I have never before seen a tree with such personality, such sleepy menace, so old, leaning heavily on its crutches, the last soldier standing, who once rumbled up its roots from the earth and lumbered to Dunsinane Hill. Yes, I know that Birnam wood doesn’t really come to Dunsinane, and that Macbeth, as usual, takes [...]
We walked through Glen Tilt today (about 6 miles we think) just north of Blair Atholl. It was an adventure in map reading, trespassing, and hiking over and around enormous downed trees. As Sam remarked, “This forest is a tree graveyard!” But on the other side of the graveyard was a gentle path flanked by [...]
Yesterday the cashier at The Sheep Shop in Pitlochry told us that it’s a lovely walk to Strathtay, a village to the southwest of Pitlochry. He also mentioned that there’s a chocolatier there. That was all I needed to hear. We set out. Sam’s magic boots required an adjustment early on. And then we came [...]
We walked back to Edradour distillery today–Scotland’s smallest distillery–via a slightly different route through the Black Spout woods. A tour, a tasting, and now I know much more than I ever did before about how whisky is made. Sam thought it all noisy and smelly (she didn’t get to taste any of course– “Come back [...]
Coronation bridge, which crosses the river Tummel, was built to commemorate the coronation of George V (1911). We crossed it as part of our ELEVEN mile hike today. Even we are stunned at the distance we covered. Sam walked 10 miles by herself and rode on AC’s back for the final stretch back into Pitlochry. [...]
Here it is, showing some of its 150 feet: This is the viewing podium: View from near the top. I was standing on a grassy precipice when I took these photos.
And run! We did a 2-2.5 mile circuit walk today from Pitlochry to Edradour distillery through the Black Spout forest, past a 150 foot waterfall (pictures coming soon) and then down through Moulin. Unfortunately the distillery was just closing by the time we got there, so no wee dram for us today. But we enjoyed [...]
Greetings from Scotland! It took us three trains and 9 hours to make it from Brighton to Pitlochry in the Perthshire highlands, but here we are, ensconced in a cute little cottage with WiFi and an electric heater with 1£ coin meter. We do have the heat turned on. But it’s a pleasant chill, and [...]
These are the keys to our flat. How did I not feel their familiar bulge in my jeans pocket when Sam and I left the flat this afternoon? Luckily I had my mobile in my other pocket, and we were able to fetch AC’s keys from him at his office, a mere 15 minute walk [...]
Paper bag stuffed with newspaper, cardboard paper towel tube, and lots of tape. The blow pipe, chanter and drones don’t actually work, of course, but Sam makes a capable bagpipe hum. (And yes, thanks to this craft I now know the anatomy of the bagpipe.) Craft idea courtesy of Crayola. I think now we’re ready [...]
Molly Bear sports her new kilt and tam o’shanter, just in time for our trip to Scotland next week. Scotland is also our Country Club country this month. (That does feel like a bit of a cheat, but the opportunity was too good to pass up. Besides, this way I don’t have to cook anything [...]
I love these electronic displays at the bus stops in Brighton. (Though we were in Hove, actually.)
“Mom, why is my name up there?!” “Because they really want you to try out this ballet class?” Sam did her first ballet class at the Wendy Whatling School of Dance today. I just love the name. The combination of alliteration and the way the English pronounce the short vowel A in the last name [...]
View from our flat of runners coming down Kings Road, the home stretch of the marathon.
AC sails into his birthday at the Brighton Marina. He is spending this weekend taking the level one Dingy RYA (Royal Yachting Association) course through Hove Lagoon Sports. Sam and I met him for lunch at the Marina and then watched him and the instructor and one other student motor their way out of the [...]
Our stuff arrived from California today!
The idea that Phileas Fogg–the calm, phlegmatic, almost robotic Englishman (as written by a Frenchman)–went around the world in 80 days only to land on a package of crisps cracks me up.
Since it’s National Poetry month I’ve been reading Sam the poem of the day posted to Poets.org, and the poems that children’s book reviewer/blogger Tanya is posting to her website at books4yourkids.com. Today Sam asked to dictate a poem to me and after I’d taken it all down she said, “Now how can we make [...]
Today we went to the Mask Making Workshop at the Brighton Museum, courtesy of the Brighton and Hove Children’s Festival that is on this week. Sam made three masks: the rabbit pictured above, a cat, and a “Dad” mask that she plans to give to her father for his birthday this weekend. Shh, don’t tell!