Interregnum

Methinks you'll need to do without me for about a week. However don't go away too far!

Bumps-a-daisy

Prestwick Airport is used by a number of flight operators for training of pilots in take-off and landing - known locally as 'bumps'.

Arran yet once more

Taken from Ayr promenade around lunchtime on the 24th January. You might begin to see why I love the place!

Robert Burns (10)

So to the actual day of Burns' birthday and a photograph of the Statue in Burns Statue Square in Ayr. It has been remarked that Burns has turned his back on Ayr, but I think that is because he is looking towards Alloway, his birthplace.

Robert Burns (9)

On the day before we celebrate his birthday, a picture of Burns Cottage where he was born.

Robert Burns (8)

Today I thought I'd post a photograph of a modern statue of Burns to be found in the Ayr Central shopping precinct.

Robert Burns (7)

The Tam O'Shanter Inn in Ayr High Street is where the drinking session in Burns' epic poem is supposed to have taken place.

Robert Burns (6)

In March 1814, Alexander Boswell, son of James Boswell, first mooted plans to create a monument to Robert Burns. Eventually in 1823 the 70 foot monument opened. The location of this classic Grecian temple was selected for superb views of Burns Cottage, Kirk Alloway and the Brig o'Doon. From its roof, visitors can see the River Doon and the Carrick hills.

Robert Burns (5)

A picture of the National Burns Memorial at Mauchline

Robert Burns (4)

Since Burns, like myself, was partial to the odd libation or two, I thought I'd include a picture of one of the places he used.

Poosie Nansie's has obviously undergone some updates since then.

(Just as a side comment, we've just finished the last of our Christmas cake - less concern about calories then!)

Robert Burns (3)

Burns House Museum in Mauchline contains the room in which Robert Burns started married life with Jean Armour in 1788. They stayed there for 4 years.

Robert Burns (2)

The Burns family moved to Lochlie farm, near Tarbolton in 1777 and while at Tarbolton, in 1780, Robert Burns founded the Tarbolton Bachelor's Club to provide diversion "to relieve the weary man worn down with the necessary labours of life."

Tam o'Shanter (6)

Since tonight was dry and I wanted to see how this camera performed at night, I thought I'd take an photograph closely equated to what 'Tam' might have seen.

So here is Kirk Alloway - floodlit and with the sodium street light adding the colour.

Robert Burns (2)

The gravestone of the parents of Robert Burns located in Kirk Alloway graveyard.

Robert Burns

As a slight change, here is Kirkoswald Parish Church which was opened in 1777, having being built from a plan drawn by David, Earl of Cassillis, and completed by Robert Adam while he was working on Culzean Castle.

The church was restored and rededicated in 1997.

Rober Burns would have attended this church in 1776 when he was being educated in Kirkoswald village where his maternal grandparents, the Browns, lived.

Tam o'Shanter (5)

Souter Johnie's cottage in Kirkoswald - now a National Trust for Scotland property.

And at his elbow, Souter Johnie,
His ancient, trusty, drouthy cronie

(John Davidson (1728-1806), a cobbler)

Tam o'Shanter (4)

The bridge in question in Tam o'Shanter.

Now, do thy speedy-utmost, Meg,
And win the key-stone o' the brig

Tam o'Shanter (3)

When, glimmering thro' the groaning trees,
Kirk-Alloway seem'd in a bleeze,

The very church referred to, but during daylight hours! I was taking no chances.

Tam o'Shanter (2)

This is the other planter situated outside the Cottage where Burns was born in Alloway.

Tam o'Shanter

This planter is situated outside the Cottage where Burns was born in Alloway.

My nom de plume

It's January, it's Ayr, ergo it must be Robert Burns [January 25, 1759 – July 21, 1796]

With considerable self-control I've managed so far not to put any 'Burns' photographs up on the site and I've only included (I think) one reference to him, but that now changes.



My nom de plume comes, of course, from the poem "Tam o'Shanter"

(Auld Ayr, wham ne'er a town surpasses,
For honest men and bonie lasses)

and under the circumstances expect more than a few pictures of, and cross-references to, the Bard in the forthcoming days.

The third bird

I'm indebted to my wife for spotting this 'statue' hidden at the edge of the Swan Pond.



It was only when the heron moved we could be absolutely sure it was real!

Bird again

But easier to identify this time. A juvenile mute swan (cygnet) taken at Culzean Swan Pond yesterday using the large lens.

Bird Identification

This was taken at Prestwick on the same afternoon as the previous photographs.

A first sight you, like me, might have thought these were Oyster Catchers, but when you look at the photo below you can easily see they were in fact Turnstones.

Debris

A somewhat closer look at the debris washed up on Prestwick Esplanade.

gurly grew the sea

Taken from the same position as the photograph yesterday with the same lens (camera is a Sony a100). Enlarge the photo and look at the debris lying on the esplanade.

Arran yet once more

Took this shot with the new camera and the 75-300mm lens on a tripod with cable shutter release. Think I'm going to like this camera!

New Year Bells

As we walked home at 02.30 this morning, we were in the midst of a cacophony of burglar alarms, quite a few of them bells, which had been set off by the power variations caused by the weather. Luckily our alarm hadn't been triggered.

May I wish each and every one of my readers a peaceful and prosperous 2007.