Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Soapwort.

 

Three bright yellow combines hard at work harvesting the pea fields. They started at 3:30 this morning. The farmers wife shows up at the front door with a box full of pea pods fresh from the vine. A small peace offering for having disturbed the calm of the wee hours. She's accompanied by the unholy trio of Jack Russells. The youngest rushes into the potato field and returns , proudly, with a raw potato in her jaws.


A cormorant in the courtyard . A beautiful thing with webbed feet and a large fan tail. First time I've ever been this close to one. It's surprisingly big. The bird looks alright but is lethargic in a way which hints it's sick. I hope I'm wrong but for it to have come 100 yards in from the rocks on the shoreline is most unusual. Can it be avian flu again ?


The cabin is ready to move into. We discover that the electrician has done everything bar link it up to the main power supply. The electricians will return on Friday. 'The Font's desk and computer will then be moved in.


The lady with the Pomeranian is hard at work down by the dunes filling a trug with flowers. She's picking Soapwort. As we pass she looks up to tell us it makes wonderful soap. 'So much better than the products in the shops' . The Pomeranian has been to the groomers and is sporting a small red bow tie. 

So starts a Wednesday morning in a small Scottish country village where seasonal routines still hold sway.



13 comments:

Teena and Lala said...

What a wonderful new work space.

All the pictures are lovely as always, but that lane; that's my kind of road. No cars.

jabblog said...

I hope you're wrong about the cormorant but fear you are correct. Odd behaviour, indeed.

paphosmuseum said...

There is definitely HPAI in cormorants. Please don't touch (like you would!)

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
I, too, fear the Cormorant's aberrant behaviour does not bode well.

How wonderful to have some Soapwort local to you - I think it is not common in Scotland.

That windowed room would have me very distracted from any work intention! YAM xx

WFT Nobby said...

How lovely to receive a box of fresh peas.
I've never seen soapwort in my part of Scotland, or at least I'm not aware that I have, but I'll be looking for it now I know you have some in Fife.
Cheers, Gail.

Coppa's girl said...

How sad to think that so many beautiful birds have succumbed to avian flu - what a disaster. It's almost as though the cormorant is asking for your help.
Freshly picked peas - what rare treat.

Lisa in France said...

So sad about the cormorant if indeed it is sick. They are fascinating birds - I used to watch them from my office window, fishing in the moat around the Imperial Palace. I never saw one on land, only in the water or perched somewhere to dry their wings, so it does seem strange. I am very jealous of the Font's new office!

sillygirl said...

The new office space is wonderful - I expect many photos of the changing weather from there.

Travel said...

3:30 AM, good thing the harvest is only once a year.

Jake of Florida said...

I too would be quite distracted by the view. Is "the cabin" another name for "the office" or is it perhaps like our "Florida rooms"..a lovely space meant for relaxed viewing of the elements?

rottrover said...

Beautiful, beautiful, sad, beautiful...

Anonymous said...

Oh, the sunrise over the sea is spectacular! Prayers for the cormorant and its avian friends that the Flu does not overtake them. Looking forward to more pics from the Font's new lair.

Pam in NH said...

It looks like you and the Font have landed in a wonderful place with great neighbors. The pups tickle me.