Second night of ringcraft.

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Oh, I'm not too sure, you're pretty big.

I think I like you!

Are you friendly?

Yes!

Some of the dogs and pups awaiting their turn to be seen on the table.

One of his friends.

...and another.

A splashing end to the walk.

The walk up round the glen on Saturday had been very pleasant and was almost completed at this point down the path which runs down the route of an ancient road, but, the "dangerous" bit was still to come.

Just before climbing the steps to our little cul de sac is the wooded area, a favourite with the crows. The nests can be seen through the canopy of leaves and the parents were busy feeding the nestlings.

This tree trunk bears the evidence.

As do the leaves on this big Laurel bush.
....shades of "I'm A Celebrity..etc.." ??

The Macro Button.

I have found it at last, hidden cunningly on the back of the camera next to the viewing screen!
Determined to try out this latest find on the camera I first tried it out last night on some garden flowers then this afternoon went in search of some wild flora.

A pink Saxifrage.

..and a white Saxifrage.

A lone Grape Hyacinth in a pot.

Some sort of ice plant?

One perfect Aubretia flower and one rather moth-eaten specimen.

.....and these were some of the wildflowers we found up the glen.

Blackthorn blossom.

Whin (Gorse) flower.

White Deadnettle floret.

Sun Spurge.

The humble Dandelion.

A Wild Violet

Views from my house.

These photos were all taken at dusk, but with different camera settings.

The trees silhouetted against the sky at sunset, as seen from my bedroom window.

Castle Law from just outside the back door.

Part of the terraced rockery seen from the kitchen window.

The beautiful camelia poking its heads over the neighbouring fence, seen from the side window of the kitchen.

First night of the new term.

Tonight little Nuri went to his first training session, at Cupar Ringcraft. He was relatively unfazed by the other dogs, being particularly drawn to a Chow pup and several Bassets, but he wasn't particularly keen to strut his stuff on the mat. On his third attempt he made a faltering walk round the triangle. Next week, after a bit more tuition in the run up to the classes I'm sure he'll do better.

The reluctant scholar.

A little cockier on his "ain midden heid"!

Help, murder, Polis!

At about 10.30 last night I was about to shut the dogs in their cages and feed them, as I usually do at bedtime, when a real fight broke out between 2 of my bitches, Tass and Holly. They do not like each other although they have no problem with any other dog (or pup) or person and the slightest nudge can now be the cause of a tussle. Jealousy is probably at the root of it all........typical females!!!
Having heard recently about such a fight in an acquaintance's kennels which resulted in a huge vet's bill I set about separating them. They were going at it hammer and tongs. I tried with my feet first of all but getting nowhere I grabbed one whereupon the other tried to reinforce her grip.........only she got ME....I shook and shouted and they parted but by this time there was blood all over the kitchen, not from the dogs, they were apparently unmarked, but from my fingers of my right hand. I ran it under the cold tap for a few minutes but it hurt like h***! Chic was in bed, and he would not have been exactly sympathetic in the circumstances. I found the "medical box" with the non adherent dressing, the tea tree antiseptic lotion and the micropore tape--but of course, there was only a length of about 3 inches of tape left and have you ever tried to use scissors (for the dressing) with your left hand, when you are right handed? With blood still dripping copiously I fixed a large wad of cotton wool around the dressing and used the short bit of tape to hold it in place. The procedure was completed by stuffing finger and its "dressing" into an Xlarge fingerstool and tying it in place with my teeth and left hand.
The dogs were boxed and fed, with finger sticking out like a "sore thumb"(!) and the cleaning up began. I would not like to see a room after a murder had been committed. As well as on the floor there was blood on the worktops, the backdoor and the surrounding paintwork. This morning I even found blood spots on the microwave and this afternoon I washed a large bloodstain from my shoe!
The bleeding appears to have stopped fairly quickly and it doesn't hurt much so I reckon I'll pull through. I've discarded the fingerstool and we're now down to a plaster. I did check up on my tetanus jabs and my last one was in 1991, so......

Perth Canine Club Open Show.

Our papillon judge was Jason Lynn (Afterglow) and the Toy Variety classes, Group and Best in Show Judge was Mike Gadsby (Afterglow). The Toys did well with Cath Stewart's Pom going Best In Show and the Papillons, Carter taking Best Puppy in Show and Spencer going Best Veteran in Show.
The only downside to the whole day was the fact that the weather outside was of the sunbathing variety and we had spent the whole day inside the icerink!

A general view across the show rings, in Perth Icerink.

Another view taken upstairs, through the window of the restaurant, looking down on the busy show area.

A view into the pleasant upstairs cafe, part of the restaurant with its tartan carpet, from where you can get a good view of the proceedings down below.

Best of Breed and Group 3 was Kathy Smith's Mister Percival of Adinaken (Percy) shown by her daughter, Jennifer.

Best Puppy in Show was Bonmeshay's Get Carter, owned and bred by Anna Fraser and Gillian Graham.

Best Veteran in Show was my own Pyatshaw White Heat (Spencer), now aged 11 years and 5 months, handled here by grandaughter Lauren.

The passing of Mary Alice

The proof is in the photograph. She did indeed produce another 4 flowers, now waning, on a third stalk, equal in length to the second and "my guid man", as one of our Highland neighbours used to refer to Chic when addressing me, has at last assumed the upright stance. He tried to stay out of the picture, hence the toasting fork, but to prove he has left the prone position I needed at least part of him there!