Musings from Scotland~Day 2

We got a late start today for a variety of reasons:

1) The jet lag on already limited hours of sleep.

2) Waking up Shane is like waking the poor souls who were buried beneath the magnificent tombstones we saw at St. Andrews earlier in the day.

3) My husband felt the Old Links calling to him as Shane and I crashed in our room at 4 pm yesterday. He snuck out to squeeze in a round of gold by himself since there were no tee times for him during the day for there is a tournament going on here. Crazy golfer got back to room at 11pm! It stays light here until that time.

All that I can say is that our 2nd day equaled the first and if I had to leave tomorrow I would be totally satiated sensory wise by all that we had taken in in only 2 days time in Scotland! I am so very glad that it is not the case and while we will be leaving St. Andrews tomorrow, we will be heading towards another experience of sights and sounds in the capital city of Edinburg.

We ate a late breakfast where we drank lots of caffeine so that we would be totally alert for the other side of the road driving experience and the multiple roundabouts. After only one misfire on a roundabout and  two or three close calls almost knocking off the mirrors of cars parked on the side of the road, we made it safely to Glamis Castle about a 45 minutes drive through the verdant countryside. Unfortunately the skies were dark grey and the pictures that I took are hard to discriminate where the dark green lands and the dark skies merged. Hopefully better weather on our ride tomorrow. That did not dampen our spirits and our jaws dropped as our eyes alighted on the castle. My first real, honest to goodness castle, in its flesh of aged stone, right before my eyes!

This castle is made famous by Shakespeare, although his writings were untrue about what happened here but it is still owned by the same family that it was built by SEVEN HUNDRED years ago!! No photography was allowed inside but if your travels ever bring you to this neck of the woods in Scotland, it is a must see. I also found out that Queen Elizabeth's sister was Princess Margaret Rose. Ahem...that is my name! Well, not the princess part although it totally makes sense now! My dad used to try and wake me up as a teenager ( I began my night owl habits then so mornings were not my cup of tea..) by announcing quite loudly, "Margaret Rose, it is time to wake up, your polo ponies are waiting." I knew what came next if I heard those words, a cup of water was politely splashed on my face.

 Speaking of tea...it is my favorite and I think I died and went to heaven here! I can have tea anytime of the day and in a real tea pot and tea cup! Strange coincidence that the pot they served mine in today when I coerced Shane and Chris to have tea with me, matches ones that my grandmother Nan gave me. And guess what? they have roses on them!

As I mentioned before, our senses have been filled to the brim with all that we have experienced so far. I will post some pictures to give you a feeling. 

The quintessential cottage with smoke billowing from the chimney. Imagine how that smelled...

Scottish cattle (this one is for you Cam!)

A door along the street ensconced in flowering vines...yet again

The window box outside of the restaurant we ate dinner at...

The Doll's House...tucked in a small side street.

Chimneys' outlined in the sky. These are everywhere and I feel like I am on the set of Mary Poppins.

Delightful meat and cheese shops.

Another rainbow...almost!

But the crowning moment of the day came at the end when Chris and Shane were able to walk on the Old Links Course of St. Andrews, one of the oldest and most historic of courses, and get their picture in front of the club...

As well as on Swilcan Bridge.

Here, you would have thought Chris had died and gone to heaven. I am so very glad that he was able to share this experience with one of his sons. What history, architecture and design are to me...golf is to Chris.

It was an honor to walk this course with them and take their picture from behind as the sun was beginning to set at 10 pm. Cold and windy as the dickens...but an honor never the less!

It is an honor to be able to share this blog with you on my trip and parts of my life! I feel that we all can learn so much and experience so much through others as well as through the past. It took me 40 something years to get here and some of us might never get where they have dreamed of going but a peak into someone's dreams might spark even more desire to make their dreams a reality. 

Until tomorrow~

Meg

Musings from Scotland

I do not typically share our vacations with the world (or my small world who reads this blog) but I felt an overwhelming sense of having to do so due to the location of where I have been so fortunate and blessed to have landed. You know that I have posted before on my love of patina, history, architecture, and their effect on my design style as well as who I am. I could not keep quiet after experiencing not even a full day, in this oh so vividly green and hauntingly beautiful landscape!

