Ronald Rae - Sculptor

Today's picture from Ronald Rae's Edinburgh exhibition in Holyrood Park is of the Bison.

The photograph does not do justice to the sculpture. You must go and see it if you get the chance.

Ronald's home page provides details.

GO AND SEE IT

Ronald Rae - Sculptor

Today's picture from Ronald Rae's Edinburgh exhibition in Holyrood Park is of the Tiger - entitled Tyger Tyger. I'd class this sculpture as beautiful - as opposed to the Lion which is powerful.

The photograph does not do justice to the sculpture. You must go and see it if you get the chance.

Ronald's home page provides details.

GO AND SEE IT

Ronald Rae - Sculptor

Today's picture from Ronald Rae's Edinburgh exhibition in Holyrood Park is of the 'Lion of Scotland'.

The photograph does not do justice to the sculpture. You must go and see it if you get the chance.

Ronald's home page provides details.

GO AND SEE IT

Ronald Rae - Sculptor

If you looked at my blog of 21st December 2006, you will have seen some of Ronald Rae's work which is on display in Rozelle Park, Ayr.

Well, today I had the great privilege of being shown round the current Edinburgh exhibition in Holyrood Park by Ronald himself - the picture shows him standing beside his Wild Boar.

I'll publish some more of my photographs in the next few days, but they really don't fully do justice to the sculptures. You must go and see them if you get the chance.

Ronald's home page provides details.


GO AND SEE IT

Body Snatchers

This heavy coffin plate is to be found in the entrance porch to Ayr Auld Kirk. It was original used to deter body snatchers from removing bodies from burials.

Missing day

I had intended to take a photograph of an empty stage after the show last night, but by the time we had dismantled and removed everything I was too knackered to remember and then too knackered to post!!

Many tower'd Pavilion

Ayr Pavilion was built in 1910/11 as a Theatre, Dancehall and general all-round entertainment venue. It's come close to collapse on several occasions, but is currently re-incarnated as Pirate Pete's indoor adventure play area.

AmDram 04

This photograph is from Act 3 in which Roy and Norma Hubley try to persuade their daughter Mimsey to come out of the bathroom, in which she has locked herself, to get married. Mimsey is afraid that after she and Borden get married, they might eventually become like Roy and Norma - who actually love each other, but bicker all the time.

In this scene Roy, who has just had his rented suit ripped by Norma, is about to climb out the 7th storey window to edge along to the bathroom window and gain entry that way. Mimsey has locked the window of course and Roy just gets wet. It does end happily.

There is a video of the film "Plaza Suite", made with Walter Matthau starring in all 3 male lead roles, which is worth viewing - not as good as our production, but then what could be!

AmDram 03

This photograph is from Act 2 of Plaza Suite, where Jesse Kiplinger, a famous Hollywood Producer, is hell-bent on seducing his old sweetheart from schooldays, Muriel Tate, a 'happily' married woman.

AmDram 02

A photograph from Act 1 of Plaza Suite - Sam & Karen Nash with Miss McCormack, Sam's Secretary with whom he is having an affair.

The photograph below is of me, taken by me, at the antediluvian lighting board. Not the fault of the hall staff who are very helpful indeed, but of a Council who manage to get large rises in the rates, but never seem to have any money to spend on the Arts!

AmDram 01

This week I'm in Maybole Town Hall, lighting (and doing general electrics for) the Compass Club's production of Neil Simon's "Plaza Suite".

The first photograph is of the most important people, the stage crew, on the set.

Dundonald Castle

Dundonald Castle, built in 1371, is a significant tourist attraction close to Troon.

Old Rails

Well actually not! This replica cast-iron plateway, found on the Laigh Milton Viaduct, show the 3 ft rails pinned together at each end by an iron spike driven into a wooden plug within a stone block support. The curved upstands next to the wheel track act as guides and add strength.

World's Oldest...........

..... surviving public railway viaduct. Laigh Milton Viaduct, formerly called Milton Bridge, was built between 1809 and 1811 and opened in 1812 carrying the Kilmarnock - Troon Railway. This bridge was used until 1846 and the line carried both coal and passengers. Circa 1816, George Stephenson's steam engine, The Duke, owned by the Duke of Portland who was also the Chairman of the railway, hauled coal on the line - predating the Rocket by some years.

The above view is from the North, with the bridge carrying the current Kilmarnock - Troon line visible beyond; the view below is from the South.

The railings and the coping stones are modern, approximated to the correct period style, but have no real basis for existence apart from current Health and Safety rules. The bridge was saved from collapse and preserved in 1995-1996.

Barr Village from Changue Forest

This shot is taken from the top path after coming out of the forest. It shows how tucked into the folds of the hills Barr village is.

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!

Spring Flowers

Apologies for not posting last night - too busy doing other things and I needed to get to bed before midnight or ......

This picture gives an indication of, but doesn't truly convey, the beauty of the carpet of crocus flowers in this park. It is a truly amazing sight.

Changue Forest

Let us have no comments about male obsession please!

I find it interesting how swiftly and easily nature makes use of objects like the stump of a tree to create growth. This example is to be found in the Changue forest beside the village of Barr in Ayrshire.

Mooning about ..........

The moon was totally eclipsed by the Earth last night - I just caught the tail end of it whilst waving goodbye to our guests early this morning.

Ayr - St James's Church

St James's Church was built as a chapel of ease in 1885 to designs by John Murdoch. There is a rose window above the pulpit.

Maybole - Old Church

Maybole Old Church is no longer being used as a church, but building work is taking place, so it will be interesting to see what transpires.

I don't think I've ever seen any other steeple/tower like this one, but you might know different!

The link in the first paragraph gives a brief, but interesting, history of the church.

