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We discovered last weekend that the cat who has been visiting us for over a year hasn't an owner (or, at least, we couldn't find anyone who would admit to being his owner). He had been injured, and so we contacted Lothian Cat Rescue, who have been looking after him until yesterday. But yesterday, he became our cat. He wasn't exactly overjoyed to see us when we visited the shelter to collect him, but he's much happier now, although he's making it clear that he intends to remain fairly independent ...

Symmetry

No prizes for the photo

Auld Reekie Express
Originally uploaded by Glaswegian

But a unique occasion - Tornado on its first run to Edinburgh, hurrying through Wallyford Station - at the head of the Auld Reekie Express. For me, it was a short experience - a few seconds as the train rushed by ...

It rained

So I didn't take any photographs, but I did reach the summit of Blackford Hill yesterday ...

snowDrops

Wintrier

I had to be careful of my footing - snow, and mud ...

Perspective

Trig Point

I guess that the star shaped bit is for fixing instrumentation, or was ...

Blackford Hill

The light was incredible - almost horizontal sunshine ...

Little and large

I took this picture last week; but my resolve is holding, and I attained the summit of Blackford Hill again yesterday ...

Tonight, there is wind and rain - it's good to be indoors ...

Thanks for the weather, Heather

Unusually for us, we had a Saturday without commitments, so I thought of climbing Allermuir Hill, in the Pentlands. As the week progressed, however, it became clear that to-day's weather wouldn't be ideal. We went for it anyway, and managed to achieve the top just above Hillend, but it was extremely windy, so we didn't try to go further.

We weren't particularly impressed with the cafe at Hillend, and then had a fraught time shopping at Fort Kinnaird, but we're back home, and not too much damage has been done. But if anyone sees a pink glove somewhere in the Pentland Hills, please let me know ...

Sunset

Eco Christmas Trees

 
 
Sanderson's Wynd Primary School have been making Christmas Trees from recycled materials.

Old news

 
At the start of this month, I spent an enjoyable, if challenging, day with the Imagineers from Sandersons Wynd Primary School at the Scottish heat of the Lego Mindstorms Challenge, which took place in the new Informatics Forum at Edinburgh University. Our team acquitted themselves well, particularly in the teamwork category, being pipped at the post by just one point.

Red sky in the morning

... shepherd's warning ...

Pownce

On 15th December, this year, Pownce (I wonder what will happen to the URL) will close. It has been said, many times, that it is only when you are about to lose something that you appreciate how good it is. Pownce is a microblogging website. It doesn't impose the 140 character limit of Twitter, and permits richer content. It is mobile friendly - the mobile version allows you to read and write through a single interface.

Pownce has been acquired by Six Apart, and there is the possibility that some of the community will move to Vox. But Vox is different - it doesn't (in my opinion) have Pownce' elegance. There is a connection between technology and community (and, I guess, commerce - the decision to close Pownce was, presumably, a commercial one). I, for one, shall mourn the passing of a platform which, surely, deserved better.

Houses

Where's the snow?

The morning after

You learn something every day

Plaque
Originally uploaded by Glaswegian

I didn't know that Roget (compiler of Roget's Thesaurus) was a graduate of Edinburgh University ...