Crimond

British Summer Time. Clocks went forward one hour.
This clock, pictured, has 61 minutes. No idea why. The inscription is "The hour is coming".
The daughter of the minister here, many years ago, set the 23rd psalm to music, known as Crimond.
Mike is considering moving the hen run as, at the moment, there is no wind. The run has to be moved for our vegetable planting rotation. I have done my bit, planted the seeds, and am keeping up with the watering. If he considers long enough the wind will pick up...

Seals.

The Puffin is an ex fishing boat which takes visitors on cruises to see the wild life. Sailing from Macduff Harbour we viewed the largest on-shore gannetry at Troup Head. We also saw a porpoise and lots of seals.

If you are very lucky sightings of dolphins and whales are possible.

The sea was very calm on this day.

Today is another beautiful one here, blue skies and bright sunshine. The greenhouse calls....

Cruden Bay

The village of Cruden Bay has a fantastic beach.

Picturesque fishermen's cottages. Fishermen still use the harbour going out on one tide and back on another, hoping to catch lobsters and crabs. Sea Bass are sometimes caught from the harbour edge. Cruden Bay link golf course is ranked one of the finest in the world. Not far away is Slains Castle, now a ruin, which inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula. A wee bit further on are the Bullers of Buchan, home to many sea birds, including puffins.
All this within twenty minutes of Greenbrae!
Today is wet and windy. Our guests last night were installers of hot tubs and spas. I asked them if they would be testing any today......

Hens.

The 'girls' on their way along the car park wall to the spinney.

Beautiful sunny day today, though cold. Pockets of snow here and there. Spent the whole morning clearing and cleaning the office. Now I won't be able to find anything!

Gearing up for sorting the money out, this is a large box, crammed with receipts and bank statements - all to be put in order for the end of the financial year. Really looking forward to it - no I aint.

Snow

It has all gone again. Blizzards yesterday, during the night and this morning. Now bright sunshine, blue skies.
There is a bird box in the rear spinney and I could see a tree sparrow in there, checking on the weather!
My new bird feeder - birthday present -is up and has full attendance. I had a table but it has blown over so many times, the last time made it unrepairable. The new one is metal and is stood deep into the ground.
While it was snowing I did not mind sitting in the laundry with dryer going (sorry environment) and ironing bedding.

White Starling

You will need a magnifying glass! First picture of it is in flight, second it is behind a normal coloured one on the bird table.

Busy weekend with paying guest and our own family.

My daughter, who was visiting, has taken away with her the two zebra finches, which I had been caring for for her. It is very quiet, here in the office, now they have gone. I hope to re-decorate in here and smarten it up. Although we now have wireless connection for business guests and lap tops, people do still want to come in to the office and check their emails. We also have ancestor hunters using web sites for their searches.

At the moment Minerva, one of the cats, is searching everywhere in here, to see if the finches have really gone. The cats have not been allowed in here while the finches were in residence.

Happy Birthday -to me.

Today is my birthday - next year I get the discount at Focus and a bus pass- so will be having a bit of a do.
This year's birthday I am cleaning bedrooms, and all, just like any other day.
I shall have half the family. Emily, on the right, lives with us at the moment and Polly, in the rear, is visiting with her partner, Dan, arriving later today. The other two daughters remain in Edinburgh, at uni.
As we have paying guests in tonight, any celebrations will have to wait till Sunday.