Daytrippin': On the hunt for the Holy Grail at the Rosslyn Chapel

Rosslyn Chapel in the noon day sun. Click for more photos.

It was a beautiful day to go daytrippin' and use the last day of my bus pass. The weather dutifully led me to Roslin, Scotland, to the Rosslyn Chapel, of the Knights Templar fame.

No, I did not see Tom Hanks, nor do I have any insights for the folks digging at Oak Island (which I'd just like to add is also an island in N.C.).

But, yes, I can attest to the words David Roberts spoke in 1842:

"There is a combination of light and shade I have never met with any subject, colour and richness of detail peculiar to itself."

He, of course, was talking as a painter, and today I can only talk in words.

I actually appreciated that the Rosslyn Chapel Trust has a strict no-photos policy for the inside of the chapel, so you can enjoy the ornate, yet compact, space without tens of people's flashes going off the whole time. Although I do not take photos inside of churches as a personal taboo, I even would have taken some today.

There is so much to see on the inside that you could spend days in there and still see some new detail (this was probably the best book I saw in the gift shop about the symbology, if you're curious). There is a curious mix of meaning in the stone carvings and I wonder, as those who've come before me, what the St. Clair clan was thinking. More than 100 green men peek out of the corners and from next to angels.

But, these photos will have to suffice as a glimpse of the picturesque countryside chapel (and a stately churchyard yew, Taxus baccata).

Winter Hillwalking in Scotland: Hiking around Aviemore

What the Scottish call hillwalking, most everyone else would call hiking; however, I do believe there is a subtle, but critical, difference between the two. Hillwalking is very much a Scottish pastime and modern tradition for those who desire for "wild and lonely places." Scotland is rich in these places, with plenty of space in the Highlands to lose yourself, find no one, and be with a raw landscape.

Click for more photos!

I have to admit I was a bit worried about hillwalking in the winter for some reason. Although, I found it's really not that much different than hiking in a cooler, weather-wise, version of North Carolina, which I've done many a-time.

The snow greeted me off the train in Aviemore, in the north of Cairngorms National Park, and I had enough light left in the day to clamber and slide to the top of Craigellachie Nature Preserve. The next day, after a bit of a hike change, I made my way down the Ryvoan Pass, which passes through Abernethy Nature Preserve.

My photos don't do the golden (and warm!) weather and breathtaking landscape any justice, but I hope they honor the experience.

Gardening at a16th Century House in Scotland

I really couldn't believe it when I saw this was where we were going to be gardening. #horticulture #dreamstatus

When Hannah asked me if I'd be interested in gardening at a house east of Edinburgh, of course I was interested. She was excited about the amount of space and freedom we'd have, and the south-facing wall the space had, which would help give the plants a boost in this high latitude!

We made plans to go with Jenny today to get out from under studying for a little while and out of Edinburgh! It was a beautiful day today, albeit colder, than the last few days of wind and rain. The drive through the Scottish countryside was picturesque and the golden light, seemingly already fading at 10:30 in the morning, was making the humidity in the air glow.

When Jenny pulled into the narrow wall surrounding the house (pictured above) I could hardly let myself believe where we were. I immediately recognized the period of the house, but I hadn't ever been in a real, functioning 16th century house and it was crazy to think it was a real thing to live in them. But, it was real! (Click the house to see more photos.)

We were there to garden though, so here's the 'before':

And here's the 'after'. Success, for the first day and an hour's work.

Orchid Days in November

It has been such a dreamy day in Edinburgh, thinking about orchid, snow and history.

Well, it all started last night with the snow. I was hanging out with Tom after class and as we walked to the Old Town the snow started. It was beautiful against the trees outlined in with Christmas lights.

Today I took a moment to visit the farmers' market and take a walk through the city. It was a bit unnerving that 1 p.m. looked like 4 p.m., but the golden light on the old buildings was worth it. The streets were full of tourists visiting for the Christmas celebrations and the farmers' market was full of tasty meats and produce from local farmers and artisans. Lots of great spoils from the day, thanks to the wonderful ladies and gentlemen there who helped me get some great deals (including a pack of local striped bacon and three pounds of local Aberdeen Angus for 12 pounds). I was even fortunate to catch a glimpse of snow on the hills north of here as I walked home. Stunning.

The view from the kitchen window this afternoon, about 2:30 p.m.

