Monday 19 March

After yesterday's sunshine, we are now back to dreich. Grey, overcast, at times wet, windy and feeling very cold in said wind. It's March, what do we expect.

I continued the transcription of the Napier Report, with the large chunk of evidence (400 pages) from Lanark and Edinburgh left to do. One of the most cruel things I came across was the episode of the bull. A factor (manager) had purchased a bull for use on his estate on the island of Mull. When the beast arrived, it soon became clear that it was infected with foot and mouth disease. So, rather than slaughtering it, the animal was shunted off to the neighbouring island of Iona, where a lot of livestock unsurprisingly died.

I'm closing this post with an image of a starling on the birdfeeder. It is in spring plumage, ready for the mating season. More blooming starlings...