Friday Smiles - Week 424

Hello Everyone,

This has been a week in which I have had much to smile about so I thought I'd join in with Annie's Friday Smile weekly meme over on A Stitch In Time. 

What stood out for me this week was a trip my daughter and son-in-law took me on last Saturday. We went north of Glasgow to Balloch Castle Country Park on the shores of Loch Lomond. We took a circular trail around the estate through the grounds, along the shore of the loch and into the walled garden on one  of the hottest days of the year. Here's a selection of the photos from the walk.

There are a lot of huge old trees as can be seen from this photo of Juli standing in front of one of the biggest.

And here's the daftest photo taken on the day. 

I was gesturing to my son-in-law to join me just as Juli took the pic! 

It was a lovely place to walk round but we have had to admit we really overdid it in the extreme heat. We will keep to shorter walks there in future but that's easily done as there is still much more to see around the estate including the Fairy Trail, Chinese Garden, Pleasure Grounds, Quarry Pond, Kitchen Garden, Secret Garden, Woodlands and Parklands. Well worth a visit. 

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.

Take care,

Elizabeth

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 829

Hello Everyone

I hope this finds you all well and recovering from eating too many chocolate eggs! Unfortunately, due to a problem with technology I had to miss last week. It's all fixed now so this week normal service is resumed. 

That's not to say, I haven't been busy. The weather has been dire giving me the perfect excuse to stay cosy and dry indoors in the craft room. I've made a couple of layouts and there's a work in progress currently on the desk. The basket to the left is filled with small metal dies, The plan is to use some leftover card to make an embellishment or two for that layout. Just in front of the desk is a very old sketch - saved from the Scrap 365 magazine from Aug/Sep 2013. Sadly, in July 2014, the magazine ceased publication. 

Here's a layout I made earlier.

05/2025 - Out to Sea

The fabulous shots were taken by my Grandson's Mother-in-Law, Kathy. We are very lucky to have quite a lot of swans living in various locations along the estuary coast. Happily ignoring the danger warnings too! 

The materials used are the leftovers from the Ella Bonella kit mentioned in my WOYWW Week 827 post together with embellishments from the Set Sail collection from Heidi Swapp and stickers from Simple Stories Vintage Seas sticker sheet. 

This mixing of kits and collections is great fun. Because I've not been scrapping regularly for such a long time I have a lot of quite old stash. So to make it a more interesting I'm concentrating on using it all up. It's a challenge but I'm determined to make a really big dent in it all.

As mentioned above, the weather has been appalling here and there's not been a lot of gardening done. So nothing to show there this week. Instead, I thought I'd post this aerial view, found on the Saltcoats Photohub on Facebook, showing the area where I live in Ardrossan. 

(c) Graeme Smets

I think you can see from this shot why I love living in Ardrossan. If I turn one way when I go for a walk, there's a nature reserve - bottom left of photo - and turn the other way and I can visit either of two parks or carry on down to that beautiful sandy beach - a quick ten-minute walk away. 

On a very short walk today I spotted several of these beautiful butterflies. 

The Orange-tip butterfly. According to the Scottish Wildlife Trust it is more common in southern and central Scotland, particularly in areas like Dumfries & Galloway, Lanarkshire and the county I live in,  Ayrshire.

And finally, it wouldn't be a post from me without a photo of my furry friend.

Silver wishing the rain would stop!

That's me for this week. To see more creative workdesks pop over to Sarah's blog, Sarah's Craft Shed. If you don't already do so, feel free to join in the fun and show us what's on your workdesk this Wednesday.  You'll be made most welcome.

Take care everyone,

Elizabeth

This Week's Smiles - Week 373

Hello Everyone,

It's been forever since I shared a smiley post. Blame life - it got in the way! I've started going for walks again. Just short walks as I'm still feeling weak from my recent fight with horrid side affects from antibiotics. Me and antibiotics just don't agree. Anyway, today I went out early for a wee walk around the neighbourhood. and the blue, blue sky over Ardrossan had me smiling from ear to ear. 

As did the sight of these Welsh Poppies growing in someone's front garden. They're such a cheerful sight. 

When is a park not a park? When it's called the Holm Plantation. The plantation is very near the street where I live and it is lovely. There's a burn (stream) running through it and in early spring it's a mass of daffodils. Sadly, they've all gone over now. 

What it looked like in March. 

Discovered this blue plaque as I passed Ardrossan Academy. Edith MacArthur was a noted Scottish actress born here in Ardrossan in 1926. She had a long and varied acting career, appearing on stage, in film and in many very popular TV series. She is also credited with discovering David Tennant, he of Dr Who fame, when he was only ten years old!

And finally:

Silver, sitting on the compendium of games on the piano stool. I think I was being challenged to a game of draughts with her! There never was a piano but there was the keyboard - long gone but not forgotten.  I played the piano, Alan the keyboard, and very good he was too. 

That's it for today. A very quick and photo heavy post but hopefully you enjoyed the insight they give into what it's like living here in beautiful Ardrossan by the Sea. 

Take care, everyone,

Elizabeth

In A Vase on Monday - Bluebells and Granny's Bonnets

Hello everyone,

It's lovely to be able to join Cathy over at Rambling in the Garden with my offering for her meme, In A Vase On Monday, once more. 

Unlikely as it seems, I was able to pick this little bunch of bluebells, hyacinthoides hispanica, and granny's bonnets, aquilegia vulgaris, from the garden. My much neglected garden. I don't remember where I found the blue and white jug but they look just perfect in it.  

The aquilegia is a reminder of the garden we left behind. It's a self-seeded bonus that sneaked here in a pot. 

As is the blue bugleweed, ajuga geneversis, found hiding in another pot tucked away in a quiet corner. I had trouble remembering this plant's name, the label has long gone, so consulted PlantNet which soon identified it as one of the many ajugas that can be found growing in gardens around the UK. 

Beside the jug is my collection of small books about walking, flowers and birds. I've been a hill walker most of my life, but now I'm in my seventies I stick to shorter walks on flatter ground. And, for fun, I take the time to photograph the many wild plants and wildflowers spotted along the way. PlantNet comes in very useful for naming those I don't know so well. 

To see the many lovely arrangements of gardeners more dedicated than I have been this last year,  just click on the link to Cathy's blog, Rambling in the Garden.

Take care, everyone,

Elizabeth