Road Walk

We walked along to the Community Centre this morning in warm, still, and increasingly sunny weather.  Walking along roads isn't our favourite but it does have advantages: people stop in their cars for brief conversations.  One driver invited us to look back along the road and spot what was wrong.  We couldn't see anything amiss until he pointed out that someone has turned the speed limit signs round.

Looking towards the bay, we saw a small group of house martins settling onto a muddy track.  We've seen very few house martins again this year, so it was good to watch them collecting mud for their nests, though it does seem a bit late compared with the swallows, who are already rearing their first broods.

We have an excellent verge cutting service in the village which Highland Council has contracted to Hughie, but I'm hoping that, when he comes to do the next cut, he'll take care of the orchids which have sprouted since the last one.  This beauty, by the school wall in Pier Road, looks like a early marsh, while....

....along the roadside by Church Cottage there are several northern marsh orchids in their glorious colours.

On our way home we noticed a white foxglove just along the Ormsaigbeg road from the shop.  The foxgloves are coming into full bloom, and every year there are one or two which are white.

When we arrived home we found that someone had been taking advantage of our absence.  The green wiring protects the area under the bird table from the cats, but it isn't only birds which benefit from both the safe haven and the fallen birdseed.