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Monthly Archives: February 2012

North of the Wall…Scotland

20 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by pat in Scotland, The Royal Family, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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Balmoral, Scotland, travel

We are beginning to plan for our trip over to England, even though word has it from that side of the pond that the snow is still falling (as it is here up north), and it is a particularly cold winter. No worries.  By the time we go, the fields will be turning green, and the icy sleet will have turned to a warm drizzle.

This English Hedge Sparrow in West Bromwich, England is ready for spring. Photo by Tony Hisgett, Birmingham

We are planning to spend part of this trip north of Hadrian’s wall, that Roman construction that was built around 122AD to keep the Scots in Scotland,  provide a way to collect tariffs from any trade going back and forth, or possibly just an expression of Roman emperor Hadrian’s power. No one is quite positive on the subject.

This map shows the location of Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall in Scotland and Northern England. Created by Norman Einstein, September 20, 2005.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 80 roman mile construction was thought to have been plastered and white-washed, a pretty impressive sight by anyone’s standards. I have actually passed by it several times at fairly unimpressive spots, but the history and romance of it is very intriguing.

Hadrian's Wall between Housesteads and Once Brewed. Photo by Michael Hanselmann

Even though we have ventured to Scotland before (to both Edinburgh and to Oban on the west coast), we are going a bit further north this summer to Ballater, which is the closest village to Balmoral (as in the estate Queen Victoria purchased in 1848, and where the royal family still spends most August holidays).  There does seem to be lots to explore in the area in addition to the estates and gardens of Balmoral.

There is a safari trip I discovered online, where a guide takes guests by Range Rover through the estate and “… through the heather high up the flanks of Lochnagar, one of Scotland’s most famous mountains”….think of the stalking scenes in the movie “The Queen”.

Safari tours of Balmoral

We’ll have long days to explore.  Our last trip to Scotland that we did  in the month of June, I seem to recall it was still light at 11 pm at night!  But even though the daylight hours are very long, it was also very cold.  So I thought a tour of a Scotch whiskey distillery might be the thing to do.  There are many within an easy day trip of Ballater, including Glendronoch Distillery near Aberdeen.  They seem to be scattered all over the place. There is even one that services Balmoral.

Glendoroch Distillery in Scotland. A tasting here will take the cold Scottish chill away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other place I have always wanted to see is the village in “Local Hero”, the 1983 comedy drama starring Peter Riegert and Burt Lancaster, and one of my favorite movies of all times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a certain magic to the movie with a real sense of paradise lost, and the locations contribute a lot to that magic.  Although the movie takes place in one fictional village location, Fernesse, the actually shots were filmed in several Scottish locations, including Banffshire, Pole of Itlaw, and Pennan about two hours north of Balmoral on the coast.  It might be fun to hunt them out.

Pennan Village, photo by Tom Jervis from Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, I am still exploring online and trying to imagine what we may want to see when we are actually there.  But the possibilities seem endless. Now if the weather will just cooperate.

 

Laundry Day On The Move

09 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by pat in Travel, Uncategorized

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launderette, packing for trip, travel

I love traveling and escaping from the everyday, and we are always ready for the next adventure.  But some household chores follow us wherever we go…like trying to get fresh clean clothes when we are on the road.  When you travel for weeks at a time, it is just not smart to pack for an entire trip.  So that means laundrettes (in Europe) or Laundromats (in the US) are the smart solution.

The laundromat. A must on long trips. Bring a book, and lots of change. Photo by me.

When I first travelled to Europe, especially in a country where I didn’t speak the language, it was very difficult to do laundry in an efficient manner.  Often it meant washing things out in the hotel sink, and hoping they would dry by the next morning, a formidable challenge. (Tip, if you roll wet laundry in a towel before hanging it up to dry, it has a much better chance of drying overnight.)

I remember going through Holland with my dear friends and traveling buddies from LA . We arrived in Amsterdam, and realized it was time to do laundry.  We did find a laundrette with machines to do the wash, and sorted out the unfamiliar coins to make them work, but dryers were few and far between in Europe then (Europeans still hang laundry on a line outside, or use sunrooms, or drying closets). So it was imperative that we chose accommodations with a good big radiator in the room…the better to dry wet socks. My hotel room looked like a linen delivery truck had exploded and littered it’s contents over every piece of furniture, curtain rod and heat source in the room.

Warm socks are a challenge but a necessity! photo by Clarita.

When visiting friends and family in England, they are often kind enough to offer us their washing machines and we gamely hang everything outside in the moist English air with feeble hopes of it drying before we move on.  Just when it feels like that fleece top has lost that last bit of damp, however, it more often than not starts raining and you are back to square one.  The clothes do smell wonderful, however, drying in the fresh air, even if the jeans are stiff as a board.  A few good shakes and they’re back to normal, though.

