Saturday, June 10, 2023

Crowded out the weeds

Up at first light to talk to the Manhattanites. A former Prime Minister leaves parliament in the UK and in the US a former President has been indicted for keeping nuclear targeting secrets in his shower.

Down at the building site that's known as the ' last wee house before Denmark ' the garden is in full bloom. I'd like to think this is due to skill  but can entirely be put down to the lupins having self seeded - wildly. They seem to have crowded out the weeds.

On the coast it's warm and sunny. Here in town the mercury is struggling to get into the mid -teens.


The bacon roll cafe owners continue their task of bringing flowers to the visiting masses. All the outside tables have a vase of carnations on them. The cafe owners seem to be opening earlier now to catch the incoming golfing crowd. Yesterday, for some reason the town was inundated with middle aged French folk on guided tours. There were hundreds and hundreds of them strung out along the cliff top walks -  the attentive at the front close to their guides and the bored at the back wondering how anywhere could be so cold in the summer. The French were almost uniformly dressed in black. This was something we noted when we lived there and is even more evident here. By contrast unscientific observation would indicate that Australians, Spanish, Italians, Australians, Norwegians and Brits ( in that order ) are proponents of primary colours. Beyond a certain age all nationalities dress in beige.


At six am the dog bowl outside the ice cream shop is full of water.


Down by the harbour four ladies are rowing a boat under the instructions of a gentleman sitting in the stern . He's shouting out instructions and waving. They have come in from the sea, skirted the pier wall and are now heading towards the lock gates. The boat is pursuing a non-linear course.


A small mountain of freshly made lobster creels outside the harbour cafe.


On the quayside more creels are in the process of being made. The fisherman is waiting for the concrete weights to set. Who would think that there was such a thing as a creel production line ?  Lobster fishing here, as in Maine, remains a thing.

32 comments:

véronique Perez said...

Votre jardin est magnifique Angus ! Peut-être un jour aurons-nous la chance d’avoir un mini reportage sur ce que vous y avez planté, comme vous le faisiez en France. Les roses, les pivoines et cette magnifique glycine qui vous avait causé bien du souci…
Belle journée à vous deux.
Amitiés de France,
Véronique

Grandmamac said...

I am so pleased to see a post from you this morning.

srgb said...

Your photos are just as good as they ever were as is the story you tell, I spent my first 21 years not too far south of where you are but now 50 years on the other side of the world I find the story you tell and the buildings you show all so interesting.
I have spent a lot of my working life doing what is happening on your building site and it is no surprise to read what you write it seem we have not learnt a lot collectively, all these means of communication and we do less of it.
I too kept the habit of walking before breakfast I am all the better for it, if I don't walk I swim, indoor pool 25m.

jabblog said...

Those lupins are glorious.

WFT Nobby said...

How fascinating to see the lobster pot production line. One frequently comes across creels in all states of repair sitting on harbour walls around the coast of Scotland, but I've never observed the manufacturing process!
Cheers, Gail.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Thank you for the garden article... and the photo of yours! I, too, appreciated this post and the solo walk around town. YAM xx

Anonymous said...

I didn't think any picture could beat that of Bob and Sophie on top of your blog. I'm sad to see Bob go but this new one is so absolutely right.

Coppa's girl said...

The new header photo is the perfect reminder of a very special Diva - Sophie braving the waves.
Your garden looks just perfect as it is, and the good weather you've had must have given it the lushness of the garden you had in France. I wonder if you'll find another Loic, though it won't be the same without a PON to demolish the piles of leaves!
Creel making must be the equivalent of a cottage industry.

Virginia said...

What an interesting article on Gardens - I’d certainly never heard The Fall, and Eve’s central part in it, described like that. The limitations of a rigid catholic theological upbringing! Sigh! Your lupine look splendid - I wonder if they’d give me hay fever as badly now as they did when I was a child.

I hope the workers at your place are working in unison better now? They’d better be, or The Font may blow a gasket! And I wouldn’t blame her.

Charlotte said...

Good morning to everyone. A new day has been given to each person. Be thankful and enjoy the lovely pictures that have been placed here for us to see that is different from where we live. Thank you for sharing with us that look forward to your blog each morning. Blessings upon your day. 🙌🏻🙏🏻☕️🌷🌼

Travel said...

