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A rather muggy day – 18 August 2026

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Occasional rain, but always warm – too warm for me.

I went for a walk this afternoon, but despite searching all my usual places, I couldn’t find anything worth photographing. I eventually gave up and walked home in the rain which was at least refreshing!

Earlier in the day we had found a host of caterpillars munching their way through Scamp’s Nasturtiums and I put them all on some leaves across the path. Tonight I realised they would make and excellent subject for a macro photo. That’s how the Very Hungry Caterpillar came to find its way to becoming today’s PoD. It was indeed ‘very hungry’. Just look at the damage it did to a single leaf. One caterpillar did that! Now I know why gardeners dislike them so much. According to Google, this is the caterpillar of a Large White butterfly.

Nothing much else to report on today, although we did drive in to the outskirts of Glasgow for a coffee and a cake just to get us out for a while. Also, I did manage to find a bag of Marshalls Macaroni for you Hazy. You’ll get it the next time we meet.

These epistles seem to be getting shorter and shorter. I must encourage Scamp to drag me somewhere more interesting!

No plans for tomorrow, although we may take the train somewhere just for a change.

MOT day for the Blue Car – 17 August 2026

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Dropped the car off at about 9am at the garage then phoned a taxi that took me home.

Scamp was just on her way out to meet Shona for coffee and a blether. I made a cup of coffee and attempted Wordle and the rest of the puzzles and waited. About an hour later I got the result. A failure because of a fractured front coil spring. Not surprising given the number of potholes and broken drain covers that are scattered around Cumbersheugh. Did I want to go ahead with the repair and service? It was the first failure I’d had with this car in the six years of driving it. I don’t think I had much to complain about. Yes, just go ahead.
I phoned Scamp to tell her the bad news, but she also agreed that we’d done well with over 39,000 miles it had done. I think in retrospect that I got off lightly.

The rest of the day just chugged along. Not really a good day to go for a walk, but instead I photographed a bunch of fading flowers in a vase on the window sill. They were the variety “Lady Emma Hamilton”, one of Scamp’s favourites. The light was beginning to fade and I spent an hour or so adjusting the levels in Lightroom until I had the picture the way I wanted it. I could have worked for a few extra hours, but knew I was just wasting my time. Lady Emma Hamilton made PoD.

About 4pm I got the message from the garage that the car was ready to be collected. Another taxi ride took me bak to the garage. I pushed my card into the reader and collected my keys. We were back in business. I didn’t notice much different in the drive home, but I couldn’t argue with the work done.

Dinner tonight was Pizza and a slice of Scamp’s version of Tiramisu which was very welcome.

Later, Scamp was typing and messages were flying to and fro between others in the family. I was asked for my opinion a few times, but I think I was more engrossed with Angry Birds than was healthy for me, especially if I wanted to keep breathing. One ‘faux pas’ with the Lady Emma Hamilton debacle was bad, but not listening to Scamp would be unforgivable. I listened properly and agreed with what she had planned.

No real plans for tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Jamie – 16 August 2026

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Twenty One again!

We spoke to Jamie in the evening and heard about Simonne’s new car but unfortunately no new car for Jamie, even on his birthday. Glad you liked the card and the prezzy, though, Jamie.

Earlier in the day we took some time rising from our slumbers after a late night the day before. That set the tone for the rest of the day. I did get out for a while in the afternoon, but the best shot I got was one of a brown slug. Not my favourite creature, but it had lovely patterns on its body, so that was my reason for making the gastropod, PoD.

Dinner tonight was a Baked Potato with Tuna for Scamp and Spaghetti Bolognese for me. The first time I’ve made Spag Bol for a very long time and it tasted really good.

I’ve a few things to do tomorrow, and an early rise too.

 

In the garden – 15 August 2026

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After yesterday’s stramash, today was a little calmer.

We had intended to take the train to Glasgow, but I wasn’t feeling well with a bit of an upset stomach (too much good food) and we stayed at home. It was a good bit cooler today with a cold breeze. It’s difficult to decide what to wear in these days of fluctuating temperatures.

