Scam of the day.

The phone pings. There's a formal looking text telling me I've been fined for over staying my time in a parking bay in town. The text has instructions to click on a link and enter my credit card details. It all looks so official and above board. Last week 'The Font' got a similar text and being methodical quickly determined it was a scam. There was something ever so odd about the format and the language. A  Google search show that it's the con of the week. I quickly delete it. The joys of modern life !

The weather forecast called for heavy rain. Instead we get blue skies interspersed with an annoying on/off drizzle that appears when you go out and disappears when you come home. The farmers crops continue to ripen despite, or perhaps because of, the weather. 

Young hares emerge out of the wheat fields to explore the world around them. We count seven on our morning walk. There is no sign of their (much larger) parents. The youngsters have already learnt to rush into the safety of the tall stalks when they see humans.

In the churchyard a wonderful old table tomb. It's made of local sandstone and has a pleasing geometrical design. It was  probably made in the mid-1700's and has been crafted with some care for a local worthy.  It's right outside the church door so it might have doubled up as a dole table to distribute money or food to the poor of the parish. These days young couples with a taste for outdoors excitement find other uses for it. The tomb has started to tilt to the right which indicates the vault beneath it is sinking into the ground. 

Opposite the churchyard a house that screams out 'I'm Scottish'. It would seem to be of the same date as the tomb. Scottish domestic architecture of the period is of the Presbyterian no-frills architectural school. There is just enough practical window area to let enough light in while keeping the North Sea gales out. Like most of the old houses around here it would have originally been thatched, then pantiled and has now been reroofed in hard wearing slate.

The strawberry farm by the Tay bridge continues to be extremely busy. The asparagus season is over but they now have blackcurrants and blueberries. A second variety of strawberry is on sale but sometimes it's best to stick with what you know.

We watch a wonderful 1960's era documentary on the BBC's Gaelic channel. It follows the changes in the life of a ten year old on Harris. In one scene the boy is seen walking along the main ( indeed only ) street of Tarbert the islands biggest town. " This is the boys first metropolis, his first street. His preparation for life in  London , Paris or New York ". The choice of music is inspired. Tarbert has a population of 500 so calling it a metropolis says a lot about life on the western isles :https://youtu.be/SB4gZLNvRlM?t=1664

Space debris :https://www.universetoday.com/articles/these-are-the-most-concerning-pieces-of-space-debris

Is Mondayitis even a thing ? :https://www.sciencealert.com/mondayitis-could-have-a-deadly-effect-on-your-body

Want to reduce crime ? Open a blood plasma centre : https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5259763