Architecture – Page 20 – My Photo Blog

Scraping the car – 18 November 2016

Posted on November 18, 2016November 19, 2016 by Zogman

Yes, it’s that time of year again when you need to scrape the car in the morning. No heated screen or heated seats luxury here JIC!

Scamp was going to the dentist this morning, so I helped her defrost her car while I ran the engine on mine and turned the heater up full speed, full heat and air-con on. Mine was soon defrosting nicely while we scraped away at Scamp’s. That’s where the pic of the frozen leaf came from that. When Scamp left to get her filling done, I headed back in to have porridge for breakfast. First time for ages, and it worked its warm magic again.

With Scamp’s tooth fixed, we all headed off to Loch Leven to have a walk in the cold, fresh air under a clear blue sky. Perfect conditions to test the F707’s infra-red capabilities. Well, the F707 and a furry monkey. The furry monkey which usually sticks to our fridge has magnets in his/her hands and feet. The magnets are fairly strong and are the only ones that have been able to overpower the spring in the solenoid. For that reason, the furry monkey came with us today to Loch Leven. He/she … Let’s fix this ridiculous he/she thing now.

In a book I’m reading (and eking out the pages to make it last) his/her references are solved by making it ‘XYr’. The ‘XY‘ stands for the unknown chromosome balance so ‘XYr’ can be male, female or indeterminate gender. That seems an elegant solution, especially these days with LGBTIQ. Life used to be simpler with just LGBT and it made sense. I think the ‘I’ is for ‘Isnae Sure’. I have no idea what ‘Q’ stands for. It could be ‘Questioning the Magic Donkey’ for all I know. Anyway, thank you Becky Chambers for solving that problem. I hope I got that right Hazy!

Soooo, getting back to the monkey, remember the monkey? XY seemed to enjoy the trip and is now happily back in place in XYr place on the fridge.

The selection at the top came from the 70 odd photos from the day, plus the one from the frozen car. The IR images took a fair bit of post-processing to get the effect I was looking for and although the quality isn’t great, the effect is. I’m not sure if I prefer the false colour version or the monochrome. Mono looks cleaner, but the false colour is more interesting and alien. Further experimentation is required if the furry monkey is up for it.

Lunch was excellent as usual in Loch Leven’s Larder although the shop seems to get posher and more twee every time we go there, which is a pity, but I suppose is inevitable. After that we drove back home via the Forth Road Bridge to get an updated view of the new cable-stay bridge. Dinner was a carry-out from Bombay Dreams.

A good day, most enjoyable. Cold tonight. Temperature just touching zero. Hoping for another sunny day tomorrow.

A Full House – 17 November 2016

Posted on November 17, 2016November 18, 2016 by Zogman

Tonight we would have a busier house as JIC and Sim were coming up for a flying visit.

Scamp was out this morning meeting one of her in-laws for coffee and I was charged with clearing up the painting room ready for JIC and Sim. Of course, I didn’t do that, there were more interesting things to do like format one of the borked drives and test copy files to it to make sure it was working properly. It was. I also worked out how to get my Sony F707 camera working in IR mode again, more of which later. Eventually I did get round to clearing up the room at least so that it looked like a room again.

When Scamp came back I drove in to Glasgow to see if Staples had a decent price for the 3TB backup drive I’d picked on the net. They didn’t, but it looked like Argos in Cumbernauld of all places did have it, so it was back in the car then back to Cumbersheugh in the driving rain, only to find that the drive I’d earmarked had been sold. Blast – well, I did actually say a different word which also started with ‘B’ but finished with a ‘D’ and had the letters ‘A,S,T,A,R’ and ‘D’ in the middle. You’ve probably heard it, and maybe even used it before. Not you Scamp, not you. Anyway, I settled for the slightly cheaper 2TB version and payment made, new toy collected, headed back to the car through the rain. That’s when I saw today’s PoD. Cumbersheugh isn’t a pretty town, but it does a really good gloomy. I instantly liked the shot with the little silhouette of an out of focus ‘wee wummin’ (remember ‘wee wummin’ from a couple of weeks ago?) in the middle distance. It looked good in colour, but I guessed it would look even better in mono.

