Sunday, August 23, 2026

A unique sound.

Out here in the village the local farmer has started harvesting the cabbages. A team of a dozen or so hard working Somalis and Turkmens operate a huge machine that cuts , prepares, grades and then weighs and prices them. A fleet of tractors then haul the cabbages to the back of enormous flat bedded trucks which, when fully stacked and laden, head off to the storage barns. The whole process is surprisingly automated, highly efficient and should, weather willing, be completed by Wednesday. This Stakhanovite drama provides great amusement for the walkers on the coastal foot path who stand and stare. The farmer must be a good employer because many of the same crew return year after year.

In town the good weather has brought with it hosts of happy golfers. They clog the pavements. This bunch, seen outside Starbucks,  are hurrying to the Old Course for a seven am start time. The jiggle and clanking of their clubs gives golf towns a sound that is unique.


Down by the fourth tee the sheep ignore a group of hearty American gentlemen players who shout 'Fore!' with surprising - and possibly uncalled for - gusto. This is golf as theatre.


The beach is pretty much empty bar two huge dogs who are being taken for a walk. St Bernards or possibly Newfoundlands. 


They are being kept on a lead which is just as well as there's a horse and trap whistling along the sand.


It's quickly followed by two more. 

So starts a quiet Sunday morning in a small town on the North Sea. Soon September will arrive and with it 10,000 fresh faced youngsters. 

6 comments:

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
Although the photo gives little to go on for certain ID, what I can say is that those dogs are definitely not Newfoundlands. The only non-solid colour permitted for the breed is black and white (a la Border Collie-ish). That solo horse and trap shot is a winner! YAM xx

Anonymous said...

They are definitely St Bernards.

I love big dogs, but hate their shirt lives

I also love my morning Fife. Thank you, Angus

Lisa in France said...

Fun photos today - buggies on the beach! I enjoyed the required reading link. It struck me that many of those rules translate pretty well to France. In Japan, it actually is polite to show up 15 minutes early, whereas in New York, the host would probably call the police, New Yorkers tending not to suffer in silence. This timing issue was a significant challenge for me when we moved from New York to Japan.

Travel said...

I get the feeling that you look forward to the return of the students, they do bring a vibrance to a community.

Camille said...

Very interesting links this morning Angus. Amusingly, I quickly read the title of one as Scottish 'cannabis' instead of 'cannibals'. Imagine my surprise.

It would appear the rules for the UK very firmly apply to native New Englanders. Most would agreed with every single one. I was recently asked by a new acquaintance of ten minutes (who was visiting from several states away) what we paid for a recent purchase, did we finance and if so, the percentage rate. The silence was deafening. A random IRS audit fifteen years ago was more relaxing.

JoAnn in Maryland said...

I shall try to comment today and not allow “auto-correct” succeed in making me appear to be uneducated. The golfers are dressed as if they are playing at a local municipal course rather than St. Andrews! I, too, loved the photo of the single sulky on the beach. I think the dogs are St. Bernard’s. Very interesting links to follow this morning.