Irvine - Mure Church

Mure Church; built in 1849 as the Irvine Free Church, it became the Mure United Free Church in 1900.

It always seemed to me that this church was a bit back-to-front! - what you see is actually the back of the church; the entrance is at the other end.

Girgenti Tower

This tower is to be found at Girgenti farm in Ayrshire - visible from miles around, even from the Ayrshire coast. It used to have a spire on top of it.

Captain John Cheap(e) built his eccentric mansion house at Bonnyton (as Girgenti was originally known) with plantations, shrubberies, a walled garden and the tower.

[Girgenti was a town in Sicily 'named' for the famous ancient Greek ruins of Agrigentum. The name of the town has been changed to Agrigento.]

There are many stories associated with it, but the most likely seems to be that Captain Cheape believed in reincarnation and, being sure he would return as a bird, built a large tower, with a dovecote on top. It was finished in 1843, is 80 feet tall, has four clock faces, a coat of arms and a motto - Didus Fructus (Let it spread its fruit abroad).



A more fanciful tale is that Captain Cheape was in league with smugglers and would light a lamp in the top of the tower when he knew the coast was clear.

The mansion was demolished in the early 20th Century, but there are also stories of Glasgow alcoholics being brought down to be immured in the extensive cellars of the mansion until they had 'dried out'.

Fergushill Parish Church of Scotland

Fergushill Church is an attractive church with bell-tower and has a fine view west over the Ayrshire countryside and to Arran. It was built as an extension, required for the growing mining community, from Kilwinning Parish Church in 1879. The architect was William Railton of Kilmarnock.

Irvine - Fullarton Parish Church

Fullarton Parish Church has a slightly odd 'lantern' on top.

Irvine - Trinity Church

Trinity Church, Irvine is a Venetian Gothic church (1861-1863)- Architect: Frederick Thomas Pilkington (1832-1898)- with polychrome stonework and pointed arches typical of the style. Built of bull-faced coursed rubble with contrasting stugged dressings, the façade features red sandstone ashlar band courses and alternating voussoirs, detailed with foliaceous carving, much weathered in places. Steeply pitched stone finialled gables with polychrome sunburst masonry support the steep roofs. The west entrance elevation features a polygonal stone spire with contrasting fishscale bandings recessed to the left with a gabled porch.

In a totally derelict condition which is a real shame.

Irvine - Town House Tower

The Irvine Town House, with its octagonal lantern, was built in 1859.

Ayr - St Leonard's Church of Scotland

As you now will be aware, Ayr and Prestwick have a wheen o' churches between them.

Ayr - Wallacetown Parish Church of Scotland

Note the similarities in style to St Margaret's Roman Catholic Church which is but a short distance away.

Prestwick - North Church

A Picture of Prestwick North Parish Church tower.

Ayr - Town Hall

The Town Hall in Ayr boasts an impressive steeple some 225 feet in height. I've also included a more detailed picture of the section at the clock level.

Prestwick - St Nicholas' Parish Church

St Nicholas' Parish Church in Prestwick, built of Mauchline sandstone, was designed by Mr. Peter MacGregor Chalmers, a noted Glasgow architect of ecclesiastical buildings.

The final estimates were accepted in September 1907 and St Nicholas Parish Church was solemnly dedicated on Friday 20th November 1908.

Dunoon - St John's Church

I know it's not in Ayrshire, but St John's Church of Scotland Dunoon, an 1877 Gothic style building, has an excellent spire.

Largs - St Columba's Parish Church

St Columba's Parish Church in Largs, built of Ballochmyle sandstone with a 150 feet high clock tower, is a prominent local landmark.

Ayr - St Margaret's Roman Catholic Church

St Margaret's, opened in 1827, was the first Roman Catholic Church in Ayrshire since the Reformation.

Ayr - St Andrew's Parish Church

St Andrew's Parish Church of Scotland by John B Wilson was built of red sandstone in Perpendicular Gothic Style in 1893 and has a landmark 146 foot spire, visible from many points.

You may notice a theme starting - no not churches, although there are likely to be a fair few of them, but towers, spires and the like.

Ayr - Tower of Holy Trinity

The foundation stone of the current Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Ayr was laid in 1887 and the new church opened in 1888; this on the site of the church originally opened in 1839.

The design was by John Loughborough Pearson, RA, who designed mainly in England. His original ideas for a tower and spire (almost certainly very tall and very sharp) were not followed up and the current tower and 'spire' was added in 1964, 76 years after the church opened.

Madeira - Final

I'll get back to Ayrshire photos after this, but the last Madeira photograph I wanted to share with you is from Porto Moniz on the northern coast. It was not a stormy day, the sun was shining and it was very pleasant, but the waves battered into the shore. It would have been perfect for surfers apart from the fact that there was no beach so they would probably have been killed coming ashore!

Madeira Interior

A photograph from the interior of the island this time. You climb up a very long way before you get to look down into this area. Talk about clinging to the hillside? There isn't a lot of cultivatable land so it all gets used.

Madeira once more

I thought I'd post a daylight photograph. This one from Funchal fish market appeals since it shows how ugly the black scabbard fish is, but it tastes wonderful. Luckily I tasted the fish before I saw it!

I'll resume posting Ayrshire photographs next week after I've settled back into my routine, so you'll get a couple more Madeira ones first. [I've posted most of those on my flickr page.]

Madeira again

Another night-time photograph from Funchal.

More Madeira

Having given you a sunset shot, here is a night-time shot of Funchal.

Have some Madeira m'dear

I'm back!

Having taken a week break at the Quinta Perestrello hotel in Funchal, Madeira. This is the picture from the balcony of our room as the evening sun sets on Funchal.



I'll publish one or two other Madeira pictures over the next few days until I get back into the Ayrshire rhythm.