Gilet weather.

In the village the partridge chicks are out for a walk with their mother. We follow along behind them in the car. The partridge chicks are slow walkers bit not as slow as the quail chicks. Guided by their mother they soon fly off with a flap of their wings into the safety of the wheat field.  Village life has a measured unhurried rhythm all of its own. It's sunny but decidedly chilly this morning. Gilet weather is here. The nippy air is a useful  reminder that it's the time of the year to have the boiler serviced. We wave at the farmers eldest lad who is heading off in his fathers Range Rover to check on the potato fields down by the shore. He's chosen to go across the field rather than round the edge.  In a months time he will be getting ready to head down to Edinburgh to pick up on his studies. His younger brother will be starting at Cambridge. In the interim they'll be busy helping with the harvest. 

On our way into town we detour to fill up with petrol. The dour woman at the garage cash desk informs me that the price per gallon is the highest it's been in nearly four years. It would seem that little 'problem' in the Gulf is finally having an impact. Her comment is surprising. I've paid £1.61 a litre which is what I I'd paid ( or at least thought I'd paid ) last week. This morning , unusually, there's been a short wait for a pump to become available. There's a queue of English visitors prudently filling up their tanks ahead of the long journey south down the motorway.

Serious golfers out on the Old Course. Each of them has their own caddie which is a pretty good sign of wanting to optimize their time on the sacred turf. In between holes each of the players check their phones for messages.

Down by the starters hut 'catch the moment' photos are being taken. There is some back slapping but not as much as we saw yesterday.

At the university end of town its quiet. In five weeks time it will be chaotic with youngsters setting out on a lifetimes journey.

For the moment we, and a young gull, have the place to ourselves. A couple of golfers wander by . One of them  turns to his pal and says " I wonder what this place is ? ". In this wee town golf and academia rub shoulders but are literally a world apart.

The picture at the top of the article is amazing ... in the literal sense of the word :https://www.popsci.com/environment/monkeys-have-pets-evolution/

How plants feel :https://bigthinkmedia.substack.com/p/how-ai-is-revealing-the-hidden-intelligence

Unknown relations :https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/everyone-alive-may-carry-dna-180000619.html

90 years old and playing at St Andrews :https://x.com/garyplayer/status/2079560750696219065

A reflective 'if only' :https://miniphilosophy.substack.com/p/the-boy-i-wish-id-talked-to