slow progress

We have weakened, and bought a 2m x 3m polytunnel..not very big but it will protect some seedlings and more delicate plants...and the gardeners too when the weather prevents outside gardening!

At least we know what needs doing next...when time and weather permit..while further South they are enjoying temperatures 15 C higher...No complaints as we do need the rain as the rivers are low. If only it would rain at night and give us sunny days! It seems that everything we want to do is outside and needing dry weather!!

We ventured to the velodrome in Glasgow yesterday and found that we are fitter than we thought. A timely discovery, with the Masters National Track championships at the end of June. I've decided not to race after this year as there are too many other things to do...and I can still get out and enjoy riding my bike.

We saw this building in Moniaive as we went round Spring Fling..I wonder what its history is.

Family

 The Oily One and partner visited,on the way to the North of Scotland for a few days...and stopped for a couple of nights on the way back. We had thought to be a little touristy...but just chilling out together won.
You can't visit the prom at Prestwick without having an ice...and Mancinis do a luscious vegan chocolate ice...

 Today we all went to Wanlockhead, thinking to look at the museum...

 but at £12.50 each ( or £11 each for us) and time being short, we decided that would be for another day. Still an interesting wander around in the rain...

 mainly lead mining,but also silver, copper and gold

Good to see them...hoping to see them again soon

Girvan

 Sad to see so many boarded up shops,with beautiful buildings above

 18th and 19th century workers cottages,small but solid,and unlike the 1940s and 1950s houses being demolished in Maybole, still there and worth keeping

 blown sand, not mist!

 Ailsa Craig

 A working (thankfully) boatyard

the best laid plans....

Instead of our own garden and sheds all day...I weeded he cleaned...but we've earned a bit of cash and there is more to be done here.

At least he finished mowing the lawn...not too short, think of the bees! and I tidied up the edges and prepared the end of what will be polytunnel area.

Now,having watched the highlights of today's stage of the Giro d'Italia...down to flue design paperwork....

seeing and sorting

With one eye done, Pirate is already seeing more....dust, wrinkles, ageing...scaring himself by looking in the mirror!

But also things in the distance, shades of colours not just "green" fields.  Things that he'd also never notice as a driver, he is seeing as a passenger.

He has started reading again too, but has to slow down and not rush.

With reading, as with anything visual, the brain picks up signals quickly and links that to what it knows..so mistakes can occur!
Who remembers the cartoons by Haro, so sparing in line? You'd see it quickly then on a second look realise how much your brain had assumed.

Now we are having a second day at getting all the sheds' contents unmixed...it could be a long job!!

mended kiln

 this is before the kiln cement...a bit of a jigsaw!

 the first section will sit on these bricks, go through the shed wall and sit on a similar pile before turning up vertical

Now to draw the plan of the first section that takes the damper...a friend in the village has offered to make it for me from steel.

we did our civic duty

We voted..and its a beautiful day, so hopefully it will be a good turnout...whoever gets voted for

 he has his eye on you....

no rain expected until Sunday...when we'll be helping at a bike race...and then heavy showers on Monday...I thinkit will be day out on saturday to Spring Fling!

evening walk on Hannahston

The geraniums are coming along well in the front garden.  i don't usually plant doubles ,they being no good for bees...but these are an interesting shape.

 The May is out! The flowers that is....

 local alpacas

 and sheeps

 everything is dry....

 and we can see home..the green roof in the middle

 the wildlife pool is getting shallower and overgrown..no swans this year

 and just outside the nature reserve/woodland of Hannahston, fields are being cut, I think for haylage ..or could be silage...

 back on the path to home