A moment in time.

4.30pm on Friday 11th October 2014

I took a cup of tea, in my favourite bee mug- the yellow one I got at the Sea Life centre in North Berwick the time I took Alyssa to Edinburgh,
and went to sit on the back door step at Heather's house.
Slowly I relaxed and became aware first of the wind rustling in the leaves of the poplar tree. They sounded very dry. Then I heard t he wind in the branches of all the other trees, especially the high ones in Martin's garden next door. The leaves on the cherry tree hung down like bunting, and the blue spruce hardly moved.
The rooks were cawing in Martin's high trees.
I could hear the roar of the planes on the tarmac at City Airport, then a quieter sound as they flew over high above.
The washing on the line was dancing and flapping in the breeze. The sun was shining on the hens' feathers making them a rich chestnut colour as they scratched and pecked on the bright green grass.
The sun was bright but there was a coolness on my bare arms, and very occasional drop of rain on my face. My fingers curled round the warm mug and traced the relief pattern of the bees.
I could smell the chicken pie cooking in the oven.
Behind me I could hear the children's conversation as they acted out the Great British Bake Off. Then  . . . I will stop there as the rest of the conversation would spoil the atmosphere as did the incident that sparked it off!!

Highlights from September in Scotland

I've been home a week now and the highlights of my time in Scotland have remained constant.

 Being able to go into the church across the road from my childhood home. I had never been in it despite growing up within yards of it. It is so beautiful that I was moved to tears which were partly caused by the fact that such beauty was close by and I was unaware of it.
There's a sermon there!
Photos were the last thing on my mind so have a look at the links:

St John's RC church, Cumnock
The church website

These are the Islands of Eigg and Rum viewed from Arisaig. When I got here, I realised this is where I had been aiming at - the end of this particular journey, but showing further horizons for future occasions. Out of  1700 photos its one of the best, and since it has become the most significant one for me.

 This is Clanadonia playing outside the Concert Hall in Glasgow. I watched them for ages especially the one on the right. He played with real passion, and made me think 'this is how I want to live my life, and worship my God.'

People said how relaxed and happy I looked in the photos from this time - and this is my favourite one.


I haven't mentioned the people I met, and I'm not going to because I'd be sure to miss someone out. However its safe to say that everyone I met made a difference and contributed to the best time I have ever had in Scotland.  Even although the Referendum ended with a no vote. 

Birmingham

The Library of Birmingham - I could have spent the day here! What a perfect place! Books, books, books, internet access (plenty) , cafe, a place to eat your packed lunch, theatre, (they were perfoming Romeo and Juliet while I was there), interesting architecture, views of all of Birmingham and the hills around. And more. I had to drag myself away!

Then to the Art Gallery . . . which painting to share . . . pre Raphaelite stuff? Pissaro? Modigliani? Sisley?
I was tempted for a while by the smouldering looks of the very sexy Captain Gilbert Heathcote RN, but eventually I settled on an old friend - Erasmus Darwin. I last met him in his house in Lichfield.  He's the grandfather of Charles.

I meant to spend some time in the Cathedral - but was seduced by the Morris Dancers outside!

and followed them back to Victoria Square to watch some more of their high jumps and stick bashing dances!

Before heading back to the station to meet Evie, I got talking to a large group of Salvation Army people, who quickly introduced me to one of their number who came from Stranraer!

One taken from the library roof. In the middle of the picture I could actually see green hills - but sadly this is the moment when my camera battery died - so back the phone!

Birmingham (photos for Malcolm)

Evie had a day's photographic work in Birmingham and asked me if I'd like to accompany her. While she went to the Home for Good conference, I had the day to myself in the city centre.
First on the list was to take some photos for Malcolm:

This is the Oratory in Hagley Road.
When I went in, and sat down, I was quite amazed by the wave of emotion that swept over me. I knelt and prayed for quite a while. I gave thanks for all the good that has come from Catholicism, prayed about the divisions through the centuries, and prayed too for the victims of  different aspects.

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This is Perrott's Folly - quite near the Oratory.  Its thought it may have been the inspiration for The Two Towers  ( sorry Malc, I didn't see the second tower !)

And this is 37 Duchess Rd . . .
The point of these photos is that these places all had some connection to JRRTolkien.

Dumfries House

There are certain trees that make me feel happy and excited - and Redwoods are definitely in that category!
I was delighted to see them as we parked the car at Dumfries House.

This is another place that I'd grown up close to, but never seen. I had passed it on weekly trips to Ayr. My sister was close friends with the daughter of one of the estate game keepers. It was in the news recently when Prince Charles became involved in saving the house and the estate for the nation.
Thank you for taking me, Anne, it was a good afternoon!
We weren't allowed to take photos in the house - but the chairs were covered in fabrics to die for - yellow and blue - beautiful stuff! And there is a Chippendale sideboard - worth £20 million - at least!

Dumfries House
Redwoods at Dumfries House

Cumnock

I started of my holiday with a visit to Cumnock, where I was overwhelmed by the warm welcome from the Historical Society folks and from one of my oldest friends, Agnes. I had arranged to visit her on Thursday morning but when I arrived on Wednesday evening, I couldn't wait any longer!
Agnes took me to see her church - which was across the road from where I lived. I'd never been in before - but more of that in the highlights blog which will come soon.
The house I was brought up in is just behind my shoulder. When I lived here all that grass was covered with trees and bushes and I had never seen the church until a few years ago.

I spent 2  very comfortable nights in the Mercat Hotel where I was treated as one of the family. However I shall always remember that the window below the l of Hotel is where I sat up all night get increasingly despondant as the Referendum results came in!

It was weird to be sleeping across the road from the church I went to every Sunday!

I liked this view though because this is the scene of my earliest memory - I can remember walking past the white building in the middle of the picture with a red handbag in one hand and the other holding my father's hand. I was juat over 3 years old at the time.

Always a visit to an old friend - who posed - after I had wiped the cobwebs from his face!

The view from the hotel kitchen - we walked under here to school every day.

The Mercat Cross in the Square at Cumnock.

A little bit of flora and fauna from Arisaig!

These birds were behaving like swallows getting ready to migrate - not swallows tho'!
It would be a great place for birdwatchers - saw plenty I didn't recognise. Also the most sparrows I have seen in ages.
Could this be a heron on the left?










The brambles (blackberries) have been over for weeks in London!

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Can you see the blue scabious in this photo, and orange coltsfoot?

and a little vetchy thing in this one?

and of course, honeysuckle, which has also been over for a few weeks in London.

All these were on the roadside as we climbed up to the station
and when we got there     . . .

the dreaded Japanese knotweed!

and finally Convolvulus arvensis