I couldn’t decide what to photograph too, but eventually settled on an old shot I’d taken a few weeks ago of a Rowan berry sitting on a group of Rhododendron leaves. For once I can honestly sat that this was not a set-up. The rowan berry was sitting comfortably in the centre of the rhododendron. I couldn’t pass it up, that would have been a sin, so there it is. The orange and green made a good colour contrast too.

Later in the day we got ready to go to Brookfield for what used to be a monthly dance, but which is now just a fairly regular event, especially in the summer when folk are off on holiday. For once I really enjoyed the night, although by the end of the evening I was getting tired. It was good to drive home through a much quieter Glasgow than is usual.

A wee glass of something when we got home put the seal on the day, and I climbed the wooden mountain to bed, wearily for the second day in a row.

Relaxation will probably the name of the game tomorrow.

Busy, Busy, Busy – 14 August 2026

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Driving around Cumbersheugh, getting things done.

We had visitors coming for dinner tonight and we were running around like headless chickens. Too many things to do and it seemed like we didn’t have nearly enough time, but as with all things, Scamp’s calm brain pulled everything together and it all went swimmingly. We didn’t get to bed until nearly Saturday, but we all had a good day and that’s what matters.

Just a short blog post today. PoD went to a Broccoli stalk that Scamp found when she was cooking the veg.

Definitely NO PLANS for tomorrow!

Dancin’ – 14 August 2026

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Today was the first tea dance day in ages, and it showed.

First, though I went to get some fruit in Tesco. That gave me a chance to stretch my legs. A ‘piece’ on banana was my lunch, then it was time to get ready for today’s tea dance.

We started by driving to Glenburn, only to find a Road Closed sign stopping us. Thankfully, after checking our direction on the screen and after working out what direction we should be heading in, we managed to plan the best route through the streets on the edge of Paisley, and it worked. We weren’t the only ones who were caught out by this last minute decision to close the road. There were a few puzzled looks from cars in front of us. In the end, we were only a few minutes late.

My dancing was poor today. I’ll admit it. I just couldn’t put a foot right. It’s a wonder Scamp didn’t disown me, the number of times I was wrong footed. I think the reason was that today was the 13th of August. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

My dancing ability improved a bit later in the day, once I’d had a cup of tea and a blether to Barry & Cath. Also, the dances were a lot easier in the second half. Almost all were sequence dances, with the occasional simple Waltz or Rumba.

Drove home through fairly heavy traffic, but by using the M74/M73 we got there in a decent time.

I was stuck for a PoD until I found a bunch of little purple flowers in the garden with the sun shining through the fenceposts. That won the day.

Tomorrow we’re hoping to have Crawford & Nancy for dinner, so that means we’ve got a lot of work to do.

Out on the town – 12 August 2026

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Out with my brother today. Walking the streets of Glasgow looking for something new.

We took a walk down to the Graffiti area on Clyde Street. It’s actually called Custom House Legal Wall because it’s one of the few places where you can legally paint on the walls. I hadn’t realise that, after all the times I’ve walked around there. Every day is a school day, indeed.
I grabbed a clever looking bit of art there and it became PoD. Probably not to everyones taste, but it takes all sorts …

From there we walked left along the Broomielaw and then under the M8 before walking up the hill looking for the professional artists pillars that Alex had seen a couple of weeks ago. We got a few photos there before we got the ‘Bums Rush’ from a couple of blokes who told us that the area was a building site and we had to keep clear. We did that, for the most part, but then I went further and skirted the Express Way. It’s really strange, I’ve driven along that bit of road, but had never really stopped to see what was around me.

After I’d disentangled myself from all the roads round about that area, I retraced my steps and met Alex again. We decided it was time for lunch and Paesano is the only place we go on our walks. We were almost at the door when the rain started. The streets were dry by the time we left Paesano and we went for a coffee before we caught our respective buses to go home.

Scamp was sitting in the garden when I got home and I joined her while we waited for the eclipse, but although I got a few distant shots of the sun, the photos weren’t good enough to see any detail. Also, the clouds had rolled in and obliterated any details that would have been there. Oh well, maybe next time … when the next total eclipse comes in about 70 years.

Looking for insects – 11 August 2026

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It was another hot day. Not as hot as it was in the south of England, but certainly warm enough for us in Scotland.

