Category: A Walk

Chatelherault – 19 December 2023

Posted on by Zogman

Out on a photo walk with Alex.

I was due to pick Alex up at his house around 11am, but after getting up at about 4.30am to take some paracetamol to numb the pain from toothache, I wasn’t sure I’d be meeting him any time today. However, when the 8.30am alarm chimed out its merry tune there was no sign of toothache.

The early rise and the alarm were because we’d booked the man from Hannah and Howie to come and service the boiler. He was supposed to arrive between 9am and 1pm, and I was glad we’d set the alarm for 8.30, when he knocked on the door at 9.05. It only took him half an hour to do the service and report that nothing needed replaced this time, but maybe we’d need a gasket replaced at the next service, which should be in a year’s time. One thing done.

Scamp asked me to take her up to Tesco to get more messages, so I dropped her off and drove on to Motherwell, had a chat with Carol and Alex and I drove over to Chatelherault on the outskirts of Hamilton. While we were sitting in the car talking, an unusual bird swooped down not far from us. At first I thought it was a Shrike, but Alex though it might be a Jay, and when we got a good look at it, that’s what it was. Not very common this far north, but I think Hazy gets them in her garden.

It was a wild day with sunny skies one minute and torrential rain the next. We walked down past the Three Hard Men, the statues of David Livingston, William Wallace and Robert Owen cut from steel plate. I got a few shots, but wasn’t really struck on any of them. Alex, of course, got a cracker of a shot!

We walked further on to the old Avon Bridge where we saw a Kingfisher about a year ago, but the Avon Water was in spate, or probably more likely just running off a spate, but far too fast flowing for the kingfisher to show today. As we turned to climb the hill that would take us back to the Big House, we felt the first spits of rain. We’d both been watching the clouds rolling in and as there was no shelter, we just had to plod our weary way back through the rain. We got passed by about a dozen cyclists who must have been as wet as us, if not wetter. It was lovely and warm in the cafe though and we got a table without any problem.

I had just been given a tray with our two coffees and two scones when the woman at the till said the system had gone down. She took a note of our order and said she’d let us know when the system was back in business again. After our coffee and scone lunch, we sat and talked a while. People were being served again at the counter and it looked like the rain had stopped and the sun was shining again, so went back and paid for our lunch. The woman seemed surprised that I’d bothered to come back, but maybe it’s just auld guys like me who do that. Anyway, she gave me a wink and gave me a discount for being honest!

Alex suggested a walk to the Cadzow Oaks, the ancient oak trees that surround some earthworks. The oaks have been dated to the mid 15th Century. That kind of ancient. Some of the oldest living trees in Scotland. The earthworks are a mystery. Nobody seems to know their significance, and there is no clue to who built them. The oaks always make me think of the Ents that Tolkien wrote about. We both got a few photos of them, quite a few! One Ent photo made PoD. Then the rain threatened again and we walked back over the Duke’s Bridge to the car. I drove Alex home and we planned another outing between Christmas and New Year, probably to Glasgow if the weather behaves.

Scamp had been busy while I was away. There was mince cooking on the stove and a lovely smell of baked cakes from the oven. They were Dundee Cakes with a lovely mixture of fruit in them, as well as a measure of Black Bottle whisky. I’ve only had one, because although the paracetamol had done its job, I didn’t want to risk another early morning second dose.

Tomorrow, coincidentally, I’ve a dentist’s appointment to repair a broken filling, so I’ll maybe ask the lady dentist if she’ll have a look at my dodgy molar. Scamp is booked for lunch tomorrow at Calders. Hopefully I’ll be able to speak properly when she gets home, if my jag has worn off by then!

I saw blue sky! – 18 December 2023

Posted on by Zogman

We drove up to Costa today to have coffee with Isobel.

We spent an hour in a cold barn of a place with a really high ceiling that means any hot air collects under the manky glass roof and doesn’t warm those seated below it. Although, I think the air con was blowing cool air around us. We sat in this dismal place for an hour. Isobel eventually put her coat on. An hour was enough in the cooler and we parted to go our separate ways.