I am tagging along on a business conference of my husbands and to be quite honest with you, I would have had quite the explaining to do when it was found out that the set of golf clubs that had been packed in the golf bag had been replaced by... none other than me, had I not been asked to attend.  I only wish that all of my children could experience this but I do not think that they would quite appreciate it as my wizened eyes and heart can of a forty something year old. We did make some last minute plans and our 18 year old son Shane has come along with us. He has been thrown a curve ball in the last few years with his health and we felt that this magical place might boost his spirits.

Although,  I am not sure how his health was affected after experiencing the harrowing drive from the airport in Glasgow to St. Andrews. ( Right now he is passed out in a perpendicular fashion across the pull out couch but we shall see)   Let's just say that the whole driving on the opposite side of the road with the steering wheel on the opposite side of the car did not sit well with my hubby. "Stay left!!!," is our new mantra!! This is not the car we rented, but if truth be told, I would have had no problem traveling in a carriage such as the one we were following led by a team of horses, that is, not on the flatbed of a truck.

Upon stowing our bags at the hotel, ( for it was only 11 am Scotland time when we are arrived) we set out to find lunch and tour the Medieval town of St. Andrews. We traversed cobblestone streets and the whole town eked with patina. 

We passed houses that spanned the hundreds of years of this town's past and reflected the architectural styles of their time period.

And I thought I had a problem with keeping the vines in check on our house...Lovely! This is one committed gardner and one labor nightmare.

We finally arrived at our destination, the ruins of the Cathedral at St. Andrews. When I spoke of haunting beauty earlier???

Do you see what I mean?

 This cathedrals' beginnings hail from the eleven hundreds. We found ourselves captivated by the headstones and read them one after the other. Faceless names but one can only imagine the heartache that these people felt at losing so many children at such young ages, for that seemed to be a pervading theme.

You could not walk up this remaining turret that reminded us of something that came from a Dr. Seuss illustration from the book, Oh the Places You'll Go, full of twisty staircases that lead into the air. We did however get to twist around another tiny circular staircase from another ancient tower that led up and up, where you felt as if you were going nowhere to get a bird's eye view of the town of St. Andrews.

Speaking of birds, the cries of the gulls that inhabit these lofty ruins only lend themselves to the hauntingly beautiful feel of this place. That phrase kept coming back to me!

For the cathedral stands fairly close to the ruins of St. Andrews castle which seems as if it has risen out of the North Sea to forebodingly greet any visitors who were not welcome.

As Scotland is known for it's variable weather, it did not disappoint us and as the rain moved in...

we took cover in one of the hollowed out rooms that are still left standing.

The sunny skies moved back in...then a little more rain for good measure and the magic of this place was cemented as this gorgeous and most vivid rainbow appeared out over the hallowed ground of the Old Links Course at St. Andrews as the day was closing.

Spectacular!

“It feels like Scotland." "Have you ever been?" "Mmmm. Twice. Have you?" "No." "You should. It's your roots. You'll be surprised how much they tug at you when you breathe the air in the Highlands or look out at a lowland loch.”
― Nora Roberts, The MacGregors: Robert & Cybil

Until tomorrow...

Meg

POSTPONED Due To SEVERE WEATHER....oh...and a preview of our many surprises!

 

We didn't mean it literally when we said to "take the plunge with us" and come to our Margarita's in the Barn Party and Summer Sale! We have agonized over that verbage for the last 24 hours with the current forecast for tomorrows' weather! I have googled every weather forecasting apparatus possibility to check out what their report has been, in the hopes that someone will say something different. Looks like it is going to be rough sailing for tomorrow.

On that note, we are sad to say that wearing your Wellies, Hunters, or anything close to that will not keep you out of the deluge of water we will experience should we get the forecasted rain. We do have a rowboat in the pond that might keep one afloat but should the pond merge with the creek behind it, that would be a sinking ship. Along with that factor, we considered the following, all of which helped us come to our decision.

1. We have all the cars park in the horse field. Where there is a horse field, there is grass. Grass grows in dirt. What happens when dirt gets really, really wet? It makes mud. What happens when you put a thousand pound vehicle on said mud???

 You don't want to film the driver who gets stuck in the mud.

2. We live on an old farm with really old trees. Said trees have been known to fall after ground gets extremely wet and wind blows. Those said trees have caused us to drive through one of the soggy, mud laden fields in a desperate attempt to circumvent tree that fell across driveway in order to not miss our flight to Paris on our 20th Wedding Anniversary! They have caused me to yell at inanimate objects more times than I would care to admit, as they have fallen time and time again...can you guess where... across the driveway.

