Welcome to "Man with two dogs" - the family website for dog owners and dog walkers.

EAST, WEST, hame's best. Montrose born and bred I'm always going to think east is best, but as far back as I can remember I have the fondest memories of holidays on the west coast.

WHAT A difference a year makes   This time last year I was writing about the bumper year for chestnuts, and the terrific eruptions of fungi and mushrooms – some of which I hadn't remembered ever seeing before.

“Nature red in tooth and claw” is one of those oft quoted lines of poetry which everyone knows, but no one knows where it comes from. I have to admit I went straight to the Dictionary of Quotations and it comes from Lord Tennyson's long epic poem,  In Memoriam'.

THE GRANDCHILDREN'S arrival to spend a night with us set me thinking about the tattie holidays which used to be the reason for children having a fortnight off school at this time of year. Before the days of mechanical harvesters farmers could never have lifted their crop before the winter without the squads of youngsters and adults bent double lifting the potatoes by hand. Some families depended on the extra income to buy winter clothes and other essentials. Everyone got a  bit', or length of a potato drill – or  dreel' – to pick, and the little ones got a half bit which meant half pay, and wasn't good news!