Bartimaeus

We decided to have a walk and got the bus to a different place. We were finding out the route of the newish bus number 9 that had replaced the 41. We discovered it went past the Botanic Gardens. I thought we could hop off there but we weren’t sure it would be as interesting as usual. There are often exhibitions but a quick look on-line only showed the Christmas night themed light installations. We decided to stay on the bus to Granton. 

It felt nippy as we got out but a brisk walk would warm us up. We saw a pile of clothes by the shore and a woman in her bathing suit. She proceeded to walk into the sea without the slightest wince or shudder. She walked forward into the waves and started swimming. She seemed to stay in there quite a while. 

Captivated by the sight we walked forward to the shore and saw there were some  redshanks enjoying rich pickings from the seaweed. I hadn’t realised how suited to blending in to the shore they were.

We walked on to Leith for lunch then continued to the shore. It wasn’t obvious that we could get right along. The waves seemed to be lapping right up the sand on to some seaweedy rocks. We paused deliberating whether we should risk it. A man walked past us, hitched up his trousers a couple of inches above his walking boots and told us we needed good boots for this bit and proceeded to splash on through, still having to be cautious on the later rocky bits. We decided to try the higher route and with care on the rocks to avoid the greener surfaces and very little slipping, we got through with dry feet. We made it to Portobello and contacted my niece who lives there and found she was in. She said she’d come along to the prom and meet us so we walked along the prom and waited at the bottom of her street. The wet metal bench did not appeal to me but Shane used his large gloves as a cushion. Lorna was with us in a jiffy and we came along to her house where we warmed up with tea and biscuits. On the way in I dropped by her door a bit of sea tumbled glass, rounded and opaque, that I had picked up for her in Fife. She has quite a collection of  these beach pieces.

The next day another niece messaged me to tell me that she had seen an interesting exhibition at the Botanics, in Inverleith house, that she thought I would enjoy. So there was something else on there! 

It was an art exhibition on the topic of fungi. We felt we really should get there soon, as the exhibition wasn’t on long, we had a hot recommendation and a good new bus route.  Bryn said he’d like to come along with us and that it sounded interestiing. He wasn’t even getting free transport. Although there weren’t many flowers, the gardens are still interesting with a few water features.

The exhibition was well worth the trip and we all were glad we had come along in time. There was some Linda McCartney faux leather items made of fungus and fungus inspired psychedelic textile patterns. The exhibits that had caught my niece’s attention were by Amanda Cobbett and use very fine thread to make models. She had sent a link to a video of them being made.They were amazingly detailed and delicate. It was scarcely believable that they had been made of thread. I could hear Bryn exclaiming how impressed he was before I had come over to see them and told him these were the pieces I had been told about.

A later exhibit was similar but I can’t tell the real from the manufactured. Both actual fungi within art and hand made model mushrooms were on show.

There was an interactive display of dyes from fungi and the blue one above stains the wood on which it grows so that the wood is then prized for it’s blue colour. There was a display too of books, fashion and music inspired by fungi. Visitors were invited to select a disc and place it on the turntable. I decided not to risk lifting the stylus. I recognised an artist among the album sleeves, Cosmo Sheldrake, musician and I had come across his music. His brother Merlin is a mycologist.

Back outside we passed the pond with ducks and light sculptures that were not related to fungus. A moorhen was mounting the sculpture but was even more hidden than the redshanks in the seaweed, the lack of red shanks might be the issue, just a red beak.

I have made plans to travel again, prompted by my concert visit with Mugs I remembered that my sister is in a choir that does Christmas concerts that sell out, near where Mugs lives so we have booked tickets to go together. We have chosen one that will allow me to seamlessly move on to visiting my sister Mary after the performance, just like when I came along to the concert her relative was in, and she left with her brother.

Meanwhile I was contacted by a schoolfriend I haven’t seen in many years and arranged a video chat. She has now moved north and when I mentioned I was going up soon, we found she was intending going to one of the Haddo House concerts too. I told her the one she wanted was already sold out and so she quickly organised after our call to get tickets and she will be coming along to the same one as me. It will be quite a party for me.

Today I was travelling a little more locally but still catching the train. My friend had an eye appointment and the Eye Pavilion has temporarily closed and moved all it’s operations to St John’s in Livingston, He didn’t know his way there and didn’t know how he would feel or how bad his vision might be after the proceedure. Shane had his operation there so I was confident of the route so agreed to come along with him to guide or divert as required. The morning light to the station was lovely and thankfully all went smoothly. It is an even earlier start tomorrow.