This was the Forth and Clyde Canal Society's new boat Voyager leaving Applecross in november 2005
She was specially built to celebrate 25 years of the society, and to allow them to carry more people on the canals.
Friday, November 25, 2005
St Enoch Centre, Glasgow
A view eastwards from the John Street CarPark in Glasgow. The St Enoch Centre glass pyramid, the Edwardian buildings in the center and the newest buildings completed in 2005 at the left side.
Taken in October 2005
Taken in October 2005
Friday, October 28, 2005
Stuart Nugent Clutha Vaults 2005
Another accomplished musician who occasianlly drops in for a play at the Clutha Vaults Open Mike.
TheWorkmans Clutha Vaults 2005
This is Stuart and his daughter at the Open Mike night. Stuart often travels through from Edinburgh for the sessions.
Brian Smith - Vagabonds 25 sep 2005
My friend Brian, lead guitar with The Vagabonds, at a gig in the County Inn, Glasgow
Bob Leslie Clutha Vaults 2005
Another one of the regular singers at Sandy's Open Mike night on Wednesdays at the Clutha Vaults, Bob also performs with his band The Outfit playing his own music
Joe Mcatamy Clutha Vaults 2005
One of the regular singers at Sandy's Open Mike night on Wednesdays at the Clutha Vaults
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Artist's fungus
Does anyone know WHY this is called Artist's Fungus? I found these magnificent speciments in an area of woodland next to the Forth and Clyde Canal near Cadder. It was growing on an old dead Wych Elm tree. The tops had been lopped off but they left the trunk standing thankfully as it had some superb large holes near the top which would be ideal for large nest holes - for Owls etc..
Muirshiel Sunset
This makes me think of peaceful autumn evenings - the quality of the light is definately different from the summer sunsets. The sun also sets much further to the south west as well!!
The only thing which spoils the feeling of 'wilderness' are the power lines which string their way along the road side for the length of the glen up to the country park buildings.
The moorlands on the other side of the park however are wonderfull - so silent apart from birds, insects, the odd plane flying over and only occasionally the sound of other people. and yet this is only about 20 miles from the very centre of Glasgow!
The only thing which spoils the feeling of 'wilderness' are the power lines which string their way along the road side for the length of the glen up to the country park buildings.
The moorlands on the other side of the park however are wonderfull - so silent apart from birds, insects, the odd plane flying over and only occasionally the sound of other people. and yet this is only about 20 miles from the very centre of Glasgow!
Blackface
I took a run up to Muirshiel Country Park last weekend - after doing some work in the city on the Sunday afternoon. I drove up the glen just as the sun was dropping down below the horizon of the hills.
This Blackface sheep in the upper Glen, must have thought I was daft - getting out of my car to take photos of the sunset! Watched me for a short time then wandered off to find more sweet grass.
This Blackface sheep in the upper Glen, must have thought I was daft - getting out of my car to take photos of the sunset! Watched me for a short time then wandered off to find more sweet grass.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
My Suki cat was restless, she wanted to go out into the soft night to see who had been in the garden and to hunt for the woodmice. She is too scared to go out during the daylight – too easily seen with all her white fur. In the night she can ‘stalk’ in the silken shadows and the velvety gloaming [with street lights and security lights it is never pitch black in our suburb],and Friday night was calm, mild and moonlit.
She wears a collar with two bells, to warn wildlife and this also lets me know when she is back at the front door – she shakes her head to rattle her bells so that I will hear here and come and let her indoors. She rarely goes out for more than an hour or two at the most.
On Friday night however, about half past eight, I heard her bells outside the window AND a squeaky/screechy sort of noise – from a bird of some kind. Blackbirds often sing in the night in the spring [streetlights again] and occasionally I have heard Oystercatchers flying over at night and calling but this was different. I went outside and Suki was sitting at the foot of the bay window, but heard me come out and started crossing the path to the front lawn. I heard the noise again immediately that Suki stated to move, I looked up to the top of my newly polled* Sycamore tree straight at a Tawny Owl – only 4 metres away! It was ‘screeching’ away at Suki –as if it was giving the cat either a row for disturbing her hunting or directions on where to go to flush out the mice for the her!
