Yesterday (yes, I had a day off blogging) I'd decided that we'd walk down to Saughton Park, which has been closed since lockdown, and press our noses against the bars of the gates to admire the wonderful display of herbaceous perennials. And then - dada! - a friend emailed me to tell me that it was open!
So we walked along the old railway beside Carrick Knowe golf course - which was more or less deserted - and ...
it was indeed open. Irises!
Poppies!
More irises.
Vistas.
Knautia.
More poppies. I must get me some poppies.
So that was lovely. The only trouble was that it was also hot. Looking at the figures, it claimed to be 21C, which is 70ishF, which is frankly quite hot for Scotland, but there was no wind - which is unusual for Scotland - so it felt hotter. Today's the same - it feels hotter to me but claims to be 21 or 22. Tomorrow, however, is going to be 14C, which is somewhat the other extreme. And it's raining slightly this evening, which is good, though at the moment it's very light, sprinkling rain, not the downpour that the poor garden needs.
I was feeling very low yesterday - thinking about how long it might be before we see the family members who've moved away from Edinburgh. Quite long. Months. A year? More? So the flowers cheered me up a bit.
And then this afternoon, Daughter 1 and SIL 1 brought round the Edinburgh grandchildren, which was very nice indeed.
"Coorie", by the way, Margaret, means snuggle in, nestle in for protection. A baby might be cooried into its pram on a cold day. You would coorie by the fire, or into your granny's arms or into the shade on a hot day.
Today's Scottish word, picked at random: thrawn. It means very obstinate, awkward, determinedly intractable.
I think both coorie and thrawn sound like their meaning - a soft sound and then a harsh one.
Those poppies are gorgeous, and I want some too! I get down when I think of the effort and difficulties of traveling these days, and my kids (and grandson) across the country. :( My dad has used "thrawn" before, perhaps picked up from his Scottish father. My dad was in a family with three active boys who probably often fit that description.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful gardens! I do know the word thrawn, though we don't use it. But I am delighted to learn coorie! And delighted that your grandchildren visited you again!
ReplyDelete"Quite long. Months. A year? More?" I hope it won't be anything like that long before we see our Edinburgh grandchildren!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful garden to cheer up your slightly longer walk. I love the poppies and the irises.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased that you did see the Edinburgh grandchildren, however hard it is when you can`t hug them. I do sympathise. DWx
I am perversely proud that my younger son's first ever school report included the word "thrawn". He still has his thrawn streak 15 years later....
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