Scamp and I were going to Tesco to get a trolley load of messages which tested the suspension of the blue car. It was just a Monday morning shopping expedition with little to differentiate it from any other Monday, except, the sun was breaking through and a big triangular chunk of blue sky was in evidence! Miracles do happen, even in Cumbersheugh.

We drove home and unpacked the bags and then stashed them in cupboards, fridge and freezer until the bags were empty. Scamp was going to have lunch, but I wasn’t going to let the blue sky and sun get away lightly. I changed into boots and drove down to Auchinstarry to get some real outside photos.

A couple of landscapes were first on the list, taken on a walk along the canal towpath, then as I was crossing into the Plantation, the light was just scraping down the side of the Campsie Fells. Just as I took the shot a deer ran across the path and into my field of view, except that the fraction of a second it takes for the shutter to fire allowed the deer to get into the trees. All I saw on the shot was the white of its tail. Never mind, it was the landscape I was photographing this time, not the wildlife.

I crossed the River Kelvin on the bridge and turned right to head back to the car park and found PoD. It’s a snail complete with shell, paddling across the waterlogged path that used to be a mineral railway line taking coal to Glasgow. A nice low angle and a slow moving subject gave me ideal image for the PoD.

Drove home after visiting Lidl in Kilsyth and wishing I’d walked through the wee park where a bloke told me he’d seen a kingfisher about a month ago, but the light was failing by then and I had to leave the kingfisher for another day. I drove home and had a late lunch of a piece ’n’ cold meat.

Dinner tonight was more of yesterday’s Carrot & Lentil Curry. It had matured since yesterday. Not as sweet and with some extra garam masala, it was a bit spicier.

Watched the final part of Portrait Artist of the Year 2023 where the winning artist painted Dr Dame Jane Morris Goodall DBE for the National Portrait Gallery. It was so good to see a portrait that ended up looking like the sitter for a change.

Tomorrow a bloke is coming to service the boiler and I’m hoping to meet Alex for a photo walk.

Another dull day – 16 December 2023

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Today was dull. There is no other way to put it. Just plain Scottish dreich.

Scamp announced that today would be devoted to tidying up the living room and especially the dinner table. With that decided for us, I did my fair share of tidying up, considering that it was mainly my junk that needed to be sorted through into Keep and Chuck piles. It did make a difference to the overall feel of the house when we were finished.

After a plate each of minestrone for lunch, we went for a walk to the shops. We didn’t really need anything there, but it was good to get out in the fresh air for a walk. I brought my camera with me, but didn’t feel inspired to take it out of the bag. It’s so difficult to get inspired on these dull days with no directional light. Scamp got a poinsettia with the money that June had given her for that purpose, but I really went for the walk. Back home a hot chocolate did brighten the afternoon a bit, as did a wee bag of Maltesers.

Spoke to Val when he phoned me out of the blue in the afternoon. It was good to hear from him and he sounded a lot more like himself. Still not fit enough or confident enough to go out for coffee, but a fifteen minute conversation made me feel a lot better. He certainly has had a hard time these last few weeks.

Later in the afternoon we got a message from Hazy to say that both their parcels had been delivered and that they had been divided up. Neil chose a brass cross and will give his mum and dad the other one, while Hazy has another cat too look after, albeit a ceramic one!

I couldn’t find a subject worthy of photographing, but then I found lots of subjects hanging on the Christmas tree. A wee Santa got the chance to shine today. Taken with the LensBaby 35 distortion lens, it looked quite good surrounded by the Christmas lights.

Dinner was Borlotti Beans and Bacon and was really such an excellent dinner for such a dull, cold, windy day. Great choice, Scamp.

We watched the final of Strictly in the evening and I must say it bolstered my opinion that the show is past its ‘sell by date’. How the worst contender of the final three managed to lift the trophy, I’ll never know. I don’t think I’ll watch the show next year, it is too depressing.

Tomorrow we have no plans. Hoping against hope that the sun may manage to shine for a short spell, but not convinced that it will.

