OneBird

Inspirations and a total eclipse

Thank you, thank you to Hazel for emailing me this link "The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination" R. K. Rowling's speech at Harvard. What an inspiration! I did blub through a good part of it. I strongly recommend a viewing. 

Also making me very happy...an escape to the beautiful Ardnamurchan. Breakfasting/yoga outside. Barbecues/good food. Walking and boating. Amazing scones. What a beautiful country and an amazing holiday.

Ahhh sunset, there were moments that the clouds opened and it looked like the firey skies over Mordor.

Some of the landscape up there reminds me of Twin Peaks, or dare I say it Twlilight! No, I won't go on about my latest obsession. I've read them all. Yes I know it's not cool, but there's a reason why they're top of the best seller lists...

At the most Westerly point on the mainland, I believe. Alas no whales were spotted. I really want to see a whale. 

There were hundreds of jellyfish on the Singing sands beach. Are they dead when they're washed up? Or can they survive without water? I might have to do some research.

And scone on the beach...what can I say, except I think this is as close to the perfect scone as I have ever tasted. Huge, light texture, filled with jam and cream. A challenge even for someone as greedy as me. Heavenly.

And lastly, I've not only cried over my laptop, but laughed and laughed at this link, Literal Video, Total Eclipse of the Heart, courtesy of Paul. If you like a bit of soft rock/cheesy 80's videos, this will especially be right up your street. Very very funny. 

Money, shopping, clothes

My relationship with money is a strange one. After years of working freelance and either earning the (relatively) big bucks or nothing, I've got a bit of a fractured idea of what money is/what it means. I either have it or I don't, and if I do....I'm pretty sure it isn't going to last for too long. 

That being said, I'm generally speaking pretty organised and get my bills, taxes etc paid. 

However, being a student for the last year and earning more or less nothing has been interesting. I wonder if it should have changed my perception of money more than it has. I'm certainly in a lot more debt than I've ever been, and after a spell of having literally no money in the bank and only spending the bare minimum on my credit card, I'm now for the first time living off an overdraft, of money that isn't mine. Strange. 

My time of extreme skintness coincided with my warehouse job, and I was able to tune into pod casts from a group called the Interdependence Project, including one that has been particularly relevant to me, and lots of people I'm sure at the moment, "Money Does Not Exist!"

I love these pod casts - they are downloadable free from i-tunes (though donations are the way to go..I am about to set mine up.) Interesting talks, ideas and I love hearing the traffic and angry New York cars beeping in the background. 

So, all being said, what am I doing buying this..?

All I can say is I love it, though I don't have the actual means to pay for it yet...

It's the kind of drug I can't resist. It's designer (yup, shallow.) It's from TKMax and hugely, hugely reduced (by over two-thirds, though still not cheap..) It shouldn't have fitted, but it did. I'd seen it before on Net a Porter, my web window shop of choice. 

And, it reminds of an inverted version of one of my favourite album covers.

So, I didn't really Need it, but I really Wanted it. I'm not sure how this all fits into my concept of money and me, but I've sure got a lot to think about.....hopefully in the sun. x

Wish comes true

While my course was finishing up and the pressure was ebbing away, I wished for some sunshine. Not necessarily blazing mediterranean heat, but enough to enjoy living in Scotland, and importantly to be able to read outside. So, in between clearing my flat out, inspired by Karen Kingston's book (thank you so much Caireen!) training for the Edinburgh 10k, dealing with money stuff, and a stint doing the unglamourous warehouse job, I've been soaking it up.

Ahhhh a great advert for ageing at Pollock Park.

An idyllic barbecue near Aberfoyle.

Magical grassy alley in Edinburgh. There was an iron fence to stop people from wandering down. It looked to me like a Narnia-esque different world.

Amazing fruit and veg from the Farmers market shop at Gartocharn. Magic indeed.

And check out these 50p! beauties from the tea/coffee/cake/stalls extravaganza also at Gartocharn. Clip on earrings, but I think I might adapt them...

