Welcome!

This blog is to introduce you to my town - Peebles, in the Scottish Borders - just one photo at a time, with perhaps a little description and maybe some history thrown in. I hope you will find it interesting. The title comes from a historical comment made by someone who preferred Peebles to the great and famous cities. I know how they felt. It's always a pleasure to return here however long you've been away.

If you want to make a comment, ask me a question, or merely just want to say "hello, I've dropped in", you can do that by using the comment section below each entry. (Just click on the word COMMENT and follow instructions. ) I'd love to know what you think of what you see of my town.

I don't have an expensive elaborate camera so the photo quality may not be brilliant, but I'd like to think my pics will please you. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks to Mary H for the lovely designs I used for my background, and thanks too to all of you who have chosen to support my blog by becoming "followers".

Sunday 22 August 2010

Apologies

Sorry everyone. I have been away so much lately that I haven't had time to get out around Peebles to take many photos. I'll be back as soon as...
Take care.

Thursday 12 August 2010

A tiny garden



The high brick wall was part of a walled garden, and Rosemary has managed to landscape her tiny garden beautifully. She has the patio, the raised flowerbed, the rock water feature, the wavy path that draws the eye to the back. I think it's beautiful and so low maintenance. If anything I think the large flowerbed to the right would have been pretty as a lawn!

Wednesday 11 August 2010

A leafy suburb


On the edge of town a new development has shot up around what used once to be a Barnardo's children's home and a private school. I had never been here till last week, invited for lunch by a friend who moved up there from the town centre. It's very tranquil!

Tuesday 10 August 2010

A secret garden!



Flowers, fruit and vegetables are all mixed together in this tiny garden hidden from general view.

Monday 9 August 2010

A courtyard garden



This is a lovely garden, just recently constructed. The cement was laid in batches, and slab shapes marked into it.

Sunday 8 August 2010

Gardens



I could do a series on the Gardens of Peebles - in fact I just might. There are plenty of them! I love the red acer in the garden of this Victorian house.

Saturday 7 August 2010

Satellite city!



Someone once asked me "What do they call the box at the back of a satellite dish?"

The answer was "A council house!"

Now don't go all PC on me. The guy who told me that joke lived in a council house himself, and was amused at how many dishes had appeared on the walls in not just his street, but others round about!

These flats were indeed built by the local council for renting out, but a lot have now been bought over by the occupants.

Friday 6 August 2010

Quack quack



Not many ducklings survive this long on the Cuddy Burn these days. Too many crows, the heron, even an occasional mink, all count among their predators. Here's a mother with two of her three offspring, foraging along the edges of the water for goodies to eat!

Thursday 5 August 2010

Summer flowers



Love this window box!

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Pretty!



The High Street has lots of little lanes leading off it. We have various names for them in Britain, but in Scotland, the most common are "closes" and "vennels". Closees are usually passageways that are enclosed, altogether, or in part, and vennels I'd say were open for their entire length! Others may disagree with that, but that's how I see them. Closes are also the entry passage into a tenement building in some areas! This, is the other end of a close - you've come through the enclosed part and are now in the open again. The owners here have made a beautiful job of brightening it up!

Tuesday 3 August 2010

A Neighbour



Well. let's get away from the shops for now - after all, it's not that I'm the world's happiest shopper - and let me introduce you to a neighbour who often drops by to say hello! Now I do love cats, so of course I love to stroke his head and tickle between his ears, which he adores..... for all of 50 seconds. Then the ears go back, the paw comes up and SMACK! You have to be aware and move fast!
I think he's looking for mousies here. He wasn't going to look at me, that's for sure!

Monday 2 August 2010

CALZEAT



OK, so how do we pronounce this name CALZEAT? Well, personally I would have called it Calzay-at - I learned Latin at school in my youth and some of it stuck in the old brain!. However, I was told by the young assistant that it was meant to be Calate - often a z is silent in Scots! The locals call it Calzeet - that's what it looks like - so the owners have gone with that too now!

Oh, it sells throws and cushion covers etc.