Reflections

After a necessary visit to Musselburgh and admiration of the zillions of Canada geese on the river, we continued to Cockenzie House for lunch (a somewhat slow lunch, in fact, owing to a shortage of staff) and a potter round the garden and surroundings (see extra: top row and centre bottom row).

After purchases in the Bothy shop and the discovery that the cafe will not reopen, we took our walk round the grounds of Gosford House, under glorious blue sky with hardly a breath of wind to disturb the surface of the pond, giving mirror-like reflections. The autumn colours are not yet fully developed but last night's frost will surely trigger a blaze of orange and yellow before long.

As we were crossing the pond a swan and cygnet swam determinedly towards us, we thought to request for food, but followed us on the grass in threatening manner for several yards (extra photo) until retiring to pretend that it had known we had none. Also in the extra is a heron from close by, I rather liked the lighting.

Another visitor was taking photos with a posh camera and tripod, we had a conversation about the conkers I had picked up being in short supply, apparently due to squirrels eating them still on the tree. I suspected also a seed-collecting project as there were piles of cases beneath the trees. I hope to plant mine, having once had success but failure ever since. Sadly, our acquaintance was not conversant with Blipfoto but a member of a photographic club.

It being such a lovely day the route home included the newly-reopened glen road from Rosewell to Roslin and then through the Bush estate, just to round off the day..