(* the tree trunks are about 95 years old but have had all the branches chopped off at the top. – every year it grows small branches up to 5cm in diameter, and every Autumn they are cut off again to give a pillar effect)
I went back inside for my camera but by the time I came out the Tawny Owl had moved to the top of the street lamp, and the light interfered with the camera so that I could not get the Tawny Owl to show up on the camera at all. Suki by this time had headed out onto the pavement and was walking up the road – under the Tawny Owl’s perch, towards the neighbours gate [they have a yew tree and the dropped berries attrach the woodmice at this time of year]. As Suki moved along the Tawny Owl watched her every move – ignoring me.
Once Suki disappeared through the neighbour’s gate, the Tawny Owl flew off without the slightest sound, over my head and down the garden into the velvet blackness. Suki returned to the house about twenty minutes later, perfectly happy to go and have some munchies and then settle down for a sleep at the radiator!!
She wears a collar with two bells, to warn wildlife and this also lets me know when she is back at the front door – she shakes her head to rattle her bells so that I will hear here and come and let her indoors. She rarely goes out for more than an hour or two at the most.
On Friday night however, about half past eight, I heard her bells outside the window AND a squeaky/screechy sort of noise – from a bird of some kind. Blackbirds often sing in the night in the spring [streetlights again] and occasionally I have heard Oystercatchers flying over at night and calling but this was different. I went outside and Suki was sitting at the foot of the bay window, but heard me come out and started crossing the path to the front lawn. I heard the noise again immediately that Suki stated to move, I looked up to the top of my newly polled* Sycamore tree straight at a Tawny Owl – only 4 metres away! It was ‘screeching’ away at Suki –as if it was giving the cat either a row for disturbing her hunting or directions on where to go to flush out the mice for the her!
(* the tree trunks are about 95 years old but have had all the branches chopped off at the top. – every year it grows small branches up to 5cm in diameter, and every Autumn they are cut off again to give a pillar effect)
I went back inside for my camera but by the time I came out the Tawny Owl had moved to the top of the street lamp, and the light interfered with the camera so that I could not get the Tawny Owl to show up on the camera at all. Suki by this time had headed out onto the pavement and was walking up the road – under the Tawny Owl’s perch, towards the neighbours gate [they have a yew tree and the dropped berries attrach the woodmice at this time of year]. As Suki moved along the Tawny Owl watched her every move – ignoring me.
Once Suki disappeared through the neighbour’s gate, the Tawny Owl flew off without the slightest sound, over my head and down the garden into the velvet blackness. Suki returned to the house about twenty minutes later, perfectly happy to go and have some munchies and then settle down for a sleep at the radiator!!
Friday, October 07, 2005
Queen Street Station
The canopy here looks a little like an old tiara. Nicely lit by the autumn sunshine though
Barrel patterns
Spotted these on my return to Glasgow Queen Street railway station from Edinburgh. I thought they made a nice pattern
Suki and her mouse
This is my cat Suki with the young Woodmouse which she had caught and brought in from the garden. It was soon put back out!!
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
stone carving
An inscription on a stone in the Hidden Garden in Glasgow. Read it anyway around that you want - it sometimes gives it a different meaning!
I like finding this sort of thing - it makes people look at something in a different way - and maybe think too!
I like finding this sort of thing - it makes people look at something in a different way - and maybe think too!
Underfoot
I liked these patterns made by different ground sufaces - old cobbles next to old cracked concrete softened by nature. [Also found at the hidden gardens]
Bird Brains?
Are they trying to attract a certain type of 'educated' bird or are they trying to teach them to read the signs?
This was just one of the nestboxes in the Hidden Garden - which is tucked in behind the Tramway Theatre in Glasgow. When I was a lot younger this was the site of Glasgow's transport museum, and prior to that - the tram terminus!!
This was just one of the nestboxes in the Hidden Garden - which is tucked in behind the Tramway Theatre in Glasgow. When I was a lot younger this was the site of Glasgow's transport museum, and prior to that - the tram terminus!!
