Hope you have been enjoying the wonderful weather?

A week or so ago I was playing golf at Callander with a church group. It was a scorching day, not a cloud in the sky but thunder was forecast. There was the odd rumble in the distance but thankfully we escaped. One one occasion I was not so lucky.

Playing at Kilmacolm Golf club for the Church of Scotland against the Catholic Church there was a fierce thunder storm. One minister and one priest took shelter in the woods – bad idea!

The other priest and I crouched down beside a bunker. While the lighting flashed and the thunder crashed around us the priest in a very strong Irish voice said to me “Ian , do you think the boss is telling us we should be working?”

Where would we be without the weather? What would we talk about? Our small talk along the High Street would be severely diminished. On those few days where the sun splits the skies no longer would you hear the phrases “scorching eh?”

We have such variety in Scotland. It can literally be four seasons in the one day. They all have their signs and colours. Autumn with its golden, browns, orange and yellows. Winter with its pristine whiteness, crisp frosts and snow on the hills around us and sometimes causing traffic chaos in our towns and villages. Spring with its dancing daffodils on roundabouts.

But what about summer? Over the last few weeks I realised what the sign for summer’s advent is. Just as the cuckoo ushers in spring so the appearance of traffic cones on the A82 from the Barloan to the Dunglas roundabouts ushers in summer, with not a worker is sight. It must be planned. It can't just be a coincidence.

Perhaps the lesson we should learn is don’t take seriously ill in the summer or when there is an impending holiday. Due to the traffic cones you just might not make it to the RAH.