Jupiter Artland & the bins - Edinburgh round-up

We've seen a lot of art this month in Edinburgh, and will definitely be putting one of the Blurb books together cataloguing our photos. Today we finally got round to seeing Jupiter Artland. It's a half hour drive out of Edinburgh, and Hev's wanted to get to it in previous years but it's never happened. This year it did, and what a revelation it is. A sculpture park in the ground of a grand private house, with works by everyone from Anish Kapoor, Cornelia Parker and Anya Gallacio to Ian Hamilton Finlay, Andy Goldsworthy, Antony Gormley and (above) Jim Lambie. The pieces by Laura Ford are particularly photogenic:

Since the permanent collection is always being added to and the visiting shows have a constant turnover, this is one to return to every year. A splendid discovery, to add to the 27 galleries and exhibitions that Heather and I have visited in Edinburgh this month.

Not that everything in Edinburgh has been so picturesque this week. Have a look at the state of our courtyard at Worlds End Close, after the bin collectors had left it uncollected for a fortnight, and one flat appears to have had a complete clear-out, including a mattress and a video monitor, as well as bags of toys and games (and a signed poster for Macbeth, which I've nicked to put on eBay). But look what happens after I'd tweeted the above photo to Edinburgh Council...

How's that? Full marks to Edinburgh council for that work, which happened while we were out at Jupiter Artland. Why it was a performance piece in itself. 

Here's my doodle in the comments book at Edinburgh Printmakers, the view you can see of the printshop from the gallery. I've not drawn much this month, so nice to be reminded I've not lost it.

Other things I'd like to remind myself off this month are:

 - I thought my iPhone was busted cos it wouldn't charge, so we went to the Apple store, expecting it to have to go in for servicing. The genius stuck a pin in, pulled out the fluff and it worked.

- My slippers have been shedding letters all over floor. I have been spelling words from the letters L, E, R, V, M and A on the windowsill.

- I got a haircut on the day after our first night. Still looking good.

- We've been watching random stuff on Netflix this month, including Australian sitcom Dreamland, first episode of Green Wing, old episodes of Gary Tank Commander and Still Game, and surprisingly funny episodes of Dick Van Dyke from 1961.

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre do Shakespeare every night at 10.30pm at the Gilded Balloon at the Edinburgh Fringe August 2016. BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment

★★★★★ "Accessible, contemporary and ridiculous" - Brighton Argus May 2016

★★★★½ "Make you glad to be alive" - Liverpool Sound & Vision August 2016

★★★★ "Howling with laughter from the opening moments to the finale" - one4review Aug '16
★★★★ "Eat your heart out, Olivier" - What's On May 2016 
★★★★ "Comedy genius at work" - Theatre Bath April 2016 
★★★ "Wee gem of a show" - Scotsman August 2016

★★★ "A bit like being initiated into some sort of cult" - Broadway Baby August 2016

Aug 3 - 29 - 10.30pm The Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Fringe