Right, this Sony F707 IR thing needs a bit of explanation. If you look here, you’ll understand what it’s all about, maybe. I’d forgotten all about it and the magnet trick, but today, again in the seridipity of the Internet, I chanced upon a more up to date post about exactly the same thing. That got me started again, sticking an Infra-red filter on the F707. A 720nm filter is virtually black to the naked eye, but allows a narrow band of Infra-red light through and virtually none of the visible spectrum. The Sony just pretended it wasn’t there, except for making everything have a red tint. I think I prefer the results from the crossed pola filters. There’s a bit better range of colour to them. I’m intending to try it out tomorrow with some hoped for sunshine.

Popped in to the airport to pick up the travellers and then back past CITRAC signs warning of ice tomorrow. Ice in Scotland in November? Surely not.

Hoping for sun tomorrow. Always!

Thunderstorms, Blazing Sun and Airies – 5 November 2016

Posted on November 5, 2016November 6, 2016 by Zogman

This morning we had breakfast – a lighter breakfast than yesterday and retired to the pool.

There are two pools one for each main building. Both buildings have the same ground plan, but one has the restaurants and the reception in addition to apartments while the other is entirely apartments. Ours is the second one. This means that our building is a bit quieter than the other. Unfortunately, half of our pool is currently being renovated so we don’t have the ‘swim-in’ bar which is perhaps a blessing in disguise.

We grabbed a couple of sunbeds after breakfast and we sat and read for an hour, then got a sketch done, before I decided to find out just how cold the water was. It was quite cold, but I was prepared for that after last year’s cool pool in Tenerife. Once you’re in it’s not so cold, and once you come out again it’s lovely and warm. I read a bit more while I was drying off and then went up to the room to get yesterday’s blog finished and the photos processed. When Scamp came up she said it was starting to rain and as we watched the clouds roll in, we heard the first peal of thunder. Oh dear, there goes the day. We waited a while and then went for lunch which for me was a thin steak, a hamburger, spinach and potatoes. Lovely. By the time we came out the rain was off and the sun was out again.

After lunch we went for a walk in the direction of the airport. For those of a binary persuasion, this was Left along the front, not Right like yesterday. We walked on and on until we reached the airport. Not the actual airport building, but the very end of the runway which was almost within touching distance. The sound of the airies taking off is surprisingly loud this close up. It was actually worse further away because the buildings shielded us from the sound of the engines as the plane thundered along the runway and it was only when it rose above them that you heard the roar. Actually it was worse than that because for a couple of seconds the plane lifted in silence, then the roar began. Those of a mathematical and scientific frame of mind will tell you it’s all to do with the relative difference between the speed of light and the speed of sound. It does look strange.

While we were sitting a (French?) family decided to scramble down a steep ramp to the sand. First the mum and wee boy tentatively edged down. Next the dad, much braver, pushing the empty pushchair just ran down it. The front wheels of the pushchair caught in the soft sand at the bottom and stopped dead. Dad didn’t. He did a clumsy sort of cartwheel before landing on the sand. It was one of those things you see happening, but are helpless (with laughter?!) to stop. The only injury was to the poor bloke’s dignity.

We watched a few airies taking off and then headed back with more than a few stops to rest our weary legs. The promenade is mainly flat, but it is quite long and it takes its toll on the feet.

After dinner we went to see if the singing duet would perform any songs worth dancing to, but Scamp declared them unsuitable (both the singers and the songs, I think). Since the dance floor was littered with weans running about while their parents watched from the audience, it was probably a good decision on safety grounds. We retired to the waiting G&T in the room.

Sat on the balcony under the stars with a couple of G&Ts.

The Traffic Warden – 1 November 2016

Posted on November 1, 2016November 1, 2016 by Zogman

Today we were up bright and early to face the day. It was a bright sunny morning so we headed off into Glasgow to make the most of it. Couldn’t get parked in Cowcaddens 1, but I was sure we’d get into Cowcaddens 2. Nope, there was someone sitting poaching by the entrance waiting for a space to become available. Drove round to Concert Square, but it too was full. There was nothing for it but to use the extortionate Buchanan Galleries where there were plenty of spaces – allegedly. We eventually found some on level 5. A pleasant surprise awaited us by the lifts. Buchanan Galleries prices have gone down by the same amount that Concert Square’s have gone up! Right, coffee awaits us.

