Our local Fauna and a bit of flora.

The above is a Beech Tree. Isnt it magnificent. Around us are some ancient woodland and many more broadleaf trees. Far superior to the Sycamore and Ash which surrounded us previously.

Wild rabbit. What do you expect when you are surrounded by tons of gorse bushes! Easy burrowing. Fortunately, so far, not in our garden.

Roe Deer. Seen almost daily. They are all over Buchan. Our previous home we occasionally saw them running across a field. But here there seem to be more of them. The countryside here is so different to what we had before. Smaller fields, with walls, and fences, containing cows and sheep as well as growing crops. Our previous home was surrounded by huge fields of growing crops, walls removed and no need for fencing, so not much shelter or hiding places for these animals.

Not seen by me as yet, but Mike has seen hares on his early morning walks.

Dotted around are man made ponds. I havent yet found out the reason for these, but the herons visit regularly, so they may be stocked with fish. There would certainly be frogs to eat. Again a daily sight the grey heron.

Cannot not mention the Buzzards. Before we came to live in Scotland the most viewed bird of prey was the sparrow hawk, which is everywhere, including here. Also kestrel. But buzzards abound here. They take small mammals, they would struggle with a full grown rabbit. We have seen them following the plough - the early buzzard also catches the worm.

The next bird I had to put in, although it has only ever paid two visits to the Loch of Strathbeg, the last visit being a few days ago. Normally it would be on the continent. It is a Black Kite.

Mike has also seen badgers. Both dead and alive.

Today I have been a lady of leeesure. One of the shops in Peterhead was offering a bra fitting service today. (I had thought it was last Wednesday and found myself in an empty shop, empty of customers that is, and was given a bra to try on after being measured. But I found it was like an instrument of torture.)

Today the shop was not empty. There were hordes of women, all shapes, sizes and ages. Pleased I wasnt the oldest there.

We were all given a numbered ticket. Having five in front of me I had to make a mad dash and move the car, it was obviously going to take longer than 45 minutes. When it finally came to be my turn I was talked into trying a wired bra. I have avoided wired bras for forty years having been poked in the left nostril by a wire which escaped during a particularly hectic dance (in the 70s.) Well - what a difference, I had to agree with the fitter. Not only did she put it on for me, showing me how to do this, which involved leaning forward to fasten it, then place both index fingers down the middle and spre-a-d, after that lesson and putting top back on I had to agree there was a vast improvement.

So I bought it and ordered the same in black. With cries of "Jordan eat your heart out", from the assembled shop assistants I left considerable pounds lighter - both purse and boobs.

This shop was yet another of Peterhead's oddities. Its a huge shop goes from one street right through to another. Loads of really helpful assistants, male and female, and the clothes selection is mind boggling. They have a large section of "On Offer £5 and half price bargains." These are all good stuff. All different, not rails of the same tat at all. Then there are rail upon rail of again quite individual dresses, tops, skirts, evening, day, coats, which do go up to quite the top end in money. And blow me, theres a branch in Fraserburgh. Just need a New Look and I never need to go to Peterhead again.