tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29469281982238615342024-03-05T05:13:16.853+00:00Fiona's BlogFionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.comBlogger301125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-32856086362465119492017-07-17T14:31:00.004+01:002017-07-17T14:32:38.291+01:00Photobook review
I have recently received
my Photobook from Saal Digital UK.
I was given a £40 voucher for an honest review of this product.
I have to say I am
impressed. I got the 28 x 19 photobook with glossy pages. The print quality is
excellent, as is the colour.
The method Saal
Digital use to print across 2 pages is fantastic– the photos are printed
perfectly where they are at a page join, and can Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-67792534016713592862013-08-16T17:29:00.003+01:002013-08-16T17:29:33.338+01:00Experimental archaeology event, Brodick Castle, July 2013 - Burning the CircleHere's my 4 posts about the Burning the Circle experimental archaeology event grouped together for ease of reading.
Experimental archaeology
Life in the Bronze Age
Beer and broze swords
Burning the Circle
Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-71470305409018101982013-08-15T22:42:00.000+01:002013-08-16T17:21:40.627+01:00Burning the CircleBurning the Circle is both the name given to the weekend-long experiemental archaeology event at Brodick Castle, and a description of the final event. On the Sunday night the post circle was set alight.
The idea behind this was partly to be able to discover things like how easy/difficult it was to set the circle alight, how long the posts would burn for, would they burn right away, etc - Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-43305449963200305982013-08-14T23:01:00.000+01:002013-08-15T23:18:47.517+01:00Beer and bronze swordsAt the experimental archaeology event at Brodick Castle there was some bronze age brewing, organised by the Arran Brewery. The beer was surprisingly tasty, and very sweet.
Some of the oldest evidence of brewing (bronze age brewing anyway) was found on Machrie Moor, so it was very appropriate that they were brewing bronze age beer on Arran.
Busy brewers.
There were Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-62816042415864549332013-08-13T21:52:00.000+01:002013-08-14T22:25:18.439+01:00Life in the Bronze AgeThe event was centred around the recently built bronze age roundhouse at Brodick Castle.
There were archaeologists inside the roundhouse, making what I guess was what I made at guides years ago - damper ( an early form of unleavened bread)...
... and telling tales of life in the bronze age - and medicines from then.
The roundhouse is fantastic, it must have Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-63510099320682067232013-08-12T21:07:00.000+01:002013-08-14T21:09:58.173+01:00Experimental ArchaeologyI was lucky enough to catch an experimental archaeology event when I was in Arran at the start of the summer holidays. It ws organised by the Arran Ranger Service with Northlight Heritage, the Arran Brewery, and more. I don't think it was particularly well advertised, but that would be my only real criticism of what was a fantastic event. It was fairly quiet, probably as a lot of folk Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-19669916374261042512013-07-18T18:01:00.000+01:002013-07-19T19:06:16.056+01:00A Trip "Sooth"Having lived in Orkney for so long, a trip "sooth" still means anywhere south of where I live. So my trip to Arran last week was a trip sooth. I stopped off at a couple of other places to break the journey, and - as usual - got busy with the camera.
Robin
Juvenile redpoll
Redpoll - the first one I've ever seen.
Goldfinch
SiskinFionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-27357604259055121462013-07-15T15:37:00.000+01:002013-07-19T15:40:39.674+01:00More Arran WildlifeSome hielan coos, and a tystie.
A field of Hielan Coos at Brodick Castle.
At Brodick Pier - a tystie (black guillemot) with its dinner.
Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-24665006027169420072013-07-14T15:23:00.000+01:002013-07-19T15:35:55.240+01:00Some Arran WildlifeOn a beautiful evening I went for a paddle in Lamlash Bay to cool down.
There were lots of small fish but I'm not sure what kind.
There were small flatfish too but I didn't manage to get a photo of them as you could really only see them when they were moving. There were shrimps...
... and there were lots of hermit crabs. The water was warm and beautifully clear.
Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-26150462744993627392013-07-13T11:47:00.000+01:002013-07-19T11:55:02.371+01:00Crowning the QueenI went along to watch the start of Lamlash Gala Week. It always starts with the crowning of the "Heather Queen" with some entertainment, but from that it has grown over the last few years (it's been years since I've been in Arran at the right time for it) and it's now a big event, with stalls, bouncy castle, races, food and lots more.
It was a beautiful day, which probably helped draw the Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-47757917310172919752013-07-13T07:39:00.000+01:002013-07-13T07:39:00.103+01:00Dolphins in the MistOn Monday we were supposed to be going on an RSPB boat trip to Fowlsheugh. It was a beautiful day - roasting hot - so I headed into Aberdeen early to spend some time watching the dolphins before meeting Simon after work and heading to Stonehaven for the boat trip. It must have been the hottest day of the year so far, but I was well equipped with sun cream, sun hat, water, etc.
I reached the Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-62985186165163653992013-07-12T07:25:00.000+01:002013-07-12T07:34:47.654+01:00FowlsheughRecently we visited the RSPB reserve at Fowlsheugh.
There was a good variety of seabirds to be seen.
guillemot
razorbill and guillemot
kittiwake
The cliffs were full of nesting birds.
We saw a solitary puffin.
The sea pinks were just getting past their best.
Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-58759063531070605182013-07-11T10:11:00.003+01:002013-07-11T10:11:48.475+01:00Seal watchingThere's a spot at Buckie where you always see seals. We've spent a while watching them there. Last time we timed it perfectly for the tide rising and covering the rocks where the seals like to sunbathe.