3. The gentle pitter patter of rain on a tin roof is delightful...

The pounding of heavy rain on a large barn tin roof is deafening. Imagine trying to carry on stimulating conversation whilst drinking a Margarita under such caphony? 

4. Old barns have majestic cupolas on their roofs. Did you know that cupolas are open so that the barn can ventilate well? Have you been in a barn with blowing rain standing under the cupola???

Make note to self not to do so!

5. Our number one reason is 

 our concern for anyone who might brave the weather to come out to experience such a life altering event.

Unfortunately for all the above reasons we have been forced to postpone the Margarita's in the Barn Event until the next night, Friday the 14th. (so glad Friday is not the 13th!) It was an agonizing decision since our guest list was quite filled but we really could not see hosting the event if the forecasts pan out. (If they don't...have you heard of the Beserkers of Viking fame??? you just might see a red headed woman one in action.

We realize that may preclude some of you from joining us.  Our sincerest apologies, for above all, we want you to be safe! You can always join us during our regular sale hours.  On Friday, we are starting a little earlier at 6 pm. We still have our amazing menu planned with catering by Loraine Houston, some yummy Pomegrante Margaritas, along with the traditional version and some Sangria thrown in for good measure!  Our focus for the evening will continue to be on Designing4Hope and raising friends and funds for this worthy organization!

Our barn rooms are all beautified and we hope that you can still join us and for those of you who could not make it on Thursday, maybe you can join in on the fun now. If anyone knows Mother Nature or Mr. Murphy, of Murphy's Law fame can you please put a good word in for me?

Here is a snapshot of some of the goodies that are awaiting you in the barn!

Plenty of Father's Day gifts!

Swedish and French furniture

Equine inspired decor and art

Beach inspired rooms

Fabulous works of art for an endearing child's room

Fabulous works of art for anywhere!

Appearances by Sevani Botanicals

 and Zoet Bathletier~the whole barn smells simply divine!

A collection of beautiful blue and white plates

Unique displays

Hope you enjoyed the sneak peak! There is much more to be seen. Come support the local artists who work every day to create things of beauty...you can shop at the cookie cutter shops anytime!

If you have not made it out to Life's Patina at Willowbrook Farm yet...come experience it. I am a little biased, but it is well worth the effort! AND you will be supporting Designing 4 Hope, our partner organization for the Summer Sale.

Open Friday from noon-5:00 and then Margarita's in the barn from 6:00-9:00

Saturday from 9:00-5:00

Be safe! All the best~

Meg

Some women like to...I like to weed...

Hello!

 I have been absent from posting because I cannot seem to get myself out of the garden!

My whole family jokes around and totally does not understand why I like to weed or garden for that matter. I have tried to get them to share in my enthusiasm with coaxes like, "Come on, it will be fun!" or "It is so peaceful out here. You can just let your mind wonder." I have tried bribery, paying them and all sorts of cajoling, to no avail. They just do not share in my enthusiasm! Except for my oldest son Christopher, who reads National Audubon Field Guides and the likes for fun. He and his friend Ben have helped out tremendously in all the varied garden areas this year and with the extra helping hands...it shows!

There is something to be said for the sense of accomplishment one feels when the fruits of their labors are so evident. When the seeds unfurl their tiny heads and push through the soil to reveal the beginnings of a new plant...be it vegetable or flower...there are rewards that are measurable. This time of year is so wonderful in that there is never a time during the year that the hard work that you put in last year (and the year before that) is so VISUALLY evident!

Everything is bursting forth in all of its glory!

Each color is so vibrant and varied.

In danger of sounding cliche...it looks as if an artist took a paintbrush and added bold strokes of color to the green landscape creating beautiful displays of interest that will not be repeated in the same designs again this year. 

From the gift of color and beauty outside, you can create other beautiful vignettes with the materials that you have coaxed, sweated over, fed and coddled.

One of the best things about gardening is using the gifts that the earth gives you to create more gifts of beauty. 

You can even eat what you grow and sometimes drink it!

It does not have to be a large area that you have to take care of. Start small, use pots and planters. Dig in the dirt a little and see if you catch the bug!

It can make your life more beautiful!

Meg

I promise, this will be the last post about the garden until after our next Sale. I have to get my hands out of the dirt and back into the paint! We have some great new pieces that will be finished in time for the Summer Sale. 

Join us on Thursday, June 13th for the Preview Party benefitting Designing 4 Hope

or

Friday, June14th from noon until 5pm

and Saturday, June 14th from 9am until 5 pm