Hassells in the Highlands

Spring is on it's way!  I see signs of it.  Yeessss!   picture taken last June We had snow a week ago, but the sun has shone in all its glory because the sky has been blue and clear of those pesky grey clouds since then. The grasses are looking a little greener and the water a little bluer. The snowdrops are blooming - small, delicate flowers, but apparently hardy because the air is still cold and frosty in the mornings. The daffodils are coming up in bunches along the river. And this morning on my walk, I saw the gorse starting to bloom.  Now, I happen to know this bush will have flowers through June because it was blooming when we arrived last year, so we will have lots of time to enjoy its color. This was taken last June Gorse is not a friendly bush. It is full of thorns and you would be very sorry if you fell into one. They tend to grow in bunches and I remember how pretty they looked all over the countryside when we arrived here.  I went to Edinbu

Spring is on it's way!  I see signs of it.  Yeessss!   picture taken last June We had snow a week ago, but the sun has shone in all its glory because the sky has been blue and clear of those pesky grey clouds since then. The grasses are looking a little greener and the water a little bluer. The snowdrops are blooming - small, delicate flowers, but apparently hardy because the air is still cold and frosty in the mornings. The daffodils are coming up in bunches along the river. And this morning on my walk, I saw the gorse starting to bloom.  Now, I happen to know this bush will have flowers through June because it was blooming when we arrived last year, so we will have lots of time to enjoy its color. This was taken last June Gorse is not a friendly bush. It is full of thorns and you would be very sorry if you fell into one. They tend to grow in bunches and I remember how pretty they looked all over the countryside when we arrived here.  I went to E

  The W.C. "What is the W.C.?"  you ask. The more common question might be - "WHERE is the W.C.?" W. C. stands for Water Closet. It's another name for bathroom. Toilet. Restroom. The John. The Loo. ("The Loo" is what I heard a lot as a kid in England, but I have not heard anyone call it that since being here.  Not even when I was in England for 5 days last summer.) I imagine the term 'water closet' came about many years ago, when the indoor, flush toilet was invented. Probably because there was a large box of sorts that was attached to the wall that contained water. For flushing. I imagine it needed the help of gravity to force the flush.  And because it was probably in a little room - rather like a closet - it must have assumed the obvious name - Water Closet. It actually does sound nicer than other names. So that is what they call the public restrooms here in the UK. At least, that is the public name for it. Howeve