Saturday 23 January 2010

16 January 2010 - Ice cream

This is what happens when you let Amber at the raspberry ripple first - all the raspberry disappears...


Saturday 9 January 2010

09 January 2010 - Snow

This morning there was a robin outside the kitchen waiting to be fed. It would appear George the pheasant had eaten ALL the seed leaving not a lot for the little birds. Greedy George. Plenty of seed to go round though and this little robin got plenty of seed to munch on.



Heading out in the car, it was apparent not everyone was having a safe journey today. A lorry had for some reason decided to park on the Keir roundabout. It had come down the bypass but for some reason didn't manage to stop before continuing and parking up on the roundabout. Oops.



Andrew laughed at this picture since a rather awkward lamp post had got in the way of what is otherwise a picturesque photo of trees in Boness looking out towards a foggy Forth. However, I rather like the photo and think the lamp post actually makes the picture. What do you think?



Then over the Kincardine bridge towards Culross in Fife for a spot of birthday present shopping in the little pottery/gallery there. Always loads of nice stuff there and well worth a browse. It's even such a pleasant stroll through all the narrow streets and tiny houses in the village. It's won quite a few "best village" awards and you can see why. This picture is looking out across the Forth towards the famous polluting Grangemouth. Nice sky though.



Then back to the cottage for dinner. No sign of the snow shifting in a hurry.



In fact, the next picture was taken about an hour later as Andrew headed out to the shed to chop kindling for the fire. Looked like a bitter night was heading our way.

Sunday 3 January 2010

02 January 2010 - Sled

It being particularly snowy at the cottage, Amber and I braved the elements and headed out sledding.



Looking back from the Christmas tree hill you can see the cottage covered in snow.



Amber sledding down the hill.



Amber at the bottom of the hill.



The view over the trees.



Amber coming down the hill.



Me having wiped out at the bottom of the hill.



Amber having wiped out at the bottom of the hill.



The snow then started up again and you can see the cottage beginning to get fuzzy behind the snow.



Amber couldn't be bothered waiting as I took my pics so headed off back to the cottage.

Saturday 2 January 2010

31 December 2009 - End of the holiday

We stayed in Guildford close to Andrew's mum. Our hotel was just across from Guildford Cathedral. Now this cathedral is noteable for two events. Firstly, it was used in the filming of The Omen and secondly [and more importantly] Andrew was a choirboy and sang in this cathedral. Sadly pictures of the latter are not available but here is the cathedral.





It seems important to post a picture of our silver metal box on wheels that was our hire car. It was a Citroen Picasso for those who are interested.



But it is always good to get back home even if we had to dig our car out of the snow at Edinburgh airport!

27 December 2009 - London

On the Sunday after Christmas we headed into London to take in an exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts and to meet up with Charlotte. After parking the car Andrew took a picture of the hotel we were not having lunch at........ The Ritz. Apparently, they had a fake sea gull flying on a bit of wire on the top corner of The Ritz. OK... so did you go park the car or were you drinking in a pub Andrew?



But back to the exhibition. Called "The Wild Thing" it was a collection of sculptures and drawings from 3 key artists - Jacob Epstein, Henri Gaudier-Brzeska and Eric Gill. Their work was produced around 1905 to 1915 and it's the first time all 3 have exhibited together in Britain.

Here are a couple of my favourite pieces from the exhibition.





The courtyard before you enter the Royal Academy provided an opportunity to exhibit a large sculpture from Anish Kapoor. it can only be described as large ball bearings!



Our reflection in the giant ball bearings.



We quite conveniently ended up walking down New Bond Street where every second shop is an expensive jewellers. The majority of them had dished out huge doses of the festive spirit by dressing up the outside of their shops and the Cartier display was one of our favourites.



But it was like keeping up with the Jones's as you turned the corner into another street. Shops all over the place continue to look for novel ways to "christmas-ate" their shop windows. This one was quite funny....... it had what looked like a giant snowball stuck to the front window.



And another shop filled the window with decorations from an old show ground.



But the top place in the city to see decorations each year has to be Carnaby Street. Once again this year they put up something rather special.







And just as your eye grows accustomed to the flower power and peace messages on the hearts you get a surprise of a giant pink reindeer...........eh....... why not?



Straight laced Regent Street adopted a more traditional theme.



But you didn't expect the giant toy emporium Hamleys to hang up anything less than............ GIANT GOLD gingerbread men!!! I so want one.



Naturally the more eccentric stores went for window displays that .... well had nothing really to do with Christmas. I mean what is going on in this shop? I'm thinking ..... orange is just so not the polar bear's colour!



And then there was the orangutang with the swanky panama hat. hmmmmmmm. Oh and did I mention the dummies' blue hair?



And a stroll through London is just so not a stroll through London without window shopping in my favourite shop.......Tiffanys. ahhhhh......

23 December 2009 - More snow

George happy to eat in the snow.



Mr. Snowman has a fresh coating of snow.



View from the front.

22 December 2009 - Snowman

Snowman at the cottage. Blocking the gate. Not good news for postie.

20 December 2009 - Snow

The first snow of the year and George the pheasant has left some telltale tracks.