It writes itself.

The weather channel tells me that May has been 5.3 degrees cooler than average and 45% wetter. After a week of fog and rain this morning brings cloudless skies, warmth and a glorious sunrise. A honeysuckle infused break of day. There must be twenty different bird songs in the dawn chorus all of them delivered at full volume. For the first time this year the cuckoos out in force. These are the 'heavenly' things dog owners savour while others sleep.

Kestrels swoop and pirouette over the wheat in the field on the other side of the lane. Sophie watches them. Her big brother chases blackbirds across the lawn - inelegantly and inefficiently. 25 kilos of tail wagging PON thundering noisily towards them like a miniature Rhino gives the blackbirds ample notice of the impending threat.

It's barely seven am but a cheerful bunch of pilgrims are up and underway early. Starting at dawn means they have a chance to avoid the promised heat. They wave at Sophie and tell her she's a cutie. The tin mugs tied to their rucksacks clatter as they pass. For the PONs this clattering is a source of great interest. We've started to refer to the pilgrims as the PONs 'friends in gladness'. Pilgrims and PONs both share a laughter filled zest for the new day.

This morning Sophie is accompanied by the long shadow she casts on the gate. She stares at it - transfixed - in a ' Who'd have thought it ? ' way. The Old Farmer comes over to chat to her. He hasn't brought any biscuits so she soon gets bored.

A heavenly dawn, kestrel joy and friends in gladness. Some mornings the blog just writes itself. This is undoubtedly going to be the best day ever and we haven't even mentioned yogurt or croissant crumbs or chasing C-A-T-S. Loic will be here shortly to drive the lawn tractor which will bring a further touch of anarchic excitement to the PONs day.

This American girls thoughts about the culture shock of moving from a big US city to a tiny town in Scotland to study made us smile : https://youtu.be/kmDZcFK8xfw?t=1880