SPRING COLOURS

Spring is bustin' out all over.... lots of colour!

* * * * * ELLIE 7 years old * * * * * *

* * * * * HARRIET, 8.8 YEARS OLD* * * * * *

* * * * * BALLOCH CASTLE PARK * * * * * *

* * * * * * in our garden * * * * * 

 

EASTER WEEK

A round-up of the week...

Indy, spent Easter in Florida. Aged 10 3/4 years.

Streamed live with video available for download.

Wine ...bought for the label...

Seasonal statement.  

Am gradually clearing stuff in a spring-cleaning mood. I do keep some valued items:

White vase is Iain's mother's; Rulers on table in foregroud are: (1) a beautifully made one from Bill Donaldson and (2) the smaller one is my school ruler... still in regular use!

OUT AND ABOUT...SPREADING WINGS

A pleasant week, all in all. It is school holidays so the youngsters are away just now and also some local establishments are closed.

Was out litter picking in Dumbarton. Lovely day and we finished off with a swally and some pizza 'n stuff donated by M&S.  Very pleasant to be out meeting and greeting once again.

Standing on the shore of the Leven picking beer cans out of the mud I heard, before I saw, the take-off flap-flap-flap sound of A Big Bird(s).  I pulled my iPhone from my pocket and held it up in front of me watching and waiting for whatever was coming from my left... and these lovely birds flew into view: 2 swans (with a third coming along behind).

What is not seen in this shot is the products of a Scottish Water Board outfall pipe (that is the type that takes surplus water and dumps untreated contents into the river).

Dumbarton

Dumbarton

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More local photos of Milngavie (as I gather images for next year's brochure):

Monkey Puzzle tree outside Ashfield Surgery on Main Street

Gavin's Mill at 10 am.  The wooden decking is now ready for use.

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The garden this week.  A fox appeared but he was too quick for me to get a photo.

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'HIGH-LIGHT' OF THE WEEK

Last concert of the season.  Now it is onwards and upwards to prepare for next year (all fixtures are in place).

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'LOW-LIGHT' OF THE WEEK

This week I got this text. Apparently it is a scam. The idea is that you pay to purchase of test kit.

I am now turning into a social deviant; I intend to delete the NHS app.  So much for helping 'medicine' and 'statistics/science'.  

However.... we're all getting out more now. Things are moving forward. We are still wearing masks in shops and on transport and public concerts but that is due to end next week.  

And after just over 2 years of using Zoom, I am due to return to 'live' piano lessons every week.

SCENES OF MILNGAVIE AND LITTER PICKING ON THE CLYDE

It's been a lovely week with spring sunshine continuing on and off most days.  The pussy willows are out, some of the hedgerows are showing green shoots. 

I was able to take some more photos of the local area for use this year in the local brochure.  Here are some.

* * * * * * * * * LITTER PICKING ON THE CLYDE * * * * * * * 

On Sunday several litter picking groups merged to do a clean-up on the Clyde at Dumbarton Castle.  There is now a lot of new housing where it used to be factories and shipyards.

There is a big effort to clean up an area of the beach where some ship trials took place in wartime.  The bollards are still there but mostly, at the moment, it is used syringes, needles and Q tips.  It was low tide so lots of junk brought in recently which gets washed up in 'eddies'.

Home baking to raise money for The Red Cross in Ukraine.

* * * * * * * * * COVID VACCINATION UPDATE  * * * * * * * 

Iain and I got our 4th (booster) jag April 1st.