Inveraray

The pier at Inveraray

Most days on our holiday we passed through Inveraray. Its a sea loch, lochawe but its usually still. The tower to the top of the photo houses the second largest bells in the world so they say. In 1784 all the inhabitants were asked to pay £8 to build a pier which in 1877 was extended for the large steam ships bringing the vast amount of visitors. There is also a ship there the Arctic penguin its a visitor museum. Today the visitors come in their cars. There is a jail there which has two large fiberglass guards statues dressed in red. When we used to go when Fallon was a small girl she was petrified of them and it was years before we managed to get her to go inside walking passed them. There is also a castle belonging to the Campbell family but it closes in November and we have never go to go inside.

On one of our days out we went to Oban, after a few hours there looking at the shops we went south to the Island of Seil. It famous for the little bridge over the Atlantic. we had our picnic on the shore line trying to keep Tom out of the sea. For a while we watched the little ferry carry people over to the Island of Easdale. It was once a hive of industry for slate, shipping it to all parts of the world. We stayed there for a while until it got dark. It was November the 5th bonfire night and some of the children were getting the wood for the bonfire. The little pub opened so we decided to use the money mum and dad gave us for our anniversary to have a meal, Robert have his usual fish and chips. We didn't see many fire works but could hear them. another lovely day.

looking over to the island of mull

looking over to the island of Easdale watching the ferry

Weird sky's at lock Tay

Each morning I took Tom for a walk and let Robert have a well deserved lay in. It was so fresh and crisp, this larch tree looked so good against the blue sky. The little brook ran under a little bridge but as all little bridges a new one had been built next to it to take the traffic. I had a job to stop Tom from going in the water.

We took a drive to Killin its main feature is its big fast flowing river. It was a popular place for the Victorians to visit but then when the railway closed and the visitors stopped and became much quieter, it is popular once again with tourists.

The river was put to good use in days gone by with a water wheel, not in use anymore but restored for us to enjoy.

After doing some window shopping in the few shops there were we headed off to one of my favourite locks lock Tay. We took our picnic down to the water no hesitation from Tom, stick ,water splashing. Scotland is known for its midges and we would never go in the height of summer, but no sooner had we got our sandwiches the midges found us. Or should I say me they never get Robert. It was lovely and warm I think they thought it was summer again. Tom never tired of fetching the sticks in the water and as we sat watching him the sky to the east of the lock made some weird patterns. I have taken a couple of photo's but never really captured the full beauty it was amazing. They look very dark but the sun was in the east, Robert took some photo's of Tom down the lock to the west and its sunny and doesn't look like its the same day. We headed east back home watching the sky till it got to dark. It was like many ripples or water or lines following the shapes of the mountains.

Great day on the beach

We had never been to Campbeltown as it is a long way from where we have stayed before but as we were nearer we decided to make the trip. As it was lunch time and we were driving along the coast we decided to park up and have a walk on the beach. It was absolutely fabulous. Robert went back to the car to get the picnic whilst I found us some good rocks to sit on. Tom thought all his birthdays had come at once. He went straight for the sea and stayed there for three and half hours with Robert and me throwing sticks (when I say Robert I mean mainly me). It was really warm better than the weather Robert had in the summer. We didn't want to leave and had a job to get Tom to come out of the sea. We played with him for all that time and he still would have gone on longer. But leave we did and were disappointed when we reached Campbeltown the most interesting thing was piles of logs waiting on the Que side to be shipped out.

The variety of colours in the rocks was amazing made all the much better because of the good weather blue sky and sun shine. I tried to capture these colour's but the photo's don't do them justice

There was a bit of the usual debris on the beach, so i made two boats using a plank of drift wood and an empty plastic bottle tying them together with strands of fishing nets. After launching them it was a race to see how far they would go out and who's would win, (yes we are adults and no there wasn't any kids with us). They went in and out for hours then Roberts got a break, it was very exciting. When Roberts went out of sight he walked out on the rocks to see where it had gone. Mine finally ran aground on the rocks. Roberts won.

We went for a walk along the beach before we left taking these two last photo's.