Largs. A classic seaside destination. This is inside the Harlequin chip shop. They do a great fish tea, complete with peas, bread/butter and of course a cup of tea. I hope they never change, although the re-vamped Nardini's is pretty impressive. I recommend cava and ice cream, sitting outside.

And just lovely. My graduation celebration lunch. Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery. Incredible lunch/pre-theatre deals and what a collection of china..and home made sweets. 

Snapshots

My last second hand purchase...I don't know what it is but I like it. Price still on.

Last weekend. It rains and rains and rains...then the sunshine. Bliss.

And the sunset. At the 24 hour Asda. I have become very familiar with the all night supermarket..usually to buy laminating pouches.

I was having a laugh last weekend that my world has shrunk so much that all I have to photograph is my lunch. Tomato soup and cheese on toast. Student comfort bliss. It's all been worth it. I passed my final crit on Thursday. 

Homegame 6

And the Fence Homegame "festival." My treat of the year so far.

Music, tea and scones, lager, the seaside, fish and chips..what's not to like. A great weekend.

Whilst listening to a folk recital of Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet, including Livin on a Prayer sing-a-long. My idea of a good time.

Fish and chips

And music

And ice cream cones.

And the sea.

And swings.

The small people were taken by the lights. Me too.

And wandering around Anstruther and Pittenweem.

Time passes

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted.....too long. I'm taking the luxury of the long weekend and a hangover to justify doing no work tonight and this instead. It's been a few months of stress, study, and battling personal demons, (there's nowhere to hide when you're standing in front of 25 children) but I wouldn't swap it for anything (I'm saying that now....)

The past few months.

A January road trip to Durham. A sad occasion, but a lovely family trip down memory lane. My family are all from the area, and we used to spend lots of time there when I was growing up. I've got beautiful memories. My Gran's corn beef pie and milkshakes. Their amazing rose garden, wild garden and my Great Grandad's broad beans (also sitting in his room watching TV - and how we never thought there was anything different about him - he had been shot in the face by a sniper during the Second World War!) Aunty Francis's sewing skills, steep stairs and stash of lemonade (and skill of getting in the background of wedding photographs - their house was across from the church.) Great tales from my Gran about the war and the time when she met my Grandad (we were staying in the hotel where they first met at the bar - pure Cary Grantesque.) My other Gran and Grandad's afternoon teas and playing bagatelle. My Dad's memories of exploring Durham Cathedral (he was a choir boy there.) This all sounds very Enid Blyton, and my childhood, like everyone's, was not all a bed of roses, but this trip was an amazing chance for us remaining (minus the kids) to remember what is important about family - shared memories. 

Oh - and a shared love of cake and scones. We ate incredibly well. I can throughly recommend the cafe at Durham Cathedral and this place, Brocksbushes is a completely amazing farm shop and cafe ummmmm. I wish it was nearer to home.

Then there has been lots of...

(The pen is for scale. My deranged note taking style.)

My shopping addiction has been severely curbed, but I've managed to squeeze these TKMax beauties in.

A Spring weekend in Edinburgh. I love the Botanic Gardens...

At the moment I'm dreaming of a sunny Scottish Summer, escaping up north, reading books, cooking, yoga and spending time with people without the internal sand timer trickling away until I need to return to my books/notes/planning. Oh and a return to sewing too. Ahhhh bliss.

post holiday

I've not been blogging for a bit and it seems a bit un-keeping with the New Year spirit, but I can't resist sharing this Christmas image...

From the fantastic Pollock House. They sure provide a grand festive day out. 

Oh and my purchases from the Killearn Craft Fair, cards from Caireen, badges and twine from Snapdragon and my lovely mug from the Panik Gallery. And here is Killearn.

I did manage to kick start the knitting over holidays, amidst family stuff, study avoidance, the evil cold bug and my deeply unglamorous warehouse job.

I also avoided these guys on New Years Eve. Sweets from the Chinese supermarket to be approached with caution..

Ahhh the Whangie. I great place to be on New Years Day, when the sun is setting.

