My Sunday Photo 30th September

One of the joys of this time of year is the sunsets. Had been a beautiful day on Thursday and our second walk of the day took us down the fishery. The sunset and skies compensated for the chill that was in the wind as the sun went down. Took various pictures as we wandered round the three ponds and the colours changed dramatically in the forty minutes we were there.

The photos I took really do not do the sky any justice, you had to be there and see the colours go from in front to all round just reflecting off of everything. No enhancements needed, apart from cropping a couple the colours are as they came off the camera.


It went from a fiery orange

to a pale pink

to a full blown red

Project 365 week 39

Sunday

getting chilly in the mornings, not going to be long until I need to get my automatic car defroster in action before work.

Monday

We do live in a very scenic place. This is a two minute walk from our house. For all we are rural we are approx 10 mins from the nearest town and supermarket. Down the hill and into the woods, the dog loves it.

Tuesday

Things to do in the town so the dog got a walk round the park and then along the river.

Wednesday

A walk down the woods with dog and hubby. Have to say I have never seen these before but there were loads of the lying under a few different trees. Sweet chestnuts, The look the same on the other side, they open out to two sided 4 pointed stars with the prickly bit in the middle.

Thursday

Caught up with a load of housework then a walk down the woods with the dog and hubby.
Out for another walk in the evening, beautiful sunset with amazing cloud formations.
No enhancement needed.

Friday

Hubby's computer went "bang" last weekend and appears to be knackered. No idea what it may be but having asked a few people thought his power supply. A localish person had one to spare so we went down to see if it would work but it was the wrong fitting on it. So no further forward. It owes us nothing, a friend gave us it about 5 years ago but will cost money to replace if we can't get it sorted.

But anyway despite the frosty start we got a beautiful day for a day out so went for a walk down to Portencross while in the area. This was a place we frequented when the children were young and the rock pools were always alive with crabs, sea anemones, wee prawns and allsorts of other things. They would spend many a happy hour clambering over the rocks moving from pool to pool to see what they could find. Sadly these seem to have long gone and the rock pools for quite a few years have been devoid of life.

Never been inside the castle but for the last few years it now opens certain days of the week and certain months of the year.

While we were there we were talking to a local and she told us about a murder that had happened in one of the cottages. A link here if you are curious.

DD1 did the gymnastics run as we were not back in time.
We also dropped off a geocaching tracker while we were out.



Saturday

Live and learn. Bassetts have brought out  limited edition bags of jelly babies under what was apparently their original name, Peace Babies, renamed at the end of WW1 to celebrate peace at the end of the war. The jelly babies don't look any different it is just the bag.....and yes I did have to open the bag and eat some to ascertain that fact.

Been a very quick week, cant believe it is October on Monday. . How has your week been?

My Sunday Photo 23rd September

Like so many other areas we got hit by rather high winds this week. So this week you have

blowing hard

and blown over

Project 365 week 38

Sunday

No overtime so home for something to eat and then a walk with the dog to pick blackberries. A bit disappointing as most of them were either shriveled or turning hairy on the bush but did manage to gather 5lb of them. The plus side was whilst working along the wall looking for more blackberry bushes we found a pear tree. Not a huge crop on it and a lot were out of reach but managed 5lb of them as well. Then went to the big apple tree we know of which is overloaded with fruit and in a few minutes pick 10lb of apples. Hubby wants an apple pie so have told him if he peels them I will make one. I cannot eat apples in any form they are a full blown allergy item for me. The blackberries would be ideal cooked and served with some waffles, a  pack of catering waffle mix would make it an easy and interesting dessert.

Monday

Bob had an optician appointment at the local hospital so I went down to get the twins out the school taxi and sit with them till mum got back.
Home for a wander round the fishery with hubby and the dog.
Cooked up the berries and most of the pears with three bananas and some sultanas. Have enough fruit now in the freezer to last five or six weeks, cost me less than fifty pence so was a good afternoons picking.