We watched for ages as the waves gradually swept over this seal, who was absolutely determined that he was staying on the rock.
He was fighting a losing battle against Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-32726023676006166322013-07-10T09:43:00.000+01:002013-07-11T09:55:18.050+01:00A day on the coastA couple of weeks ago we went for a day out on the Moray coast. It was pretty cold, but I still went for a paddle in the sea at Cullen - to see if the salt water would help my heel. I only lasted a minute or so as it was so cold I already couldn't feel my feet by then!
We went to Bow Fiddle Rock...
... and then headed along to Findochty.
Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-27545301139225357862013-06-29T20:39:00.000+01:002013-06-29T20:39:20.467+01:00Aberdeen HarbourWe've been to Aberdeen Harbour to see the dolphins a few times now. As well as viewing the harbour from Torry ...
... it's interesting to walk the end of the harbour near Fittie where the marine operations centre is.
The new Marine Operations Centre was opened in 2006. There they manage over 17,000 vessel arrivals and departures each year - so it's a busy place!
The pilots often Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-34352597303090447562013-06-28T20:06:00.000+01:002013-06-29T20:08:31.689+01:00A walk round FittieWe've visited Fittie a few times - or Footdee to give it it's "Sunday name".
It's a lovely wee village just by the harbour in Aberdeen, and was in the news a while back as it got covered in sea foam during stormy weather.
I loved the chimneys...
The new harbour building can be seen across the rooftops.
Fittie is full of character...
Well Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-1188740859896475112013-06-15T20:42:00.002+01:002013-06-15T20:42:54.332+01:00Putting on a ShowThe bottlenose dolphins really put on a show for us today.
Fantastic!!Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-28003714032955395042013-06-15T20:33:00.002+01:002013-06-15T20:33:28.294+01:00The dolphins of AberdeenI've been to see the bottlenose dolphins at Aberdeen Harbour a few times over the last month, and today they really put on a show.
I've heard about the dolphins there before, and know lots of people who regularly see them from the Northlink (now Serco unfortunately) ferry, but I've never seen them there, despite travelling on that boat many times.
Recently I heard that the RSPB were encouragingFionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-78703953686432136542013-04-20T16:09:00.002+01:002013-04-20T16:10:51.612+01:00Late springWith all of the bad weather, spring is so late this year. I was in Wales recently, and hardly saw any seabirds - even where I'd expected to see them based on friends' experiences. Places where I know there's lots of nesting birds had none, yet I was sure there had been some fulmars, guillemots, etc at Bullers of Buchan in Aberdeenshire a few weeks ago, so the birds had certainly been starting to Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-52299303704172219682013-02-23T17:49:00.001+00:002013-02-23T17:49:22.296+00:00SunsetsThere's been some bonny sunsets recently.
Sunset over Bennachie.
Aberdeen Harbour
Back to Bennachie again. Typically some of the best sunsets over the last 2 weeks have been when I haven't had a camera handy, and the best views of the sun setting over Bennachie are from a point on the road home where there's nowhere to stop. It's been great to see Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-4891091711654538702013-02-16T13:44:00.002+00:002013-02-16T13:45:07.300+00:00Blowing the cobwebs awayFor a whole variety of reasons I've hardly been out and about in the countryside, and I've missed it. Last weekend I was finally feeling remotely fitter (that is, fitter as in healthier, most definitely not fit though, in fact I'm now probably the most unfit I've ever been in my life) so it was defnitely time to get out and about and blow the cobwebs away.
We decided to visit Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-61322212966031885182013-02-16T12:53:00.001+00:002013-02-16T13:44:01.211+00:00Dull but definitely not boring
As part of my prize weekend, we also got taken on an off-road landrover safari in the Perthshire hills. It was fantastic! The guide was excellent - really very knowledgeable about pretty much every aspect: the wildlife, landscape, local industry and local history.
It was a beautiful day, though cold, and the views of the surrounding hills were really clear. SchiehallionFionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-84229016206493899762013-02-15T12:01:00.000+00:002013-02-16T12:32:13.881+00:00Prize weekendI was lucky enough to win a weekend in Perthshire in a magazine competition, and we had a lovely weekend in Pitlochry in the autumn.
The B&B was fantastic and we definitely plan to stay there again - great rooms, friendly hosts and a fantastic breakfast.
The conservatory and garden were beautiful too and, although it was the end of October, the weather was nice enough to sit outsideFionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-80071577177340731332013-02-10T17:00:00.000+00:002013-02-10T20:07:50.989+00:00Pick Up Three PiecesI've been inspired by this campaign to join in and pick up three pieces of litter when I visit a beach - even though it's technically an Orkney campaign and I no longer live in Orkney! Of course there's still a link in that I do still have a house there, but also the campaign was started by pupils at Glaitness School. I used to teach at Glaitness and did a couple of beachFionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2946928198223861534.post-6035313876856833522013-02-09T17:55:00.000+00:002013-02-10T17:55:38.258+00:00A winter's walkA recent walk at Forvie National Nature Reserve, on the Ythan Estuary.
The walk started off following the river down towards the sea.
There were lots of birds about, including a huge number of eider duck.
Looking across to Newburgh.
Eventually you reach the huge expanse of beach.
Looking south towards Aberdeen.
The walk leads you back across peaty moorland to the Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03843861400672556148noreply@blogger.com0