Steak Pie and Macaroni Cheese – 15 December 2023

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Scamp was off to FitSteps this morning. The last one of this year.

While she was away, it was my job to post the parcels to the boys and girls.

First I had to write the addresses on all the boxes and then humph them over to the post office in Condorrat. It was supposed to be 8ºc this morning, but that didn’t take into account the wind chill and it was chilling. Condorrat post office is a tiny wee place and it was crowded today with folk carrying big parcels, me being one of them. However, the woman who was in charge was efficient at getting through the queues of folk waiting to send parcels out to other folk. After answering a load of questions I got all three parcels posted off. Hopefully everyone will like what’s in them, and there are a couple of surprises.

I took a few photos on the way back home, mainly boring tree photos and a few of the bright red berries that no animal wants to eat and no birds do either. The bright red colour seems to signify ‘Danger’ and they all steer well clear. I imagine they are poisonous to all flesh, so I kept my distance too, but they did brighten up the trees. One of them became PoD.

Cup of coffee when I got home and we were ready to go to Brodens for lunch. Last week we were the only folk in the restaurant for a while. Today it was jumping, but our table was marked as reserved. Steak pie for me and macaroni cheese for Scamp. Good filling food. Then we walked down the road. We had intended to go down to the shops for some things, but then decided it was a bit cold for that, so we went home instead.

Scamp though it would be a good idea to put up her new automatic lights on the tall fence. I grabbed my trusty staple gun and proceeded to staple some cable ties to the fence, then we could use them to hold the wires of the long string of lights. Just as I was nearly finished, I managed to drive a staple through the fleshy part of my thumb, just shy of my nail, thankfully. Lots of blood, but nothing an Elastoplast couldn’t cope with. It was sore at the time, but now it’s settled down. Dafty! I think Scamp got a bigger fright than me. The lights look very pretty all different colours. We checked tonight and they went off after their 6 hours.

I did some post processing afterwards and Scamp sat and read for a while. We watched the final of the Portrait Artist of the Year and the right person won, for once. So unusual for us to pick the winner.

No real plans for tomorrow. Every year, June buys Scamp a Poinsettia at Christmas. Lately she just gives Scamp the money to buy one. Tomorrow I think we might go and buy June’s poinsettia.

Two go for a walk – 11 December 2023

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The morning broke with the promise of a fine day, but would it last?

As we watched the clouds break and the sun begin to shine, the decision was made. We would go for a walk. I chose Drumpellier as the likely destination. I know Scamp likes walking in the woods and I do too. It’s usually a place where I can be sure of getting a photo or two, so suited and booted for a walk in the woods, we set off.

By around 10.30 we were walking between the two ponds that make up Lochend Loch. We were walking counterclockwise today, against the normal flow of pedestrians. We took our usual route, choosing the second path that offered us an entrance to the woods. It’s a long straight path that takes you deep into the woodland, then there’s an almost 180º turn and another slightly shorter path before we turned off as we usually do to climb up the long slope to the crest of the hill then down the other side. Every now and again we’d come across a handful of seeds scattered by someone on the side of the path with magpies and the occasional crows making a breakfast of them. We’ve often seen these seeds and wondered if it’s just folk like us, or maybe folk working in the park who put these seeds down.

There are a myriad of paths and trails all the way through the woodland. Some are obviously deer trails and some look as if they are ramblers trails, but we generally keep to the main paths and each of us has their favourites. Today we walked a shorter and less strenuous route than normal, then I suggested we add on a walk round the cricket ground. It’s strange to think that an industrial place like Coatbridge would have a cricket ground in a corner of the woodland, but it’s true. We walked back down the road that would take us back to the loch and from there, back to the car park.

We needed some ‘messages’ and I suggested Morrisons as a change from Tesco. That’s how we came home with three bags full of stuff. Scamp was delighted to find that Morrisons stocked her old favourite fruity sauce. I was delighted to find a bargain bottle of whisky. We both bought more than we really needed, but a change is as good as a rest, some say and we needed a change from Tesco.