After coffee, we went our separate ways for a while. We agreed a separation of an hour and a half and after checking that Scamp had her phone with her this time, I headed for Sausage Roll Street and Scamp went to Bucky Street. These names have been changed to protect the innocent you realise. Nowhere would really have a street called after a lunchtime non-fattening pastry or a bottle of tonic wine, would they? I was going to get the book I’d been meant to collect on Sunday at Waterstones. The much awaited sequel to The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers. With it safely in the bag, the next path lead to the Flat Iron Building. Again, not its real name, but the shape of this red sandstone monolith always reminds me of the strange NY building. Theirs may be taller, but ours has gravitas and curly bits.

After a few wrong turnings I arrived at the corner of Shamrock Street and New City Road where the Flat Iron Building lives. I chose a sketching position next to the PDSA buiding on Shamrock Street and started. A woman passed me carrying a cat and with a Jack Russell on a lead, but she just looked through me as Glaswegians do when they have no clue what you’re doing there. She and the animals left me to my business and I left them to theirs. After I’d been sketching for about ten minutes, a wee wummin came round the corner, by that I don’t mean she was a diminutive lady. A wee wummin in Glasgow can be a terrifying person capable of facing down Genghis Khan. A nippy sweetie on the other hand would have torn Genghis apart to get into a fight. This was just a wee wummin, a kind of apprentice nippy sweetie. She and her daughter were also cradling a dog each and she was shouting. Shouting at me. “Here, are you giein’ me a ticket?”. “Somebody in there said there was somebody oot here giein’ folk parkin’ tickets.” I turned to her and asked her if I looked like a traffic warden, then realised that I did. Black jacket, bunnet, looks like he’s writing something in a black book. Yes, I did look like a traffic warden. I told her, no I wasn’t a warden and I hadn’t seen anybody giving out tickets. Just then a bloke arrived, also carrying a puppy. [Thinks: Does everybody here carry their dogs around with them? Do they not want them to wear out their wee legs?] This bloke is also shouting about somebody giving out parking tickets. Then realisation dawned. “Was it a wummin wi’ a dug and a cat that told you?” I asked. They agreed it was. Then realisation dawned on the bloke first, then on the wee wummin a split second later. ”She dun that tae get ahead of us in the queue. Aye, well she’ll have me tae answer tae. You jist see if she disnae!” and with that, a magical thing happened. With her words hanging in the air she made the transformation from wee wummin to the fully fledged and fearsome nippy sweetie.
After that exchange I got down to work on the sketch proper, adding the curly bits and the architectural fancies. I quite liked the finished article. I called it Shamrock Street, but in retrospect and in homage to Botticelli, I should probably have called it “The Birth of the Nippy Sweetie”. I hope the woman’s dog and cat are alright and that they found their own way home.

The rest of the day was tame by comparison with this ten minute street opera. I walked down to Cowcaddens subway station and got a couple of shots of a grand tree by the underpass. I got the subway to St Enoch’s and bought a couple of sketch books to replace the rapidly filling Fabriano and some brush markers, then met Scamp and drove back home. We stopped off at Milano for lunch as Scamp and her sister were going to a ‘do’ in Motherwell later.

There’s been a wren hunting in the bushes in the garden for weeks, presumably for spiders and other insects and I’ve never been quick enough to catch it. Today I did. The smaller the bird, the quicker they move.

Off to meet Fred P tomorrow and then on to Falkirk which will be free from traffic. Aye Right!

Signed Off – 31 October 2016

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Zogman

After a fairly lazy morning I was gearing myself up for what might be the final visit to the physio. I needn’t have worried. After a bit of prodding and stretching he declared me fit to go out and push my shoulder to its furthest extent. To go where no shoulder has gone before. He did, however stab half a dozen needles in just to warn it (and me) that if we didn’t behave, there would be more prodding, stretching and stabbing to be done. I find it hard to explain how I feel. I’ve gained nothing from the exercises, but I’ve lost all the pain associated with the injury. I think that’s the bit that’s hard to explain. It’s the lack of something rather than a gain, although it is a gain, I’ve gained the ability to make my arm move, painlessly, in ways that it hasn’t in about a year. I’ve been set free from the pain.

