Monday 31 July 2017

Now where was I...

Once upon a time I began a blog post.  After I had written a couple of sentences I decided I needed another photo – not just the ones I had prepared in advance.  So I went into the folder that I thought contained it.  I found all sorts of interesting photos.  Not the one I was after but enough go do at least four or five blog posts.  Each of these, of course, needed either internet research or the checking of dates.

One of the problems I have with my photos is that many of them are not labelled by subject.  So, for example, if I want to blog about the stone circle at Steinacleit on the Isle of Lewis I have to find the relevant photos.  If they aren’t named it means going through the pictures for each trip to the Hebrides over the last forty years (except that I know the photos were taken about ten years ago – or maybe five years ago….). 

In going through those folders I find more interesting photos.  One in particular made me check whether I had ever blogged about it.  So I opened up my blog….

Down the side of my blog is a list of other people’s blogs and their latest posts.  One of them caught my eye.  Having read that post – and commented – it reminded me that I owed someone an e-mail. 

So I opened up Google mail.  Oh, look, there’s a new e-mail from my friend over the water…

A few minutes later I am feeling thirsty and tired so I make a coffee and sit down in the lounge with a book…

Now what was it I was going to do today???



Sunday 23 July 2017

Mobile phones in Kelvingrove...

My blog post about Kelvingrove caused a few comments about mobile phones.  I should point out that mobiles have been in evidence in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery for a long time.

For example, take a look at "The White Cockade" (1899) by William-Ewart-Lockhart.


 “The White Cockade” celebrated the attempt by Bonnie Prince Charlie to reclaim the throne of Britain for the House of Stuart. During the 1745 Jacobite uprising, the Prince plucked a white rose and placed it on his bonnet as a symbol of rebellion. His supporters did likewise.  Not many people know this but just as this young man's sweetheart was affixing a cockade to his cap she decided instead to take a quick selfie in case he was injured or killed during his escapades.


 Then there is the Allegory of the Senses which is even older...





(With special thanks to Friend-Über-special who helped me with this blog posting...)

Saturday 22 July 2017

Today's word is paraprosdokian

A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to re-frame or re-interpret the first part.

A good example, where the word “right” changes meaning as the sentence is completed, is:  "War doesn’t determine who is right only who is left."


Another example - Silence is golden; duct tape is silver.

Thursday 20 July 2017

Clyde




Wednesday 19 July 2017

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow


While staying with Anna near Glasgow (thank you so much for your hospitality, Anna) we went to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.  It is the first time I have been there and I could have spent days wandering around.


As with all museums and galleries a large number of the holdings are not on display because of lack of space.  



I recall when I first went behind the scenes at the old Liverpool Museum (now the Merseyside World Museum).  I was fascinated by how many hundreds of drawers of moths there were.  At Kelvingrove just one drawer was being exhibited.

 













The Floating Heads installation by Sophie Cave was my outright favourite work at Kelvingrove. 


Cave created over 50 of them, each displaying different emotions including laughter and despair. The heads are completely white, but are lit so that their expressions are accentuated, which gives the installation a somewhat eerie feel. Since the installation is hung over the foyer, it is one of the first things visitors see when they enter the museum.




Tuesday 18 July 2017

Fino, Ambleside

When GB and I go around together we sometimes revisit old haunts and check out whether our food stops and overnight stay places are as good as they used to be.  We also enjoy trying out places that we haven’t visited before.  One such place on our trip North this summer was Fino in Ambleside.  


We had debated whether to have a meal at dinner time but as the two Thai restaurants were full we settled for having a cheeseboard at Fino.  It was a brilliant choice.


With it I had a Kiwi, Lime and Mint Firefly followed by a coffee.  GB had a wine. 



The cheese board consisted of three types of local cheese, chutney, garlic bread and fruit.  It was wonderful.  The service was equally top class and the origins of the cheeses explained in detail.  We shall certainly visit there again.


Monday 17 July 2017

Socks

Messymimi, that source of so much wonderful information, tells me it is 
Wear Crazy Socks to Work Day” 


Partner-who-loves-tea does that most days of the year…


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