September scenery
a view of the farmland between Falkirk and Glasgow - taken from the speeding express train!
I wasn't sure if the photo would come out sharp - but judge for yourself.
I wasn't sure if the photo would come out sharp - but judge for yourself.
Shadows from the past
I liked the way this shadow appeared on the ground in George Square in Glasgow.
I was returning from a day's conference in Edinburgh and crossing from Queen Street Station to head for Argyll Street Station [ different line]. It was such a lovely sunny September afternoon
I was returning from a day's conference in Edinburgh and crossing from Queen Street Station to head for Argyll Street Station [ different line]. It was such a lovely sunny September afternoon
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Waterside activity
The Nolly Wanderer leaving on yet another trip from the pontoon at Clydebank Canal Carnival. The spare kayaks and canoes on the trailer alongside.
A quick boat trip
This was one of the Nolly small boats which were doing boat trips at the Clydebank Canal Carnival on the10th of September. We [The Nolly Barge contingent] were very busy all day doing boat trips on two small boats and the larger Nolly Wanderer as well as providing free kayaking tasters. In fact we were so busy we didn't get to see anything else that was happening in and around the canal at the shopping centre. There were several stalls, the sea cadets were at their own boat and therewas also a model boat club running their wee boats about on the canal under the footbridges, as well as music and a big carnival parade through the shopping centre too.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Why am I here?
Why am I here? This is a question we all ask ourselves at sometime in our lives – sometimes more than once. We should all know the biological reasons behind our presence on this planet – but the majority of us need to have another reason for our lives. Usually when other people want to know something about us – we usually give our job title – as if that defines who we are. This gives those people who do not ‘work’ for whatever reason a problem so they might give a different description : -a wife; a mother; a homemaker; retired; for example or ‘an ex-mineworker’, an ex-steelworker’, etc. if they have become ‘unemployed’. I was thinking about this because Ihave had the sadness of another death - my Uncle died last week. He has been troubled by bad health since he retired a good few years ago, but had been taken out to lunch by some of his friends. He had just sat down when his friends heard a loud sigh and he had slumped forwards in his seat. He had had a massive heart attack and was dead. He was at one of his favourite places at the time - the nineteen hole of his Golf Club!!! The funeral was attended by a great many of his friends as well as all his family from near and far, including a large nuber of my cousins. My Aunt said that Teddy would have been delighted to see how many of the younger generation had come to see him off. He was a lovely man who always enjoyed a party or gathering and could be the life and soul of the party - even sitting in a chair or on his crutches. I never heard him complain about his health problems except when he said he felt it was putting too much of a strain on my Aunt to look after him. He will be greatly missed by all the family / clan. I was with a group of people last week who all came from diverse backgrounds and different areas, and when asked to introduce ourselves we were also told to mention something ‘creative’ which we did. The young girl who was with me was a bit panic stricken at this as she felt she did nothing creative. She was not the only one who felt this way. We had people there who were artists who ran a children’s theatre, a lady who had been a professional dancer and who now works for the council, another lady who now teaches sewing, embroidery and batik work to other women in her home village. One lady who works in a major bank said that the only creative thing she could think of was that she was redecorating her small London Flat – did that count? Eventually we got round the group and I was last to introduce myself. Having listened to everyone else I was able to give a list of things which I have done in my life – Embroidery, cross-stitching, and my poetry. When I mentioned my poetry I also said that up until three years ago although I wrote the odd poem I very rarely showed it to anyone except perhaps my parents when they were alive. I never felt as if it was GOOD ENOUGH for other people to read. Then I met a wonderful man who loved me and gave me the confidence to let other people look at my little collection of thoughts. Then a couple of friends after reading a few poems said I should get a Blogsite and let other people read them too. [Obviously I have done that as you are now reading this.] I had also collected a little passage written by Annie Sullivan in 1891 – I don’t know if it is from a book she wrote or where it came from but it goes as follows’ At another time she asked, "What is a soul?" "No-one knows" I replied " but we know it is not the body, and it is that part of us which thinks and loves and hopes ……….and is invisible." "But if I write what my soul thinks" she said "then it will be visible, and the words will be its body." I think that any creative outlet is an expression of our souls – and a part that can remain behind after death. After all, no-one living ever met or knew William Shakespeare or Wordsworth or Tennyson or Beethovan or Schubert or Da Vinci or Michaelangelo …………………. But we do know a little bit about their souls.
