning walk

 After I had chatted to Anya today I decided to go for a walk. Tina and Darren went along the river path in the opposite direction to Dunkeld and then followed a path to come back into the village, so I tried the same route. A lot of photos, on that just looks like a barbed wire fence, I liked the fact that the metal poles are in boulders.

This afternoon I have done a bit of jigsaw, a crossword and watered the hanging baskets even though we have had rain the eaves stop the rain getting to them. Not planning to do too much, I will walk into Dunkeld twice tomorrow, I usually stay out all day but have decided to come home between groups, so had better conserve my energy.