Guests’ Photographs
Hope you have enjoyed looking at our new Guests’ Photos page on our website - Philip and I have delighted in receiving photographs from guests who have stayed – it is something we rarely have the privilege of viewing – the post-stay images. I actively encourage more of you to send in your photo of choice – we’d love to publish them! Go on… every few months or so, we will change the banner photograph, and you could star in the next one!
A Complaint of a Twittering Nature
I have a very serious issue to report – our first major complaint in 4 years – a very traumatic day for us a few weeks back. One of our guests, who shall remain anonymous, when asked on day 2 if she had slept well, said that, no, she hadn’t. I braced myself for what was to come, and expressed concern. The response was: ”The birds were singing too loudly. What sort of birds are these?” (deadly serious, I kid ye not… )
I wish I could say that we were surrounded by lush rainforest and were serenaded by heavenly birds of paradise and colourful parrots, however, we make do with the good old blackbirds, thrush, sparrows, blue tits and the like… What a lovely singer is the blackbird! I am just delighted to awaken to this dawn chorus – couldn’t help but feel it is more desirable than city centre traffic and sirens – but, it takes all sorts. It did make me smile however…
This week there has been a mini-heatwave – just glorious to see clear blue skies each day. The garden has burst into colour and the bees are a-buzzin’ all around the climbing honeysuckle and lavendar…
Green Aware
After our ‘Green’ assessor visit – we realised that we have not drawn attention, anywhere on our website, to all the things we have been doing since start-up, and which you may want to know about. So, rather than subscribe to a scheme (which is rather costly), we have created our own Green Aware logo on our Home page – if you click on it, you can read all about our philosophy here at Pilrig House and the things we do to show we care about our environment and the local community in which we live.
Nature Watch at Pilrig House…
Last week, around 2am, I couldn’t sleep, so sat at our kitchen window overlooking the side garden. All of a sudden I heard very loud rustlings in the garden below, by the wall, below the bird-table. I thought it must be the resident foxes, but, much to my surprise and delight, out trundled a family of hedgehogs, who wandered down the path and disappeared into some dense bushes. Think we may have to install a web cam.
Our foxes do like their late night and early morning jaunts in the garden… they can be seen most days at such times if you are prepared to wait and watch! The squirrels run rampant as ever – their acrobatic feats supplying endless amusement at our windows… Better not tell Prince Charles or we may have a culling on our hands.
Golf Course Tip
Lots of recent golfer guests have visited St Andrews to see the Old Course in the flesh – and it never fails to delight. I feel a duty to report the following – my contacts tell me that, whilst not having the same cache, Kingsbarns Golf Course is the one to play when in Scotland (in St Andrews)… You heard it here first!
Those Trundlin’ Edinburgh Trams
The Edinburgh Trams project – and what a project it is – still rolls out – a little like our Scottish Parliament building did - late, over-budget and, unlike the latter, causing mayhem to local businesses and the streets of Edinburgh. Be patient when you come – the buses still travel as frequently, they are just a little slower navigating the single-lane traffic we have to endure throughout much of the city right now.
Book Festival Tickets
The Edinburgh Book Festival tickets went on sale last week and many of this year’s ‘hot’ tickets are already sold out, eg Margaret Atwood. Still, don’t be downhearted, it is always worth queueing on the day and trying for a cancellation or ‘no show’, as I experienced to my eternal happiness the first ever time the incredible Maya Angelou made an appearance at the Edinburgh Book Festival… a night to remember.
More ice-cream please…
Philip is just out of hospital – a double hernia op – and is laid up in bed, feeling sore, tired and a bit miserable right now. So, if you have a few minutes to spare, do send him a cheery message!
Bye till next time,
Debbie