Hanging wash on the line is a true challenge. It's like doing a rain dance.Photo Bucket photo

Now, in the last decade or so, it seems it has gotten easier.  In the states, we often stay in a chain hotel that has a laundry room on the premises.  What a joy!  A movie in the room with take-out Chinese while we do laundry down the hall is heaven on earth on a long trip.

In Europe we have been good at finding a nearby market center town that has a laundrette. The internet has been brilliant for being able to locate these hidden gems. They’re usually not in the main tourist area.  I remember in the Lake District driving a half hour from Grasmere to a  larger market town, and spending an hour chatting with the locals and reading the local newspapers while our wash would spin and dry!

Watching our wash spin is a perfect way to meet the locals in the nearby market towns. "Washerwhirl" by taliesin

My Beloved Brit has learned that when he goes over to Burnham-on-Crouch sailing for a week or so before I join him, that it is most appreciated if he spends a few hours in the laundrette around the corner from his yacht club before I arrive. (There is nothing quite like the smell of damp sailing gear that has been stowed in a duffel bag for a week) That little shop feels like home after many years of doing our laundry there.

It is always such a great feeling to start fresh on a long trip and re-pack our bags with clean laundry.  It is like the holiday has just begun with all new expectations and excitement in setting out again.

Happy Diamond Jubilee

06 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by pat in England, London, The Royal Family, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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Diamond Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II

February 6th marks 60 years to the day since Queen Elizabeth II ascended Britain’s throne.  The Diamond Jubilee Celebrations start this weekend and continue for 5 months.

There is a wonderful display of photos courtesy of The National Post. Click here to view the entire sequence.

A portrait of the Queen on her Coronation Day 1953 by Sir Terence Cuneo. Photo from The National Post article.

There is also a fun article “60 Things You Might Not Know About The Queen” in the Times Colonist which includes:

“Her coronation in 1953 was the first to be televised. An estimated 20 million people in Britain tuned in, while 100 million in North America reportedly watched the recorded ceremony.”

“Two years ago, Forbes magazine estimated her net worth at $450 million US.”

 “Her mother was initially against Elizabeth’s marriage to Philip, and reportedly referred to him as ‘The Hun.’ “

“The Queen and Prince Philip share the same great-great-grandmother: Queen Victoria.”

My Beloved Brit has just tried to book me a room in London for the weekend of June 2nd so I can participate in the highlights of the celebration while he is off sailing with his mates.  I do love that man! Keep your fingers crossed that London is not totally booked up already.

Home Sweet Studio

05 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by pat in Art, paintings, Uncategorized

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art, bird's nest, oil painting

Back in the studio. photo by me

In the middle of a painting, it's good to be back to the studio. Photo by me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is so good to be back in the studio again, especially when a painting I started before escaping for a weeks holiday looked just as good to me now as I remembered.

It is always enlightening to work on a piece, and then remove yourself totally from it for a time…sometimes overnight, but a week is even more telling.  It just helps to look at it fresh.

Luckily with this painting of the winter garden bird’s nest I had started the week before, it looks just as interesting to me now as when I left it mid-stroke. It should be a fun week getting back in to it.

 

 

 

 

 

Prelude to Fame – “Just Kids” by Patti Smith

03 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by pat in Art, Books, Uncategorized

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"Just Kids", books, Patti Smith, Robert Mapplethorpe

I’ve been on holiday for a week, and finally am returning home. Fortunately, I managed to find a tiny little book shop in Key West (an independent one–shock– specializing in good reads and used and classic books). When I chose “Just Kids” by Patti Smith (which has been on my must read list for months), the shop owner gave me a thumbs up.

"Just Kids" by Patti Smith. photo by me.

He was right.

I had taken along a sketch book and camera with me on this trip, and although I took a few photos to possibly work from in the future, I didn’t touch the sketch book.  Instead, in every spare moment, I read this amazing book about a youthful journey of an artist and his muse (as Patti describes themselves).

Patti Smith’s memoir, published in 2010, reminisces about her relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe when they were both young, trying to interact with the New York art scene, struggling with their own personal art and convinced that someday they would be famous.  And they were.  But in those early days it was all about creative exploration…and trying to find something to eat. As Patti said, it was all about finding a direction of art that would illuminate.  I love that idea.

Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe, from "Just Kids". photo of book by me

When I was young, I tried to convince my parents that going from high school to art school was the right thing to do.  I had my eye on Pratt Institute in NYC, which Mapplethorpe attended at this same time.  They insisted a broader liberal arts education and a university degree made much more sense, so I went on to Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia and got my BA in Fine Arts.

Mapplethorpe's photo of Patti for her first album, from "Just Kids". photo of book by me.

I have often wondered how different my life would have been if I had fully committed to fine arts at an earlier age, instead of straying into commercial graphic design.  Reading this book gives a wonderful look down that rabbit hole.  I don’t know if I would have had their stamina, but it was fascinating to live that youthful fantasy through their eyes. It was an astounding journey.

If you get a chance, pick up this book.  Artist or not, it is a wonderful read.

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