Set in stone

Today’s wedding of our niece was wonderful. Despite some rain squalls threatening us with a few spits and spots of rain at one point they stayed on the other side of the loch and never materialised. Indeed the sun shone so brightly that some of us caught the sun.

As with last week’s service it was led by a humanist celebrant and was warm, funny, and conveyed the bride and groom’s love and friendship for each other. Two traditions were part of the service alongside the formal legal requirements. The first was the use of an oath stone - this one from Islay from where one side of our niece’s family come. It was held jointly as they pledged their lives together. Their commitments were accordingly set in stone.

The other was to celebrate their union with whisky from a quaich. Then, after the ceremony was completed, the register was signed and the paper blotted.

As with last week’s wedding we were asked to limit photography of the ceremony and to not post on social media until the family had an opportunity to do so first. This photo I hope does not breach that request as I have avoided any details of individuals. The same I hope is true of the sparkler shower later in the evening.

My day started off with a morning walk into Kenmore. As I headed towards the bridge I saw something lolloping across the bridge. I could not quite make out what it was but later in my walk on the other side of the village I saw the animal with the same movement running from parked car to parked car. I grabbed a quick shot which, as the attached albeit fuzzy picture shows, is what I would say is a pine marten.