MANY years ago, my brother and I posted a number of stamped and addressed envelopes to "Sir Reginald Stone, Tain". It was a good wheeze during the run-up to the announcement of the Queen's Birthday Honours - particularly in Tain Post Office - "Here, Reggie's been knighted!" - and our father enjoyed the joke. "Ruddy nonsense" he chuckled as he thumbed through the morning post.

Worcesterberries - on one of my earlier childhood explorations I found them growing at the top of the steep brae that ran through our small dairy farm.