AR-HAR THERE, JIM ME LAD!

This is one of the Prof's favourite sayings. He once made me watch the whole of the movie Treasure Island on a rainy afternoon to hear it said by Walter Beery, playing Long John Silver. You've guessed it, he never said it. It's one of these phrases such as 'Hey Gringo!' and 'Play it again, Sam' you only think you heard. Nevertheless, it seemed to be a suitable title for today's blip

I so admire people who can see a bit of junk and turn it into something beautiful like this. We found it at Portencross. Neither of us have been there for years and we were not aware that the ruined castle has been made safe and is now open to visitors. The voluntary group have done an amazing piece of work. There werre were some scary visitors there, courtesy of the West Kilbride scarecrow festival. I don't know if they scared the crows, but they sure as hell scared me.

A lovely walk through a meadow of orchid, bugloss and vetches along to Hunterston. A gorgeous sunny morning, watching gannets dive against the backdrop of Wee Cumbrae and Arran. No loo at the Castle, so we were forced to decamp urgently to the Seamill Hydro, where we were also forced to have a coffee and a cream scone. None of my doing.

Home to do more harvesting and to prune the roses on the pergola. One year I start at one end, the next year I start at the other. I never complete it. They are not kidding when they describe Rosa Rambling Rector as 'vigorous'. He is a very naughty boy - he grabbed hold of the Comtesse Cécile de Chabrilliant and strangled her.

Sun, sun, sun. It is hard to stop oneself running around crazy in the sunshine.