The first few days of our holiday

The river at Callender looking towards the town

After leaving home in the early hours of Saturday 4am we got to Callender in good time. We parked up and I took Tom for a walk whilst Robert had a wee rest (notice I'm in Scottish dialect). We had a walk round the shops before we went our way to the rest of our journey. We call at the Christmas shop and usually buy something for our tree which reminds us of our holiday, but I'm afraid to say in all of the shop there was nothing I really wanted, or liked. It was packed from floor to ceiling and I might add hardly anything to do with the Nativity. The weather was great the sun was shining and there was snow on the hills, we took the slow road to Inveraray before we arrived at our cottage. We had a warm welcome and settled in for the night. I got early the next day and took tom for a walk and an explore the surrounding. Tom went straight for the water.

The view from the drive

Later that day we went for a short drive to the bridge of Orchy the day was perfect the sky was so blue something we haven't seen much of this summer, there was no wind and it wasn't cold.

We walked for a few miles with Tommy getting in the river as often as he could which was at every bend in the river.

It was a lovely relaxing walk and when we got back to the car we had our picnic, we have a picnic every day on holiday there is something about eating sandwiches outside sitting on a rock looking at wonderfull sceanary.

Last week of the night class

The last week of my flower class was a mix of Christmas arrangement. It is to early to last for Christmas but the ladies wanted something they could do again nearer the time. The dark gray pot is a good colour to use as most colours mix well with it. I kept to three colours red green and black. The sticks were bleached and after making a small trellis bunched the rest with a wire and pushed the wire into the wet foam securely. We platted a palm leaf which was a bit of a challenge no body really managed it very well. Three curled aspidistra leaves went in one side, Christmas foliage in at the other. To the front Hibiscus two red Gerbra one large chrysanthemum, three red rose, one red anthuream, two celosia, a dry lotus and finished of with three black baubles. Once again the ladies in the class made good variations with their designs, gold sticks, pine cones painted seed heads and Christmas decorations. The class all agreed that they were sad the classes were over they had really enjoyed each week. One of the reasons they have to stop now is because we need to get the shop ready for the Christmas and Robert and I are going to Scotland for our winter hols. We were going to decorate the shop when I get back but dew to the pressure from the big stores and garden centers who have their decorations in for some weeks we have made a start and this week decorated the window and half of the shop. Some customers were buying thing as we were putting them in the window. Our shop turns into a Christmas shop with flowers on the side until December when we then make Christmas wreaths and decorations for peoples homes. I love this time but by Christmas eve I don't want to see a piece of holly or pine cone again. I'm looking forward to my time away with Robert it will be cold but hopefully sunny and the autumn leaves and the scenery will be great.

We have some of the trees to light up but they were off when I took the photos it looks lovely when its all lit up.

Week 4 halloween arrangement

As it is Halloween next week we made a Halloween arrangement for week 4. After taking the top of the pumpkin and scooping out the insides a dish with wet foam the size of the opening was taped on ready for the flowers. First we made a web like construction with black sticks pushing them into the outside of the pumpkin. dose not really show up on photo. I used a variety of flowers, monkshood, large green chrysanthemums red gerbra, sunflowers with the petals taken off, kangaroo paw,brassica, some seed heads and foliage finished off with a big black raffia bow. We had some fun with this arrangement. Some of the ladies brought spiders, cobwebs and witches. A few of the ladies were a bit apprehensive about this design but they all liked what they made. If I have taught them anything they all say they look at the foliage and flowers everywhere they go and with a different eye, they all have the flower arranging bug. We only have one week left as Robert and I are going to Scotland the week after and then the shop gets to full with Christmas gifts and there is no space. I hope they continue to do some arranging at home.

Class 3 autumn welcome ring

For week three of my class I designed a autumn harvest welcome ring. I took a wet foam wreath ring and pinned leaves around the inside and out,then took a length of the passion flower took of the leaves and wrapped this around the leaves. Filled the inside with tree kinds of rose, Chinese lanterns, heads from the Rebeca and a few small chrysanthemums. I finished it off with the long flower stem of the heucra weaving through the roses.

I made a second ring using Gerbera and carnations and placed a tall glass vase with water and a head from the chines lantern in the middle.

Some of the ladies in the class used stems of corn, pine cones, berries and one lady made hers in the pink shades. This would look good for a Christmas arrangement using winter foliage and flowers.
The class was finished a bit early so I showed the class a quick design using tropical flowers.