Tuesday

A blow round the fishery this evening. Just beat the rain back home. Great rainbow as we got back to the car.

Wednesday

A very very very windy day, we are right on the coast and were in the middle of the amber warning area. Started off very calm when I woke up but by lunch time it would have blown you off your feet. Died down slightly by 6pm so took the dog round the fishery. Loved the colours in the sky along with the textures and total contrast colour of the murky grey looking water.

Thursday

Played catch up with lots of housework and then spotted there was a cycle ride happening in the afternoon so phoned to book a place.
Took the dog a walk round the fishery and came back and made hubby two apple pies and a blackberry and pear for myself.
Went and did the cycle ride, hubby walked the dog in Troon while I was cycling. Handed in my volunteer forms to start the process of becoming a volunteer.  There had been three people booked in for the cycle ride in the morning but they all dropped out time I got there so was just me again.
 Came back had a drink and a snack, popped tea in the oven then took the dog another walk round the fishery. Home for roast chicken tatties and veg, and very nice it was too. But by then I was rather hungry.
Not really sure of these are suppose to be out at this time of year but I love the way they look like they are lit up from inside- well I think they do.

Friday

A prescription to pick up so did a walk with the dog round Rozelle park. Nipped in for a pee and have to say I love the artistic walls inside the whole downstairs area.

Saturday

Fifi was clearing out her room. A few years back she had a subscription to this magazine and while she enjoyed them and got a lot out of them cos each one has hints and tips inside as well as each having different types of pencils/pens/pastels etc that she loved she just could not keep up with the colouring. So during her latest rom clearout she decided to get rid of them. Seems a shame to throw them away so I am going to ask at work to see if my ward would like them for the out patients to use during their visits.Not sure how it goes on infection control.  If not I will pop my thinking cap back on about where to send them.They make an interesting read along with the colouring.

This is a collaborative post.

Project 365 week 37

Been a lousy week weather wise but I have amused myself with doing a lot of sewing instead.Also been quite stressed, and find sewing good therapy. A radio or an audio book on and just lose myself.


Sunday

Making the most of my second weekend off and apart from two walks with the dog and hubby, first was only forty mins trying to beat the rain, second the usual ninety minutes, I spent a lot of the day in my sewing room. Finished the Peter Rabbit quilt for the new baby on one side of us and started a second one in shades of blue for the new baby on the other side. So much time goes into the planning of these items, trying to decide on a design, method, as well as finding the right materials.

Also spent some time printing out my next set of cross stitch pictures that I spent time researching on Saturday evening to finish Spuds blanket and forward planning the one for Ziggy's baby brother/sister.

Being critical not 100% happy with the Peter Rabbit one but that is typical of me. I have combined some cross stitch with applique and quilting. It is lovely, a nice keep sake and something a bit different for a new baby present. My grandkids still have theirs all these years later.

Monday

Bit the bullet and added a phone onto my Sky account, special offer only costing me an extra £4 a month so quite happy with that. Phone has wi fi calling making it easier to use in the house as we have a crap signal in the village no matter which phone supplier you go with.

Went down to play with the three wee ones after school. No photo as no phone to take it with.

Back upstairs for some sewing, carrying the quilt for the wee boy the other side.

Did some cross stitching in the evening.

Tuesday

Well my new phone arrived, and I am raging with myself as I put the memory card in the sim card slot, if you google it I am not the only pillock it is quite common, and damaged the phone getting it out. So here is the case I bought to go with it.

Not in  a good mood at all so did not touch the sewing.

Wednesday

Spoke to Sky but as I damaged the phone they are not interested, which is what I expected. I could send it back for repair but minimum cost of £100. Phoned round a few local repair places and have got it done for just under half of that.

More sewing, carried on with the quilt for next door.

Went for a walk round Auchincruive again, dog loves it there. Autumn colours are starting to happen and I loved this wee red tree.

