Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Glen Orchy Bramblings
03/22/2005
We are still in the south/south easterly airstream, which brings mild temperatures and cloudy skies, with occasional showers. I spend much of the day in Glen Orchy attending to my duties at Diana Drummond where some important decisions have to be made about the new “Free From” range. The products have been finished after several years’ development; however, we have to decide about packaging and marketing, always as important as the product! In between sessions, I discover that Glen Orchy has seen the same 20% reduction in nut consumption by garden birds as we have in Glen Trollaigh this winter. We talk at length about the cause of this. The Glen Orchy beech trees have supported a huge flock of chaffinches during the winter and John claims that he is now host to a unique brambling that flocks with the chaffinches and is very fond of the buds on his cherry trees. Right on cue, these birds appear along with half a dozen gold finches feasting on cherry buds. I have never seen them before, and as you will know, small finches can present in thousands of local forms, at lunch we toast the recognition of the Glen Orchy Brambling. Back at the Tower of Glen Trollaigh I struggle with the “to do” list and manage to tick some items off, but seem to add several more tasks. The crows remain unshot, mainly because the evening brings a concerned chorus from the girls in Highbury over the delivery of several bulky packages for the Columbian Cousin, Herman Grenvaldt Trollaigh-Cortez, labelled “to await arrival”. I strongly counsel that they should be handed over to the police in Upper Street without delay. The girls (including dearest Dotty) are advocating a “wee peek”. I retreat to the library for an stiff Ardbeg. It will all end in tears, let alone imprisonment. Yours Aye, Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Road and Crow Chaos
03/21/2005
Although we received dire warnings for Heather the Weather about changeable weather coming this week, we enjoy another mild day, with two or three showers blown in by the light southeasterly wind. Overhead it remains misty with the mountaintops shrouded in cloud. A major road accident near Oban closes the A85 for much of the day, bringing a few dazed motorists into Glen Trollaigh looking for a way around the chaos. The Police advise a detour via Inveraray, adding at least an hour to most journeys. The Scottish Executive should take up the matter of road closures. The policy followed by the police removes the access for much of Argyll to any emergency services, and as our all too brief tourist season starts, it gives any guests the impression that they are visiting a third world country. I fully intend to bring this question up with all the parliamentary candidates who will shortly be soliciting my vote. Frankly, I do not care about all the crazy health and safety issues, trunk roads that are closed for six hours never happened in the past, and I can see no earthly reason why they should be imposed on us now. My Monday is, as usual dominated by a list of tasks to achieve and I note that there are some twenty items on the list. Slightly to my surprise I note that I have managed to complete seven of the tasks, however, once again far too many of the tasks have not been completed because people fail to return my phone calls. I dread to think what will happen at the end of the week when most of the country apart from the ubiquitous supermarkets and malls will close for Easter. I realise that the remaining items on the list, ignoring the missing calls, may make somewhat bizarre reading: Move heavy wall building stones for Dotty, Check and clean gutters, Reinforce stobs on young pine trees, Cut Logs, Gather kindling, Shoot crows, Paint small shed, Clean paint brushes. Can a guru prioritise that lot? Yours Aye, Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.