In the afternoon, I went for a walk over Cumbernauld Fields to sketch Cumbernauld House. The house was under the governance of CDC (Cumbernauld Doesn’t Care) when we first moved here. After that it was taken over by NLC who almost immediately sold it to the highest bidder. Now it’s been converted to a host of executive apartments. Such a shame, but not surprising from the despicable NLC. That said, I chose part of Cumbernauld House as my final Inktober sketch. Technically it’s nowhere nearly as good as the Venetian Mask (my favourite), it’s a fair representation of the house. I’m going to miss Inktober. Admittedly I will now have more hours in my day, but sketching now has a place in my life. I’m glad I completed all 31 of the sketches, all in ink, and most in a bound sketchbook.

Kizomba is bucking the trend for dancing in the STUC. It’s becoming a Man’s dance. More often than not, there are more men than women in the class. Very strange. It’s becoming a bit more technical, especially with footwork, but I’m still hanging in there, kept in check by the very tolerant and patient Scamp and Irene V. I blunder through more steps than I’ve ever encountered in Salsa, but it’s still enjoyable. If it wasn’t I wouldn’t have signed my name on the sheet to say I was interested in a Level 2 class.

Salsa was another example of Jamie Gal’s zany and, at times, absolutely mental imagination. Who would have thought of issuing all of us, leaders and followers with glowsticks and then turning all the lights off in the STUC then dancing a rueda. Meanwhile there were sweets, lollies, chocolates an oranges to sustain us. Very Halloween. Thank you again Jamie Gal for your insane imagination.

Tomorrow? Glasgow? Maybe.

The Ba’s Burst – 29 October 2016

Posted on October 29, 2016October 30, 2016 by Zogman

I heard that today in the congested and now quite tacky shopping centre in Dunfermline. While Scamp was off looking for bargains in Debenhams, I was trying to get my iPhone to burst into life with no success and I overheard a snippet of conversation between two blokes. One asked the other why he was in town today and his pal replied that he’d offered to take his wife for a walk in the country, but ; “If there’s no shops then the ba’s burst.” I liked that way of saying that there was no point in taking the conversation any further.

Previous to this we had walked through Pittencrieff Park which for once was almost empty of people. Loads of squirrels though and a few dogs intent on chasing them, but not too many people. It was very dull and damp and not conducive to a walk in the park, so I don’t really blame the folk for staying in the warm. We went into the warm of the glasshouse and I got a few flower photos. Now flooers used to be a sign of failure to get a decent photo, but these flooers were beautiful living blooms and gave the possibility of creating a shot. I notice a lot of American photogs talk about ‘making’ a photo rather than ‘taking’ a photo. I think it was Ansel Adams who started using that term many years ago and to be honest, how many times do we simply ‘take’ a shot? More often than not we ‘make’ or ‘create’ the shot either by post-processing or by posing the subject the way we want them or it to be seen. These were ‘made’ photos of flowers.

Previous again, we had chosen to bus to Dunfermline today after yesterday’s long drive out west. It’s a relaxing run across country to the middle east and out into Fife and one I don’t mind doing on the bus, especially as this is a real express with very few stops. However, the driver had forgotten to switch off his microphone and we were treated to all the squeaks and rumbles from the springs in his seat, at least I hope it was from his seat. We were also given a chance to hear the bloke behind’s choice of music through his less than effective noise cancelling headphones. Worst two things about Public Transport are the Public and the Transport. I know I’ve said that before, but I thought it sounded so good, it was worth repeating 🙂

Today is day 29 in Inktober and today’s sketch of Pittencrieff House was done in the open air again. The house was built by Sir Alexander Clerk of Pittencrieff as a simple laird’s house with two stories and an attic around 1635.
Drawing the windows was a nightmare as no two windows are the same size and no two windows line up with each other. Only the attic windows share a top line. Not surprising given the age of the building.

I did get the iPhone started again while we were having a cup of tea each before heading for the bus home. After holding down the home and power button for about 10 seconds, it grumbled into life. I still don’t know why it went in the huff. Maybe “the ba’ was burst”.

My web host apologises for the later arrival of this blog. Apparently there were issues with the server last night and the admins were looking into it. It’s a bit like when there’s a hole in the road and the council are looking into it. They’re looking into it, they’re not doing anything about it, just looking. Well, I’m looking too. I’m looking for a new web host.

