Friday Smiles - Week 89

Afternoon Everyone,

Well, that's the house spotless ready for the weekend ... and I'm bushed! It's so exhausting doing the domestic goddess thing! Time for a bit of R&R and taking a moment or two to join in with Annie over at A Stitch In Time and share just a bit of what has made me smile this week. Warning: a photo heavy post follows.

An important piece of advice passed on to scrapbookers like myself goes along these lines: 'to be able to record memories, you must first live life'. Bearing these wise words in mind, the EM and I decided to take a day off on Tuesday and head down to one of our favourite places, Culzean Castle Country Estate. Here are just a few of my favourite photos from the day.

This is the entrance to the courtyard at Culzean Castle.

The EM taking a break up on the courtyard wall which looks down from the cliff top on to the Clyde Estuary ... I remember the first time I looked down at the water lapping below, some 40 years ago, I was so impressed with how clear and clean it was given that ships and boats tootle to and from the Glasgow ports all day long. That's the Isle of Arran just visible behind himself's head.

Not the castle, but what must be the grandest coach house and stables in the county. No longer used as such, instead some of it has been converted into holiday apartments, there's a gift shop and a coffee shop at the back.

We always walk through the gardens on our way back to the car park - here's a few photos taken there. I don't know how I've missed it till now but I spotted this Ginkgo Biloba, aka the Maidenhair Tree. If I was a tree-hugger, this is the one I'd choose to hug :)

These hydrangeas in their autumn colours, together with the stiff spike of acanthus, aka Bears Breeches, look perfect against the warm garden wall.

One of the huge heads in close-up - stunning!

Our walk back to the car took us by way of the secondhand book shop. We stopped to donate a few books and, of course, help funds by purchasing a couple more.

The trees are looking spectacular.

After all that walking it was time for a bowl of soup and a cuppa in the restaurant before making for home again. On the menu, carrot, honey and ginger soup ... warmed us up a treat.



It's safe to say, I've plenty of lovely memories of Tuesday to record in my scrap book now after following that sage advice about living life to record it :)

And finally, as our newsreaders used to say, some of you will have seen this already on Facebook but for those who have not here is my favourite funny of the week.

I can only imagine the patience it must have taken to get that little kitty to sit just so for the camera :)

I'll leave you with my hope that you have had a fabulous Friday and a wish that you will have a wonderful weekend.