Busy times

We have just had a wonderful bout of sunshine for the last couple of weeks, and especially last Saturday. I spent the day, less than a mile from the city centre, watching boats sailing around, people kayaking and canoeing, and lying on the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal enjoying the sunshine, and listening to two really good local bands (THE VAGABONDS and THE OUTFIT) playing in a marquee at the waterside. In fact, there were people hanging out of windows on the 16th floor of the high flats on the other side of the water, listening to the music. [they disappeared when the bands had 'breaks'].
This was an 'open' day which we had organised, for the local community, to see the rebuilt holiday barge, which young people from the local community had helped to rebuild. It was a free day for the locals, with taster sessions on the kayaks and canoes, and boat trips in the small speed boat around the basin and back. A very enjoyable day with over 200 local people all having a good time.

I have also been out for walks as part of my work, with some school children, helping them and their teachers, discover the woodlands and trees which are all around their schools. Getting children to really look at what is around them, and to look more closely at what they have on their doorsteps - this is something which can seem intagable when you succeed - nothing more than a glimpse of realization dawning in their eyes. Although it is nice when I go back for second or third visit and they are all really keen to get 'outdoors' and ask if they can do what they had done on the previous visit - shows that they enjoyed it. Most children think that wildlife can only be found in places far away from cities and people, so it is nice to be able to change their opinions and to 'open their eyes' to what is all around them.
Seeing a snail slowly uncurling and moving across a child's hand is a magical experience - although sometimes it is dificult to get the children to leave the snails 'in the wild'!

I am going to try and downlaod some more images, to put on this blogsite, so that you can see some of the places, and interesting things that I like to record!
This is all for the moment......will write more soon!