Mary's Guise

Mary Queen of Scots, National Museum Scotland.

     I've been lazing around amongst other things for the last week, trying to recharge my batteries before I move home. I have managed to publish posts because I prepare ahead, however today's post should have been published last week. I had wanted to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th, but my schedule got a little jumbled, while I chillaxed.

    International Women's Day, recognises women, girl's achievements, bringing to the forefront, the struggles they have gone through in the past and are still going through for equal rights and equality in our world today.

Linlithgow Palace, Mary's birth-place.

      In the 16th-century Mary Stuart, was crowned Queen of Scotland, in Stirling Castle at the age of nine-months. A Queen and female that would have a life full of drama and struggles.

Stirling Castle

         This young, beautiful, heir to the throne, protested innocence while being branded an adulteress and conspirator. Was this a guise by Mary? Or, was her unwillingness to stay in France following the death of her husband, her religious beliefs and being a female the only crimes that contributed to her execution at the age of forty-five.

Glassin Tower, Loch Leven, Kinross. Mary was imprisoned here

    Some of the things I've just mentioned are still used today, to justify women being sentenced to beatings and death by execution. It's days such as International Women's Day, that women and women's charities continually drive for reform and worth celebrating every day.

 

Musseling In!

Fisherrow Harbour

    Musselburgh, seven-miles east of Edinburgh is one of the oldest settlements in Scotland. The Romans originally built a fort here and as you could say the rest is history.

 

 
    The town grew up around the mouth of the River Esk which flows into the Firth of Forth and its  name is derived from the large amount of Mussel beds that can be found along the shore of the Firth of Forth.

     From the sandy coastline you can look straight along to Edinburgh, Arthur's Seat dominates the skyline and the wooden benches dotted along the shore are a great place to sample the shell-fish that the town takes its name after.

Arthur's Seat dominates the Edinburgh skyline.

Life's Cycle

The Peacock Butterfly

Wild and garden flowers are now bursting open with color

It will soon be time for you to complete your metamorphosis 

And unfold your colorful wings

Bluebells

You'll fly all day, flirting with each blossom

As they tempt you with the drink of the Gods

The Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly

The nourishing liquid of the ripened fruit that falls in Autumn will tantalise and tease 

And once again you will fulfil your life's cycle my little butterfly

Packing Up

    No, I'm not about to throw in the towel and give up on my writing; I'm getting ready to move home in a month, or so. I'm moving from the countryside to live in a town and it has been so long since I've been a townie that I can honestly say I'm a little apprehensive.

    However, I haven't had too much time to dwell on my fears, because I'm packing up what seems to be a never-ending collection of belongings.

    Every time I open a cupboard, or a drawer I seem to come across something that brings back wonderful memories. Cards celebrating, special birthdays, wedding day, and anniversaries, all of which I have had many. Except for the wedding days that is.

    But, it is all a little problematic because I'm finding that I'm sitting-down reading the cards, instead of dropping them into the recycling bin as my partner urges me to do.

    However, today is another day and I'm standing proud because I've binned the collection of VHS tapes that have been gathering dust for years in the attic. After all, what use are the tapes without a VCR machine? It packed up and left many years ago.


    Thinking forward to tomorrow, I have a feeling I might not have such a carefree attitude though, because I'm going to clear out the study. HELP!

 

   
 

 

Tale of Life and Death

Visitor's Book including signature of Oscar Wilde

    We all know that Sir Walter Scott was a fantastic story teller and it doesn't matter how many years pass, his stories will live on and on. However, books that he had no hand in writing are an interesting read too; they are the visitors books at his home in the Scottish Borders, Abbotsford House.

Visitor's Book including signature of Charles Dickens

    They tell a tale of their own and they illustrate that he was admired by people from all over the world. Most importantly I think for any writer is that he was also respected by his peers. They are truly part of his book of life, or death as the case may be.  Many famous writers such as, Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens and Charlotte Bronte visited his home after his death and I think that says it all.

Sir Walter Scott's death mask

  #WorldBookDay   www.scottsabbotsford.com/

The Hideaway

Brig 0'Turk, a village in Scotland

    Writers and artists for centuries have always loved to hide away and do what they do best, create. In Victorian times the Trossachs area of Scotland was a popular haunt for many, including painter, John Everett Millais, art critic, John Ruskin and poet, William Wordsworth.

Brig o'Turk Tea Room, built 1923 approx 

    Last year on my travels I took some photographs in Brig o'Turk a small village, a half-mile from Loch Venacher. Its rural location doesn't mean that nothing ever happens here, it was here that the famous love affair between Effie Gray, teenage-wife of John Ruskin and John Everett Millais took place in the 19th-century. Gray finally having her unconsummated marriage to Ruskin annulled, to marry Millais.

Loch Venacher

    It's a romantic setting for sure, but if love isn't on your mind it's a great place to go walking, cycle, or retreat. The 1923, tea room featured in the second picture has also had its five-minutes of fame in the 1959 film, the 39 Steps, a remake of the Hitchcock classic.    
 

Loch Venacher

     You may not want to do any of the above there, but you can always just stop take in the scenery and have a cup of tea.  

Saying Good-bye

the phone rang

we listened

firstly, disbelief

then hope

we waited

one week passed

there was no news

giving us more hope

we prayed

the phone rang

there were tears

you were gone

yesterday, it was time to say good-bye

but, we know it's not forever