I finally bit the bullet and drove up to the town centre to get my hair cut. I swear it took the girl less than five minutes to give me a number 3 on the sides and a number 4 on the top. Then trim my terrifying eyebrows. Worth the £7.90 she asked for, so I gave her a tenner!

While I was out, Scamp had put her fancy new Christmas lights round the wee tree Jamie and Simonne brought from their garden. The clever thing about them is that you set the start time for them, then they stay on for six hours and automatically switch off after that time.  So smart!

I got a few photos today, but my favourite, and PoD, was a view over Lochend Loch with the sky reflected in the still water.

Cleverly, Scamp had turned the chicken stock from yesterday into a small pot of soup by adding more veg. That was dinner tonight with an M&S pizza to fill a wee space if we needed it.

Tomorrow I think Scamp may be meeting June, Shona and Ian. I’m intending to stay at home incase a parcel arrives.

 

I think my jacket’s still wet – 9 December 2023

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It was a wet day. Far wetter and duller than we’d hoped we’d get. But we were so fed up with looking out at rain that we drove over to Stirling to see if it was any better there.

Actually, it was better. Certainly not as wet as Cumbersheugh. We had half intended to do some shopping in Waitrose, but there were queues for every parking space and people just crawling round hoping against hope that they’d be the luck on who could nick a space that someone was coming out of. It never happens that way. It’s always the car you’ve just passed that moves and it’s the person behind you that nabs the space. We gave up and drove to the multi. £2.50 to park all day at weekends. I could probably have burned that amount on petrol cruising round the Waitrose car park.

We walked in to Stirling itself and the rain was definitely lighter. Coffee with a panini each and a seat at the window to boot. For once – right place at the right time. Fed and watered Scamp went off to wander the aisles of M&S while I went to the Made in Stirling shop where they sell old lenses and even older cameras. I wasn’t buying today, just taking in some retail therapy. I also found some interesting mountain paintings. Very minimalist. Just two colours it seemed at first, black and white, but on closer inspection there was a whole palette of subdued colours. Must try that some time. I’ll add it to my list of things to do when I’m not taking photos.

I met up with Scamp in the Thistle Centre as agreed and we also agreed that we would forego the retail pleasures in store in Waitrose and just go home. Drove up to Tesco to pick up my pills that today’s email had said were waiting for me, but the pharmacy was closed for lunch. So we drove home.

Later in the afternoon I did get my meds and next door in Tesco I got a bottle of Drambuie to add to my evening whisky to make a Rusty Nail. I even got money off!

I finally hung up my sodden jacket in the boiler cupboard where it could drip and dry in peace over night, while Scamp and I could have a cup of white tea for Scamp and a coffee for me.

I sold my Samyang 18mm f2.8 lens in the afternoon. It’s a good lens, but I just don’t need it any more and the extra money I get from the sale will go to more glass!

Tonight’s dinner was Miso Pork Ramen converted to Miso Chicken Ramen to suit Scamp. It was a bit of a mess, but worth trying again some time, although Scamp isn’t very impressed with the Chinese version of soup.

 

We watched a tedious semi-final of Strictly later. I lost count of the number of times contestants were given a ‘Surprise’ of a video of family members wishing them well. Some of the dancing was good and some was poor. We both have a short leet of possible winners. I’m willing to bet that neither of us is right!

PoD was a photo of a perfectly good, if slightly waterlogged table outside Cafe Nero in Stirling with nobody sit-in at it! I have no idea why! 😉

Tomorrow looks like a re-run of today with more rain and less light. Roll on the 22nd December, the shortest day. After that it should get a bit brighter.

Coffee again – 6 December 2023

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Out in the morning for the third time this week, but this time it was both of us who were going out.

Scamp was heading for Glasgow to find an undisclosed purchase and I was going for a coffee. I gave Scamp a lift to the station and then managed to pick up a box of Christmas cards and had just enough time to write them before the meeting began

I was meeting Colin and John for coffee in Costa. I think I’ve had my fill now of poor coffee. Not terrible, just not good coffee. But I did have a good blether with Colin and John. I laughed when one of my FPs (Former Pupils) walked past pushing a pram, and who then did a double take at the sight of at least two of her former teachers sitting there. Even worse, she returned to the counter with another FP, presumably to corroborate her discovery that we were still in the land of the living!