The only thing we did today was to go for a walk to the shops. Well, to be honest, Scamp went for a walk to the shops, but I cut the walk short and went down to St Mo’s. Behind St Mo’s is what is usually a boggy area which is usually wet in all weathers. Of course, today it was almost bone dry. I was looking for the seed pods from the Flag Iris plants that grow there, but I realise now after some research that I have to wait until about November to get the distorted seed pods that grow down there! I’ll try to be patient.

On my walk back, I spotted a little Hover Fly sitting and probably feeding on a pink Knapweed flower. It took a few shots to get what I wanted from the wee fly, but in the end I had a PoD.

Back home it was my turn to cook and Scamp requested Pasta Puttanesca. That’s another recipe from a long while ago. I eventually found what I was looking for and Scamp said it tasted just right. I wasn’t too sure, but I’ll stand by her decision.

TV schedules were all over the place tonight which meant that the Sewing Bee hadn’t recorded on our dodgy Virgin device. It seems that every week we find another failure from this recorder. I thInk it may be time to move away from Virgin and get a more trustworthy recorder.

That was about it for today. Sat in the garden for a while soaking up the sun. Hoping to meet Alex tomorrow for a walk. I might even get back in time to watch the partial eclipse.

Off the leash – 10 August 2026

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Today Scamp and Shona were off on a day trip, I was off the leash.

I dropped the girls off at the town centre to catch the Ember bus that would take them to Dundee for the day. I had the whole day to myself. That gave me time to read for an hour or so and to plant a new batch of potatoes that would hopefully be ready for around Christmas, all being well. It was strange to think that I was planting them on one of the warmest days in the year and expecting them to ripen in time for Christmas, in four month’s time.

The butterflies were working hard among the Buddleia bushes in a corner of the garden. No more sightings of Hummingbird Hawk Moths unfortunately, but I’d take the half dozen Peacock and Red Admirals as a decent substitute. These butterflies are suckers for the buddleia flowers.

Later in the afternoon, I went for a walk in St Mo’s hoping to see some more butterflies, but none were flying there today. However there were a couple of Dragonflies and the warmth of the boardwalk seemed to make them lazy and easier to capture in camera. I got quite close, but had the wrong lens for the job – it seems I always do!
A nice shot of a Common Darter with its tail up in the air got PoD. I happily walked back, wondering how the ladies were getting on.

Not long after that I got the message to say that the girls were on the bus on their way home. An hour or so later my phone pinged to say they were just leaving Stirling. Picked the travellers up later and took Shona home, then drove home.

After listening to what the girls had got up to in Dundee, I felt as if I’d done nothing back home, but I’d enjoyed my day ‘off the leash’ and had a lazy evening watching TV.

Tomorrow looks like another hot one.

 

More butterflies – 9 August 2026

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I don’t think you can ever have enough photos of butterflies.

I don’t want to rub it in, but we had rain again this morning. Not a lot of rain, but enough to let us know that it’s still around, just waiting for a chance to drop on us.

The rain came and went for most of the morning and a bit of the afternoon, but didn’t bother us. Scamp and I did some pruning of the Buddleia bushes later in the afternoon and by then the butterflies were returning to the bushes. I think the rain in the morning dampened the flowers down and maybe that accounts for the limited amount of interest from the butterflies but the bees are much hardier. In the evening all the butterflies returned, circling the buddleia plants again. I got a few photos of a Red Admiral that became PoD.

Scamp and I emptied the last of the potato bags and collected quite a few potatoes. Almost all of them were in good condition, but a lot of the soil was dry, probably from being under the Rowan tree for too long. A few of them were the size of marbles and we used a tip we’d seen on Gardeners World. We replanted two of the potato shaws that still had smaller potatoes attached. Then we filled up the pot they had been in and watered them in well. Hopefully that will produce some more potatoes, but even if they fail, we won’t have lost anything.

Dinner tonight was Cauliflower in Cheese Sauce for Scamp and Stew and Kidney for me. Dessert for both of us was Rhubarb and Strawberries a strange mixture, but really good. We only tried it because our strawberries were starting to go over. We both agreed we’d do it again. Your rhubarb was mixed with our thinner rhubarb, but both worked together, Jamie.

Tomorrow Scamp and Shona are intending to go out for the day, somewhere nice! That’s all I know.