that time of the year

Somehow a couple of Gullane runs have escaped the blog. Things have been quite busy, and the runs, a week past Sunday and last Saturday, were nothing extraordinary. All the same, there are a couple of things to address!

Regular readers will know I despise the mid-winter stupidity of December; a heady brew of overindulgence and mawkish sentimentality. A lovely finish to a pretty crappy year. And I'm not just talking about the eternal (self-answering) question "why do old performers who have lived the rock-n-roll lifestyle suddenly die in their 80s?" (And 70s and sometimes 60s.) 

However there are other things that are worth the entrance fee. Particularly stewed apples. You should get the recipe off Mary although I don't think she'd be any more specific than....

throw some chopped cooking apples (remove cores) in a pan with some dried fruit - sultanas maybe? - and a pinch or 2 of cinnamon, and maybe a splash of water? Simmer until a squashy mush then serve. You don't even need to add sugar. And it makes the house smell great. You don't need cream and booze and butter and fancy in your recipes nor should you be watching cookery programmes that advocate that unless you need to pile on a few pounds. So switch that telly off and go and run a few miles.

Santa on a horse - what could be more crissmassy

the devil's work - anyone else notice an obesity epidemic?
We are in Falko's most weeks and limit ourselves to a scone or raisin brioche.

About this point the coffees kick in and I try to capture M getting overexcited but there is little light about and, as a result, shutter lag.

We thought we might be on for a spectacular sunset and there has been one or 2 recently, but the afternoon light just kind of fizzled out after a sickly twilight.

Forth Bridges just beyond the horizon.

The sea buckthorn were looking especially orange

Seamlessly into the next weekend and here we are again. Mary started the day in a filthy mood so I ran on ahead because she was not good company. By the time we got to Marl Loch she had softened and by the end of the run we were talking again. I am waiting till Jan and the sales before considering buying a new camera (TZ100) - there isn't really a need for one it's just because the specs are a few steps on from the current model and the sensor is bigger. And hopefully after xmas the price will drop a bit. Meanwhile Mary bought a TZ70 and was road testing it. Initial impressions are great - it feels and looks more substantial than some of the more plasticky iterations. I continue to use Panasonics as I have had decent results with them all.

4 deer this week

I always stop and take photos of the reeds here, especially when backlit.

Mary's new camera. Zoom = x30!

It was certainly very pleasant on the beach as it almost always is. However the sun was mostly struggling to get out from behind the clouds and losing the battle. Maybe a newer camera with bigger sensor will make for better images on days like this but I know from experience with the current model it is hardly worth taking photos. They just come out dull. At least Mary's mood improved which made life better!

I love my shoes!