Thursday

Finished of the second quilt this morning. It is looking fab.

Went into Ayr to join in with the ladies bike ride. Seemed a shame as I was the only one to turn up apart from the ride leader and the volunteer who rides at the back. This week that happened to be the ride leaders own mum as there was nobody else available. So I have agreed to go through the training that is required and become a volunteer. Also allows me to go with the walking groups as well. This might be more feasible over the winter months when the bike rides stop. We did nearly 8 miles and thoroughly enjoyed it. Hubby and Dixie dog came into town and she got an hour and a half of a walk with him while I cycled..

We were going to pick blackberries afterwards but decided to leave it until after tea time and walk the dog again at the same time. I forgot I had a Clean up Tarbolton Woods committee meeting so hubby took dog round the fishery while I was there.

As next door has a 5 year old girl as well as the new baby I always like to get something for the older child as well, hate them to feel left out and maybe become resentful of the presents the baby gets. So made her a unicorn from the Peter Rabbit material with her dolls name on it. Handed them in to her so she sees them before she saw thim on the blog.


Friday



Gymnastics restarted last week but nobody told DD1 that Bob had a place to go it was only when she queried why they had taken money out of her bank this week that somebody told her he had a place. So back to the gymnastics run it is. Slightly further away than last time and 90 mins instead of 60. Friday not a convenient day for me particularly but he gets a lot out of the classes.He was very apprehensive about going as he does not like new. It was the same coach as last time so I spoke to her when I dropped him off. DD1 says " He came out grinning like an idiot. Made a load of new friends and had a ball "..

Went to a local fundraiser tonight run by the Brownies and Guides.Got a few bargains but felt their home baking was rather expensive for the size and quantity in a pack.

DD2 sent a thank you card on behalf of Mia for her birthday presents and the cake I made her. Funny how all your own children grow up different. All my children were made to send thank you notes for birthday and Christmas presents when younger. DD1 hated doing it and has never made her kids write them, DD2 has carried on the tradition.

Saturday

Got a couple of prizes through the post. Some neon cottons and ribbon from Sew magazine used some of the neon thread on the unicorn.

Project 365 Week 36

This week has been a boring week with not much going on apart from work, walk the dog, eat, sleep and start again. So decided rather than bore you all with my hum drum life, yes that is the way I am felling this week,  to add a bit of interest for you I am going to pair each of my pics with a song, so here we go.

Hope it helps to make my post a bit more interesting.


Sunday

Picked this jigsaw up yesterday at the fun day, Ziggy enjoys her puzzles bit most of what we have here is more the twins age group or the one piece ones that she is to old for. So she had it out for a while before she went home. Oh boy somebody has pushed her terrible two switch...

Monday

Wandering round the back road down to the woods again. The pylon caught my eye as it glinted in the sun.

Tuesday

We had headed down the fishery but a lot of the land at the back of it is owned by a shooting club and there was a lot of shooters going down with their dogs and guns so we decided to go down the back road instead.A lot of harvesting going on everywhere round here this week.

Wednesday

Another walk with the dog. Just as well there are lots of places to walk round here.

Thursday

We had something to drop off in Kilwinning so decided as we were nearly there we would go to Eglington Park for a walk with the dog. Have had a fair amount of rain here lately so we both put our wellies on, save worrying about the mud. Well I decided to walk through the ford that was not much deeper than about 4 inches to test if the wellies were waterproof. Well me being me slipped on the bottom and fell flat on my back. The rucksack and my waterproof jacket saved my top half but I was sodden through to me knickers. Must have damaged my phone as it is no more. Yes I have tried a hard reboot and everything else I have googled to try and sorted it. It did come back on but the screen no longer does anything when you touch it, and now it won't even turn on.  Luckily I had not taken out a contract on a new phone but had changed to sim only last month as we did not need new phones. Gonna have to find a new phone now.