The Wild West – 28 October 2016

Posted on October 28, 2016October 28, 2016 by Zogman

Today we drove in to Glasgow.

We couldn’t get parked and it was such a great day, we drove out of Glasgow again and headed west along the M8. We just kept heading west until we reached Gourock. Along the way I took a wrong turning and that’s how we reached Largs. (Confused yet? You should be)

Largs is the gateway to Millport across the wild ocean, well, across the Clyde estuary, but that’s not where we parked. We parked in Largs and wandered around this metropolis. It didn’t take long. Largs has a great butchers, a great fishmongers and a couple of good restaurants. Not that we’re foodies or anything! It also is the gateway to Millport, but I’ve covered that. We had lunch at the restaurant we went to last time Bean & Leaf. Neither of us could remember what we had last time, but we agreed that it had been excellent. This time Scamp had a Cajun Chicken Burger. Served with hand cut chips. I had a burger with everything. Everything in this context was a Handmade Scotch meat burger with Barwhey’s cheddar, crispy Ayrshire bacon, fried onion, pickled gherkins & salsa. Served with hand cut chips. Now that’s a mouthful and no mistake. The food took a while to come, but I remember being told on one of the Royal Caribbean ships that it takes 20mins to cook a real burger properly. Tell that to Micky D’s.

After lunch Scamp went to investigate a couple of shops and I started my sketch which was to be Nardini’s Cafe. Nardini’s is one of the places you must go to when you’re in Largs. The other is the ferry to Millport, but I think I mentioned that earlier. We didn’t go to Nardini’s this time, but we have been there a few times. The frontage is pure Art Deco. All rectangular columns with rebates in a colour scheme of black on white. Very stylish and any changes that have been made to it over the years have been in that same Art Deco vein. An icon.
I think I did it justice in the sketch and was quite pleased with it. I’m beginning to like drawing with the Derwent Graphik 0.1mm pen. I’m thinking about buying a 0.05mm pen too – SuperFine.

The rest of the day’s pictures were taken around the front at Largs.

The Ice Cream shop sign was a phone-grab.
The car was a superb Lotus, tweaked with a custom curve in Lightroom, then dunked in Photoshop to block out the numberplate.
The Hotel was another grab shot, this time with the camera. This run-down building was on the front, and looked as if it was ready for the bulldozers. The woman hurrying by was a lucky.
The sailingboat and the windmill was another custom curve in Lightroom.

Then we went to pay for our parking. Put in the ticket and Scamp plopped in two 50p coins and a pound coin, but the pound coin didn’t register. Pressed the cancel button and the card came back, but no refund. Foolishly we put the card in again and loaded some more coins in with the same result. A bloke came along while I was phoning the help number and he tried the same thing, but with the same result. Now there were six people waiting for the engineer to come and sort the problem. Luckily he wasn’t long and solved the problem. It looks like a couple of Scamp’s home made 50p coins had jammed in the machine borking it. She really must be more careful with her quality control. Anyway, problem solved and we were on our way.

We headed north and passed through Gourock (see, we did go there) and crossed the Erskine bridge to avoid the inevitable queues on the M8, into the biggest traffic jam I’ve seen in a long time. Drove at an average of 20mph all the way home. All in all, a lovely day. The weather was simply superb. Not wall to wall sunshine, but lots of sun and some blue sky. There was a great sunset forming behind us as we were heading home, but I knew the traffic would only get worse if we lingered to see it and to be honest, we’d had the best of the day. Only one thing was missing. We didn’t go to Millport. Maybe next time.

A better planned Monday – 24 October 2016

Posted on October 24, 2016October 24, 2016 by Zogman

Mondays are busy days, frantic sometimes and the only way to get everything done and keep sane it to plan the day beforehand.

Morning was bright and colourful with the sun shining through the leaves. I imagine leaves get thinner and more translucent in autumn. I’d guess it’s because the sugars and starches are being drawn away from them into the trunk of the tree. Anyway, the colours were really striking this morning. I had my usual coffee while I finished today’s ‘Easy’ Sudoku. For once, it was easy. They’re not always like that.

