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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Glencoe

I started a new post on April 21st. I downloaded all the pictures but had not written anything. Today I finished the post. However, because I started the post on April 21st it posted behind my more recent posts. Check it out. I think you will enjoy it.

Thanks to Amanda, I learned how to change the date!

Glencoe


Bud and I took a Friday/Saturday trip a few weeks ago
to do a little touring.
We went to Glencoe and the Isle of Sky

Glencoe is in the Highlands

This is what most of the mountains in the Highlands look like.

The weather was cold and rainy.
Imagine that for Scotland weather!




In the Highlands, a lot of the signage is in English and Gaelic.
There are a large number of Scots who still speak Gaelic.

Enlarge these signs to see a sample of Gaelic writing.




Some pictures are better taken from a distance!

Can you find the stone fence?
Is is amazing to see these hundreds of years old fences
winding their way straight up the mountain!
Enlarge this picture and the next one to find it.




This is the village of Glencoe

A view from the other direction.

Signs of spring.

A beautiful view of an old bridge.

This river looks cold and swift.

Notice how the moss grows all over the trees.


Bud at the monument.

This a monument honoring the MacDonalds.
38 MacDonalds (men) were slain in their homes
by the clan Campbells,
after giving them refuge in their homes for 3 days!

Copy & Paste this link for the story.


A beautiful spray of flowers growing on the side of the monument.

I will write about the Isle of Skye later.

As I write, April 29, my kids are flying into Paris. They will arrive late this afternoon!
Yeah!!!!!!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Happy Birthday Randy

Happy Birthday Randy!



Today is my brother Randy's birthday!
He is 53!!!!!
Old Man River!


Randy is my youngest brother, but 5 years older than me!
He is always smiling, hard working and my grandson loves him.
"I love Ranny so much!"
Ranny takes my little guy on the diggers and dump trucks
everytime he goes to New Mexico for a visit.
We love Randy!

Have a great birthday Randy!!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

In Anticipation -

Just waiting for this chair to be filled, and


and someone to smack his lips at my table!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Okay, so I am an easy read!

Yes,
in one week
from today,
my
FAMILY
will be here!

I am so excited!!!!

I am trying not to think ahead too much.
I am afraid that it will make the time drag.


Tuesday, April 21, 2009

8 More Days Until . . .

Can you guess?!

Friday, April 17, 2009

The Volvo XC60

HOLY CRAP!!!

I drove the Volvo for the first time last night.
I had to take the 30 minute drive into town for a meeting.
All I can say is . . .

SWEET!!

Bud has been trying to get me to drive it.
I haven't wanted to for two reasons -
1 - I didn't want to be the one to put the 1st dent in it, and
2 - I didn't want to drive with Bud; him telling me how to drive.
(I, too, would probably be protective of it if it was my car.)

Last night I decided I wanted to drive it.
Bud was more than willing to let me.
I had barely got around the corner when my cell phone rang.
Bud: "Slow down. You're speeding."
I am thinking, how does he know that.
There isn't enough street on our street to speed on,
and he can't possibly see me.
So I ask, "How do you know I am speeding?"
He says, "I drive that car everyday. I know how easy it is to speed."
I had to laugh because I was speeding.
It was so easy. The power that car has is amazing.
On the way home (on our long stretch of country roads)
I kept punching the accelerator to go really fast really quick.
When I reached the proper speed I would slow down.
It was a fun drive but I think I will stick to my 2001 Freelander.
I probably won't get a ticket for speeding in that one.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The Easter Bunny Has a Friend!

Looks like our Easter Bunny has a friend!



I was making dinner last night
and Bud told me to look out the window.


I HOPE this doesn't mean that we will be having lots of
Easter Bunnies in the near future!!

P.S. Our grandson saw our previous post and wanted to know
how come we got to see the Easter Bunny and they didn't! Cute, huh?

Sunday, April 12, 2009

The Easter Bunny!


Look at who we got a visit from!!
It wasn't the Easter Bunny,
but it was a bunny!

This little boy/or girl has been popping in and out
of our back yard several times in the last week or so.
I enjoy watching it nibble on the grass.

Speaking of Easter Bunny, I got a phone call from my grandson,
"Floolie guess what? The Easter Bunny came to our house . . .
but we didn't see him . . .
but he left us lots and lots of candy."
(Excited breathing while recapping.)

"Wow that is neat buddy."

"Floolie he left candy down the stairs
and on the floor and a whole bunch on the couch.
And he brought me a rake, shovel and hoe!"
(My little guy loves to work. Snort's neighbors threaten to turn
her in to the child welfare services!)

I miss Easter through the little one's eyes.
However, I love knowing the real reason why we celebrate Easter.
The Resurrection and Atonement of
Jesus Christ.
May you all feel the blessings of His great gift to us!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Conference Weekend

For all my family and friends back in the states, I thought I would tell you what conference weekend is like for us. Saturday morning session started here at 5:00 p.m. Priesthood session was at 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning. Saturday afternoon session started at 1:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Sunday morning session at 5:00 p.m. and Sunday afternoon session started here at 9:00 p.m. Sunday night. Anyone who isn't LDS won't understand this but that's okay. We went to the Saturday afternoon session and watched the rest on the internet. Bud also attended his Sunday morning meeting. We haven't watched the Sunday afternoon session yet because it started so late in the evening.

