Local chocolate and corn buntings.

In sheltered spots a few hardy flowers continue to bloom despite the winds. They add a touch of colour to the morning walk.

There are hundreds of Corn Buntings in the bramble bushes that line the farm tracks. The thick thorny foliage is a perfect place to nest and take refuge against the winter storms and passing sparrow hawks. The birds wait until we've almost drawn level then take to the air in huge swirling flocks that soar upwards and then suddenly plummet to earth to hide amongst the corn stubble. They do this over and over. What Darwinian causality could make them do this ? We stand and watch them and laugh like four year olds. 

The sea this morning rough enough to make us wonder if a trip a thousand miles along Norways coast into the Arctic Circle is a wise thing to do in November. The weather forecast in Tromso is for thick fog and snow. This combination may not be ideal for seeing the Northern Lights..... or anything at all.  Yesterday was spent reconfirming restaurant reservations. In Kirkenes in the far, far North the last gap in our schedule is filled. We turn down the kind offer of an overnight King Crab fishing expedition. The receptionist tells us it will be ' very cold and very dark'  :https://www.snowresortkirkenes.com/restaurant/teina-restaurant . 

The Halloween displays are looking decidedly bedraggled. By the time we return they'll have gone and Christmas trees will have taken their place.

The Royal Bank of Scotland still maintains  a branch in town but the Clydesdale and more recently the Bank of Scotland have shut up shop. There's a Savings Bank by the church but it always seems to be empty. The bank buildings seem to be repurposed as yet more coffee shops. Let's hope the coffee bubble doesn't burst.

Give it a week or so and the last of the leaves will have blown off the trees.

An order arrives from a small 'artisanal' chocolate maker in Glasgow. We were beginning to worry that it might not get here before we go.

They do a milk chocolate bar that is high in cocoa but sweeter than the bitter dark chocolate that 'The Font' eats. These days. whenever we can,  we try to use small local companies. 

Overly negative ? :https://intellectualtakeout.org/2025/11/the-tech-revolution-leaves-families-behind-ai/

Sage advice ? :https://engelsbergideas.com/essays/how-not-to-win-the-nobel-peace-prize/

80% full :https://theconversation.com/is-it-healthier-to-only-eat-until-youre-80-full-the-japanese-philosophy-of-hara-hachi-bu-268008

Walking and nearing :https://www.psypost.org/how-walking-fine-tunes-your-hearing/

Hieronymus Bosch :https://bigthinkmedia.substack.com/p/what-does-hell-look-like-dutch-painter

Until now I had never heard of anti-suicide chairs :https://chairdeskexpert.com/guide/anti-suicide-chairs/

The Dutch example :https://fpif.org/the-dutch-elections-and-the-lonely-grave-of-spinoza/