Pick-up-sticks

Windier today. P and A set off into the sun on their journey to Barrow with turkey sandwiches. We saw Terry and Poppy off at Waverley for a family get-together in Hull. 

It was cold on the mean streets of Morningside as we dodged peak supermarket time and Christmas tree carriers. I exchanged my worn old cotton jacket for a 'new' coat from one of the charity shops. It was a great improvement and at least some of the wind had the courtesy to pass around, rather than through, me. 

I popped out later to the Botanics as the light faded away. The wind had dropped and it was pretty neat. Three fat bullfinches were mucking about at the bottom of the Chinese Hill. I wandered through the New Zealand flora section - which I love. 

This is an Aciphylla subflabellata (etymology = fan-like needle-leaf)- a spiky grass - from the South Island. Also called 'Spaniard'. It is 'at risk - declining' and suffers from grazing by cattle, rabbits and hares. 

We fell asleep in the late afternoon and had leftovers later with a dram of my present from Terry - a 12 year Strathisla malt from Speyside. 

It was good to hear that Blippers outside the EU can finally make their contributions. The new post from Blipfuture is promising but there is a way to climb yet. Thank you to all those who read my last blog of 19 Dec (732 hits as of today) which urged people to invest now rather than wait.