Land of Mountain and Flood

Today I went to the post office to collect a parcel waiting for me. It is always a special day if it starts with a brown paper parcel. I can usually tell from the writing who it is from .. or in the case of my sister it usually has special tape sealing it shut. There was a phase of yellow tigger tape and then also some holographic shiny tape. This parcel I'd been looking forward to arriving since I'd heard about it being en route to me. I couldn't wait until I got to work to look inside so sat inside the car ripping open the brown paper like a child at Christmas .. and just like a child I have kept the bubble wrap in my desk drawer for a moment where popping bubbles will add light to my mood. I look forward to that delight and am keeping it until later. Inside the bubble wrap was a new, shiny, beautiful hardback book "Land of Mountain and Flood: The Geology and Landforms of Scotland" Thank you Sarah at Birlinn.

Now, I have a lot to do today.. decide if I have any good results to present at a conference in Vancouver in the summer, decide what they might be, write a draft of the abstract. But first.. just a wee quick flick through my nice new shiny book. I almost never buy hardbacks; they cost so much and are so heavy but they look stunning and I always mentally give them a little stroke when I pass them in the shops, gaze longingly at their glossy covers..

I've not read it yet so this is no book review.. but it looks good, covers geology from the very beginning to some time in the future, says why it is important and interesting to everyone and presents a pretty good case (note that for future grant applications and justifications of why I get paid to do what I enjoy to the next tax payer who asks), has lots of lovely pictures of Scotland, of Edinburgh, of great landforms, of people..

I'm going to put it out of my reach for the day and take it home tonight. I have a lot to learn about geology before the last few million years. I think this might even be the book for me to start going down that road.. minimum of one picture per page, good accessible language, accurate geological facts and explanations. Very happy.. thanks thanks..

Until then.. aerial photographs of Snæfellsjökull.. and applying myself. Ah .. it is so sunny outside, ten minutes ago it was a blizzard.. I could watch the weather all day.. a good cup of tea, my new shiny book and a big window on the world...