Monday, September 05, 2005
Let sleeping cats lie
This is the most normal view of my cat SUKI - fast asleep on a comfy spot - usually the bedspread in the southfacing room.
Mouse eye view!
This is my cat - SUKI.
She is now five years old, and a very quiet, very placid cat and who prefers to stay in the comfort of the house most of the time.
She will occasionally go outdoors - usually at twilight, and then only for an hour or so - often when the five local tomcats have already been through the garden!!!
She did once bring home a small mouse - one evening when it had begun to pelt with rain after she had gone out. She appeared at the front door - just as I opened it, with a small woodmouse hanging by the tail from her mouth - I kid you not!! The classic cartoon scene! She then dropped it at my feet and lay down to promptly dry herself off. I looked down at my feet just as the mouse jumped up and scurried under the nearby telephone table!! Suki just looked up at me as if to say "Well, it was so wet outside I thought it would like to come into the dry!!" She then ignored the mouse and went back to her cleaning. Luckily I had a small pondnet in my basement, and caught the mouse and put it back outside under the hedge - where it sat 'sort of stunned' for a moment and then ran into the branches of the privet. [I had checked it over gently before releasing it - just in case.] I have to say Suki brought me another couple of live mice that autumn, but nothing since then. She does wear a collar and bell - and I have to admit is not the 'fleetest' of cats. I think the mice she caught were youngsters at the time.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Nolly Wanderer and Nolly Explorer
The Nolly Wanderer and the Nolly Explorer - the newest members of the Nolly Barge 'fleet' at Firhill Basin in Glasgow [ just behind PARTICK THISTLE FOOTBALL STADIUM]. The boats were there for the World Youth COngress Delegates to view, and the Wanderer was used to transport the teams to the area where we were creating some environmental art.
World Youth Congress - Glasgow participants
Three of the World Youth Congress delegates at the end of the three days of activities - tired but happy.
World Youth Congress - Glasgow cycling
The final day started with the cycling challenge where the teams had to collect the items needed to mend a punture,mend the punture and then ride the bike to the finish. This was only the first challenge of the day.
World Youth Congress - Glasgow 'art'
One of the younger participants after an afternoon of 'environmental art'
She said she had a wonderful time using mud and plants to create something different and 'ephemeral'
She said she had a wonderful time using mud and plants to create something different and 'ephemeral'
World Youth Congress - Glasgow Kayaking
As promised some photos of the days with some of the delegates from the World Youth COngress which was held in Stirling, Scotland, althought the delegates were 'spread out' around several different projects throughout Scotland [ within travelling distance of Stirling!].
This was the final challenge day which included a kayak slalom for the teams.
This was the final challenge day which included a kayak slalom for the teams.
Laura - an update
A good friend now departed and sadly missed. I've written a little poem about her.
You made us laugh , until we cried
Your life was full, you always tried
to make life fun, for all around
and when you got angry, you'd not back down
At disco and sports you did excel, even just kayaking on the canal
Where you found all the energy,I never could tell
Your skills with peoplewon you friends near and far
but you could be frightening, when you were driving your car!
You always said what you thought SHOULD be said
You were an unsung hero, you come alive when this is read.
Life thoughts from the last two weeks.
I have been a little bit depressed over these past couple of weeks, mainly because a good friend and former workmate, died recently aged 31. I first met Laura when we were both working at Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, Scotland in the mid 1990's. Laura was one of the sessional leisure assistants and always full of mischief, giggles and laughter. She was very popular with everybody, and an excellent sailor and kayaking instructor. She met her husband there too [ whom I also worked with] and they got married in 1995.
