Raspberry picking

Always enjoy spending an hour raspberry picking and filling bowls up to the brim with fresh sun ripened berries, although the sun has been a bit thin on the ground this year.  I always freeze some as I use them a lot in compote's and of course I make raspberry jam which all my guests enjoy at breakfast.

Berry Market

Last month at the Community Market in Blairgowrie they had a bit of a berry theme going on (still playing blogging catch up here!)  There were a few cookery displays from the Love to Eat gang and the Jampionships and lots of memorabilia from berry picking days gone by.

Foraging Walk

Cittaslow Perth organised an evening foraging event starting at Rodney Gardens in Perth and walking along to Willowgate Fishery past the ancient orchards.  Shockingly it was the first time I have ever set foot in Rodney Gardens and you can park right next to it as well.  There are lots of sculptures etc a return visit needed.  Margaret Lear from Plants with Purpose led the foraging walk and showed us all the edible plants and her husband Andrew explained about saving all the ancient fruit trees by taking cuttings etc. Amazed to hear how the whole area used to be one huge market garden.  We finished up at Willowgate Fishery below the Friarton Bridge for a cookery display and a bite to eat. Also sampled some lovely rhubarb and vanilla cordial and the lady who made it let me take the bottle home.     Incidentally there are lots of geocaches around here....on my list!

Filming along Riverside

Apologies for blogging absence as my computer was playing up and the monitor then broke etc etc, so ended up having to invest in a new computer and all the hassle of transferring things over and different photo editor...........  Anyhow be about 3 weeks ago now I was invited by Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust to go down to the Riverside in blairgowrie for a bit of filming.  The filming was along by the big trees in the newly cleared out area.  Just had to walk along with the dog and then a small interview, which is right outside my comfort zone, but managed to answer the questions quite coherently I hope.  I don't know if they'll use the clip anywhere but it was fun.

Walk at Butterstone Loch

Another 'on my doorstep' walks I've never done before but did it today.   As always I enjoy the short drive along the criss cross of country roads we have in these parts and parked at Catchpenny where you can start a circular walk which will bring you out at Butterstone Loch Fishings and you can follow the track along the side of Butterstone back to Letter Farm at the side of Loch of Lowes. It's an easy non strenuous walk and would be good on a bike as well. You can also park up along the side of Loch of Lowes and do the walk in reverse and why not stop for a bite to eat at Butterstone.