The last day of June

A few days ago I spied a field splashed with red, and yesterday I went to look more closely.  

Looking north, across the Firth of Forth to a hazy Kingdom of Fife, the field runs alongside the main London - Edinburgh railway line, and as I took my photos a coloured co-ordinated, poppy red Virgin train passed by.

I have a new favourite walk, around another huge and glorious field.  In past times I think it was probably two very big fields with a lovely hedge dividing them, but sadly that hedge has now gone and it has been merged into one gigantic field, with a track carved through the middle.

At the moment one half of the field is growing corn, still a glaucous blue and ripening.  The other half is barley, rippling and velvety to the eye.

Storm Hector left a lasting impression when he tore across the countryside a couple of weeks ago.

The views all round are magnificent.  As I stand and listen to the wind through the grasses, the sky lark above and the occasional buzzy bee, it is hard to believe that Edinburgh city centre is only twelve miles away to the west, and just visible in the blue distance.  I would rather be standing here than on Princes Street!

All along the eastern fringe of the field there is a delicious tangle of wild rose, meadow vetchling and blackberry.  I also found some goat's beard, which has my favourite seedhead.

On the eastern edge there is also a large and peaceful pond, which currently has a family of coots, with three chicks paddling furiously behind their parents, in and out of the rushes.