Hail Shining Morn!

Very Best Wishes for a Happy New Year, everyone!

We like to have a walk on New Year's Day, but this morning wasn't very enticing. The sun almost appeared a few times, but never quite made it. We decided on a circuit of Linden Loch. It was rather breezy and chilly and all the swans took off just as we arrived, presumbably to browse in the fields over by the river where it's more sheltered.

But we managed the walk, though slither would have been a better word for it. I was glad I had my pole with me or I'd have  been rolling in the mud more than once. 

I got a phony Fitbit at Christmas and I wanted to try it out. The step count more or less tallied with the one on my phone, so that seems to work ok.  I'm not so impressed with the reminder to move about feature - I thought it would detect when I'd been still for however long I set it to and give me a buzz. But it simply buzzes every half hour, even if I'm up and doing, or more annoyingly, when I've just sat down.  

We saw a sign to Bowden Kirk on the way back, and went to have a look. It's very old and has been altered and added to many times, It has more entrances than any other little country church I've ever seen, at least three outside staircases leading up to two galleries and a raised area behind the communion table and pulpit. I guess the nobs didn't want to have to mingle too much with their labourers below. Another seemed to lead into the organ loft (magnificent woodwork), and underneath this was a crypt, locked but you could look in through a hatch in the door. The church itself was open, but it was such a dull day it was hard to see to read the inscriptions.  Definitely worth another visit.

We were the only people there, but as we were looking round the burial ground a young woman came in and made straight for a very gnarled old tree in one corner. She stood in front of it for a while then carefully climbed up into it and sat herself astride a huge burr and appeared to go into a trance.  We tiptoed out.

I'm belatedly tagging this for Derelict Sunday, thanks for your continued hosting, Marlieske.