If I had to find a reason for not moving to the countryside-one big one would be Rape. Not as in unlawful and unwanted carnal knowledge-not much of that round here if the proceedings of Kevin Sheriff of Duns' Court are anything to go by but Rape as in Oil Seed Rape. It not only looks foul in a bright billious sort of way -a bit like too many daffodils (thankfully now dying off) it certainly is not nice to be too near as some people complain of itchy eyes and other allergic reactions. We have been lucky-now nearly 9 years in the Old Manse and we have never had Rape in the old Glebe field behind us. However we have not avoided it all to gether-see image above-this is in the Laird's field at the southern edge of the village.

A bloggee has requested a view of Hutton from the south. The main entrance to the village past the millennium stone. The building on the skyline to the right is the Manse-or New Manse. On the site of a former building taken over as the Manse when the old one was de-Mansified over twenty years ago. It went up in flames a few weeks after the new Minister moved in. Act of God not suspected.

Final image is of a well ploughed Hutton Hill. Potatoes this year-hence the deep drills. How are they doing I hear you cry? Not. The seed potatoes have yet to be inserted and will be as soon as they can make the tortuous journey from Inverness. And I fear our tomatoes will be as late.  ¶ 10:41 AM