Driving – Page 111 – My Photo Blog

Just a Wednesday – 26 October 2016

Posted on October 26, 2016October 26, 2016 by Zogman

Some days are interesting, some days are not. Today was not. We had a few loose end to tie up today and we got them done. Scamp was feeling better, or she said she was feeling better. Photography was covered with a walk in the wind and the rain along the Luggie and I got a fairly decent shot of the wee falls upstream from where I usually go. I had to take the shots in between chasing two dogs who wanted to be in the photo. It’s an ok shot, but nothing spectacular.

We drove in to Glasgow tonight and did manage to catch the last 20 minutes or so of the beginners class, a minor miracle in itself as when we entered the motorway the CITRAC signs were telling us that it would take 51 minutes to reach the airport. On a good day it takes 17 minutes. Apparently Rangers were playing at Ibrox and the road was full of mad Gers fans. After a few ‘long roads for shortcuts’ we did manage to reach the STUC building in just under an hour. That was forty minutes more than our journey back home, an hour and a half later, after half a beginners class and our own Wednesday class. I think they should ban football during the week, or on Salsa days anyway. We weren’t the worst by far. Poor Roy S took 2 and a half hours to get there from Alloa. Having said that, Alloa is on the outer reaches of the galaxy.

Today’s Inktober is a sliced up apple. The knife is an old bone handled one that, I think came from Scamp’s mum. The handle recently broke and rather than throw it out, I glued it with Epoxy resin. Old traditional bone handle repaired with modern adhesive. I like that. We’ve both found that we’re using the old bone handled knives more than their plastic or stainless steel handled modern counterparts. The old knives have a much better feel to them and a lot more character.

Maybe going to Glasgow tomorrow, but we’re driving in. I think the bus journeys with all the sneezers and coughers is what’s given Scamp the cold. I don’t want it, and I want her to get over her dose as well. I might even get some architectural drawing done into the bargain. Who knows? (Question mark or not??)

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 day of two halves – 22 October 2016

Posted on October 22, 2016October 22, 2016 by Zogman

Left home on a bright sunny morning heading for Perth to get essential supplies of tea and coffee. Scamp was going to a Christmas musical with her aunt. A Christmas musical in October? Really, that’s just a wee bit ridiculous. Yesterday at the Art Galleries I saw my first Christmas tree this year. Too early, people!

Most of the journey to Perth was fine with great visibility but about ten minutes out of the city the mist came down. After that the heavens opened up to dump gallons of rain on me. Well, it felt like it was all just on me, but I suppose others were getting wet too. It stayed like that for the two hours I stayed in the Fair City. I’d had enough. I had my coffee beans, my tea leaves and a piece of cheese as a bonus. Home was calling. When I drove back down the road, at exactly the same place where the rain had started, the rain almost stopped. The rest of the drive was in the dry and when I got home, I got out of the car into sunshine. I presume the gardens in Perth need the rain.

A roll ’n’ sausage improved my state of mind as it always does. Went for a walk to St Mo’s with the Nikon to get some photos. There wasn’t much to see, but lots of little fungi and those big ones too. The flowers in the wildflower garden are a joy to behold. Thankfully the gardeners haven’t cut them down with their usual unthinking efficiency. At least, not yet.

Dinner tonight, once Scamp arrived back was courtesy of Golden Bowl. Chicken Chop Suey and Fried Rice times two. Delicious as usual.

I couldn’t settle on a subject for tonight’s Inktober drawing and then I found it, sitting right in front of me. What better subject on a Saturday night than a bottle of beer? Difficult because of the symmetry of the bottle and also because glass is difficult to render in pen, I find. I did use a bit of brushwork to even out the glaze, but other than that it was just pen work. Quite happy with it.

Tomorrow? Who knows. Possibly a walk if the rain stays away in Perth and doesn’t travel down south, but other than that I’m open to suggestions. Hoping to get some sketching done outside.

Write and Post the same day – 20 October 2016

Posted on October 20, 2016October 20, 2016 by Zogman

That is today’s target.