After lunch, and while Scamp’s ‘Gems’ group were in practising, I went out to get some photos and hopefully a sketch too. I’d planned to go to Auchinstarry and sketch some of the barges in the marina, but instead I went to Colzium park in Kilsyth. Scamp and I used to go there for a walk on Sunday mornings. We haven’t been there for a long time, maybe it’s time we went back again. I didn’t come for the walk this time, just to sketch the house. It’s an old house, dating from the early 19th century. It’s owned by NLC now which means it’s closed most of the time, a great shame as it has great potential.

I settled on a seat to start the sketch and was getting to grips with it and also getting used to sketching in public. Then a wee man who had been sitting admiring the view over Kilsyth and also keeping an eye on me came over and asked if I was ‘Doin’ a picture” I told him I was and he asked if I he could have a look. This is the first time anyone has spoken to me when I was drawing and it was a bit disconcerting, but the sketch wasn’t looking too bad, so I said “Of course you can.” After casting his critical eye over it he asked me if I was going to make it bigger. I suppose he thought this was just a ‘rough sketch’ and here was me thinking it was looking quite good. I told him that this was the finished article. He seemed bemused by this and asked why I was doing it. Now, how do you explain Inktober to a stranger, especially to someone who doesn’t draw? Luckily I didn’t have to explain because he started a new tack. “You’re no’ fae Kilsyth are you?” He said. I told him no, I was from distant Cumbersheugh. He dismissed that great New Town with a “Hmmph” and after a few other bits of small talk he was off home and I’d survived my first unasked for critique.

I liked the slo-mo shot of the burn coming down the wee falls. I also liked the swanhead on the old curling pond. Most of all I was quite happy with my finished sketch of Colzium House. Were will tomorrow’s sketch be from? I don’t know, but tonight before going to Kizomba and Salsa, I had processed the pictures and loaded the successful ones to Flickr. I’d also posted today’s Inktober sketch. All that was left after dancing was to write the blog. That’s almost done and it’s just 11pm. That’s what happens when you plan your day.

Clicking the Coconuts again – 23 October 2016

Posted on October 23, 2016October 23, 2016 by Zogman

The day started with a bright sunny morning and we decided to go out somewhere interesting. No wandering around the shops and no long bus journeys. Somewhere I might get some foties and a sketch done and where Scamp could get tea and a scone.

We settled on either Castle Campbell or Doune Castle. Both would fit the specification, I thought. As driver, I chose Doune. We’d been there a few weeks ago and I like the building.

Unfortunately, the weather was deteriorating the nearer we got to Doune and there was a bit of drizzle in the wind when we got to the castle. However, we were there and it looked like we were sharing the drizzle with the whole of the Forth valley, which meant that Castle Campbell would be suffering in the rain too.

While I set up my sketching position in the corner of the courtyard to draw the entrance at the diagonally opposite corner, Scamp went for a walk through the inside of the castle. My first attempt wasn’t all I’d hoped for, so I changed position and started again and that is what you see for today’s Inktober. Perspective is a bit ropey in places and the proportions aren’t totally correct, but it was much better than the first attempt – you’ll have to take my word for it.

By the time I was finished, Scamp had returned from her investigation of the inner rooms of the castle and it was getting a bit cold. That’s when I realised that Doune Castle didn’t have a tea room. Bummer. Not to worry, we settled on a quick trip to Dobbies at Stirling and coffee and a scone there. As it happened, Dobbies was mobbed. All the Sunday Drivers were there, ’Grey Hairs’ one and all. “Do you want a meringue or a scone, oh look at the size of the sausage rolls, is that lemon drizzle cake, make up your mind, it that a jam doughnut … “ All without taking a breath. Every one of them was the same and every one of them was in the queue in front of me. However, I found the scones, loaded my tray. Got the tea and coffee, paid and then found Scamps table while the Living Dead were still choosing which of the cakes they’d have. They’re probably still there.

I’d grabbed a couple of ‘banker’ shots earlier in the morning. Just photos of Stuckies (Starlings to you) squabbling over the peanuts hanging on the rowan tree outside the kitchen window. I also got some shots of the Wallace Monument from Dobbies by poking the lens of my camera through the chainlink fence. The tower had looked beautiful as we were driving down from Doune, but by the time we got the Dobbies, the light on the building had gone and the outlook was far more gloomy, almost sinister. I still took the shot, thinking it would look good in mono.

That was it for the day. More rain on the way home, so perhaps yesterday’s rain had come down the road from Perth after all. Oh well, the morning had been good.

