The Scottish blogosphere was abuzz with talk of one thing this week. Yes, you’ve guessed it, independence. As news of a referendum in 2014 sunk in, bloggers got down to the detail.

Scot Goes Pop gives six shamelessly trivial reasons to vote for independence. Topping the list? Scotland will have its own entry in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Weegiewarbler argues that Scotland will be better off once it stops subsidising the UK defence budget to the tune of £2 billion a year. But Fraser Walker at Tory Hoose predicts major military problems for an independent Scotland.

Miserable Old Fart doesn’t think it should just be down to the YES voters to plan an independent Scotland. Caron’s Musings is pleased to see Alex Salmond accept that the Electoral Commission should oversee the referendum. Macafee’s Pleasance has a dream about Scotland and it turns out all right.

Meanwhile, Doug Daniel at Bella Caledonia believes that the majority of Scots don’t, as the polls suggest, want Devolution Max and that two and a half years is plenty of time to convince them they want independence. Clinically Fed Up worries that her dad will spend the next two and a half years yelling at the telly if the last few weeks are anything to go by. Will his blood pressure take it? The debate and the nation rage on.

It’s time to leave politics and head for the hills. Oh Inverted World takes a hike up the Hill of Wirren in frosty Aberdeenshire. Westcoastings (that’s me) goes to the wood in search of, err, wood. Walking Wild finds her new dog to be the perfect walking companion.

The mum’s have had a busy week. At Least Daddy Can Cook discovers running. Dorkymum knocks on the door of Number 10 to ask David Cameron to end extreme hunger. Is There A Plan B finds that she quite likes obedient children. And In A Bun Dance reckons if you want an adventurous child you should give it an adventurous name.

To finish on a high (musical) note, Wandering Educators reminds us that Celtic Connections got underway this week. Bigrab at Ben Lomond Free Press is held spellbound by banjo master Bela Fleck and Music Road waxes lyrical about the line up. Suitably inspired, I’ll be heading over next weekend.

There’s a nip in the air and a dusting of snow on the hills, so this week’s roundup starts on a seasonal note. A Wee Bit of Cooking rustles up some hearty fare to warm the cockles. Crystal Jigsaw enjoys the autumnal colours on Deeside (and gets a wave from Prince Charles). One Man Blogs, however, is concerned that he only has one free weekend until Christmas.

Our furry (and feathery) friends are preparing for the colder months ahead too. The Scottish Beaver Trial blog shows video footage of industrious beavers getting their lodge ready for winter. And Islay Birds reports on the mass of geese that have arrived to winter on the island.

As the nights draw in, it’s tempting to hunker down and ponder life, the universe and … parents. A bundle of letters teaches Ben Lomond Free Press something new about his dad – that, had he been alive today, he would have been a blogger. Out on Skye, Landscapes 365 is trying to piece together what sort of people his parents really were and regrets not asking them more questions.

TheCatGirlSpeaks faces a slightly different parental dilemma when her mother cancels lunch due to a bad case of piles.

In a Bun Dance is in a hot rage about cold callers. Dorkymum, meanwhile, is keeping a sense of humour as thieves, nosey parkers and snobs (in the guise of prospective buyers) traipse through her Morningside home.

On a more serious note, Oxfam Scotland’s blog reveals the human impact of the rising food prices in Scotland. Caron’s Musings isn’t shedding any tears for Gaddafi, but she’s appalled at the coverage of his death in the media. Freedom-2-Choose worries about the decision to jail a Rangers fan for being offensive on Facebook. And the McCormac Review makes It’s The Party Line stand up and defend teachers.

The Scottish Tory leadership race rages on. Alba Matters wonders what will happen to Murdo Fraser if he doesn’t win the contest. Are we looking at a genuine split on the centre-right? SCOT goes POP! asks his readers: if they were wise, who would the Scottish Conservatives elect as their new leader?

Finally, with Halloween around the corner, you might want to take a peek at Granny Ghost Hunter’s photos. They’re real, apparently.