After about an hour and a half we were talked out and went our separate ways. I drove home through what must have been freezing fog, I reckon. It certainly wasn’t very pleasant to drive through. I’d had the fog lights on earlier in the day, but didn’t need them on the way back.

After footering about for a while back home and once again praising a central heating system that keeps the living room at a comfortable temperature, I was just thinking about heading over to St Mo’s to grab some misty, if not foggy photos when a message from Scamp arrived on my phone to tell me she was on the bus home. That’s when I realised I was supposed to be making soup for dinner and I hadn’t started it yet.

The early warning gave me about 45 minutes to get going. It was another “What have we got that’s worth cooking” soup which finally settled down to be Leek, Red Pepper, Carrot, Turnip and Kale soup with a handful of Broth Mix added in for good measure. By the time Scamp arrived the soup was simmering nicely and I did go out with the A7 to get some photos.

There had been fog in the morning, but by the time I was in St Mo’s, it had dissipated and the temperature was dropping just like the weather fairies had said. The fog had left a light film of moisture on the branches and berries on the bushes and as the temperature dropped below zero, that moisture became spikes of ice crystals. Very pretty to look at but very cold. I got a few photos of them, but PoD went to a crop of a shot of wildfowl on St Mo’s pond. The crop made it look, to my eyes, like a sort of panorama. I was quite pleased with it. However a black & white image of a man and his dog walking over the boardwalk got more attention on Flickr.

No dance practise tonight because the teacher is crocked. She twisted her ankle when she was out walking her dogs at luchtime.  That’s a pity, because I’m getting to like her style and her classes.  Maybe next week.

We watched the final episode of Shetland and found out who the murderer was as well as discovering how the sorry tale unwound itself. Clever writing, producing, acting and scenery. I’m beginning to feel that I know what Shetland looks like now.

Tomorrow Scamp is out again for lunch this time with Mags and I may take the opportunity to do some painting or to go in to Glasgow. It depends on the weather!

Yet more bloodletting – 5 December 2023

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Today I had my annual checkup with the nurse.

Actually the checkup today was with the sister, as these annual checkups usually are. She checked my BP, then tried it again. On the third try, I asked if there was something wrong and she said my BP was quite low. After she had looked at my record she asked me if I would mind them reducing some of my meds. Mind? I said I’d be delighted. I’ve felt for months if not years that my blood pressure meds are too low and nobody listened, now here was somebody listening. Long story short she has reduced one of my BP meds by half for a month and will monitor it after that. That, and the fact that and having lost a bit of weight and was stabilising at that, was the good news.

The not so good was that my vitamin B12 level was lower than it should have been and the doc wanted to get more blood tests. She took the blood and said the doc would review it in a week or so. So now I wait to see what the doc has to say probably in a phone consultation in a week or so.

It’s always the same when I got for an annual checkup. One good thing and one not so good. That’s life, I suppose.

That left me with the rest of the day to play with, but it wasn’t a playing day, in fact it was dull and dreary. Cold too, with the temperature barely reaching 3ºc. At least it was a positive temperature, not sub zero. We should be grateful for small mercies!

Finally, later than I’d intended the sun broke through the clouds and I dragged myself out to St Mo’s for a walk and hopefully a photo or two. I think I left it just too late for the good light, but I did get some sunset photos of the light through the trees. My favourite, and PoD was a shot over the pond of the gulls and geese circling and trying to find a bit of clear water to land on in the middle of the partly frozen pond.

Tomorrow another early(ish) rise and coffee in Costa with Colin Campbell and John Malley. Looking forward to that.

 

It’s thawing – 4 December 2023

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Finally the rain was falling this morning and the snow was on the back foot.

Snow is great fun if you’re a youngster, but for the rest of us, it’s just something we have to work with until the rain comes or the temperature rises. Thankfully, the rain came today and the snow is all but gone.