Anyway, the night was complete with a surprise Christmas fireworks show right outside of Patrick Geddes Hall and homemade hot chocolate I made to celebrate the chilly occasion. A busy, productive day.

It's a bit of a stretch, but this is a fitting way to end a great week!

Dracula bella, an orchid that is pollinated by fungus gnats, which you can understand if you give the mushroom-like lip a sniff.

Click here for more photos from orchid classes.

We've turned toward conservation issues and focused on orchids this Thursday and Friday. Of course I was beside myself most of the time, because orchids are my favorite plants (among many)! We had a lecture about orchids Thursday morning, followed by a practical in the afternoon, where we drew flowers, talked about morphology, and scents. Friday morning we were in another practical on basic pollination biology. It was nice to get back to the plants again.

In honor of this occasion I'd like to finally share my photos from my afternoon in the orchid greenhouse at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. While what you'll see at the link below might just seem like a stream of photos, it can also contribute to a body of work on the phenology of orchids, or the studying of timing of natural cycles in plants (and animals). Even so, they're just so cool!!

I would like to leave you with the final thought Kerry left us with after his orchid lecture:

'Man's mastery of the Earth pays him greatest tribute when he achieves the humility to leave some of it alone.' -Unknown

Click here for photos of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh's Orchid Collection.

Rhynchostylis? of some kind.

A glimpse of Edinburgh

 

Click here for more photos

Sorry it's been a while since I last posted. There are so many posts in the works, so many photos of beautiful things, but I have to be realistic: I'm still in graduate school and I can't forget that!

It was a beautiful weekend though, and this afternoon, despite it getting almost completely dark by 4 p.m., was stunning. Time to share some photos while I can. You can read more about each photo at the link above.

Class is going well and we only have a couple of weeks left of actual class. We'll have some time to breathe, but it will still be filled with studying and preparing for our 12-day trip to Belize in January. In the mean time there will be an American Thanksgiving dinner and a British Christmas dinner.

The New Digs: Patrick Geddes Hall in Mylne's Court

I had to wait more than two weeks, but I finally was able to move into Patrick Geddes Hall of Mylne's Court. It was such a relief to unpack my suitcases after more than a month of traveling. What I didn't anticipate was the incredible location of my flat and the beautiful views I would get. I honestly have the best room in the flat because my window looks out to a quiet courtyard and I don't get sound or light glare from the street. I can visit the street view in the kitchen and then retreat. Pleasant.

Patrick Geddes Hall is the block over from the top of the Royal Mile, so I am literally around the corner from Edinburgh Castle. I go to the top of the street and there it is. I haven't been yet, but I plan on going very soon!

It's quite a bit a ways from the grocery stores and seas of tourists flood the streets when you try to walk up the road with your shopping; the thing that make it all okay, despite the annoyance of someone walking in front of you stopping suddenly to take a picture, is that you can walk by that thing they can only see that once every day. Then it's all okay.

Click the photo of the skyline for the rest of the details (sorry for those of you who were trying to follow the absurdly-paced slideshow)!

September Pilgrimage to the Isle of Mull

Yikes.....this is way overdue!! So, back in September....

I really wanted to do some adventuring outside of Edinburgh before I started at university, and a pilgrimage to the Isle of Mull seemed most appropriate. I hadn't been since 2003 and I'd always remembered it fondly. I'd vowed to return and go hiking, and now was the time.

A quick four-hour train trip through the beautiful Scottish Highlands brought me to Oban, a popular European resort town, and where the CalMac ferry to Islands sets out from.

Duart Castle, the seat of the Clan McLean, as you approach Craignure on the Isle of Mull.

 Click HERE for more photos

From the train straight to the ferry for a beautiful, albeit windy, day scoping out the island and visiting Duart Castle, the seat of the Clan McLean, and my heritage. I took the bus from the ferry to the castle, but walked the three miles back so I could admire the scenery and see if I could find a hidden path up the mountain.

The next day I was on the morning ferry, but after missing the only bus and a miscalculation about a bike, I ended up just walking up the road out of Craignure to see how far I could get to Salen. Well, fate was looking out for me because I discovered a hiking trail at Scallastle, a Scottish Forestry Commission property. The weather wasn't great, with the clouds shrouding the mountain tops and shifting rain eventually drenching me through, but the views when the clouds would clear and the enchanting plants were well worth another trek in the rain.

It was an incredible, but sadly brief trip. But I'll be back soon!