Sunday, September 11, 2022

Herons:1


Good morning from Sophie who is up early and keen to get her day started. There are hares to chase ( ineptly )  and seals to glare at. This morning there's a beyond glorious sunrise and, despite the early hour, a warm gentle breeze . We're out for a full hour. By the time we head home for breakfast the sun is beaming down. This morning Sophie opts for a route via the tatty fields and along the wooded burn to the sea. There's a small lake here that was excavated by a local farmer. He filled it with trout but the local herons soon put paid to any idea he had of fishing. Nature :1, Local Farmer :0.


Difficult to say who enjoys these morning adventures more - dog or owner ? Post walk there's time for a quick napette. Sophie has new , expensive, organic lamb hide braided chews. It's soon clear that she much prefers the cheap hide chews that are of 'indeterminate' origin and a tenth of the price . Go figure. The lamb chew is pointedly left unfinished.


FatFace meets constitutional change. I found the juxtaposition of this sign in a shop doorway to be ( unintentionally ) amusing.


The new King comes to Edinburgh today. The coffin will be taken from the palace at the  bottom of the Royal Mile to the cathedral. It will be interesting to see how many folk show up to pay their respects. Less than a week ago we had a new Prime Minister, then a new cabinet, then the Queen died and now we have a new monarch. I'd expected there to be more criticisms of the old Queen as a representative of an era of empire and colonialism but people seem instead to have understood that she enthusiastically led her country away from that to something better.


As an indicator of change this would have looked very different 70 years ago :https://twitter.com/SteveStuWill/status/1559976285358632960

6 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

What a truly gorgeous sunrise.
Sophie clearly enjoyed a better morning walk than Nobby did. Duthie Park closed until this afternoon, being kept "sterile" until well after the Queen's coffin has passed by on the Great Southern Road side. There were a host of disappointed dogs at the closed park gates who may be developing mixed feelings about the monarchy.
But I predict a huge turnout to see the Queen's last journey through Aberdeen later this morning. I haven't come across a single friend or acquaintance here who isn't planning to go and see the coffin passing by. "I'm not really a royalist, but..." is the phrase of the moment.

Angus said...

WFT - You are spot on with that final 'I'm not really a royalist but ' observation. The psychology, at a national level, is remarkable. It will be interesting to see what happens in Edinburgh but I'm guessing the authorities will have underestimated - possibly massively - how many folks want to file by the coffin in St.Giles.

Coppa's girl said...

What a beautiful sunrise to greet you this morning, Sophie. It goes a long way to make up for no curly croissant ends and the adoration of those French refuse men at the shopping centre! What a different life you're living now, and you've taken to it like a duck to water!
The people turning out to view the coffin are those who wish to pay tribute to a wonderful human being. You are very lucky in Scotland that you have a chance to pay your respects in person.
I thought of Nobby when I read that the procession was passing Duthie Park.

Poppy Q said...

I think that more people will turn out than expected. I just wish she had got more time to relax with her husband, dogs and ponies.

Gemma's person said...

May be best about the chew. She may start chasing down lambs for the real thing. :)
Respect for a woman who's life was well lived .
I remember the story of her walking in front of the guard to inspect them...her husband had snuck his way in lane with the appropriate attire...and winked at her....what a life they must have had together if a loving joke was done where all could see.

Jake of Florida said...

No matter which way one looks, a mournful day. Remembering those we lost here in the US on 9/11 twenty-one years ago and in the UK your beloved Queen just three days ago.