miss marie's miscellany

The longest day

The longest day ended with the most brilliant sunset

 

A glorious sky

 

 with rich and vivid colours

 

You have to stop and look at such a beautiful sight

till it's almost gone. 
 
 
 

Happier

Sometimes, it's little things which can cheer you up the most

 

A visit to see friends who live by the sea

 
 

Some new arrivals in the garden

 

A new WIP

 

And if all else fails, something sweet will hit the spot (sorry this pic is a bit blurred, I must have been excited at the impending sugar rush)

 

(In case you're wondering, the lovely pudding above was rhubarb creme brulee with ginger biscuits and was to die for!)
 
  

 

May collage

A month of contrasts of temperature, starting off cold and ending warm and promising. A month of tulips galore, they have brought wonderful colour to the garden. A month of happy crochet projects, including a special gift. A month when I visited some old haunts and places I'm glad I re-acquainted myself with.

 

This is the first time this year I've been able to post lots of flower photos, something which makes me very happy! Enjoy :-)
 

Chameleon explained

Do you remember the yellow tulip in my last but one past, the one called the chameleon tulip? 

 

I didn't know why........but I do now!

This is how they look today

 

I've never grown a flower which has changed colour before :-)

 

Kelvingrove treasures

I took a trip to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. I hadn't visited for a good while;  the lure of the 'Glasgow Boys' Exhibition enticed me there. I couldn't take any photos at this, but if you are anywhere near the gallery in the next few months, do go and see it, it's brilliant, a feast of colour and style, landscapes portraits and still life. 

I could take pictures everywhere else, and did! Here's the imposing facade........

 

A room full of sculptures, busts of Queen Victoria and Homer are there, and hanging above were lots of.....?
 

grimacing and smiling heads......tragedy and comedy.

 

On the other side of the building, a Spitfire hovers above a stuffed giraffe and elephant
 

 

Some of the standout sights for me were........this Cezanne still life, simple but beautiful

 

I love the dreamlike quality of this lady's beautiful face

 

A portrait by Sir Henry Raeburn, 'Ann Pattison, Mrs Wiliam Urquhart'.

 

Donald Dewar, sculpted by Archibald Forrest.

 

Wipe away the tears, this sculpture is called  'Motherless'.

 
 Elegant lady in a watercolour by FCB Cadell

 

And some more beautiful portraits

 

Robert Louis Stevenson, looking very dashing, as if he has stepped out of the pages of one of his adventures.

 

I could go on and on posting more photos but I think that's probably enough! What a great place to have so close to home, a veritable treasure trove of wonderful art and inspiration. I believe that Kelvingrove is one of Glasgow's top attractions, and it was very busy on a Wednesday afternoon, which must prove that to be true. Whatever, it was a wonderful way to spend a few hours. 

 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 

Final flush

All the tulips are nearly past their best, they've provided some wonderful colour in the garden for the last 2-3 weeks. 

This variety is called  Antoinette.

 

On the pack it says this is the chameleon tulip, I'm not sure why!? The colours remind me of pear drops

 

I planted these to have cut flowers in the house, but I've hardly picked any, i just couldn't bring myself to take the scissors to them!

These dwarf tulips were the first to emerge, they're called Johann Strauss (yes, I have to get some musical names in there!)

 

This is  Flaming Parrot.

 

 

Jan Reus, fantastic dark red 

 

Madonna, delicate white ruffles with a tint of green.

 

Palestrina 

 

 

Spring Green

 

And just because it's so pretty, this lovely parrot tulip  'Rococo' again.

 

 I'm glad I included some ruffled parrot tulips this year, they are exciting to watch as they go from tightly bunched up petals which give no hint of what's hiding inside to richly coloured and frilly flowers. A lovely contrast to their more upright sisters.

I love tulips, they're one of my favourites,  and I'm sad these lovely flowers will soon be gone from the garden, they make me catch my breath every time I walk past them!

 

But they'll re-appear next year, and there's plenty more to look forward to as spring turns into summer.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Scenes from the park

I went for a stroll around Queen's Park, a few miles from where I live. When I bought my first flat in Glasgow, it was just up the road from here, so I often visited, but that was some years ago and I only manage the occasional visit these days. It is looking good (better than I remember).

Lovely rhododendron and azalea bowl

Glasshouse (nice cafe inside, that's an addition since i was a resident)

 

Camellia flowers

 

Sculpture in the Scottish Poetry Rose Garden (no flowers yet, but it will look wonderful in mid-summer, I'll go back)

 

 

Lush greenery

 
   

The view across the rooftops

 

 

 

Tulip

I planted lots of tulips in the autumn, and of course they are now coming up and looking fantastic. I love tulips, the more in the garden the better, I think.

 
 

Last week I spied this parrot tulip; I couldn't quite remember what colour it would be, so I waited expectantly for its petals to unfurl.......

A few days later, it was looking decidedly rosier

 

Then after my working trip away at the end of last week, I returned home to this beauty

 

 

I'm very glad I braved the freezing cold to plant all those bulbs, what a treat to have all this colour.

More of those lovely tulips to follow soon :-)

 
 

 
 
 
 

 

April collage

Time for another monthly round-up; during April there has been a trip to Liverpool, the garden has started to come to life, colourful crochet, time spent with friends and family, and the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week rounded it off nicely; all in all a good month with plenty to be happy about:-)

 

 

March collage

Time for another monthly round-up, is it just me or has March flown past? 

Good stuff; lots of crochet, as well as my recent reveals you can see some new stuff in the photos which I've been trying out and will post about soon, getting started in the garden and some lovely flowers beginning to show themselves, my trip to Aye Write and Creative Stitches 2010, the best green boots ever, so comfortable.......and my giveaway (which I very stupidly forgot to photograph; Jenny did a great job for me!)

Bad stuff; yet more snow at the start of this week......I'm not going moan about it too much but I've really had it with the white stuff, enough is enough! Let's hope April will bring more clement and seasonal weather!

 

 Have a good (and prank-free) day :-)