Signs of Spring
Today the sun shone. Yay!
Not that that in itself is a sign of spring, but things always look so much better when the sun shines. It being a Tuesday I took myself off to the bus stop and caught the first bus that came (a Stagecoach bus, not a First Bus) and caught it to the Hard interchange.
Ambled round to Gunwharf, picked up a coffee (in my reusable mug. Hmmm, better go wash that out while I remember!) Sat overlooking the harbour while I drank said coffee, then off round the 'Millennium Chain' walkway to the Point. Called into the Canteen* for lunch, which I ate sat on their outside balcony at a carefully judged distance from the edge. The tide was almost in and when huge great ferries come in and out of the harbour their wash tends to 'woomph!' against the wall there and splash up over some of the tables. You pick your seat according to the state of the tide as well as which is in the sun.
And there, wrapped in one of the blankets provided, and in splendid isolation, I had their 'fish fingers' in beer batter, with salad, caper mayonnaise, and potato wedges. Yum! It was very delicious and very pleasant in the sun (having dressed for the weather, ie: warmly) watching the boats go in and out and the birds in between whiles.
Some of the birds were Black-headed Gulls, which at this time of year are beginning to moult into breeding plumage - chocolate brown face masks. Previously they've just had the two brown dots, one behind each eye. Apparently the moult starts at the back of the face mask, over the top of the head. Currently they look as if they're wearing headphones!
After which I upped, mounted the wall by the Long Battery (go check the map, Dear Reader) and headed off east along the Front, via the Fun Fair, the Hovercraft 'landing' stage, the War Memorial, the Blue Reef Aquarium and Southsea Castle. Then the Rock Gardens and back across the Common to Palmerstone Rd.
It was while crossing the Common that I noticed a few, daring, early yellow crocuses poking their flowers bravely through the turf. Dunno why, it's more snowdrop weather at present, and it's been chilly since last weekend, so it hasn't been the warmth and sunshine encouraging them out. Nice to see them all the same.
It may not have felt like it, even in the sun and out of the wind, but Spring is, kinda, on its way.
Y'all have a good day now!
*The Canteen had its Burn's Night menu up, which included 'Glasgow Vegetable Pakoras'. In a spirit of facetious enquiry I asked whether these would be just batter or what. Not sure the woman understood quite what I was getting at. She said she'd ask about them!
I dunno, I was given to understand that, like most stereotypical Scots, Glaswegians don't eat vegetables. Perhaps modern Glaswegians do, provided they're deep-fried, which pakoras are.
Yes, I realise this is totally ignorant stereotyping. For all I know there may well be lots of Glaswegians who eat eighteen to twenty different fruit and veg every day. Good for them.
AND The Canteen has warm water in the single tap in the Ladies, a welcome and entirely civilised discovery in this Seasonal weather. None of this trying not to freeze your fingers off as you wash them under the cold tap. Or those silly 'Danger: Hot Water' notices you find elsewhere.
It is not necessary to have hot water thermostats set to 'scald your fingers' temperatures in public toilets. Far more sensible to have them set to 'warm'. You don't need to invest in warning notices, get the heater descaled every few months and you don't run up fiendishly high heating bills!
Not that that in itself is a sign of spring, but things always look so much better when the sun shines. It being a Tuesday I took myself off to the bus stop and caught the first bus that came (a Stagecoach bus, not a First Bus) and caught it to the Hard interchange.
Ambled round to Gunwharf, picked up a coffee (in my reusable mug. Hmmm, better go wash that out while I remember!) Sat overlooking the harbour while I drank said coffee, then off round the 'Millennium Chain' walkway to the Point. Called into the Canteen* for lunch, which I ate sat on their outside balcony at a carefully judged distance from the edge. The tide was almost in and when huge great ferries come in and out of the harbour their wash tends to 'woomph!' against the wall there and splash up over some of the tables. You pick your seat according to the state of the tide as well as which is in the sun.
And there, wrapped in one of the blankets provided, and in splendid isolation, I had their 'fish fingers' in beer batter, with salad, caper mayonnaise, and potato wedges. Yum! It was very delicious and very pleasant in the sun (having dressed for the weather, ie: warmly) watching the boats go in and out and the birds in between whiles.
Some of the birds were Black-headed Gulls, which at this time of year are beginning to moult into breeding plumage - chocolate brown face masks. Previously they've just had the two brown dots, one behind each eye. Apparently the moult starts at the back of the face mask, over the top of the head. Currently they look as if they're wearing headphones!
After which I upped, mounted the wall by the Long Battery (go check the map, Dear Reader) and headed off east along the Front, via the Fun Fair, the Hovercraft 'landing' stage, the War Memorial, the Blue Reef Aquarium and Southsea Castle. Then the Rock Gardens and back across the Common to Palmerstone Rd.
It was while crossing the Common that I noticed a few, daring, early yellow crocuses poking their flowers bravely through the turf. Dunno why, it's more snowdrop weather at present, and it's been chilly since last weekend, so it hasn't been the warmth and sunshine encouraging them out. Nice to see them all the same.
It may not have felt like it, even in the sun and out of the wind, but Spring is, kinda, on its way.
Y'all have a good day now!
*The Canteen had its Burn's Night menu up, which included 'Glasgow Vegetable Pakoras'. In a spirit of facetious enquiry I asked whether these would be just batter or what. Not sure the woman understood quite what I was getting at. She said she'd ask about them!
I dunno, I was given to understand that, like most stereotypical Scots, Glaswegians don't eat vegetables. Perhaps modern Glaswegians do, provided they're deep-fried, which pakoras are.
Yes, I realise this is totally ignorant stereotyping. For all I know there may well be lots of Glaswegians who eat eighteen to twenty different fruit and veg every day. Good for them.
AND The Canteen has warm water in the single tap in the Ladies, a welcome and entirely civilised discovery in this Seasonal weather. None of this trying not to freeze your fingers off as you wash them under the cold tap. Or those silly 'Danger: Hot Water' notices you find elsewhere.
It is not necessary to have hot water thermostats set to 'scald your fingers' temperatures in public toilets. Far more sensible to have them set to 'warm'. You don't need to invest in warning notices, get the heater descaled every few months and you don't run up fiendishly high heating bills!