Sunday outing

Yvonne protects Nobby (or is it vice versa?) from giant squirrel in Crathes Castle woods...

 

But where are the acorns buried?

A different kind of Nature Friday post

So I bet you're looking at the photo Gail took out of our front window yesterday and are thinking "Nobby, what on earth does that have to do with Nature Friday?"

Well let me explain.

The council workers in the hi-vis jackets are digging up the paving stones, and smoothing and relaying the pavement so that pedestrians are not forever tripping up and hurting themselves due to what had become a very uneven surface.

The root cause (pardon the pun) is the trees.

It's quite a dilemma isn't it? You can have a pleasant, nature-friendly tree-lined street, providing shade in the summer, home for the birds and plenty of pee-mail sniffing opportunities. 

Or you can have a boring tree-free road where the paving stones do not have to do battle with the tree roots. 

Which would you prefer?

Oh and finally, here are a couple of more conventional 'Nature Friday friendly' photos for you to enjoy.

The first was taken by our friend M earlier in the week and shows sunset over Couper's Pond on the western edge of Aberdeen.

And the second was taken by next door neighbour Edith on a late afternoon walk along the River Dee with my 'Thursday girlfriend' Stroma. 

Didn't we both pose nicely?

Do you like to share?

I'll be honest with you.

The larger of the two sofas in our living room is very comfy and I think of it as my own personal fiefdom.

But every once in a while, when super nice guests come to visit, I am happy to cede some space so they can be comfy too.

This weekend, Gail's lovely cousin Sue and her (also lovely) husband Martin came on the train all the way up from England. My alert terrier instinct immediately picked up how delighted Gail was to see these kind relatives, and thus it was of course my pleasure to share.

A Nature Friday Miscellany

So the week began with sunshine and a walk around Hazlehead golf course with John and Françoise. 

And with Gail asking if we should enter this photo in a 'rear of the year' contest.

Midweek there was a pretty sunset in the skies above our street.

In Duthie Park the mahonia is just now coming into flower.

So far so predictable.

But who could have anticipated a Thursday morning invasion by a stack of cardboard tortoises from La Bretagne....?

What??!

PS from Gail: thank you so much to Phenny, Nelly, Katty and Mark for sending us this delightful 3D card. Rest assured it was rescued from Nobby's paws before any damage was done...

Happy Nature Friday all!

'Cheerer Upper in Chief'

I told you on Monday about the crack team of local friends who are keeping me exercised and entertained.

Today I want to show you how Gail's pals from further afield have been brightening up the house with lots of lovely messages and cards and flowers. 

The weather here in Aberdeen has turned a bit November-gloomy this week, but I am perfectly suited to the role of 'Cheerer Upper in Chief'!

Flowers from Angela and David in London

(Gail tells me my cheering up services might be in high demand today by many of our friends across the Pond, as well as more generally in other parts of the world such as Ukraine, but I'm afraid there's a limit to how much one jolly little fox terrier can achieve...)