Heron

Whilst walking round the Rozelle Pond, I saw a Grey Heron on the other bank.



It was obliging enough to let me change the lens on the camera and then stretch out a bit to give me other views.

Autumn Leaves

Just before the strong winds and heavy rain sets in, we went for a walk passing through Rozelle Estate. The dead leaf colours are brilliant.

Ayr Holy Fair

Once again South Ayrshire Council excelled itself by delaying the announcement of funding for this event. This follows the pattern of quite a few of the previous years, but this was the longest delay yet.

Normally the Fair is held around the beginning of July. Perhaps they were hoping that by holding it at a different time they would reduce the crowds attending and so justify not funding it in future years. If so they were badly disappointed!

[Erratum - 6 Sep 2007: As my wife was very quick to point out, I should have said beginning of June, not July.]

There was also a pipe-band competition this year. I love hearing the pipes, but to have one playing whilst three others were practicing different tunes within hearing distance was disconcerting to day the least.

Rozelle Pond

I took this photograph in an attempt to convey the peacefulness of the park that day. You could practically hear the sound of the ducks feet paddling!

Bridle Path

I don't know how prevalent such horse-riding paths are in other parts of the world, but I've seen them in other parts of the U.K. It can get a bit alarming when you enter Rozelle Park across this Bridle Path and there is a large horse (or horses) 'charging' towards you.

This is looking South...


and this is looking North.

Trees

I was in Rozelle Estate this afternoon and thought the trees looked particularly beautiful. The white construction you can see in the background of the second photo is the skeleton of one of the large tents which housed the Ayr Flower Show,

Ayr Flower Show

Preparations have commenced for the annual Ayr Flower Show. Although it is called 'Ayr' Flower Show, it attracts exhibitors from far and wide and certainly would like to think of itself as the Scottish equivalent of the Chelsea Flower Show - and that includes prices!

This is the first of many marquees going up - some 12 days prior to the show - and much to the annoyance of dog walkers since a considerable area of normally open ground is now not accessible.

If I can be bothered to find the cash and time, I might post some photos from the Show at the beginning of August.

Home - Wild Life 4

Also in Rozelle, we spotted this somewhat larger duck. In fact it looked quite like a small goose when it stretched up, but the colours are very mallard.

Home - Wild Life 3

This plant, growing wild at the pond in the Rozelle Estate, makes me think of foreign climes rather than the unpredictable weather systems in Scotland.

Another Bird

The weather has been fairly horrid today, so here is a photograph I took a couple of months ago at Rozelle Park in Ayr.

It's probably a cross of a Mallard and another, slightly larger one.

Bad feather day?

Any other time I've seen a heron, I've always thought they looked very trim and smart, but this one seems to have got out of bed on the wrong side.

Birds of a feather .....

...... or in the case of this solitary moorhen, like their own company!

Rozelle

The looooong wall was built when Rozelle was a private estate, labour was cheap, there was no right-to-roam and people were able to make money with virtually no controls. Well at least we have some right-to-roam now!

The Tragic Sacrifice of Christ

Edessa Messiah, one of five sculptures by Ronald Rae exhibited in Rozelle Estate, was influenced by Oceanic Art and shows the monumental head of Christ. The features suggest this could be a black Christ. The idea for the sculpture was also taken from the Turin Shroud that was found at Edessa in Russia.

The set of five, entitled "The Tragic Sacrifice of Christ", was carved in the 1978-80 period after Ronald Rae had a vision to carve a series of granite sculptures which would express his love and concern for humanity.

Fate played its role providing him with four of the five granite blocks that were once part of the Old Harbour in Ayr. Kyle and Carrick District Council kindly sponsored the project.

Using only a hammer and chisel Ronald worked steadily for two years to complete the project. The sculptures were duly installed in the peaceful setting of Rozelle Park.

Photographs of all five sculptures, with notes, can be found at my Flickr account (see sidebar).

Storm damage

It might be getting to the point where there is nothing left which will blow off 'easily'. Mind you with the drenching the ground has had, perhaps its uprooting of trees we need to worry about.

Autumn again

I'm afraid the weather beat me again today, so here is a photo from a few days back taken in the Rozelle woods.

The Autumn leaves .....

The leaves in Rozelle Park in Ayr today were a sight to behold.