Lockdown week 10 - Monday

We wanted a shorter walk today because we had things to do. So we went to the lower, less strenuous, Carrick Knowe course. Two and three-quarter miles.

I was interested in what Toffeeapple said about golf courses damaging the environment. I suppose that they indeed must, in places such as Florida, where presumably much watering has to take place. This, however, is Scotland, where it often rains. I think they probably water the courses occasionally if we have a drought, but it's been the driest April for ever so long and everything is still splendidly green.

And all round the edges of the courses are areas like this, with buttercups, campion and hawthorn. And lots of trees and birds, and wild flowers growing in most of the courses. Maybe they put weedkiller on the greens?

Edinburgh's a very expensive town as far as housing is concerned - not as bad as London (which is ridiculous) but still expensive, and the area round where we live is desirable, so frankly if the courses weren't there, the land would have got built on years ago. We're only a couple of miles from the town centre. So as far as these courses are concerned, I'd have thought they were good for the general environment. I've just looked up Google and it says there are 21 golf courses in Edinburgh alone, with quite a few others just outside. Naturally, the main benefit is to the members, who get the freedom of the huge acreage. But the rest of us get the advantage of fresher air blowing down from the green spaces. Or at least, that's how it appears to me. Golf courses in Dubai or Las Vegas, now... not so much.

Anyway, the allotments are doing well, and I came home and did some gardening. Thrillingly, I got a delivery from a garden centre the other day of begonia semperflorens, alyssum and lobelia, so I had a happy time filling some of my many pots. Gardening is very cheering, if exhausting.

Lockdown week 9 - Sunday

Today was Little Grandson's first birthday. He's unbloggable, so this isn't he, but it's his dad, Son, and there's really quite a close resemblance, so just imagine a little chap much like this. How one loves one's babies. I can remember so well what Son was like: such a jolly, smiley boy, though shy with strangers. He was very much a mummy's boy at that stage. Alas, no more! - though of course it would unsuitable now if he were. But babies are so delicious. We saw Little Grandson and his big sister on Face Time this morning, but it's so sad not to see them properly. Ah well, perhaps before too long.

When we went up to Murrayfield golf course today there were notices to say that golf would start again on the 29th and that walkers and dogs would no longer be allowed. This wasn't unexpected, of course, and naturally the golfers, who pay for the privilege of being there, will want to return. But it's sad for the rest of us, who have been so enjoying wandering around the airy acres. I've been looking forward for several weeks to seeing this rhododendron in full bloom but unless it hurries up, I'm not going to.

There are more and more people there every day - look, you can see this lady and some others in the distance, coming down the slope on the far side of the wall.

For the first time, we walked diagonally over the Ravelston course and came across this large stone.

And this is the very bunker. It must have taken some shifting.

Aren't the trees beautiful in their full, fresh summer foliage? There's actually a road between the front, smaller layer and the back, higher trees.

And then we went back up the hill on to the Murrayfield course. People were sitting around in the sun as if they'd always been here. But this time next week - no one but golfers.

Lockdown week 9 - Saturday

It was blowing a hoolie today so we decided not to go up the hill, but along the river instead, where it was more sheltered.

There were surprisingly few people around. I think some may have chickened out because of the wind.

 It was pleasant, though, and intermittently sunny.

This dog didn't seem impressed by Antony Gormley, in statue form, standing in the river.

Look at all the blossom and leaves blown down into the water.

Then we went up the steps to the Gallery of Modern Art, where often (but alas not today) we stop for a nice cup of coffee.

Some of the art is outside. It's not really our sort of thing... .

A Henry Moore. She looks most uncomfortable, I feel.

It's interesting, I suppose.

Is this supposed to be a face?

And then we walked home along the road, dodging the leaves and twigs blowing around the place.

This afternoon I pieced together the backing of the second shirt quilt and pinned it. I'm always amazed how long this takes. Tomorrow I'll start quilting it. I'm someone who normally makes two quilts a year but I'll have finished three this year by, probably, June. This will never happen again - or at least, let's hope it won't, since it would take another lockdown. I'm glad I got plenty of quilting supplies the very day before everything closed down.

And then I really must get back to doing the archives, most of which are sitting in boxes and piles in a spare bedroom. This will not do!

Lockdown week 9 - Friday

As we'll be able to do for only another week, we went up to Murrayfield and Ravelston golf courses. Compared to when we first went, when there was hardly anyone walking on them, there are now quite a few people and their dogs - not that social distancing is any problem, as you can see from the photo above.

