Bartimaeus

Having enjoyed the carol concert, I said my farewells to my friends, moved my bag to Mary’s car and went home with her. While travelling she talked about the wildlife that was often to be seen on the roads. I had seen a creature on the way, darting into a hedge. I thought it might have been a weasel. Deer, pheasant and of course rabbits were common. We saw a rabbit, which escaped, and a mouse running across in the headlights.

Mary likes animals and has recently acquired two kittens, from another sister (yes I have several) and they are getting to grips with their boundaries and territory. They are hard to tell apart. One was super speedy and the other more reticent and restful. They have both got the idea of coming for dinner.

The hope is they will keep the rabbit and mouse population at bay but they are a bit young yet to have had an effect. They don’t pay attention to the birds on the feeding tray and the bird feeders were being kept out of reach but they did catch spiders outside at the window, so the hunting instinct is there. 

The next day we had a plan to go for a walk. I hadn’t  brought mud-proof shoes but Mary lent me her trainers. We don’t have the same shoe size but they were perfectly comfortable with a pair of my woolly socks – and cosy too. We were covering the route of a regular 5km run that Mary and Johnny both do. I am very impressed with their running. I need to work on my stamina.The walking was less taxing though.

We were in the Fyvie estate around the castle. Thousands of trees fell in a storm a couple of years ago and the grounds are being reworked following the wood clearing. They continue to suffer damage in subsequent storms to their racket courts.

These trunks may not have been from storm damage, but they made an impressive backdrop to our picture.

The estate has many paths and is undergoing some mystery development so I hope to see it again when they are open. I was meantime enjoying hearing local tales and a mix of folklore, history and more recent funny stories.

There is a well known tale of star-crossed lovers Andrew Lammie the trumpeter at Fyviecastle and the Miller’s daughter, Annie. This did not end well as her father will not consent to their marriage and she dies of both a broken heart and a broken back. The castle has a trumpeter on a turret in memory of the tale of Andrew Lammie.

Various forms of the song exist and it is known popularly as Mill O Tifty’s Annie but also entitled Andrew Lammie. Another song related to Fyvie is The Bonnie Lass O Fyvie – there is another tale of ill fated lovers but this time a soldier has fallen in love with a lass in Fyvie (but not in the castle) and is turned down as she does not care for the life as a soldier’s wife. He dies soon after being rejected.

We weren’t feeling melancholy though, even though the cafe was closed (that had been expected so no disappointment and we had had a good lunch). We enjoyed the striking castle and its grounds. While bereft Andrew Lammie adorns one tower, a marriage of the owner of the castle is celebrated in the stone carving on the other side. Also the motto “gang east & wast, hame is best” is carved into the stonework. And a very grand hame it is too.

It is a castle that looks like it was designed as a home rather than a fortress, with  decoration, flat estate lands and large windows.

Back at Mary and Johnny’s home we are greeted by the cats. Having had a frolic outside in the garden they seem calmer today.

I have had a lovely relaxing day too. I need to book my bus back though, to Edinburgh, but I have had a lovely break away full of culture, quality catering and great company.