Usual usual

I seem to have entered into the reverse hibernation adopted by snails, estevation, as the weather's warmed up. I'm up early to walk Nini to school through the thicket of Blackett, then back home via the papershop and another Georgian terraced, horticultural street to read in the kitchen with tea in the morning sun. These last few weeks have seen ornamental alliums, poppies and peonies out in force, dog roses and some of the early fancy Rosa hybrids too. Ah- and foxgloves. I happen to know there's a particular garden nearby that has grown a meadow of poppies and cornflowers for the last 4 years, and they need a visit.

Had a delightful long walk today with Heather and the Reekster (pictured- I hope his bi-colour eyes show up) along the full length of the Hermitage/ Blackford park, from Liberton to Morningside and back. You can see Heather's veg garden behind him. Not too hot, the pleasant shade of trees in full bloom, foxgloves on the bracken slopes, the Braidburn gurgling in its valley, insect buzz and birdsong. In some spots by the burn, scented stocks escaped from some historical garden were flowering.
Heather picked me a stock stem and found an iridescent magpie feather for me to take home, and we stopped to talk to a fat slug with a copper sheen and a crinolated dorsum. An appealingly-ugly magpie fledgling was flapping stupidly and uselessly by the side of the burn, too confused even to flee from Reekie. Reekie is interested but not predatory towards other animals, inc cats- too clever for killing without being instructed to do so. The fledgling was acting like it wanted to be taken home, but we told it its mum would be by soon.