Monday Meander.

It works!  Now it is becoming much cooler, and the day becomes shorter, it is wonderful to set up the stove.  It takes minutes to get going, and from then on radiates heat throughout the downstairs of the house.  The picture above shows the wood 'catching', but once that has happened everything gets turned down and one, two, maximum three lumps of wood have us feeling cosy, all evening.

Minerva McGonagall is comfortable in the bedroom.  So all is well with the world.

Soon it will be time to pack away the garden furniture.  Once the strong winds come I do not want to see the odd chair heading for the North Sea, or the neighbours.

Whoops, naughty birds.  Fear not, they never flower, which as I understand the cultivation  is such that it needs to before you can start making money.  Its a shame to be illegal to grow it, as it is quite bonny, but to be on the safe side, best pull it up.  But then again....

East Rathen Church.  This church is up the road from us and to the right a bit, its a few miles from actual Rathen.  But the way churches were built way back is fascinating.  Or should I say why and where they were built.

Gothic church of 1842 with subsequent alterations and extensions. T-plan with later octagonal spirelet. Squared rubble with pinnings typical of the area. Fixed pews in the gallery and moveable seating in the nave.

The parish of Rathen is said to be one of the most ancient in the county of Aberdeen, and at one time contained within its limits the greater part of the parish of Strichen, and a part of the parish of Fraserburgh. The church and teinds, it is said, were at an early period appropriated to the Cathedral of the diocese, the incumbent of the benefice becoming the stipendiary of that establishment, till its dissolution at the Reformation.

' there was about the tyme of morneing prayer for diverse dayes togithir, hard in the church a queire of musicke, both of woces, organes, and other instruementes, and with such a ravisheing sweetnes that they ware transported which, in numbers, resorted to heire it with unspeakable pleasure and never wiried delight. The preacher on day being much takin with the harmonie, went with diverse of his parisheners in to the church, to try if there eyes could beare witnes to what there eares had hard, but they ware no sooner entred when, lo, the musicke ceassed with a long not, or stroke of a wioll de gambo; and the sound came from ane upper lofte where the people used to heare service, but they could see nothing.' 

This report is from the church prior to it being re-built in 1842.  Spooky! 

And here is a close encounter with a couple of deer.

Meandering on a Monday.