Tag: Loch Lomond

Scenic Photos from Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond | Summer Garden Delights

A Quiet Evening on the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond

Some selected words from the famous song, which seemed appropriate that night!

‘By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomin’…. the wee birdie sings and the wild flowers spring and in sunshine the waters are sleepin’ … for me and my true love … on the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond’

I finished my last blog by saying’ I’ll tell you more about our trip to The Trossachs and about my garden in my next blog. Well, the trip to the Trossachs at the end of June included a visit to a small cottage of a friend, and then to enjoy a stroll on the banks of Loch Lomond on a beautiful summers evening. All very romantic! So here are some photos of that most enjoyable day!

Picnic Spot
Roat to Gartmore
Cottage garden
flower girl!
Country Cottage
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond at Balloch
Ben Lomond in the background

Our own garden has been blooming inspite of, or perhaps because of, the mixture of rain and sunshine and the cool temperatures. However, as always gardening has its successes and disappointments too! This year I grew Dahlias from seed for the first time and was hugely pleased with the outcome, as you can see from the photographs. Anyway, too many garden photos to show, but here is a selection of this years ‘pride and joy’. 🙂

Dahlias, dahlias, dahlias!

More general photos from around the garden.

The garden and the ‘inspector’ 🙂

Gardening takes time and energy so as you get older it has to be tackled one manageable ‘bite’ at a time. For me however it is a great pleasure. If you’re not feeling too good, get your trowel and head for the garden, some hours later you are feeling fine. haha!

The greenhouse played its part in ‘growing on’ the Dahlia seed, but in other respects is not doing too well. I dont think the tomatoes like playing second fiddle to the Dahlias! Here’s a few pics.

Dahlias among the tomatoes
Tomatoes and small cucumbers doing not too bad.
Potatoes looking promising
Aint the grass looking good?

So that is a brief roundup of the garden at mid summer, so all being well I’ll give another report at the end of the season. Would be glad to hear from fellow gardeners of their successes and failures this summer.

On a cool still morning recently I spotted some dew on the car and in the garden. Dew I was reading, only appears when the temperature drops and there is stillness in the air. The writer of that information then recalled the words of a favourite hymn of mine.

Drop Your still dew of quietness, Till all our striving’s cease: Take from our souls the strain and stress; And let our ordered lives confess The beauty of your peace. Breathe through the pulse of our desire Your coolness and your balm; Let sense be mum, its beats expire: Speak through the earthquake wind and fire, O still small voice of calm!

I wish you God’s blessing wherever you are. Always glad to hear from you.

Matthew

Hurrah! The Picnic Season has started!

Well now that the busy period over Christmas and New Year has passed, we have the opportuniity to once again think of getting out of town. We love the outdoors! Glasgow is the perfect base for moving around as it has a great road and transport network, and is in close proximity to hills and mountains, seas and lochs, rivers and gardens.

Last week, spotting a break in the rather ‘driech’ weather, we prepared the sandwiches and flask, and at 12.15pm headed north towards Loch Lomond. We had no definite plan, but just intended to see if the weather would work out as the forecasters had suggested. It turned out to be the most perfect afternoon!

  • On the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
  • Ben Lomond
  • ‘The Cobbler’

Leaving the little village of Arrochar at the top of Loch Long we proceeded to the top of the ‘Rest and be Thankful’ pass, where we turned left and headed down ‘Hell’s Glen’ on the steep single track road. We stopped to watch a sky diver floating in the blue sky amongst the snow capped peaks and enjoyed the beauty of God’s amazing creation. Right at the bottom of the hill we found a stranded motorist looking for someone with ‘jump leads’. Unfortunately we did not have any, and the driver did not belong to a motoring organisation, but after flagging down a few drivers we fortunately found someone who could help him.

  • Hell’s Glen
The lone ‘sky diver’and the entrance to ‘Hell’s Glen

The road led us on to Loch Fyne (once famous for its herring) and passing through Saint Catherine’s and Strachur we headed for the ferry terminal at Dunoon. We enjoyed endless photo opportunities along the way, and arrived at the terminal just in time to catch the ferry to Gourock, before heading home to Glasgow by 5.15pm. What a perfect day!

  • The river Clyde estuary!

This week was so different, but also very enjoyable. We are only half and hour from the Ayrshire Coast, so with flask and sandwiches, we headed for our favourite reading spot at Irvine harbour. The tide was really high, the wind was howling and the sea was roaring, but the scene was spectacular! Just a few cars in the car park, so we were able to sit at the front and enjoy the spectacle.

I wonder, if like me, a song, a poem or hymn comes to mind when you are out walking or sightseeing? A hymn that I haven’t heard for years, but which we sang many times in our male voice choir came rushing back to mind. I wish I could still sing it 🙂 but the lyrics go like this: 

Tho' the angry surges roll,                                                                                                               on my tempest riven soul,                                                                                                                   I am peaceful for I know,                                                                                                             loudly tho' the winds may blow,                                                                                                  I've an anchor safe and sure,                                                                                                     that shall evermore endure.                                                                                                    Chorus                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      And it holds, my anchor holds:
Blow your wildest, then, O gale,
   On my barque so small and frail;
By His grace I shall not fail,
              For my anchor holds, my anchor holds.                                                                                                                                                                                   -o-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         NB. The anchor in the song, you may have guessed is Jesus!
  • Winter storm at Irvine