End of July

Diana and Martin have been here. Diana has removed parts of the stumpery in the bog and so we have been inspired to remove some more. We found a few little blaeberry plants in among the roots; and I have replanted them just outside the study window. I have also planted near there an olearia macrodonta like the one which Janet gave me years ago and which is now huge and very beautiful. The ground beneath the six inches of peat put there by the builders, taken, as I believe I may have said before, from our beautiful peat meadow grrr, is a mixture of orange sand and stones. I have no idea if this is indigenous or builders' waste. I will be interested to see how it operates as a growing medium.

When we took D and M for the usual walk around we had the greatest excitement of finding a huge bush of knee high oak, far down towards the river just to the side of the knoll with the dead tree. The oak is either one sprawling or several not sprawling seedlings, very thoroughly bonsaied by deer. It is eight feet by six feet across and about two feet high. We are amazed that we have not seen it before; but, really, you don't expect to see an oak tree imitating the action of bog myrtle. This is a fencing priority.

Diana and Roy waded across to one of the little islands in the river, as the water was so low, and found three alders there. Rather fairy taleish I feel. Otherwise, we just noticed trees and plants and we sat on rocks in the burn and fantasised about what the Victorians would have done with the ravine. Well, I did.

On Sunday we went to have lunch at the Invergarry Castle Hotel, a very civilised place, because we had to buy some milk. We went for a walk in the grounds which are decayed gentility: lots of big oaks and beeches; the remains of gardens; terraces; gunneras; a whole pond full of arum lilies; and dozens and dozens of oak seedlings. Oh how my trowel finger itched.

I have been taking pictures which will be posted when I can find the intellectual energy. They include some interiors because I have been asked for them. The study is now useable as such; we have moved the sofa to the place where a second one might be put. And the builders have done various things such as fixing the lights which I don't much like over the table (and breaking one of them). The table is really too short for three lights. They have also put up our ingenious American coathooks as yet unavailable here. (Thank you, Max.) The pictures will be there to prove it.