Random Edinburgh Morning Walks

I was walking past a butcher in the Stockbridge neighborhood when I saw my Sunday dinner (rabbit) before it make it to the kitchen. I had simultaneous sensations of wanting to eat it or stuff it and make it my friend.  Do we have furry animals hanging in the front of butcher shops in the states?  Do we have butcher shops?  I'm trying to think of the last time I saw a butcher shop at home like this.  In the states I tend to get everything (except cheese) at the supermarket so it's all packaged up for consumption.  But there is something appealing about the idea of going to a butcher and buying a rabbit for dinner.  Notice I said the idea is appealing - I think we all know that I would not have the slightest idea what to do with this when I got it home.

Next door was the fishmonger.  Now these we do have around Newburyport but I couldn't resist snapping those faces looking up at me. 

A few mornings ago I walked up Calton Hill but my iPhone ran out of juice (it does this randomly - DiDi are you now worried I'll be lost somewhere?) so I didn't get many shots.

 I'm reading Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street.  I have to admit that I poo-pooed this book for a long time (I assumed it would be too "twee") but it turns out to be the perfect accompaniment to a trip to Edinburgh since he talks about so many local places.  I tried to find #44 but it turns out that Scotland Street stops at #43.  I wonder how many other Smith readers have this same picture?

From Scotland Street I headed to the Royal Botanical Gardens.  I was running out of pre-work time but I did find one stone sculpture by Andrew Goldsworthy.  He is considered the founder of modern rock balancing.  So these stones are all just placed by hand into this circle…which is probably harder than it sounds.  

Mid-November is probably not the peak time for the Royal Botanical but it was a sunny morning and there were still a few flashes of fall color. 

Last night Andrea and I went to see author Donna Tartt - and again - no photography was allowed.  Why are all the authors banning photography these days?? I managed to get this one little picture of her in the distance.  She's the one sitting at the table signing books.  She was great - very chatty and friendly. 

While all this is going on Bill is in Belgium for work but he can't post because he's having internet problems at the hotel.  Why is Europe so wifi challenged??