Yesterday, or to be more exact, early this morning I was still writing the blog just before 1am. That’s what happens when you try to cram in 1 hour’s driving 2 hours of Salsa, a pen sketch, photo processing, posting to the now despicable Flickr and blog writing into six hours. It just doesn’t work. I must try to clean up my workflow on Mondays and Wednesdays. Thursdays? They’re not so bad. Still bad, just not so bad as Mon and Wed.

Today we went to the leisure centre in the early afternoon. Me to gym and swim, Scamp to swim. It was very pleasant. Gym wasn’t busy and neither was the pool. That’s because we are in the middle of half-term week, so loads of families are off grabbing some last minute foreign sun. I’m not complaining, just explaining. After a late lunch I went to find some photos and if possible find something to sketch. “Nights are fair drawing in now” as Billy Connolly said and it’s true. The sun is setting sooner these evenings, so although it provided me with some lovely sunset shots, it also cancelled out any opportunity for sketching in the wild.

Earlier in my driving around I spotted some strange looking clouds. I thought it was the end of the world, such strange shapes. It turned out to be Cumulonimbus incus. Google it. It’s a classic anvil shaped thundercloud. Luckily they sidled off westward before they could drop their thunderbolts and the inevitable rain. The sunset really was lovely. I don’t usually shoot sunsets because you get suckered in by the colour contrasts and just shoot wildly, but this time I planned the shot with the old tree and fencepost in the middle distance to hold the viewer’s eye while allowing them to appreciate the colours in the sunset.

I was stuck for an Inktober shot tonight and it defaulted to my glasses on the coffee table. That meant I couldn’t wear them and that’s my excuse for poor proportions. That coffee table is almost forty years old, an antique. It was my second year project at college and it’s still standing.

Well, that’s it. I’m hoping to get to bed the same day I woke up. It may happen.

Clingfilm – 11 October 2016

Posted on October 11, 2016October 11, 2016 by Zogman

A strange title, but hopefully all will become clear – like the clingfilm 😉

Lazy start to the day, but that usually happens on a Tuesday after a busy Monday with two hours of dancing and an hour of driving, then preparing the photos, posting them and then blog writing. I’m not moaning about, just explaining why we almost broke our self imposed rule of Up By Ten. The light seemed to be improving in the morning and I grabbed a few shots of the Gazanias in the hanging basket with their covering of raindrops from the showers during the night.

What to do with the rest of the day? We couldn’t decide where to go, because we had decided we’d go out. Dinner was sorted and we needed nothing extra for that. It was finally settled when Scamp said we didn’t have any cling film and that called for a visit to Lakeland. Scamp also wanted to get some flowers to plant in my raised bed for some winter colour. We could achieve both aims with a visit to Lakeland and Dobbies just outside Stirling. What exciting lives we lead when our day revolves around Clingfilm and Pansies!

We came back from Stirling over the Tak ma Doon road. Usually it’s a scenic road with plenty of opportunities for big-sky landscapes. Today heavy clouds had rolled in and everywhere was dull. Oh well, I still had the pics of the Gazanias to fall back on. Just to make sure, I went out to bother the wildlife in St Mo’s when we got back. Just missed Mr Grey, but he saw me and was off like as shot. More snails up trees. It seems that they favour Ash trees. Disturbed a couple of deer and this time I got a shot I liked. One young doe ran when she saw me, then turned and watched to make sure I wasn’t following, giving me the chance I needed to take the shot. I don’t know what kind of fly was on the tree in the other shot. It looked a bit like a mosquito, but on closer examination, the head looks more like a Jenny Long Legs (Crane Fly). Don’t know.

Today’s Inktober (Number 11) is of Monday’s Daily Sudoku which was completed yesterday (Monday) and was lying on the coffee table in front of me, so, like the hand yesterday, it wasn’t going to go anywhere. Fred P can do quick portraits or caricatures of people sitting near him in Costa and they always look like the subject. I just can’t draw fast enough to grab a likeness. It’s all about confidence I think. Anyway, I’m happy enough with today’s quick sketch. Made some more fruit scones tonight. I did think of sketching one of them, but they move off the plate too quickly.

