Musings from the Merse
Monday, March 02, 2009
Following my last post (no military pun intended) a number of people have pointed out that I have not done enough justice to the best places for seeing Red Squirrels in southern Scotland and the Borders. So you can make up for my omission by going here Amongst the 'best places' in the Borders is Paxton House-if it is a best place I really wonder what the worst places are as it has become very difficult to see the varmints there.It may be that they are fed up with being stared at from a 'hide' by whispering humanoids with large binoculars and sandwiches-not a crumb of which is left behind and have moved off to somewhere where their privacy is respected. I did ask some one at Paxton House where on earth the squirrels were and was told that they were likely to be still hibernating. This was July but with the Borders summers you never know.
And a bloggee told me of how after a long hot wasp infested afternoon in the Hide, totally Red squirrel-less, he drove over one on the way out-just at the point which it says 'Beware Squirrels Crossing' making it the only notice is the whole of the grounds which has any relevance to the actualite. No doubt some one will shortly replace the notice with
'This crossing point is not thought suitable for Red Squirrels'
If only they could read.
They might live longer
(Thnkyou Robert Grove for this image of Red S cautiously making his way over the safe crossing point)
Labels: Paxton House, Paxton House. Indecisive Notices, Red Squirrels
Sunday, August 10, 2008
If Huttonian has a word of criticism about Scotland's finest Palladian mansion it is to do with the extraordinarily indecisive notices which abound. We have posted about this before with particular regard to the warning about wheelchair access to the river. 'it is thought unsuitable' to take your chair down over twenty steep steps in several stony greasy flights. Why not, just, 'Unsuitable for Wheelchairs' But the management goes on its gentle, caring sweet way, behaviour stubbornly unmodified. A new one is the neat little advisory in the tea rooms-converted stables.(also above) 'Please consider' may well fall on deaf ears as it were Not even suitable for a manger in Bethlehem with a lot of inconsiderate, or three at least Wise Men just around the corner, with no track record of regard for breast feeding mums roughing it in stables. I would prefer ' Reserved for Nursing Mothers' or if you want to preserve the convoluted courtesies
' If you are not a nursing mother.Consider P*****g Off. Thankyou'
Labels: Paxton House. Indecisive Notices
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Oh Dear.I really hoped we had seen the last of this craven notice at the top of the path leading down to the Tweed from Paxton House. But it is back for the new season. Thought Unsuitable? Oh Boy. Its not the steep gradient thats the main problem -it is the steep flights of steps-32 steps in all. Why cannot the Paxton House management show some leadership and say :
This Path is not suitable for wheelchairs. Flights of steps.
The truth will set you free.
The second image, of some of the steps, says it all
Labels: Paxton House. Indecisive Notices
