BRIAN REID PHOTOGRAPHER
"We're not in Glasgow anymore, Toto!"
Back to my usual haunts and the snowdrops are blooming at Old Warden in the Swiss Garden. The only way the garden could be improved is if it was a little bigger allowing a slightly longer walk. Winter creates an opportunity to see the boathouse through the naked trees but also helped by the removal of a tree in the past week or so. Of course we have wildlife like coots in the garden, swans in the...
Celtic Connections, Glasgow
I had a very enjoyable, if short, weekend in Glasgow with my brother Jim to enjoy a couple of concerts, part of the Celtic Connections. My main attraction was the chance to see Watchhouse, formerly Mandolin Orange, on Saturday at the Pavilion and we followed up with a gig at the Drygate Brewery on Sunday with a couple of jazz combos. The timing allowed for a lovely stroll around a little bit of Glasgow...
Snowdrops Already
It was a pleasant winter day yesterday, ideal for a walk at Anglesey Abbey where the snowdrops were further on than I expected, adding even more interest to the classic winter walk. There were also some early daffodils adding a little more colour. As usual I take photos of the Lode Mill and the avenues of trees that are typical of the excellent grounds. As I returned to the visitor centre a rumble...
Oh Rats!
Birds are messy eaters and there are scraps to be found below a feeding station. A treat for the rodent above and below. This is a bit of a mixture with not too many photo opportunities this week, just dashing out for a quick walk each day. The winter light encourages use of a glow filter to add a little dreaminess to the landscape. The grey heron did not seem too fussed by the passing dragon boats...
Before the Storm
It seems that we may be heading for a change in the weather as the first Atlantic storm of the year approaches. The notable thing here has been the disappearance of the snow but not all of the ice as you can see above where the birds were still walking on the marina a couple of days ago and still are today, below. In fact you can see how thick the ice was from the broken pieces in the next picture....
Last Year Ending
Time for a quick glimpse back into 2025 with a visit to Old Warden on New Year’s Eve with Mr Langshaw. It was a mainly indoors visit but looking back now it was positively balmy conditions. There were a few microlight aircraft visiting on a crisp winter day like the one above and there were a few other attractive machines visiting the airfield. There is always something to see in the hangers including...
Wow Actual Snow!
Crikey. Now there’s a thing. Actual snow. It has been a while and it has lingered most of the day. Ideal for a walk along the river to Eaton Socon. Here are a few snaps along the way. I will finish with a before and after shot of the car on the drive as the sun starts to do its work and the moon a few minutes ago rising over the houses along the street.
Christmas In Scotland 3 - A Capital Idea
On a drizzly day what do you do? My sister Anne and I, with a little chauffeuring from Douglas, headed to the centre of Edinburgh to enjoy the portrait gallery and a little stroll along Princes Street. The portrait gallery was wonderful both as a building but also with the artworks some good some dreadful! There are plenty of famous Scots on display including the man in the black cloak, Charles Rennie-Macintosh,...
Christmas In Scotland 2 - Family Fun
After a grey day in Queensferry in yesterday’s post there is more grey weather in Peebles, some indoor fun and a little sunshine in Penicuik. A highlight was Jack and the Beanstalk in the Empire Theatre. A brilliant pantomime, as usual. “Oh no it wasn’t”, “Oh yes it was”. It really was. Feeding the ducks in Peebles brought out a couple of interesting birds, a pair of goosanders, very nice. Anyway...
Christmas In Scotland 1 - South Queensferry
It is always a happy time returning to Scotland and Christmas gives added pleasure. I am old enough to remember when there was only a Forth Bridge, the railway bridge from 1890, and a ferry service from South to North Queensferry. In the early 60s the Forth Road Bridge replaced the ferries and stimulated a building boom across the Forth for commuters to Edinburgh. Now in this century we have the...