July 31, 2008 at 2:24 pm (Books, Personal)
Tags: John G Paton, Missionary, New Hebrides, Scottish Missionary, Torthorwald
The holiday read this year was John G Paton’s Biography. To be honest I haven’t finished it yet but if you haven’t read this book you really ought to.
Last year I also choose a big book and I remember struggling to get it read in the couple of weeks we were away, perhaps someone would remind me to choose a “skinny” book next year 
Anyway it was a major treat to visit the village where Paton spent his early days in Scotland, I’m not going to blog the details as JP has already done a post with all the details including pics.
Isn’t it great when your husband does all the work for you!
To-day I’m still struggling with a creek in my neck and I have a long awaited guest arriving in a few hours.
Yes indeed husbands who do the work are most helpful!
Thanks JP not only for a great holiday but for you know the hoovering too!!
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July 31, 2008 at 2:22 pm (Blogging)
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July 30, 2008 at 10:30 pm (Blogging)
Tags: railway, scottish railway
we called in at Bo’ness railway station to see the Scottish Railway Exhibiton.
It doesn’t take too long to look around but my train fans really enjoyed getting into the old carriages.
Things are busy here for a day or two as I have a house guest arriving tomorrow.
To keep your brains churning over I thought I would give you a little railway competition.
Anyone want to try and guess what this carriage would have been carrying, way back in the good old days.
I reckon someone will guess but if not I’ll post the answer in a day or two!
Locals will probably have an unfair advantage.
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July 30, 2008 at 9:34 pm (Gardening)
Tags: allotment, blackcurrant, broccoli, Gardening, vegetable
Two weeks makes an extraordinary difference to a veggie patch at this time of the year (and also to the weeds!)
You may think that after 2 weeks in a tent I spent Tuesday washing, ironing and cleaning ready for our house guest who arrives on Thursday.
No
I spent Tuesday harvesting.
These
and that really is quite a job. Fiddly Diddly.
I took advice from the net and laid them on trays, froze them and then bagged them.
We got just short of 11 lb from our 3 bushes.
You can see the 3 bushes in this post – picture taken back in May. As you can see they grew great!
They are all in the freezer until I have more time.
The other main surprise in the veggie patch was the Broccoli. This is our first year to try it and this is what we came home to.
Broccoli is really good for you, (so are Blackcurrants if anyone is interested). All recipes kindly received and as I’m off to google “how to freeze broccoli” if anyone has any tried and tested methods I’m all ears.
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July 30, 2008 at 2:33 pm (Personal, You had to be there)
Tags: canal, edinburgh, falkirk wheel, glasgow
Instead of taking the bus back into Edinburgh we decided to jump in the car and head off to Falkirk to visit the Falkirk Wheel. This attraction was recommended to us by friends.
Can I first of all say that although hubby worked in the building industry for quite a number of years I have absolutely no interested in Civil Engineering. :lol:
That being said I thought the Falkirk Wheel was amazing. Really.
Truly worth a visit if you are in the Edinburgh/Glasgow area.
Their web-site is really good too. Do check it out. This link takes you straight to the history of the wheel.
Basically the Scottish Waterway needed a means of connecting the Union canal with the Forth & Clyde Canal and this is what the engineers came up with.
The boats enter the wheel one at the top, one at the bottom and when all is ready the wheel rotates so that they have changed positions.
Genius.
The visitors centre, viewing, children’s (excellent) play area, surrounding walks are all free. You only have to pay if you actually want to go on the boat trip which incorporates being rotated on the wheel.
This makes for another excellent day out for free admission.
It is also possible to walk the path up the side of the wheel and follow the boats on through a tunnel – if you do visit be sure to keep following that boat round as just round the corner is a lock. I could watch this process all day.
I could so do a canal holiday.
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July 30, 2008 at 9:04 am (Children, Personal)
Tags: museum of childhood, rupert, winnie the pooh
Just for Kim, one more pic from the Museum of Childhood.
He’s only tiny but that’s him up there beside good old Rupert.
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July 29, 2008 at 11:06 pm (Children, Uncategorized)
Tags: camping, campsite, edinburgh, jenners, morton hall, museum of childhood, royal botanic gardens, scotland, tent, waverley station
I really do have a lot to tell about the holidays, the weather was great and the company wasn’t too bad either 
When we got off the boat in Stranraer Scotland we had a couple of hours drive to Edinburgh, the campsite was Morton Hall, we stayed at this site last year and were glad to return. Pitch number one was dry which was a big improvment on last year – (we got a drenching).
No 1 son likes to take the odd shot now, so he must have taken this one unawares while we pitched the tent. JP sporting his recently received “9marks” T-Shirt.
The next day (Wednesday 16th) we went into Edinburgh visited the Royal Botanic Gardens. (Free Admission)
The Museum of Childhood. Free Admission
Train Spotted at Waverley Station.
and had a quick nip into the toy department of Jenners
We were all exhausted.
The two youngest slept on the bus on the way back to the campsite.
Thankfully not every day of the holiday was as full as this one.
….to be continued.
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July 28, 2008 at 10:23 pm (Uncategorized)
and we’ve had a great time – lots of catching up to do with everyone, have vowed not to look at the Google Reader to-night.
Let me know how things are with you.
Have loads to tell…….
Back soon,
Elaine
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July 14, 2008 at 9:15 pm (Uncategorized)
We’re heading for the early Ferry to Scotland in the morning. JP’s planning to take the laptop this year as the forecast isn’t so good and at least we can watch DVD’s on it.
That can be read as if we have an internet connection in our tent we will be in contact, I’m sure it will be plain and clear if we have no connection too, or are much to busy enjoying our holiday and each others company to blog.
It’s been a long day of packing so if you are looking for details we are basically heading to the same area as last year, go search in the archives…….
That can be read as - I’m way too tired for this.….
Blessings………
Elaine
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July 12, 2008 at 9:10 pm (You had to be there)
It’s the 12th!!
For most of you that may well mean nothing more than it’s the day after the 11th and before the 13th but if you live in Northern Ireland it means oh so much more.
The Twelfth is celebrated in various towns and villages across the provience and also in the South of Ireland and a few demonstrations on the mainland.
More information can be found on the history of the Twelfth here. Basically, it’s a celebration of the protestant people for the victory at the Battle of the Boyne.
The celebrations take the form of a parade of the Orange men through the towns accompanied with bands, in some of the smaller processions Lambbeg drums are also involved.
You can see some footage of the parades here.
You can see photos here.
The Twelfth has become quite a tourist attraction since the end of the troubles here in Northern Ireland.
If you’re still reading at this stage and still interested it is possible to hear JP’s favourite part of the Twelfth here.
Elaine
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