Like a bird ...

On this day which began cloudy and misty but grew steadily clearer and sunnier and hotter, I go to bed with a Leonard Cohen earworm because of today's photo...

First of all, we slept late. I'd shut the curtains, for a start. Nice, in a way, but makes the morning kinda short. And the day seemed subsequently somewhat random, though I did achieve one necessary task in the morning, clearing the enthusiastic greenery that has for several weeks now hung so far over the back garden path that we've been wearing an elephant trail on the grass rather than try to push through it. Before that, I found myself (look away now if you're squeamish) disposing of the blob/cyst in my eye which seemed ... ripe. I shall not cancel the appointment with the specialist, but feel strangely satisfied ... so far.

We had lunch outside - on  the patio which we've hardly been able to use this summer - after which Himself looked after the piano tuner and I had an online Vestry meeting. The piano tuner is interesting in that he's a Dunoon native whom we both taught a long time ago but who now lives in Brazil... The meeting ended in time for me to have a chat with him before he left.

It was five o'clock before we got out to have a stroll by the sea on this now perfect early evening. I think we spent more time chatting than walking - the Ardyne path is a great place for meeting people. And then we talked to the young bulls who lined the fence and were startled by the enormity of a full-grown bull - daddy, perhaps? - who was suddenly there, only a couple of feet away. It was blindingly sunny, light glinting on the still water, the air full of the sound of swallows who kept lining up on the telegraph wires and then circling madly, some right down at our level and pulling up like tiny fighter planes at the last minute before colliding with us. Hence the main photo - I love that I've caught one in full flight. 

We had a random sort of meal to end the day - a holiday sort of dinner of grilled Stornoway Black Pudding, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes and new potatoes, followed by strawberries. I don't think any other make of black pudding exists. 

I've added an extra photo, looking south down the Firth of Clyde into the blue yonder. The moon is still looking fabulous tonight, but it's time I wasn't here ...