I took this photograph in the graveyard at Symington Church.

You will note the spiral effect in the bark of the tree – I’ve no idea why.

This grey/white building is sandwiched between the red sandstone one, that the faces from yesterday are on, and Marks and Spencers brick-built modern store.

Actually the brick building doesn’t look too out of place.

Everyone should look up as they walk around towns!

These faces are high-up on the front of an otherwise relatively plain building on the High Street in Ayr.

I hadn’t registered them before although I must have seen them a thousand times. I also found it interesting that, as I stood and photographed them, other folk stopped to see what I was doing and then started talking about the faces as well. Have I started something?

Although our Buddleia is a little later in flowering this year than others in gardens round about, it still makes a good show.

Of all the variety of colours it comes in, this is my particular favourite.

Apart from the excellent quality of the food (sit-in or takeaway), the location looking out over Ayr Bay towards Arran (some superb sunsets) and an owner who recognises me even though I only go there once or twice a year, I also like his sign.

Always gives me a gentle smile!

I had to spend a few hours in Kilmarnock yesterday whilst my car was in for a service.

I took this photograph of the steeple of the Old High Kirk. The church was built between 1731 and 1734 as the Chapel of Ease to house the overflow congregation from the Laigh Kirk. The original building did not have a steeple and this was erected a little later (I can find no specific date, but it seems probable that it was sometime between 1734 and 1799),

From this photo it is not possible to see how plain the exterior of the building is, but one of the claims to fame is for the interior set of 23 stain glass windows, the designs for which were created by William and J.J. Keir (known as the Keir Brothers) in the 1860s. I’ve included a screenshot of one of the windows on the Old High Kirk website – to see all of them select ‘Church Windows’ from the dropdown box on the left side of their main page.

Yesterday evening I looked out of the kitchen window and saw, in bright sunshine, a hedgehog trotting across our garden and hovering up the fat ball droppings under both bird tables. (There was no other description for his gait but trotting!)

So I dashed off to get my camera and then went outside, but, of course, the hedgehog had disappeared.

I went back in put down my camera and went back outside to tidy up the patio when, lo and behold, the hedgehog appeared from under the bushes and trotted across the patio; seemingly not worried in the slightest that I was very close indeed.

I shot back in and grabbed my camera, but only managed to get these rear view shots before he vanished under the back hedge.

One of the more pleasant aspects of living in Ayrshire is the number of views of the many rivers which it affords.

Today I was on Oswald’s bridge at Auchincruive overlooking the River Ayr.

The first photograph is taken upstream – roughly eastwards – ……….

……. and the second downstream – roughly westwards.

I hadn’t realised there were folk enjoying the river when I took the shot!

This is a picture of the secondary school my kid’s went to – Belmont Academy built in 1960

and this is a picture of the replacement school currently being built in the playing fields and due for completion in summer 2008.

It’s probably just me, but does anyone else think that schools are deliberately being built with a very limited shelf life?

My old school building is over 100 years old and still going strong without too many internal adaptations.

Preparations have commenced for the annual Ayr Flower Show. Although it is called ‘Ayr’ Flower Show, it attracts exhibitors from far and wide and certainly would like to think of itself as the Scottish equivalent of the Chelsea Flower Show – and that includes prices!

This is the first of many marquees going up – some 12 days prior to the show – and much to the annoyance of dog walkers since a considerable area of normally open ground is now not accessible.

If I can be bothered to find the cash and time, I might post some photos from the Show at the beginning of August.