A visitor ...

I took several photos today, pleasing ones of lovely plants, blue skies, a training ship with sails being furled in the Holy Loch, the evening sky at 11.30pm ... but I have to blip this one and forget the glamour...

We were sitting at dinner when I looked out of the window just beside me and saw a smallish rounded creature plodding down the path towards the house. At first I thought it was one of the visiting cats that favour us with their mess - but then I looked properly. It was a fat hedgehog, with surprisingly long back legs, making for the flowerpots, which is where I managed to photograph him through the window. He turned, and without fuss but really quite rapidly retraced his steps and vanished under the philadelphus, where I hope he eats all the slugs that are just waiting for the rain to make a reappearance. He certainly looked as if he eats plenty...

I've never seen a hedgehog - alive - in the daytime before. I've long ago been aware of one scuttling in the darkness in our garden, but not recently. However, a month or so back I started noticing distinctive black droppings in odd places - like on the steps to the drive-in - and googled them to make sure. (Google is wonderful sometimes). So I'm duly thrilled. There is a video on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook if you're interested.

I'll put up a colourful extra from Benmore Gardens, just because ...