miss marie's miscellany

July 2011

July was a pretty good month, and even if the weather was a little variable, there've been a lot of sunny, hot days; I'm not a great sun lover but even a pale person like me needs some brightness and warmth!. I had time to chill out and do some thinking about what happens next, there were quite a few birthdays of family and friends, and I visited my hometown of Liverpool, which is where I took this month's photo, down at the Pier Head where there were celebrations for the centenary of the famous Liver Buildings. It was a beautiful evening and the sky looked amazing, as you can see.  Happy times :-)

  

Super arty Liverpool

3 years ago when Liverpool was the European City of Culture, one of the art installations I really loved were the Super Lamb Banananas, strangely named and beautifully decorated sculptures which looked like lambs with banana shaped backs and tails. They were dotted around the city and brought a vibrant touch of colour and texture to the street. There was even a SLB trail which you could follow all over Liverpoool and view all 125 sculptures.. When I visited last week, I ran into a few of them which seem to have re-appeared.........here's a Klimt-inspired one near to the Liver Building

Next to the river

The next 2 are outside the new Museum of Liverpool

 This is the Heroes SLB.....looks lovely with the poppies 

And this mosaic patterned one is inside the museum, it's the Mandala SLB.

I think they're beautiful and fun, and they really do put a smile on your face!

 

 

Dreaming

At the weekend, I took my dad out for a spin to visit an interesting piece of art in St Helens.  When we arrived, we entered the gates and very shortly after, saw 2 deer running around ahead of us......definitely a good omen! We walked through grassy meadows with a gentle ascent

till we turned a corner and saw this

It's called 'Dream'

This sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Piensa, is on the site of the Sutton Manor colliery, which closed in 1991. It's there as a tribute to the mining tradition of the area, as a landmark and to mark a place of natural beauty and peace.

It's visible from the M62 motorway, apparently seen by 100.00 motorists a day.

It's 20 metres high; very imposing, but also beautiful and hypnotic, in my opinion. I like the way it is totally accessible to visitors; you can go right up to it and touch it if you want.

The statue really gives what is already a natural and peaceful area,  a tangible feeling of rest and stillness.

A lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

 

 

 

Daily snapshot:2

On Sunday, I spent the day by the shores of Loch Tay in Perthshire at my friend Jane's house. This is the spectacular view from her back garden; lucky her, being able to look at this every day!

 

Daily snapshot:1

I thought this week I'd post a picture which I've taken each day, a daily snapshot of what I've been doing or seeing. I'll start with yesterday (Saturday) when I was playing at a wedding at Glasgow University Chapel. This is the scene before the guests arrived.

Very imposing! A beautiful setting for a joyful occasion.

 

Snapshot from this week

I whizzed down to London on Monday; travel delays meant it was a whistle stop trip; just enought time to catch up with my lovely friends G&G for dinner, wine and gossip, then it was time to set my head on the pillow for some much needed sleep before Tuesday dawned. Business matters took up the morning, and before I caught the train back, I made sure I had time to pop into here.

I struggle a bit with London's crazy busyness, all those people, all that traffic, it can be overwhelming. So I really do love this wonderful shop, it's a haven of calm and elegance, with lots of gorgeous stuff to smell and touch and wow at. I had a peaceful and de-stressing wander around, and felt much better!  I must say a special thank you to the lovely kind lady in the bath department who was so friendly and helpful, and who chatted to me for ages!

I did make a small purchase, it required huge restraint not to go completely bonkers and buy, buy buy! Do you want to see inside the bag?

Something pretty to put my face in!

 

March

Photographic pickings were slim this month; I seem to be saying I'm busy a lot, it's becoming my mantra but I have been, very much so! In the end I chose this photo on the beach by the sea, because I like the sky and the sun light breaking through the clouds.  A hint at the spring weather on the way soon after this was taken:-)

I will try harder to take more photos in April!!

Today I......

stood by the sea at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month

and remembered.............

Three gardens in one day: part 3

Last stop on this whistle-stop tour is Castle Kennedy Gardens, set on a vast sprawling estate, with a lake and tree-lined avenues. Castle Kennedy is a romantic ruin, covered in wisteria

 

Next to the castle is a beautiful walled garden

 

A lovely space to wander around
 

 

 

and enjoy the flowers

 

 

 

I have to admit the feet were starting to hurt a lot by now, so a big explore of the huge estate was not really going to happen. If you want to see Monkey Puzzle Avenue you will have to visit yourself! 

But through this gate..........

 

we found a lily pond to rival all the ones we'd seen before.

 

 There were so many water lilies you could hardly see any water

 

Monet would have been proud!

That's the end of the garden tour, I hope you've enjoyed this little slice of this beautiful part of Scotland.

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

Three gardens in one day: part 2

Next stop on out garden tour was Glenwhan Gardens. I think this has to be one of the best gardens I've ever visited; it is natural and un-manicured, with gorgeous planting, great sweeps of flowers and foliage.  

 

The garden spreads outwards and upwards around 2 lochans with amazing views from the highest points.

 

There are so many paths winding around the garden and also in between the plants, that you really feel right in the midst of the garden and are able to explore fully. There's lots to catch the eye amongst the flowers

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are even peacocks wandering around, this was the closest I could get before this one ran away

 

I've just let the pictures do the talking in this post :-)

 

Truly a beautiful and inspiring place.