I must say that this was a very uplifting conference. I feel renewed and ready to face life. Hope you got something just as good out of the talks.

Friday, April 3, 2009

The Drive to Work


This is Angus. I thought that I would show you what my drive to work looks like. We live in Banchory and my office is in Portlethen--a distance of about 17 miles. It takes me about 25-30 minutes to get to work, depending on traffic. A couple of slow vehicles can really slow you down. The drive is very enjoyable because of the scenery. I think that it is beautiful--but I will let you decide for yourself. Today (the day that I decided to take the camera), the "haar" came in. That is a weather condition where the fog and mist come in off of the ocean.
At Portlethen, which is by the coast, it was very foggy while
the sun was shining at the house.

I began taking pictures after I left the house in the morning at about 7am. The closer I got to the coast and my office, the thicker the haar. The temperature was about 45-48 F but it felt much colder. After work, at around 5pm, I retraced my path. The haar was still present.
The closer I got to home,
the lighter it became until finally, the sun came out.

There are quite a few pictures.
Most of them are self explanatory.
(I cut out 3/4 of them).
They will give you a feel for the countryside around where we live.




This rock is at the edge of town in Banchory.
Our house is just a few hundred yards from here.


The river Dee about 2 miles from my house.
If you look closely at the middle of the river,
you will see a salmon jumping.
I was lucky to have snapped the picture
at the exact moment that the fish jumped.
You will need to enlarge the picture to see the fish.


I turn off of the main road at this junction.
My road takes me up over the hill instead of along the river.
By taking this route, it shaves off about 4 miles from my trip.


Going up the hill, the road runs through a wooded area.


A misty curve in the road, bordered by stone fences.


These old buildings are at a farm.
Most of them look like they are used for storage.


This area is know as Durris. It is a rural, farming area.
There are horse stables and farms with cattle and sheep.


Headed into the woods.


I don't see deer everyday.
I was lucky to see them on a day when I had the camera.
They are much smaller than the mule deer of the western US.


The morning sun is trying to break through the haar.
It made an interesting photograph.


I had to try a second picture of the sun trying to peek through.


I really like this old stone house.
It wouldn't be good if my car didn't make the corner
and ran through the wall and into the house.


The daffodils are starting to bloom.


The drive into the fog. Most of the houses are built of stone.


Green fields, dirt road, foggy morning--Scotland.


A beautiful example of the stone fences and the winding roads.


What would Scotland be without a few Angus cows?
I pass this small herd every day. (Mine were better).


Stone walls joining at the end of the pasture.


Two stone walls-near and far.


Old hardwood trees-waiting for spring and the sun.


This is a tall stone wall that is well taken care of.
I am only 3 minutes from work now.


Almost to work. My office is in the Tuboscope building
which is located in an industrial area.


Headed home on the same road. This fence is old but beautiful.


The haar surrounding the trees.


Over the hill and through the woods.


Cattle in the mist.


Nice stone wall around a wooded area.


This flock of sheep stood out in the mist.


Water droplets on Barbed wire.


The long and winding road.


Horses in this country must be sissies. Almost all of them have blankets
even though the temperature is about 45 F.

Pastures like this make me wish
that I could bring my cows over to Scotland.


The best thing about sheep is that they end up in haggis.
Too bad for these cute lambs.


Many of the stone fences are in disrepair or are too low.
Barbed wire or electric fences are often placed next to the stone fence
to keep the livestock where they belong.


A well groomed field--plowed and planted . . .
waiting for the seeds to sprout.


A pine covered hill behind the fields.


Stone fence, trees on both sides of the road.


The pine trees are grown as cash crops. They are harvested periodically
and then seedlings are planted to replace them.


Isn't this a beautiful drive? It almost makes going to work easy.


A nice looking field bordered by trees.
The cows that graze in these cows must be contented . . .
at least in the summer.


The fields have been plowed and planted.
It won't be long until the crop is up.



This old tree is waiting for spring to come.
The leaves don't come out very early this far north.



This area has some good corners with solid stone fences on both sides.


More fences built by the Stone Masons centuries ago.


The hedges along this stretch are well groomed--just waiting for leaves.


A narrow one-lane bridge by a grove of trees.


Forest area. The old trees are covered with moss.


Back into the sunshine. It feels good to have a little sun in your life.
Trees lining both sides of the road. Sentinels watching the road.


A solid stone fence surrounding a pasture.
In the background is an old barn.


Stone fence looking toward the village of Drumoak.


Sheep grazing on the hillside overlooking the Dee River.


Gully for the runoff from the hillside.


Pasture along the Dee River. It is nice to get back into the sunshine.


A beautiful pasture with old stone fences.


A little mist is still hanging in the air around this field.


The river Dee--almost home.