We look at a piece of stone.

We wander out to see the standing stone that the farmer has unearthed . The New Zealand and Canadian families are already there. You grab your excitement where and when you can in a small Scottish village on the North Sea. The farmer tells us he was happily ploughing when 'clang' one of the blades hit something unexpected. The 'clang' in the sentence is stressed for effect. There's one large block of rock about five feet long and four feet wide. Next to it a wider , tapered, portion that's sheered off and is maybe three feet long. Smaller pieces have fallen off as he's dragged it over to the field boundary. The farmer thinks its a standing stone.  'How would you know ?' asks the Canadian man.  The farmer, perhaps rather brusquely, points out that it's the only stone in a field of deep sandy soil.  The Canadian man seems unimpressed. His four year old is fascinated.

Later today the local policeman will dutifully meet with the local archaeologist to certify that the bones that were unearthed aren't from a recent murder. The policeman will 'tut' to make it clear he has better things to do than supervise bronze age excavations.

In the university library there's an old parish chronicle written by a 17th century kirk elder who said that the whole area from here to the north of the bay was once dotted with stone circles. They were wiped from the landscape by Presbyterian ministers who thought them to be unholy reminders of an 'older' religion. 'Keyholes to the very gates of hell' as the author described them with Taliban like fervour. Perhaps this one was simply pushed over ?

The seagulls are enjoying the ploughing. It's great for unearthing worms.

Down on the Old Course we take in golfs most iconic view.

The golf academy already busy. First thing in the morning, before work starts,  it's a very egalitarian place. Husbands and wives, fathers and sons and local teenagers all make it their home. All share the same intensity but not all have the same dexterity.

So starts another day in a part of the world where excitement comes in the shape of a large piece of stone in a field.

At auction in Glasgow. Someone wanted to record their family dog :https://www.mctears.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-73----marion-rodger-hamilton-harvey-scottish-1886---1971/?lot=407296&so=0&st=&sto=0&au=1908&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=0&pp=96&pn=1&g=1

Very French :https://x.com/francesafetytra/status/2036184875980693781

History :https://thebulletin.org/premium/2026-03/the-evolution-of-a-conspiracy-minded-culture-a-historians-view/

Coffee is good for you :https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/21/turns_out_your_coffee_addiction/

China and science :https://scholarstage.substack.com/p/china-and-the-future-of-science