Happily Ever After

Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running

Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.

Thank Goodness For Greengate

by admin - 19:49 on 16 June 2012

I may not be in the Squirrel James league when it comes to patience, perseverance and dedication in pursuit of ace wildlife snaps, but I have put some effort into immortalising various birds and martens. And a grumpy cat.

So it's ironic that the public's popular vote for my most appealing picture puts a still life way out at Number One.

Last week, my view of Greengate in Kirkcudbright saved me from a loss-making day at Cromarty market; today it did the same at Dingwall, where it was bought twice: once in a plain mount, once in a frame. That's five times it's been sold. I'd better print a few dozen more.

I was lucky. Some of the other stallholders failed to sell a thing, on what was a quiet day in Dingwall, and James reported a financial flop at Culbokie market, where he was outsold by Mrs Squirrel's jewellery, and at the village school fête later in the day. Times are hard and the weather's poor. At least I earned enough for half a tank of petrol a nd a few groceries.

More annoying is when people ooh and ahh over our wares then walk away without making a purchase. Even more annoying than that is being asked: “Did you take all these pictures?” Do they think we buy them from a snappery warehouse?

But we just smile and say yes in the hope they're an eccentric millionaire who wants to commission a snap of their mansion. One day...

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