Menoturals; More Watery Moments

Sharing with the LLB Gang on their hoppity-hop Nature Friday meme. Today, just a brief video clip from the stay beside the River Tweed that was just a mere hoppity-hop from the park-up I shared with you yesterday. Blue Heron flying in to claim another part of the bank, then a mother Common Merganser and her brood (one on her back), scuttling against the current. Not the best quality shot, I'm afraid, as I had the zoom to max and that tends to pixillate.

Menondering Along

After a couple of days in Edinburgh last week, it was time to meander southwards. The aim was to be with Aitch at her home in Northumberland for the Wimbledon Final. After some really poor weather, summer came up trumps again, and even on the day I departed the city, it was reaching 27'C! Anyway, there was no hurry, so I only travelled down to Galashiels and found a shady parking spot under some mighty trees, a little busy with traffic, but perfectly fine to spend a couple of nights and spend the Friday watching Wimbledon semi-finals. Those trees made all the difference to the comfort levels! 

Feet up, knitting to keep the fidgets at bay, a cooling coconut water on the side... 

The best thing was stretching into the morning with some of the best birdsong I have heard in ages. Merlin app told me there were seven different voices. I saw none of the birds, but was thrilled to hear them. Particularly the Thrush and the Blackcap, both rather scarce now.

Turn up your sound to see if you can make out seven distinct calls... (sorry about the traffic in between, nothing I could do about that!) If for any reason this little player doesn't work for you, please go directly to the file with this link.

I am also grateful that the weather was such that I could sit with the door wide open and gaze upon the soft greenery, and the drystane dyking that is probably as much as 200 years old... and that lone feather...

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

Continuing our mini-season of the works of Janáček, today's item is a duet that shows his inclination to experimentation with pre-existing forms, yet retaining a strong classical connection...