Lookout

"I am going to keep things like this!"

Ted Hughes: 'Crow'

P.S. This is a rook.

Spotted Flycatcher

Seen today at the firing range at Barton near Cambridge.

Hurricane

Shuttleworth's Sea Hurricane from a few weeks ago.

Teen Band

I think the band was called 5orted, because there is a keyboards player out of frame. I was amused by the full-size bass guitar on a half-size player and awed by modern kids' high opinion of the Beatles' "Revolver", which is now considered to be their best.

My Brother

Vincent. Artist.

Nearly-full Moon

The heavy rain of 23rd August left a very clear sky. The full moon was due the next day, but I photographed it anyway and the next night was not so good for photography. Taken with 400mm lens plus 1.4 x converter, 1/1000th @ f/9

Mirror, Mirror .....

Another irresistible photo of Sadie smiling at her reflection in the mirror on her playmat.

Big Drum

As well as the drummer's rather worried glance, I like the reflections in the bells of the sousaphones.

One for sorrow ... or two?

Yer corvids are warier than the Artful Dodger, and I'm always trying to get good snaps. The Jay has eluded me completely, and the Magpie isn't far behind.

Mackintosh Copy

Scotland Road School, 1906, and Glasgow Caledonian University hall of residence, ninety years later.

Essential Repairs

But it's still there.

Mac's Influence

This detail on the south-west corner of the School of Art pops up all over the city: on Glasgow Strathclyde university halls, on a new east end apartment and on an RBS bank in St. Vincent Street.

Black & White

City Chambers and Back Alleys (with Ann)

The Glasgow School of Art

Mackintosh's masterpiece is a difficult building to photograph. The front with those vast windows faces north, the rear facade is obscured by later buildings; awesome drops on the east and west sides defy attempts to show scale. As usual with CRM, the details are beautiful - the railings and street lamps, the long drop protruding windows on the east side contrasting with the inset windows round the corner on the south facade.

Art Installation

At the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow. Taken with 135mm lens at maximum aperture.

Sadie at Three Months

She's quite the little person nowadays.

Architects ...

The Lampost pub on Duke Street, seemingly converted from a public lavvy. Bet it's not as light and airy as the oval room from the House for an Art Lover.

Goodbye to Glasgow

We left yesterday and drove all the way home with a break visiting friends in Guiseley, Yorkshire.

Back in the City

Rain. Nearly fell over three Sousaphones standing on the pavement (as you do). Half a dozen pipe bands from around the globe were marching round George Square. Then we sought out some back alleys before returning to the Square, where Tam O'Shanters and fake ginger hair rule.

Down the West Coast

The paddle steamer Waverley off Ardrossan with gannet escort and a man in a yellow jacket inspecting an old castle (maximum capacity forty persons!). Then off to Troon for afternoon tea with Aunt Frances and Uncle Billy.

Sunday in Glasgow

Today we headed east out of the Merchant City area, passing a very quiet Mackinnons Bar and finding cameras not very welcome in the Barras Market. The Saint Francis Pipe Band from the Gorbals was playing on Glasgow Green, and there seemed to have been a rather nasty massacre! Heading further east, we followed the people in the green and white hoops and ended up at Celtic Park, where we watched them lose to Blackburn in a pre-season friendly.

Edinburgh

We looked at getting return tickets to Edinburgh from Perth, where our car was parked for free. £14.80 each! We drove to the capital for £3.70 worth of diesel and parked for free. Edinburgh is very stylish, with a festival air due to the Fringe. However, as my mother always said, "the best thing to come out of Edinburgh is a train for Glasgow!"

Friends in Perth

John, Margaret and Alex journeyed all the way from Aberdeen to meet us in Perth. We had not seen them for six or seven years. The photies were taken in Paco's restaurant, where we had a meal. Let's hope it's not so long before we meet again.