Jim Malcolm

The River Tay is a good place for gathering wild plums. This is the tell tale blossom.

And here…..
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“Gulls a’hint the tractor as it rips the grun wi clatter,”

Bird or squirrel?  This topiary on the road to Coupar Angus was causing big Malcolm family disagreements until Susie stopped and asked the owner…

It’s a peacock apparently

Why the highest place on a ship is known as the crows nest…


The sun was trying to break through today.

Daffs are looking splendid. Shame about my belly in the foreground…

This looks like a Wind in the Willows address.

The frogs have appeared early after this period of mild weather

They seem to be enjoying each others company…..

A heart stoppingly beatiful view on the Earn.

Two blood stained hills. To the right Dupplin, where in 1332 a Scottish, army coming down from the high ground, was innihilated by English massed archers. To the left above Dunning, the most probable site of Mons Grapius the only major pitched battle between the Romans and the Caledonians around 80 AD.

After both battles the river was said to have run red with blood….

“kent his feather”

Lots of courting going on….

Gorse…. the flowers have a coconutty taste.

The Fergusson Gallery, Perth, where they have a collection of paintings by Adam Ferguson the famous Scottish Colourist

A secret path……

…watch out for trolls….

…up here……


Careful down here….

Only 2 days till the start of the trout fishing season….

Was down south of Edinburgh today recording some harmonica for an old friend Scott Murray. I swung by this village where stayed for a while, whilst a student at Edinburgh University.

It’s a very picturesque spot.

The village is centered around this ancient church where the Knights Templar apparently used to hang out. It is quite close to Roslyn Chapel and shares in the Holy Grail lore.

Went for a wee stroll along here…

This has been a winter of very strong winds.

On the way home across the Forth Road Bridge which runs alongside the iconic Forth Rail Bridge the most beautiful bridge in the world (I’m biased) You only see the top half of it here….

With fuel at over ten bucks a gallon here you don’t often see Hummers . Perhaps he owns a refinery….

Bet you didn’t know that the Amerian currency is named after a wee place in Scotland

Turn off here for Crook of Devon, a settlement famously twinned with the Thief of Bagdad.  - I’ll get my coat…..

“Come all ye Kinkardine lads…hi dum a doo dum a dadio….”

Loch leven Castle is situated on a island in the middle of Loch Leven, the  world famous trout fishery. Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned there after she was deposed, but escaped with the help of a page boy who got chop for his troubles. She was captured by the English after losing a battle at Langside near Glasgow and ended her sorry life in England where she was eventually beheaded. In those days the water was much higher and only the castle was above water.

Moonlight serenade. Was in Fife today working on my new song book with Sebelius boffin Sandy Stanage . On the way back stopped off in Auchtermuchty (you need half a pint of phlegm to say that properly) to see the statue of the great accordion player and bandleader Sir Jimmy Shand.

It’s a strange fact of life that when you become as famous and revered as Sir Jimmy seagulls get to crap on your head.

Tried to do a spooky moon shot at the famous Abernethy Tower, one of only two remaining Celtic monks’ towers in Scotland.

It all got too dark…..

My snowboard has been completely cob-webbed this year as there has been absolutely no snow. I am putting it back in the attic today to encourage it to snow. I was very lucky to get a chance to slope off to the slopes on my recent tour and Wally Bell from Vashon Island took me to a resort near Seattle and shot a short film of me snowboarding. Wally used to be an Olympic skier so filming on the move was no problem for him. He also organised a great concert on the Island.
To see the clip go to YouTube and enter: Jim at Snoqualmie.mp4 or directly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w13tjWjn1o   I’ll try to link it but I’m a bit of a dunce with web stuff.

Out for a cycle on my trusty but rather rusty steed. A bridge over the river Almond near Perth.

The Hanging tree. Erosion is exposing this plucky beech tree. Notice the nesting holes of probably sandmartins which will still be flitting around the Med or where-ever.

Saw a salmon getting caught here at Almondmouth one of the most expensive beats on the Tay….owned by the Earl of Mansfield, who lives here at Scone palace, where the Stone of Destiny resided before being stolen by Edward I in 1295. We’ve got long memories up here.

Looking down the High Street in Perth a very good place for retail therapy.  The medieval stocks were just where that cental car is.

Sculpture near the old bridge at Perth.

Detail on flood wall. probably refers to David Douglas the famous botanist who came from Perth. The line about the wood is I think from macBeth, and refers to the army marching on Dunsinane from Birnam disguised by tree branches in fullfillment of the witches prophesy.

A ‘moist’ day to day.

Disturbed a heron at a local pond

Counting the days until the glorious 15th……

Position as bridge troll available on Perthshire estate.

Ferry expensive… Waulkmill Ferry, a few miles above Perth.

Anyone for catching supper?

Two rivers to reset your soul. First the Isla just above its confluence with the Tay at Kinclaven. Secondly upstream of Kinclaven Bridge on the River Tay, very close to each other in Perthshire.

Close to here.

are these Fairy Hills of Caledonia? near Bankfoot north of Perth.

This one between Murthly and Kinclaven?

from the other side – it has to be one.

A stand of Scottish hazelnuts, which are sweet and crunchy gathered in September, the catkins are a good spring heads-up for observant huntergatherers.

Loads of tasty wild garlic getting ready to happen – yum….

The distinctive red sandstone bridge across the Tay at Kincalaven.

Not a day for snaps of hills – a bit hazy. But here’s Dunsinane the real ancient hill fort that features in Shakey’s famous Scottish play.

Thought that this bird could have been an osprey. Nearly had two of them but camera batteries ran out just when they  flew together.

Always had a thing about this cottage.

A flock of seagulls going nuts on the Tay  at Rome Croy.