I was out this morning for coffee with Fred. We met in Tesco and had a good hour or so’s blether about anything, but mainly we both just had a right good moan about everything. The coffee wasn’t all that bad, certainly better than a standard Costa coffee, but nothing to write home about. When we were done, we bumped into each other again and again doing the shopping round the store, but Fred was pushing a trolley and I was just carrying a basket, so I was finished first by a long way. We said “Cheerio’ and I drove home under a sky that was clearing quite nicely. Then it rained!

After lunch I finally decided that the weather was improving and I headed over to St Mo’s to see what effect the rain was having on the snow. Actually, the hard packed snow on the paths was almost all gone. Whereas in the areas where the snow was undisturbed, was where it was lingering the most. There is probably a good scientific reason for that, there always is, but I don’t understand it.

Back home and after a first run through the photos to weed out the weak shots and the no-hopers, I did a bit of post processing and one or two shots came out looking quite presentable. A wide angle shot over the pond got PoD.

Dinner was another “What have we got in the fridge” sauce with penne pasta. I wasn’t all that impressed with the result, but Scamp was. So I’ll accept that praise.

Today I did the climb up into the loft to find The Snowman table cover that has to come down early and be rolled out on the floor to allow the warmth in the room to soften out all the creases. As I’m sitting looking at it just now, it’s almost perfectly flat again after almost a year in the cold. I suppose being a Snowman table cover it will be used to the cold.

Tomorrow I have another morning appointment, but this time it’s at at the doc’s for may annual check-up. I’m sure the sister will have questions to ask me and I have a few to ask her. Apart from that, we have no plans for tomorrow, but I have a bag of sweeties that I’m hoping I can plunder when I get back!

Happy Birthday Hazy – 2 December 2023

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Happy Birthday Hazy.

Unbeknown to us, during the night, Mother Nature had seen fit to dump at least 40mm of snow on us. We didn’t ask for it, but then again, we didn’t pay for it, but it would have been only polite to tell us that it was coming. Admittedly, the weather fairies had been telling us for a week or so that it was snow was on the way, but to paraphrase Lou Reed “You can’t alway believer your weather fairies.”

As well as that, it was Hazy’s birthday today. That gives me yet another chance to say Happy Birthday Hazy! As if I needed another opportunity for that. Once Scamp and I had sung the obligatory Happy Birthday song we had a chance to sit and talk to her. Our conversation covered many topics like Neil getting ready to go to a wedding and bow ties for koalas. Just don’t ask. It would take too long to explain it. That was a great way to start the day.

I was fairly eager to go out and get some photos in the snow. Only ’fairly’ because I was eager to take some photos, but the weather machine was predicting low temperatures. But I dressed for the season and even wore my knee length gaiters, as well as boots, lined walking trousers, thick cardigan and double layer Berghaus jacket. If you’ve got to face the frozen snowy wastes of Scotland, do it comfortably.

The road into St Mo’s hadn’t been ploughed or gritted and was treacherous to walk on, as was the norm. The paths with the less hard packed snow was easier to walk on and I love the Crump, Crump, Crump as the snow moves on the boardwalk. Three lenses with me. One long, one medium and one very short. All were used and over 70 photos taken. For once, not very many of them were rejected in the first cull, but I’m sure more will follow on the second run through. PoD went to a photo of a lone tree in a grassy area of St Mo’s. The tree has a lovely shape, bent and twisted, and it stood out well against the sky. It was a good walk, but even although I was well wrapped up, I was feeling the cold when I was walking home.

Two pieces ‘n’ flat sausage for lunch warmed me up and so did the big long radiator in the living room. Most of the afternoon was spent raking through the photos and finding a group of them good enough for Flickr. Eventually I settled of three.

Dinner tonight was re-heated chilli from Thursday. It tasted good, but I had to agree with Scamp that it lacked texture. Certainly worth trying again.

We watched ‘Strictly’ and, as usual, disagreed with panel’s votes.

Tomorrow if the roads are clear we may go out for a run somewhere. Somewhere not too snowy if that’s possible.