HOUSTON Show was hit with an almighty thunderstorm last Saturday, when the heavens opened with not only rain, hailstones and thunder but several flashes of lightning.

With just a few tents to take cover in, it came as no surprise that most exhibitors and showgoers crammed under the ever popular hospitality tent, bracing themselves to return back outdoors for the champion of championship judging in the main ring.

Never has the solace of this wee tent been abused by so many!

Happy nappy time!

RAB PATERSON, Auchenlay, Dunblane, has been a busy ‘Daddy Bear’ this week, he’s been chief cook and bottle washer, bull mucker ooter, sheep feeder ... and nappy changer.

His much suffering wife, ‘Mummy Bear’, Kirsty, sustained injuries at Gargunnock Show last weekend, which meant that the usual shared (aye, but not very often) parental duties for their young daughter, Reeva, fell solely on Rab.

That’s taken him into the realms of nappy changing and baby feeds – so let’s hope little ‘Baby Bear’ has been speaned!

Rab is hoping that Kirsty will be fully recovered from her broken collarbone and ankle in time to drive him to the Highland Show – otherwise, he’ll still be in the s..t!

Selective pest management

THE selectiveness of Chris Packham’s knowledge of flora and fauna has been all too evident in his latest front man role for BBC’s Springwatch programme.

This week’s little gem surrounded his support for re-introducing pine martens into areas with grey squirrels in them.

Apparently, according to him, it’s much better for the martens to control squirrel numbers than it is by trapping and shooting; which is a stance that he could maybe take in the case of hounds and foxes.

And, in another recent episode, he proffered the opinion – without a shred of evidence to suggest that it was so – that a clutch of peregrine eggs which had failed to hatch was ‘probably’ because of pesticides.

TSF’s Highland hooley

IT WAS to the delight of our reporter, Zoë Wilson, and our photographer, Emma Cheape, to be greeted by some fiddlers and pipe players in Mallaig this week.

The duo were there following NFUS and its 11-stop roadshow during its Lochailthort and Skye meetings.

After a long day of driving and interviewing, the girls decided a wee drink would be just the ticket to end the night.

Upon entering The Steam Inn, the pair soon realised they had picked the perfect place, as a group of around 10 musicians were in residence, playing a mix of Scottish tunes on pipes and fiddles.

For one week, the group are travelling around Scotland on two hired boats, and will play to whoever will listen to them, so keep an eye out if you happen to be on any of the islands in the next few days.

It’s safe to say, a good night was enjoyed by the girls, but perhaps not the sore heads the next day!