Don’t know what’s happening tomorrow because we’ve got clingfilm now, so possibly no need to go out. Jamie G our Salsa teacher is off on business tomorrow, and we don’t know who will be taking the class. It’s not worth driving for an hour through Glasgow’s Wednesday evening traffic only to find it’s a, how shall I put this, less entertaining teacher. Maybe we’ll stay in and watch a film instead!

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting for Kizomba to begin – 10 October 2016

Posted on October 10, 2016October 10, 2016 by Zogman

Sitting in the STUC building after another slow run in to town. Not much fun, but at least I’m in a better mood than last week and more prepared for the slow drag.

Physio said there was a definite improvement again this week again, but he still made me in to the human pincushion. Three weeks until the next appointment.

Finally got yesterday’s Flickr uploaded this afternoon. To the eagle-eyed, congratulations if you noticed the swap of the Inktober drawing. Once I saw yesterday’s on the computer, so many things were wrong with it, too many things in fact, so I did another, more calculated version in pencil first and then with ink on top. After that I rubbed out the pencil guidelines. Today’s Inktober isn’t done yet, I’ll do it later and add it in to the blog when I get the chance

Today’s shots were just grabbed when I was making dinner. The coal tits must have been waiting for the feeder to be refilled because they were down as soon as the back door closed. The crow just looked so depressed sitting on the fence in the rain and I managed to capture the raindrops too.

[Later that same day}
Ok we’re home now and Kizomba tonight was equally good, although it was moves we’d done before ie. Forward Travel with Cha-Cha and Ladies Saida. Kizomba seems more like Ballroom dancing than Salsa or Bachata to me because you have hand movements and foot steps too and they must co-ordinate. I still find that difficult, but I’m sure it will get easier with practice.

It was a day of mixed fortunes weatherwise. There was sun, it was cold, there were cloudy spells and rain showers too. A wee bit of everything except (whisper it) _snow.

Pictures are up on Flickr, Blog is written, Mosaic is in place. Just a bit of sketching to do and we’re done! So, here it is. Hope it was worth the wait. Hands are fiddly to do, but they’re patient, they don’t move unless you ask them to. They’re always there and although they look like five limbed octopi or spiders, if they’re drawn badly ( I don’t think this one’s too bad ;-\ ), they’re always happy to sit for another sketch … or five. I even got the twisted knuckle in my pinky to look like it is in real life. Such a pity I couldn’t spell Inktober!

The Wee Red Car – 24 September 2016

Posted on September 24, 2016September 25, 2016 by Zogman

After a wild and windy night with rain battering on the bedroom window, we woke to face the journey home. It was still windy, it was still raining and there was no sign of either of them abating.

After breakfast I turned the car round so it was facing into the wind. That way the boot lid wouldn’t blow up when I was loading in the camera bags, rucsacks, luggage bags, flask, poly bags, books and even more bags. Finally we were loaded up and ready to say our goodbyes and hit the road.

The first stint was from Staffin down the east side of Skye through Portree and Broadford to the bridge. I thought we might have trouble crossing the bridge, but the wind had dropped a bit by the time we got there and the crossing was really very easy. On down to Dornie and a chance to grab a couple of shots of Eilean Donan Castle. The castle that has graced a thousand biscuit tins. Over the causeway and a stop for a coffee and a scone in the castle tea room. Despite its tartan and shortbread overload, the coffee is surprisingly good. It was there we saw the blue Fiat 500 on the flatbed being towed by the camper van. I liked the little touch of the hamper, clogs and tulips.