I shall feel very bereft when we can no longer go there. However, I have hopes of being able to see the Edinburgh family, which will make up for it.

Outside the Ravelston clubhouse there are now these ominous white lines, which are presumably to make people queue to start playing, with a safe distance between them. I mean ominous in the sense that they're raring to start golf again, not in the sense of imminent disease. But I've just heard on the radio that 36,393 people have now died of Covid 19 in Britain, which is a lot. Only 2,245 of them were in Scotland, though I realise that "only" is possibly not the word to use.

Walking on the course is really good exercise because it's hilly - ups and downs and ups again. It must be quite difficult to aim for the holes, I'd think - not that I know anything about golf, though my maternal grandfather was a keen golfer and I've read lots of P G Wodehouse, in some of which golf features.

And then after a lot of those ups and downs, we came back on to the Murrayfield course and down to the road. It was very blustery, with occasional spots of rain, and we could see that over the water in Fife and in the distance to the east here, it looked as if it was raining more seriously.

Nearly 3 miles.

And then we came home and found these letters from the Edinburgh grandchildren.

Very heart-warming. They've been walking on a different golf course, one near their home - in fact, the one that my grandfather played on. (Jump In is a trampoline centre where I've taken them a few times. I'd love to take them there soon!)

And then Mr L did some more stop-motion Brio layout filming for Big Grandson, I pruned my rhododendrons and wrote some emails and then I finished hand-sewing the binding on the first of the shirt quilts for my widowed friend. Tomorrow I'll start quilting the one for her son.

And so the days wear on, perfectly pleasantly in their way, but now there's hope buoying us up that we may see at least the Edinburgh two and their parents in a week or so. I trust their parents are interpreting the rules in the same way as we are!

Big Grandson has just sent a WhatsApp voice message asking for another letter from me, so I shall get on and write one.

Lockdown - Thursday

Today we didn't go for a walk at all. I gardened and... what did I do? Answered emails and made cheese scones and bound the first of my shirt quilts and generally footered about. And Mr L made a stop motion film of himself making a Brio (train) layout, at Big Grandson's request. Thus we somehow couldn't be bothered going for a walk. It was a bit hot anyway.

I took no photos. So these are photos from last May, when I find to my surprise that, a week earlier than now, the garden was more advanced. These irises aren't out yet, this year.

Nor are these alliums or this peony. Interesting, because it's been mild for a long time now. But it's been very dry indeed, so maybe that contributes to things being late. Or possibly it was even milder last year.

And of course this little chap isn't here, playing with the Brio.

Nor is Big Granddaughter drawing in the garden.

And Daughter 2 and Littlest Granddaughter are far away, as are Son and his two.

Still, our First Minister has drawn up an exit strategy, starting next Thursday with any luck. The first stage will probably allow golf clubs and garden centres to open, and people to meet with others from different households, hurray, outside - maintaining social distance - or possibly even inside (according to the news, though I didn't see this in the official document). So there's hope for at least seeing the Edinburgh family some time in the not too distant future.  That would be so good. I'm not sure that travelling far is going to be encouraged soon, though, but on the other hand, there's only so much one can bear.

Lockdown week 9 - Wednesday. I think.

It was a beautiful day here - warm, by our standards, and sunny. We went up to Murrayfield golf course and took the same pictures as always - sorry!

This looks down on Carrick Knowe golf course, to the upper right of the photo. You can see how much higher we were today.

The red campion is just spectacular - it shows up much better to the eye than in this photo. There's so much of it - which is why one shouldn't be tempted to allow it in the garden.

But look: so pretty.

I don't want to boast, but I think the skyline is as good as that of any other capital city (and better than most) - though I might possibly be biased.

Anyway, we then came home (2.8 hottish miles) and I took some photos of the garden. This is what we always called Nancy Pretty when I was a child, though it's also known as London Pride - who knows why? It's a saxifrage.

And then - irises. Love them.

Alliums.

Geraniums.

More irises.

This peony seeds itself everywhere but I sometimes let it. It's single but early and pretty and the bees love it.

Like all columbines, this seeds itself prolifically also. But it's so frilly.

More irises and heuchera.

And ceanothus - I love this blue. It spreads over the path on the way to my compost heap and is usually covered in bees, so it makes composting the household waste a slightly hazardous enterprise. But it's so lovely!

And so many congratulations to my lovely American bloggy friend, Margaret, who's just become a granny! Which is terrific news, though very sadly she can't meet the baby at the moment because of lockdown. I feel for her so much. But welcome to Granny Club, Margaret!! It's a good one.

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