Pastries and Birthdays

Saturday was the third birthday of the Foggie Neuk Farmer’s Market, it would've been churlish not to attend.  Was reading that George MacDonald was born in Huntly, so planned to drive there, post-Foggie, to research him in the library. 

In spooky synchronicity, while Googling for library opening times, I unearthed a treasure trove.  Huntly is resplendent with George MacDonald, 2024 being the bicentennial of his birth.  A festival is planned, August 28^th to September 9^th, and the local bookshop, at 10½ The Square, precisely the address to forage for fairy tales, has books both by him and about him.  Pastries, books, a creative festival; just some other words for joy.

It was an orange and purple morning in Foggie, and gloriously sunny.  Explored hidden lanes, found the community garden, met a parrot.  There is a long-walk route to try sometime too.  But not today.  The singer, who loves Roy Orbison songs a bit too much, started up his amp. 

Left and drove on to Huntly. 

Milton of Strathbogie (Huntly) is a big cumulus-skyed, rolling-green-hilled landscape.  Lush farmland, with creamy white cows dotting alternate fields.   The River Bogie, which MacDonald called ‘The Glamour’, I wonder why, flows to the northeast of the town.

The Glamour is a tributary of the Deveron, which is watery-home to a notorious black Kelpie who will offer to take travellers across-river on its back, then drown them in a deep, dark pool mid-crossing. 

I met no such Kelpie, so had a joyful Saturday. 

Back home, wonderful to see The Princess of Wales, at trooping the colour.  God bless her. 

Then dear sparrow, who hatched on the ground in the courtyard, learning to fly.  God bless it.

Happy Birthday KC3, George MacDonald, and Foggie Neuk.

If you were wondering; Lemon, sesame, white chocolate tart and a croissant.

https://canvas-story.bbcrewind.co.uk/georgemacdonald/

https://www.illustrationhuntly.com/george-macdonald-exhibition

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/huntly/huntly/index.html#:~:text=Huntly%20spent%20much%20of%20its,Castle)%20and%20his%20surrounding%20lands.

Images for this journal have been posted on Insta @purplehaze_journals