Happy New Year! May it bring all that you wish for x

Ho ho ho

My first xmas decoration to go "up." Made by the lovely Cresa. It has patches of a special glass, whose technical term I can't remember, and it catches the light beautifully. I shall have to get her details to add here, she makes really lovely jewelry, bowls, mobiles. I am full of the xmas spirit. My course has finished until the New Year and I am overjoyed. Not that I'm not enjoying it but I really need a break (everybody does!) I knew it wasn't going to be easy... but wow. All those folk that said it's tough/it half killed them (a bit dramatic) etc etc weren't wrong. Although I've got work to do, just being able to have evenings off is amazing. The home is going to get a proper scrubbing/winter clean. The knitting is coming out...it is the weather for woolies and I feel some photo printing coming on. 

Happiness is..

Deciding to take the night off and updating this. 

Sense did prevail. Since I generally carry at least one substantial bag with me.. the camera can come too. I'm not sure why, but looking back over the last couple of months, most of my photos seem to be of skies. Maybe because I'm wistfully looking out of windows in between bouts of study.

Early morning moon at the station. (The birds were a pure fluke!)

Another mo flo sunset. I liked the fact I could see the sky through the window of the tenement.

Dark skies.

 Lost balloon.

 Moon.

Really dark sky. 

Taking it easy in the back seat at the Transport Museum.

I love getting parcels! Thank you to Claire. We're saving the distribution till the Xmas lunch.

Go John! Jordanhill college is a bit of a 70's throwback. The arts and crafts books certainly are...This is one of my favourite finds so far..."Wearable" crafts. Some of them are too creepy and perverse to share...but these two make me smile.

And in keeping with the bird theme.

This book is lovely. I love this patchwork. My kinda work, a bit wonky and rough.

And I get to go to art classes, (now and again.) I'm sure this looked much better at the time.

It's starting to feel like the countdown to Christmas...I'm really looking forward to having some time off, hopefully earning some money, doing some sewing, catching up with folks....ahhh all of that. I've been in a little (or big) teacher training bubble and I need out for a while! 

Long time gone

It's been a long time since I've blogged....... 

I've been adjusting to life as a student teacher (it ain't easy, but good...) I've started my yoga course and have been attempting to practice every day....again not always easy, but good. And I've also begun my pattern cutting course at Cardonald College....good once I've dragged myself there in the evening!

Soooo my head has been full of studying. I've just spent five days "off" battling with an essay on policy influence in the teaching of maths zzzzzzz. To "relax" at night I'm reading childrens books. (I loved Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer.) I've discovered that I really really need to practice my times tables. 

I think a list of recent "discoveries" could be in order. (In no particular order.)

1.   Tapa - in the southside. I cannot rave about this place enough. Coffee, cakes, great food. It's organic. It's a bakery. It's open in the evenings. It does french toast for breakfast. If only it were nearer....

2.   Alas the shop in Tinderbox has closed, but they have started selling Suki Teas. Ummmm.

3.   Public transport in Glasgow often sucks (if you're in a hurry.) And I really wished it didn't.

4.   The ukulele!

5.   Patterns of breathing.

6.   Maths can make me cry.

7.   Getting stranded in the middle of nowhere, on the wrong train, with a hangover, missing classes. This also makes me cry.

8.   The power of an "I'm raging" stare. (Practiced on children, not grown ups so far..)

9.   It's a really great idea to get doggy bags if eating out.

10.  That the new Coen Brothers film isn't very good (in my opinion.) A real shame.

11.  That Ashtanga yoga, if you're not used to it really really hurts the day after.

12.  That I have a lot more hours in the day now.

I've been contemplating purchasing a really compact camera that I can chuck in a bag and carry around with me all the time to "encourage" me to keep photographing (it would financially be VERY stupid, but marvelous.) In the meantime, and the last time I escaped the city (I'm getting real wander lust.) here's a very belated post of my birthday weekend. It was September. It was warm! We walked, ate, lounged outside drinking sangria! Sat in front of the fire. Star gazed. Ate seafood. All in all a truly great time. Ahhhh that's the life.

Kiki is a carrot cake genius.

It was at least a 9/10!