Snowdrops

 I'm seeing them everywhere we walk. Back home in Romania during my childhood, they truly meant that spring is coming. 

No such luck here...these were huddled against a frozen wind at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, where we went for our daily exercise yesterday. 

This photo was taken at 2pm...it was so dark that the flash came on my phone camera. I think today is our 12th day without sight of the sun and even my enduring love for Edinburgh is starting to falter in the gloom.

We went to the 'Botanics' because it is just about the only place where the Boy is willing to go without a massive argument (he really hates the daily walks, because they feel like they are MANDATORY and they're no fun for a little boy). The Botanics are HIS happy place, like Cramond is mine. I don't know why-but he just mellows as soon as we set foot on the paths. 

Yesterday, although it was grim, grey and cold, we still managed to spend about an hour in the bedraggled gardens, mostly dreaming about the lush days of spring. 

As we were walking into the Chinese Hill Gardens, we spotted a grey squirrel and stopped to say hello (we stop and say hello to all creatures when we are out with the Boy). I thought the little fur ball was going to keep his distance, like they all do, so I was totally unprepared (no camera on hand) for what happened next. The Boy crouched down to see the creature better, and the squirrel ran straight towards us (we were on the path), came to the Boy and gently set a front paw on his knee, looking in his eyes and sniffing cautiously (looking for a tasty titbit, me thinks). I just did not expect that behaviour at all. I'm sure the squirrel is tame because of visitors regularly feeding it, but for my son this was a truly special moment. It was over well before I could get my phone out of my pocket, the squirrel off to some other place in search of a bite, but I know this will stay with the Boy for a very long time. 

I wish we didn't have to book at least a day in advance to get into the Botanics! Our daily exercise would come with a lot less hassle if we didn't live through the times when spontaneity has died.