Friday

A walk through the woods with the dog. Followed the path all the way to Failford but from there you need to walk on the main road to access either the pub or the rest of the river walk. The main road has no pavement and the cars are doing 60mph so not something I would walk with the dog as traffic scares her.

Hubby sat in the middle of the river with the dog - I stayed on dry ground.

Saturday.

Had seen a bike ride offered by the Travel Hub in Ayr again. But this time it was to try out an  electric bike. The Hub bought these a few years ago but the council will not give them the insurance for them to be hired out to the public, only allowing them to use them for supervised rides like this one.

They chose a route that involved one steep hill at the start and then some inclines throughout. I have cycled this route in the past but nice to see it is now all tarmaced rather than parts of it being pot holed and stoney. I have never managed in the past to cycle the uphill bit and always ended up getting off and pushing my bike up. But with the electric bike drop it down a gear, up the electric level a few notches and no problem at all. Have to say it makes cycling a doddle. I did not use the electric option all the time but the bike is slightly heavier than a normal one. Days like this I am glad I have good waterproofs, but was nice time we finished.

There was suppose to be six of us joining the two ride leaders with the ride but there was only two of us that turned up.

Mexico, Should I stay or should I go now.

 I am really not much of a traveller if the truth be told preferring to holiday in my own country Scotland, as we have done in the past,. However since as long as I can remember I have been fascinated and been drawn to visiting Mexico for no real reason I can think of. Recently friends of ours were on holiday in Mexico staying at a resort that contains Mexico beachfront rentals when they were telling us how wonderful a place it was and how amazing the country was I made the decision to look seriously at visiting.

As I have already said for as long as I can remember I have had a fascination for Mexico and indeed for all of South America but Mexico in particular. I remember at school which was a long time ago now being in my history class which for most of the time I was not remotely interested in any of the topics covered, I mean for instance how the Romans built villas with saunas or how mediaeval farmers rotated their crops, all boring stuff to me. However there was one topic that caught my attention and indeed made me sit up and listen this was the history of The Aztec and Mayan and Inca civilisations , although the Inca's never made it as far as Mexico they were in no doubt a very important and powerful nation giving us many of the things we take for granted now such as ceramics and textiles some of which were used as recording their own history.

The Aztecs and the Mayans however were indeed in Mexico covering large parts of the country, see map below, in fact it was the Aztecs who called themselves Mexica giving rise as to why the country is now called Mexico. 

When I was still at school I remember promising myself that one day I would endeavour to find out  much more about these fascinating civilisations but as time went on as it inevitably does it seemed to slip further and further from my mind and really apart from the odd television documentary I never gave it much thought until the afore mentioned friends came back from visiting Mexico and told me just how wonderful and amazing the country was. It was at this point I started to seriously consider a trip just to see for myself how fantastic it was.

It very quickly became a major planning operation as I wanted to concentrate the trip on visiting and learning as much about the Aztecs and Mayas as was possible in a fairly short period of time two weeks or possibly three depending on finances, the more I planned the more apparent it was becoming that even in the longer period it would be impossible to visit and see everything I wanted to see. In fact two or three months probably would not be enough time so I had to narrow it down to a few of the key places that in my opinion  helped shaped Mexico into the magnificent country it is today.

The first place on my must visit list would be the ancient Mayan city of Coba, located on the Yucatan Peninsula. Coba is home to a wealth of amazing sites to explore, from Roman-like ball game courts to Stele, they are large stone slabs with drawings and Mayan glyphs on them. Coba is set within a dense rainforest, home to beautiful birds, lizards and other wildlife, as well as breath-taking scenery and fantastic ancient trees growing out of rocks. But it was a particular part of Coba that sealed it as my favourite site in Mexico, Nohoch Mul.Nohoch Mul (meaning large mound) is Coba's main pyramid and also the highest on the Yucatan Peninsula see photograph below, how and why the Mayans built these magnificent structures has and will probably always remain a mystery.