From there it was the most scenic part of the road normally, but today the weather took most of the scenery away. Another uneventful, but boring drive to Fort William to stock up on food and drink then get back on the road again. That’s where we picked up a Wee Red Car. Now look, I’ve got no problem with people staying within the speed limit and Fort Billy has a 40mph limit for most of its length, but when you see the white circle with the diagonal black line, that generally mean floor the pedal for a bit. No, the Wee Red Car was determined that 40 was a comfortable speed. Occasionally it would accelerate to 45, then drop back to 35 just so that it wouldn’t be caught out by any average-speed-cameras that tried to pop up in front of it. They didn’t, but better safe than sorry the Wee Red Car said. Of course, there were plenty straights when those following could have passed the WRC, but there were always cars coming the other way. To add to the holdup, just before the head of the glen at Glencoe, there were ‘mobile roadworks’. This turned out to be a Cooncil van acting as a convoy vehicle to slow folk down just in case the WRC didn’t do its job properly.

I’d intended stopping at Tyndrum, but I was so determined to pass the Wee Red Car, with Scamp’s consent we just continued on. At Crianlarich I hoped against hope that the Red Bastard would take the new road down Loch Lomond side, and when it disappeared, I gave a silent cheer. Then a couple of miles outside the village, there it was again, two cars in front of me. How did it get there? We reckon WRC was stuck at 45mph and drove at that speed through the village. I waited my chance, with unaccustomed patience, dropped a gear and hammered it past both the cars in front of me, waving a victorious ‘Vicky’ to the WRC at the front of the line. Life after that was just a bit boring. No more Wee Red Cars to vent my anger on.

Arrived home just after 5pm, which meant we’d spent about 7 hours on the road, about par for the course. Of course we’d have been home an hour or so earlier if it hadn’t been for the Wee Red Car, but then I wouldn’t have had much to write about, would I?

Lazy day planned for tomorrow with little or no driving. Thanks for a great few day Murd and Jac1. Also thanks to Jac2 for the tour round the Cow Shed.

A road less travelled – 21 September 2016

Posted on September 21, 2016September 21, 2016 by Zogman

We woke to a beautiful morning with good colour in the sky and a sprinkling of clouds. According to the weather forecast, rain was on the way in the afternoon, so we needed to get out fairly early. I must admit it was me who was tardy in rising and greeting the day, so there you go, blame me.

We drove up the road to Uig to visit our niece Jac who has just started work in a boutique hostel. I think we were both quite intrigued by the descriptions we’d heard from her mother, another Jac, and Murd. We met more than our usual lot of crazies going the other way. Mother Jac (I think Jac the mum, we’ll call Jac1 – seniority! Our niece will be Jac2. – There, that’s much simpler … I think). So Jac1 had warned us about the amount of crazies driving on the single track roads and the arrogance of them. Today we met them. They seem to think they own the road. They really have to understand that they are only visitors to this island. There are other road users, people who live on the island and then there’s me and I DO own the road. Yes, I did get it when I bought the motor! However, we reached Uig in one piece. The next warning we’d had from both Murd and Jac1 was about the road from Uig to the Cow Shed where Jac2 works. I’m glad she did. It reminded me of a road from Clydeside up to Craignethan Castle, except on that road there are warning signs. On this wee road there are no sign. Suddenly the road rises up right in front of you and continues to rise through three hairpin bends on a single track road. Thankfully there were no crazies coming the other way this time. Also, this achieved today’s goal to travel on a road we hadn’t been on in Skye.

The Cow Shed itself is very luxurious. Calling this a hostel is a real misnomer. This is a luxurious place. The only ‘hostel part of it is the bunk beds in the dormitories. And what a view! From the lounge there is an uninterrupted view right across Uig bay. Scamp was determined to get a look at the ‘pods’ and we did get a look in one. Clever design and environmentally sound. Good thinking too with mini pods for dogs on holiday with their owners. I think we may be paying for a night in one of the pods the next time we are in Skye, but not one with a dogpod!

From Uig we drove over to Waternish and down to Stein and parked next to the loch. That was when the rain came on. In Skye when the rain comes on, it sometimes forgets to go off. We headed back to Sligachan and from there to Portree. The rain thinned a bit, but always came back with a vengence. Got myself a shirt in Skye Batiks, another one, a purple one. We drove back to Staffin and had a cream tea in Columba and a natter with Jac1. After that we drove down to Staffin beach and the roads were in just as bad state as Murd and Jac1 had warned us about.

