Urban Wildlife

Today I took Isobel to her group piano lesson at 9am. Part of the Suzuki method involves children performing to each other and appreciating each other, (and inadvertantly learning from each other) from the beginning. Eilidh does the same thing with her violin. Today though around a dozen children and their parents gathered in her teacher's living room in Cramond. Each child began with a bow to their audience, was applauded, then performed a piece they had chosen, finishing with a bow and more applause.
Some of the pieces lasted less than a minute, some two or three minutes. Some played simple rhythms, some one handed pieces and some involving two hands, one played a duet with her teacher and another a piece he had composed himself.
All of those present had only been learning for a year or so, some just weeks. The youngest was 3, the oldest 8 or 9 and the newest around 7 - the daughter of a musician who trained at the Conservatoire.
The session ended with some group playing and some rhythm activities - I'm sure you all remember doing "ta - ta - ta-te - ta" etc at school. The less experienced picking up knowledge from the older students. Tea/juice and biscuits finished the morning, then we left.
A more experienced group of pupils were coming in for their group lesson as we were leaving.
We headed next to Isobel's Sunday School and I went into their church in York Place. Colin was looking after Eilidh in the meantime and then going to our service.
As Isobel and I were walking by Albany Street Lane we spotted my Blip, the upper picture, some white lilac (there was also a purple bush in full flower just down the lane), the lower, one of the darkest dog violets I've ever seen, growing very beautifully in a crack at the foot of the wall. So lovely to see.