She left CMRP for 'pastures new' on the job front, and the next time we worked together was in December 2000 when she asked if I could come and help her out at the Forth and Clyde Canal Community Project for a few weeks! [It was supposed to be six weeks and I was there until April when it amalgamated with the Nolly Barge Project - also based on the Forth and Clyde Canal.] Laura was alway keen on sports and represented the United Kingdom at Atlanta in wheelchair basketball at the special Olympics. She never let the fact that she had to use a wheelchair ever hold her back - and often did a lot more than the average 'able-bodied' person.
Laura was a lovely person and generated respect, from all those who knew her, for her honesty, her passion and her sense of fun and for 'living the moment'. She will be greatly missed, especially by her friends and family.
I had been planning to go away for the last couple of weekends but an unexpected and rather large repair bill for my car meant that I indulged in a little bit of 'green tourism' and stayed at home - enjoying some peace and quiet and wonderful weather in my garden!! I also tackled a couple of small jobs in my house which I had kept putting off - painting a fireplace surround, and going through a couple of boxes of my late husbands papers and things [which was the second reason that I was a bit depressed - it has been just over a year since he died of Cancer and I still think of him and miss him, every single day.] I did enjoy just being able to sit back and feel the sunshine warming my body, listening to the birdsong [Robins have started singing again to mark out thier winter territories and the local Mistle Thrush is trying to keep the nearby Yew tree and Hawthorn berries for itself and is chasing any other birds away] and feeling warm breezes on my skin. I was reading an article which asked 'do you recognise when you are happy' and it said that sometimes just savouring the smaller pleasures in your life can raise your general feeling of happiness - so I have been trying to do that over the last couple of weeks too, - I think I would have been really down if I hadn't done that.
She left CMRP for 'pastures new' on the job front, and the next time we worked together was in December 2000 when she asked if I could come and help her out at the Forth and Clyde Canal Community Project for a few weeks! [It was supposed to be six weeks and I was there until April when it amalgamated with the Nolly Barge Project - also based on the Forth and Clyde Canal.] Laura was alway keen on sports and represented the United Kingdom at Atlanta in wheelchair basketball at the special Olympics. She never let the fact that she had to use a wheelchair ever hold her back - and often did a lot more than the average 'able-bodied' person.
Laura was a lovely person and generated respect, from all those who knew her, for her honesty, her passion and her sense of fun and for 'living the moment'. She will be greatly missed, especially by her friends and family.
I had been planning to go away for the last couple of weekends but an unexpected and rather large repair bill for my car meant that I indulged in a little bit of 'green tourism' and stayed at home - enjoying some peace and quiet and wonderful weather in my garden!! I also tackled a couple of small jobs in my house which I had kept putting off - painting a fireplace surround, and going through a couple of boxes of my late husbands papers and things [which was the second reason that I was a bit depressed - it has been just over a year since he died of Cancer and I still think of him and miss him, every single day.] I did enjoy just being able to sit back and feel the sunshine warming my body, listening to the birdsong [Robins have started singing again to mark out thier winter territories and the local Mistle Thrush is trying to keep the nearby Yew tree and Hawthorn berries for itself and is chasing any other birds away] and feeling warm breezes on my skin. I was reading an article which asked 'do you recognise when you are happy' and it said that sometimes just savouring the smaller pleasures in your life can raise your general feeling of happiness - so I have been trying to do that over the last couple of weeks too, - I think I would have been really down if I hadn't done that.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
stratus clouds_2000
These remind me of birds streaking out across the sky, and of lying on my back in the garden just enjoying the moments while I watch them fly by and feel the warmth of the sun on my body.
storm clouds
A summer thunderstorm over Ayrshire in August 2000
I just felt this was a very dramatic sky
I just felt this was a very dramatic sky
Mute Swan
This Mute Swan is one of the residents of the Forth and Clyde Canal, Glasgow Branch at Ruchill. This was taken at around ten o'clock in the morning, when the birds came paddling up to see if I was going to throw them any tidbits!
Mute Swan reflections
This Mute Swan is one of the residents of the Forth and Clyde Canal, Glasgow Branch at Ruchill. the darkness of the canal water from the buildings opposite gave a good reflection.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Thoughts for today
I have been quite busy over the past few weeks at work, and usually felt so tired when I got home that I was lucky if I could be bothered to make myself a meal. I have a borderline underactive thyroid, [after having a cancerous half removed - benign thank God] and loss of appetite, and lethargy are just a couple of the many symptoms which are attributed to this. I have got some new photos for my site which I hope to upload soon.