Tomorrow’s Monday. The busy day. My intention is to be better organized and get things done early. We’ll see.

A Good Day in the Toon – 21 October 2016

Posted on October 21, 2016October 21, 2016 by Zogman

It was Scamp’s suggestion that today we should travel in to Glasgow on the bus and then take the subway (AKA the underground, definitely NOT AKA the tube) to the West End. From there, I could choose between the Botanic Gardens and the Art Gallery or to give it it’s posh name, The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. I chose the latter.

Walked to Condorrat to get a fast(er) bus into the Toon. Coffee first (in Cafe Nero of course), then the subway out to Kelvin Hall which is about half a mile from the actual Kelvin Hall, but who cares. We walked along to the Art Gallery, although we always called it the Art Galleries and I suppose we always will, and entered this grand space. I remember my dad and my Uncle Jack taking me to this place and amazing me with all the things to see in it. My Uncle Jack as well as being a mine of information about Glasgow in general, was very knowledgable about painters and paintings. He would tell me the back stories of the paintings in the gallery and explain what the painter was trying to say. My dad was from a mining family and he would show me the models of coal mines and explain in detail what all the parts pit head buildings did.

Scamp was delighted to find that the organ recital was at 1pm and it was now 12.45pm. I was delighted because I knew where she’d be while I searched out a piece of armour to sketch. I’d seen a TV program a couple of years ago where they literally took apart a suit of armour and explained what each part did and how the pieces were put together by the armourer and the blacksmith. Since then I’ve intended sketching armour and this was the ideal opportunity.

Once the sketch and the recital was complete, we met up again. Scamp had enjoyed the recital and had found out that they did tours of the organ. She’d like to go, but not today. Next thing, she’s following an information assistant through a side door and motioning me to follow her. Climbed a couple of flights of stairs, through a wrought iron gate along a passage way and ended up in the small balcony where the organist was demonstrating how the organ was played. It’s a massive beast of an instrument when you’re up close. The organist was really great, explaining what all the stops did an the multitude of pedals. The only thing he didn’t do was give her a shot at playing Vidor’s Toccata or something although I could see she was itching to have a go. Yes, yes, Scamp, I know it should be Widor’s Toccata, but that just doesn’t look right and it’s my blog, remember. I took the chance to get some shots from a viewpoint I probably wouldn’t be in again and it was quite a remarkable half an hour.

Anything else would have been a disappointment after that, so we headed for lunch which was in a wee Indian tapas restaurant we had been to before at the bottom of Byres Road. The food was excellent. Fish Pakora and Buttered Chicken were the stars for me. Lovely light nan, but it had cooled just a little bit too much for us. Still delicious.

Walked up Byres Road and had a beer for me, 3 Hop Edinburgh Lager (Poor, very poor) and a G&T for Scamp in Oran Mor. We even sat outside and drank them. It was that sort of day. The sort of day to just take your time and enjoy life.

Subway back to Glasgow City and the bus home. Job done. Had a great time. Brilliant idea Scamp. Let’s do it again some time soon.

Today’s Inktober sketch is of a knight’s helmet from c1620 (which is twenty past four in the afternoon for those who don’t understand the 24 hour clock!) It amazes me that people could not only wear one of these medieval crash helmets, but they could ride into battle in them. They could fight in them. Many of them could die in them. If they were knocked from their horse in a battle, what chance did they have of standing up again? Having said all that, when you examine these pieces of armour, they are beautifully made and the attention to detail is fascinating. Little bits of brass (surely not gold) worked to look like rope that adorned the edges of the eye slit and the neck piece. Exquisite workmanship, and it’s safe to say workmanship, because all the armourers were men.

The remainder of the photos were taken in or around the Art Galleries. If you’ve never been, or if it’s a long time since you’ve been. Go and get some culture for a change instead of wandering down Bucky Street, along Sausage Roll Street or dodging the jakies in Argyll Street. Have a curry in that wee curry shop, it’s called Usha’s at the bottom of Byres Road. Don’t bother with the 3 Hop Lager. It’s basically Heineken who own Caledonian who make 3 Hop Lager, strangely enough. Head back in to town and have a draught Bitter & Twisted in The Horseshoe. That’s the makings of a ‘Good Day in the Toon’