caledonc

I read and listen to a lot . Much is said about the decline in our standards
and how disasterous has been devolution , the EU and just about everything else
. I was spending a quiet few hours taking some photographs of Muthill's 12th
century kirk and close ups of the quite spectacular floral display in the
village .A middle aged couple stopped and asked me where they should go before
the Drummond Castle gardens opened in some two hours time . They were from
Paris and had travelled via Zeebrugge to Rosyth on the comparitively new ferry
service . The weather was unusually warm , the flowers smelt delightful , the
buildings were at there best and there was a vaguelly discernible smell in the
air of new mown hay . We wandered over to the old kirk with its ancient Culdees
( pre catholic ) heritage . We looked at some of the old grave stones and
monuments . I picked up a " bucky " bottle and apologised . My professorial
French acquaintance smiled and shrugging his shoulders said " It is not just
you ".We strolled across to the wee post office . The post master who by chance
used to teach French in a Glasgow school conversed fluently on the matters of
the day . Euros were exchanged . Some post cards bought . We retired to the
small cafe and relaxed over coffee and shortbread biscuits .We talked about the
Drummonds, Rob Roy , the turbulence of the past and present . It was nearly
time to move on . We took some pictures . She turned to me and said in deep
sincerity " You Scots have something that is that bit different . We are so
glad to have had the chance to enjoy some of it " .

Col
Caledonian Col : CaledonC@aol.com

murchadh

Do you wonder I suffer from homesickness...

Murchadh