Last week I was working with some delegates from the World's Youth Congress, which is being held here in Scotland this year, and they were all really nice people. I think a few of them have now picked up the Glesca accent after working with some of the kids of north Glasgow. They all seemed to be surprised by the knowledge that the children [aged 8 - 16] had about other parts of the world and about religions other than their own, and especially the fact that the children [10 year olds] actually came up and were asking THEM about their views of the world situation. However all this was during the activities of Kayaking, cycling and environmental art which everyone was participating in.
I shall upload some relevant photos soon
Last week I was working with some delegates from the World's Youth Congress, which is being held here in Scotland this year, and they were all really nice people. I think a few of them have now picked up the Glesca accent after working with some of the kids of north Glasgow. They all seemed to be surprised by the knowledge that the children [aged 8 - 16] had about other parts of the world and about religions other than their own, and especially the fact that the children [10 year olds] actually came up and were asking THEM about their views of the world situation. However all this was during the activities of Kayaking, cycling and environmental art which everyone was participating in.
I shall upload some relevant photos soon
Friday, July 22, 2005
Nolly Explorer Interior -aft
This is the view looking back into the narrowboat from the front entrance - past the kitchen to the seating area with the toilet/shower room at the rear, next to the steps to the steering platform.
Nolly Explorer Interior - forward
I have just spent a week over the last few days[!]getting the interior of this new holiday boat ready for use. It was an old narrowboat which was stripped to the hull, a new roof & canopy added, and the interior completely refitted from scratch. I think it looks very nice myself - much more like a studio flat rather than a bungalow!!
the inspiration for the decor was from the colours of the scottish landscape and from some of the features in the Scottish parliament [ such as the front window feature]
the inspiration for the decor was from the colours of the scottish landscape and from some of the features in the Scottish parliament [ such as the front window feature]
Nolly Explorer - holiday canal boat
The Nolly Explorer as she approaches Lock 35 from the west.
Check out their website www.nollybarge.co.uk
Nolly Explorer in Clydebank
A shot of the new holiday boat travelling up from Bowling to Glasgow in May
Sunday, July 03, 2005
cumulus
This always makes me think of warm summer days, lying in the garden just watching the clouds drift by.
skyscape _11th July 2000
this was the skyscape as seen from my garden one evening around about 11.00p.m just as the sun was setting. We do get long summer evenings up here in Scotland.
rainclouds
Stormclouds in the northwest heading for Glasgow, from the west
This was taken from the car as I travelled back towards Glasgow.
This was taken from the car as I travelled back towards Glasgow.
storm clouds
A summer thunderstorm over Ayrshire in August 2000
I thought I would load some 'ephemeral photos' of skyscapes - These are never ever the same [except when the sky is devoid of clouds or totally overcast by clouds!] I started taking shots of the skies way back in 2000 when I first got a digital camera.
I thought I would load some 'ephemeral photos' of skyscapes - These are never ever the same [except when the sky is devoid of clouds or totally overcast by clouds!] I started taking shots of the skies way back in 2000 when I first got a digital camera.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Plant patterns
Don't these Hostas and ferns make a beautiful pattern.
They are growing in the walled garden at Culzean Country Park on the Ayrshire coast.
This was taken on June 5th 2005
They are growing in the walled garden at Culzean Country Park on the Ayrshire coast.
This was taken on June 5th 2005
Clyde River - footbridge
This footbridge leads across the river Clyde, from a small Car Park on the main valley road, to a country park on the other side. This is in Lanarkshire between Crossford and Lanark.
Bumble Bee on Common Poppy_
Managed to get a Bumble Bee to co-operate and enter the Common Field Poppy just as I was taking the photo!
Firhill Basin 1st July 2005
These are the new pontoons at Firhill Basin in the heart of Glasgow. [2 merged photos]. Taken at 9.30 in the morning. The lad had a short piece of fishing line and two maggots and was hanging over the edge trying to catch a Jack Pike!
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