Headed back to Burnside and dinner which was boiled ham, cabbage and potatoes, my second old favourite. Best favourite being mince and tatties!

Don’t know what we’re doing or where we’re going tomorrow. It’s in the lap of the weather gods. Looks good, but you never know on Skye.

There Jac1 you got a mention! Don’t know if Jac2 reads this, but if you do, you got a mention too.

On the Isle – 20 September 2016

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Zogman

Here we are on Skye after a 240(ish) mile journey which took the nominal 7 hours which equates to around 34 mph average. Of course that doesn’t take into account stops to take on food and water or to ahem, remove the byproducts from the system. Real average speed was nearer 45 mph. That’s still slow by today’s standard, but given the traffic and the roads we were travelling on, was quite good going.

It was a beautiful morning when we left home and pointed the car roughly north, and the weather stayed that way all the way to Skye. We’d been warned that there were a lot of visitors on the island, but we weren’t really ready for the amount of tour buses and mobile homes we encountered on the journey. In Sligachan campsite alone, we counted 15 of these pantechnicons cluttering up the place. Really, people do you NEED to take absolutely everything with you when you go on hols? My brother-in-law was an HGV driver and was telling us tonight that he had to sit a second test to be able to drive heavy lorries, yes most of these ugly homes-on-wheels are driven by amateurs with the road sense of a chimpanzee. I’m sure most of the vehicles are capable of speeds in excess of 70mph, but the trained chimps seem to be determined to make the most of first and second gear to the exclusion of all others. “Fifteen miles an hour is good enough for anyone” seems to be their mantra. I hate them. They are almost as bad as caravans. Don’t get me started on caravans.

Despite the moving road blocks that are houses on wheels, we had a great run up. Weather was good. Company was good. Music was good. Chocolate Limes were in plentiful supply. What (apart from the obvious) was not to like? Stupid tourists, that’s the answer. We stopped at the Commando memorial at Spean Bridge for coffee and lunch. With what is usually a lovely view of the mountains to look at. Unfortunately, some refugees from a bus tour stood in a group eating icecream and watching us. Maybe they were jealous that we were eating real food and drinking coffee when all they had was rapidly melting icecream. I took their photo, just so they wouldn’t feel left out. It was like watching sad old zoo animals. I felt sorry for them when they were herded back into their bus to be taken somewhere else. I’ll post the picture tomorrow.

Once we got to Burnside, we felt refreshed, as we always do. Good food, banter and a wee dram or two helped as it always does.

Don’t know where we’re going tomorrow, but probably we’ll try to go on at least one new road. That’s the plan.

Mr & Mrs Cool – 12 September 2016

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Zogman

Mondays, like I said are fragmented days. If you don’t get things done in the morning, they’re not going to get done. It’s Gems after lunch and Salsa at night and only a few hours between. After salsa, I’m usually processing the photos I’ve been lucky enough to grab during the day, posting them and writing this blog. Thank goodness I don’t work any more. Today was a bit better, I did get some things done.

In the morning it was gardening. I was cutting down a tree that was growing over the path at the back of the garden. Don’t worry, it wasn’t the Rowan tree it was a wee Ash tree that has been growing out from the retaining wall. Last week I had pruned it with lopping shears and today I cut it down to the ground with a saw. Then I had to take the remains of it to the council tip. I also took some other odds and ends and dumped them too. While I was away, Scamp decided that more garden rubbish was needing removed, so after lunch I took the rest away. With a few hours free, I drove to Bonnybridge and got today’s photo, which is a tunnel under the Forth & Clyde Canal. You can read the story of ’The Radical Pend’ here.

This little bit of history has been on my doorstep for the thirty years I’ve lived just down the road from it and I never knew about it.

Salsa tonight was with Will as Jamie Gal was off on his travels again and it was fast & furious. With temperatures over 20ºc outside the hall, it was a hot night for all of us. However, when we got into the car and drove home the air-con kept us cool. That’s what the trip to Bonnybridge was for. Forty quid well spent.

Hoping for more warm weather tomorrow so we can sit in the car and shiver!