The second must see on my visit list would have to be Tenochtitlán, located in the heart of what is now Mexico City, was the largest city and capital of the Aztec empire. Today, Mexico City is still one of the largest cities in the world, despite its unusual setting. It sits on a swampy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco in the Basin of Mexico, a strange place for any capital, ancient or modern. The story of how the Aztecs selected the location of their capital in such a miserable place is part legend and part history. By the time of the Spanish conquest in 1519, Tenochtitlán contained around 200,000 people and covered an area of twelve square kilometres (five square miles). The city was crisscrossed by canals, and the edges of the island city were covered with chinampas, floating gardens, that enabled local production of food what an amazing sight it must have been, definitely a place to visit.

Thirdly on my list of must visits has got to be Mirador  this is an area containing a large number of what are known as triadic structures around thirty five of them each consisting of large artificial platforms topped with a set of 3 summit pyramids. The most notable of such structures are three huge complexes is one called El Tigre, with total  height 55 metres making it one of the largest pyramids in the world eclipsing even some of those built by the ancient Egyptians, a truly awesome sight to behold decorated with large masks depicting all the Gods throughout Mayan history an incredible sight indeed.

And so my journey of exploration would have to end only having learned a tiny fraction about the vast empires that makes modern Mexico the amazing country it is today. Hopefully I would get the chance to return and continue my adventures although I suspect a large lottery win would be needed or perhaps a legacy from a rich Aunt or Uncle but one thing is for certain if I were lucky enough to have fortune smile upon me visiting Mexico would rate very high up on my list of places to visit.



 This is a collaborative post. 
Images taken from Wikipedia. 

Project 365 week 35

Sunday

No overtime so an evening walk round the fishery instead. Notice a huge difference in how early it is getting dark now and the sun was beginning to set.

sunset at the fishery 

Monday

An evening walk round the fishery again. Lots and lots of ducks there. Apparently they are brought in to over winter and grow fat ready for hunting next season. They have grouse shoots down there as well at times.

lots of ducks at the fishery

Tuesday

From one duck to another. This one is down the woods. Not really sure in a tree is a natural place for a duck but this one seems to be quite happy.

a duck up a tree 

Wednesday

Fozia was in Scotland on holiday and was heading to Falkirk to see some of the attractions. So I decided to meet up with her and say hi.
Had to chuckle the girls were more interested in Dixie dog than they were the Kelpies to be honest. Was lovely to put a voice to a face. You can read about my day and what else we did here. 

Fozia and I at Kelpies 

Thursday

A wet miserable start to the day. We had planned on going caching again but decided against it. Instead we waited until the afternoon and went and picked just over 5lb of blackberries and 1.5 lb of what I thought were blackcurrants but having seen somebody else sharing elderberries I realise I was wrong in my thinking.

I bought some pears and reduced price bananas and cooked them up in with the berries we pick and split them into portions that I can add to my breakfast. Less than £2 to buy the fruit and has made enough to add to my breakfast for four or five weeks as well as four other portions without banana to make crumble with.

Went and met up with my friend Samantha at a community street clean, we collected four bags between us two and about 30 bags in all.

picking berries

Friday

DD2, SIL2, Ziggy and Jack the dog were due to come down for the weekend to see the Air show. But SIL had to much work to catch up with so we just got DD2 and Ziggy for the weekend. I am off on holiday this weekend and next so time to see them is nice.

We went down to the woods for tonight's walk.

Ziggy had cereal for her supper and finished off the milk.

waste not want not 

Saturday

A fund raising day in the local bowling club on behalf of a wee boy called Saul. He has a just giving page where it explains how his parents are trying to raise enough money to get him to America for an operation that just might help him walk and lead a more normal life. There was an opportunity for the children to handle various animals and the older children were rotating them round so they got to hold all the animals that they wanted to.

We went along and supported the cause.shame the weather was not kind to them.

Mia brushes the guinea pig