Blasts from the past!!

I recently went into the attic to look for some photos and spent loads of time just having a good old laugh at some of them.  Here are just one or two black and white photos that I came across.  I could post many more, but these will do for the time being!!

Bathgate Gala Day 1961

Dancing Practice Boghall Primary School 1964

Netball Team Boghall Primary School 1965

Aberfoyle School Camp 1965

The importance of a multi-tool on holiday!!

I cannot pack light!!  That's just a fact of life!!  Anyway, amongst the many bits and bobs I pack on every holiday, is a small multi-tool.  Not for me to use however - that's a boys' toy, not a girls'!!!

Well, this year it came in handy while staying at the Hilton of all places.  The hotel room doors have rigid metal fixtures that lock the door when you're in the room - they're like a security chain but it's a rigid bar rather than a chain.  Well, ours didn't work.  There's no way it would fit together.  So, the boys compared the fittings on both room doors and also on the internal communicating door between our rooms, and discovered that someone had fitted our security thingymabob the wrong way round.  So, it was into the case for the multi-tool where they proceeded to use it to take the thing to bits and fit it back on the correct way round!!  Hey presto!!  It was all working as it should.

I wonder how long it had been like that?

A spot of holiday DIY!!

New Holiday Blog

I've been a little bit busy since I got back from a holiday in Luxor, but have started writing a new holiday blog all about it.  If you're interested in reading it, it's not finished yet, but you're welcome to keep popping in to read it as I try to get it all up-to-date!!

http://myluxorholiday2013.blogspot.co.uk/

Gosford Estate

We recently had another walk round Gosford estate, but it was a bit of a grey day, so there wasn't much colour around, and it was pretty cold.  We did remember this time however, to take some bread with us to feed the swans.  After our walk we had rather a nice latte coffee at The Bothy, which was very welcome on this cold winter's day.

As normal, I had the camera with me and took a few shots - here are what I think are the best of them:

A rolling stone gathers no moss, but a large static log does!!

Young swan - or is it still a cygnet at this stage??

Swan family

Gosford House

Came across this structure - no idea what it is or what it was used for!

Looking towards Gosford House

It was very muddy underfoot!

Big Garden Birdwatch - 2013

I took part in the Big Garden Bird watch this year again at the weekend and tried to get some photos of the birds that I was trying to count.  It's very difficult trying to count them in any case as they refuse to stay still, but trying to count and take photos at the same time is pretty much impossible!!  Here are a few of my efforts

Goldfinch

Rocky Robin

Sparrow - and I think the 'ghost' is a female chaffinch

Spot the sparrow!

Wood Pigeon

Starling feeding

Starling

Male and female chaffinches

The Work of Jack Frost

Hello folks!!  I've been a bit lax recently in posting anything, so thought I'd better add something today!  A couple or so weeks ago we had some overnight frost so I went out with the camera to see if I could catch anything unusual with my add-on macro lens, and this was the result

There hasn't been much frost since that day, so I haven't been able to try and experiment any more.  I'll just have to wait for Jack Frost coming back!!

Edinburgh Castle

Hello and Happy New Year to anyone reading this!!

Yesterday my mum was having a cataract operation so we spent time doing some sightseeing.  We were originally going to go to the museum but seeing as it was a lovely morning, we decided to visit Edinburgh Castle instead.  It was fairly expensive to buy tickets for the entrance fee, but all the exhibits inside the castle are then free and they are all pretty impressive.  Photographs are allowed in most of the place, but not inside the War Memorial or where the Scottish Crown Jewels are kept.

Here's a selection of some photos that I took:

View of the Castle

On the esplanade

View from castle towards East Lothian

Princes Street - work continues on dismantling the big wheel

We just happened to be at the castle for one-o-clock when the gun is fired to mark the time.  The ball is also raised on the tower at Calton Hill and it falls, also at one-o-clock which lets shipping in the Forth know the exact time of 1 p.m.  I managed to capture those moments although, even though I knew that gun was going to go off with a bang, I still jumped!!

The ball is raised

The gun goes off

As we could see that the cloud was beginning to build up from the west, I took more photos of the stunning views that can be seem from the ramparts of the castle

I have the big wheel in my sights!!

Taking aim ......

...... fire!!

 These photos are in other areas of the castle that we visited after the cloud cover came over and dulled everything down!!

St. Margaret's Chapel

St. Margaret's Chapel

The Great Hall

Mary Queen of Scots' chamber

Prisoner of War accommodation

So, all in all this was a very worthwhile visit as we haven't been up at the castle for around 20 years!!