Oh flower of Scotland!

Now on our way to Inverness by train. We got taken to a small station at Warick, changed at York, saw the cathedral in the distance and have just passed in to Scotland. Saw the sign! It is a lovely scenic trip, going close by the coast and we can see gorgeous little towns by the sea. The country has turned from fields into hills with pinetrees on, remind you of anywhere? also the mountains loom in the background. Quite lovely. We get off at Edinburgh and change to Inverness train and then pick up a rental car. Interestingly, rental cars are very cheap and the trains are very expensive! Dave is quite happy to drive now we drive on the proper side of the road. The drive out to where we are staying is 15 min from Inverness, over the bridge and into the country, down little country one lane roads. Very gorpeous, lots of broom in yellow flowers (thought it was gorse). Mary has a house overlooking a loch (Loch Ussie) in the country - she has a telescope set up in the lounge with a wide window. You can see some endangered/protected ospreys nesting through the telescope. Must say I got hooked on watching the bird life there. Became very motherly towards them all! Highland cattle and sheep with black faces around us. Very very cold - but no rain. must be expected I suppose - this is Scotland highlands! In the morning we went into this little town and met up with some of Marys friends. They have high streets over here, which is a little main street that is closed off to traffic and you can walk up them, and peer in little shop windows.