Tracery.

 

Sunshine ! Our walk on the beach completed without having to wrapped up in layers of  rain wear. 

Overnight the outgoing tide has deposited fine sand from the edge of the dunes on top of the black clay exposed by the recent storms. This delicate tracery stretches for two miles all along the beach from the golf course to the estuary where the seals congregate. Down by the waters edge we can see that more kelp has been swept onto the tideline. Thousands of oyster catchers are scurrying through it happily - and noisily - hunting for grubs. 

One of the rangers tell us that a dog has been in and attacked the flock of black sheep in their pen. One of the ewes has been badly bitten but the vet thinks it will survive. There are signs telling dog owners to keep their pets on a lead but not all dog owners are sensible enough to comply. A decision will have to be made as to whether the sheep will have to be moved.

Things you don't usually see on a Friday morning. A Catholic priest in full regalia putting up a sign for a lecture about Queen Margaret of Scotland. This is a sight Queen Margaret might have recognized but is unusual today.

Christmas lights now springing up everywhere. The student bar by the town gate looking particularly festive.

As is the window of the  fancy interior design store.

The cafe that's been home to the Barbie Scottie has attracted a young visitor. The young visitor is enthused by her discovery. Later today all the Scotties will be picked up and gathered in the exam hall for one last time. Tomorrow morning we shall go and bid them a fond farewell. They've brightened up the town, brought in tourists and made people laugh.

We watch the first episode of 'The Crown' on Netflix. It's not great but not as bad as we feared it might be and the 'crash' was handled with something approaching decency. Four episodes have been released and the final six will come out before Christmas. Many of these later episodes were filmed in St Andrews so a wave of sightseers can be expected to wash through the town over the Hogmanay break.  The 'Wee House'  features frequently if not prominently  in some of the shots. I shall consider upgrading the security so our American tenants can sleep undisturbed.

Saw this map showing where people live .  ( Don't know where I found it but happy to attribute if you own it). Australia is perhaps the most surprising. The UK  blue area includes London so that's as expected.