Soon there will be fresh lobster in the harbor. How is the remodel coming along?

Swan said...

I'm glad you're posting..the dog bowl of water made me cry though..

Stephanie said...

Good morning, I'm delighted to see your post! For some reason I see the new blog title but no picture. Your glorious garden will more than suffice. I wish you could share some of your warm Scottish sunshine with the coast of Northern California this morning.

Stephanie said...

Yes, I felt the same way.

Lisa in France said...

I also love your new header photo, and the photo of your garden is glorious. The article was interesting. We have been living for just about a month now in our new home, and one of the great pleasures has been "discovering" the garden. We noticed right away that the yard was very green, but we've come to appreciate that someone designed it with a lot of thought. New flowers keep appearing unexpectedly just as the prior wave is fading, and the range of things that grow here is amazing - we were not expecting hydrangea alongside the lemon tree.

mhgardendogs said...

The new banner photo is excellent!

10NISNE1 said...

The new header photo is fantastic!

Ladyfarrier said...

I've been a follower of your blog since Wilf and Digby. I was so happy to see today's blog as I always enjoy your outlook on life, wherever you are living. Sophie will be greatly missed.

Melinda from Ontario said...

Your garden is absolutely beautiful. Lupines used to line the fields surrounding my childhood home in eastern Canada. The smell was unforgettable. When I chance upon a clump of blooming lupine in Ontario I'm taken back in time.

Jake of Florida said...

Hello. What a day yesterday was! And here we are just a mere 25 miles from this coming Tuesday's excitement - a historic arraignment. Relief for some. Outrage for others. At times like this tales of gardens and lobster creels and the couture choices of diverse demographics and of course dogs are a calming blessing. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the lovely post- the bowl of water and essay on gardens poignant...

Stephanie said...

Oh, I see the new photo! How absolutely splendid!

Charlotte said...

❓❓ Does anyone have the last two header for this blog ❓I have all the other ones. I just need the one with Bob and Sophie carrying the big stick. And the one that was there before the new one that is there now. I would appreciate this very much.

Thank you.☕️🌷

Anonymous said...

So glad you may continue to post Angus. Always interesting and amusing. I can’t begin to tell you how many things I’ve learned from your links! Who ever heard of Kaleo till you posted about his voice? The recent link about new theories on time/space fascinating! I could go on but will spare you. You have a gift for blogging even if no new furry friends come your way. I do so want to see the house mods and the garden room. Thank you so much for the past and fingers crossed for the continuation of your blog. The new banner is enchanting. Love, Liz in Oregon

Anonymous said...

The new header photo is gorgeous! Had no idea there were cement weights in lobster pots. I watched a Canadian series about lobster fishermen in Quebec recently, so much hard work and planning using generations of experience. Also your garden photos are stunning. It is happy invasion of foxglove here, lupin arent as prolific but should come up soon.
Your blog is always full of great writing, beautiful photos and interesting links.

rottrover said...

"The boat is pursuing a non-linear course." I laughed out loud!

Bailey Bob Southern Dog said...

Your new header is marvelous, and your garden is lovely! Thank you for taking us with you on your morning walk.

Anonymous said...

Please continue to post. I love reading about your life in Scotland and hate the idea of losing both of you and the diva at the same time.

Jake of Florida said...

So glad folks mentioned the header. I didn't realize my cell phone wasn't showing it. But there it is on my computer...the perfect reflection of life's latest transition.

Leslie Piper said...

Life continues. Lupins self-seed. The kitchen will---most mysteriously-- get fitted. Grace is a small and infinite thing. I agree with your comment about clothing choices and what it says about nationality. I will add a favorite comment from travel writer Rick Steves, who says that Americans arrive in other countries dressed as though they have come to mow the lawns.

The Life of Riley said...

The lupins are lovely. Maybe you could take bunch of excess lupins to your bacon roll cafe for their staff and diners to enjoy. I'm guessing the staff (who know you well by now) would like being given flowers and visitors to St Andrews would enjoy seeing lupins on the tables!

Pam in NH said...

Thank you Angus, I saw the new banner and it tickled my heart. Your garden is also lovely.
My daughter is just back from Spain and has a brand new case of Covid. She is riding it out in NH with us plus her 2 dogs. We are not out of the woods with Covid. Be safe. Sending love to you in the Wee House. XXX