PINK DRIPS

Alastair, Dawn, Indy have now arrived and we joined Mairi, Iseabail for Christmas day dinner at Mairi's house. She did all the work with iain's help.

John and children are in Wales with his parents.  A good day all round.

Boxing Day - a lovely day.  This is the sun at mid-day i.e. shining between rooftops of 2 neighbouring houses on the south  side of the garden. 

Everyone went out; I stayed in to 're-group'. More photos anon.

  The flamingos' winter coat gradually melted as the sun rose in the sky.

This chap looks like I felt last week - down with flu.  Now, however, have totally recovered. (Flu vaccination must have made a difference....)

CHRISTMAS AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE

Ellie (2 and 3/4 years) was with us today.  She helped decorate the Christmas tree.

BOCLAIR HOUSE BEARSDEN

A local landmark has had a make-over.  What was built originally as a Victorian mansion, then used as the local council offices, is now a smart hotel.  It is very much done up in the style for weddings, i.e. glitzy.

Having not been in the place since it was done up I was amazed at just what can be done with a dreary interior!  We joined others for a post-funeral tea  this week. Yes, the tea was just lovely with fresh, fat sandwiches, cakes and meringues beautifully all laid out on a slate plate.  And there was even a plate of the ever-necessary sausage rolls seen at every Scottish funeral tea.

When Iain and I came back from Chicago in 1969 we lived in the top of a house just at the back of those houses in the middle distance.  It was from there that we built our house on CVD.

 

The hotel has even done up the Victorian bandstand on the front lawn.

The frosty balustrade of the front steps sparkles in the midday sunshine.

* * * * * * * *

Ilona was looking for these German biscuits which I found lurking in one of the isles of Waitrose today.  And they are lovely: tasty, chewy... I think made from hazelnuts and sugar.

WINTER ON THE WEST COAST OF SCOTLAND

I spent some time in Millport this past weekend.  The cold clear wintery weather continues ... makes it great for taking photos. The sun is low, the shadows are long.

KELVINGROVE PRE-CHRISTMAS

I headed to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum for the 1 pm organ recital today  (CM playing). 

Their Christmas tree was very welcoming in the main hall ... having come in from very cold and windy weather.

There has been an addition of coloured lights flooding the organ loft.  M-m-m-m ... not great for the organist who has these lights shining up from his feet as he tries to read the music.  However the audience appreciated the flat screens below showing close-up views of the keyboard(s) played by the hands and the pedals played by the feet.

While there I took the opportunity to view the new painting by Rubens which now graces the gallery.  The story is here [Guardian newspaper]:

A long-lost portrait of perhaps one of the most famous gay men in history by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens has been found in Glasgow.
 

The portrait showing George Villiers, the first Duke of Buckingham, thought to have been James VI and I’s lover, had been hanging in a National Trust for Scotland property [Pollok House] and was believed to be a copy of the lost original, which had been missing for almost 400 years.

Conservation work carried out by the art restorer Simon Gillespie has returned the portrait, which belongs to Glasgow Museums, to its original state.

 
This allowed for a new assessment of its attribution and the painting was authenticated as a Rubens by Ben van Beneden, the director of the Rubenshuis in Antwerp.

 

DECEMBER'S DARK DAYS

We are now in the darkest days on the year.  It was not really light this morning until 8:30 am.

This past weekend I put candles in the windows and also on the porch (above).  Linda Brooks gave me a battery operated candle and I always think of her when I switch it on at this time of year.  Ilona, in Skye, mentioned to me recently that she too enjoys using a similar candle that she got from Linda on her visit here a few years ago.

Meanwhile here are a couple of late afternoon photos taken last week in clear weather.  

 The fading light looking south-west from the back garden.

My rose bush is still flourishing; these roses are on the side which graces my neighbour's garden, opposite her back door (where I am in and out for cups of tea).

CHRISTMAS SCENES GLAGOW

Glasgow city centre ...

At the bottom of Buchanan Street a new Tim Horton's

And at the top of Buchanan Street...

Paperchase Made-in-China baubles

 Paperchase coloured paper

John Lewis display cushion

Donald Dewar still standing at the top of Buchanan Street

 

Late afternoon out for a cup of tea and a scone at Honeybee Tearoom at the end our local village centre (Milngavie)

We've had over a week of clear days and nights, absolutely lovely but rather cold.

THE GRANDCHILDREN; END OF THE YEAR 2017

Photo catch-up now that the calendar has had the last page turned over to the last month of the year.  

Alastair and Indy (6 years old) had a weekend break visiting the beaches south of Los Angeles.

Indy with his book on his living room sofa.

Ishie (nearly 11 years old but going in 15!) and Alastair (nearly 9 years old) were at Murrayfield for the rugby match last weekend.  Scotland vs Australia and Scotland won!  (John's photo.)

Harriet (4) and Ellie (2) down at Kilmardinny Loch where we went to feed the ducks.