Photos From Scotland

In 2006 I took a trip to Scotland for an OGC meeting, and had the weekend to roam around. I visited the National Library and did a little geniological research. After a fair bit of cross-referenced parish records, pre-census, I believe I located the birth records for my great, great, great, grandfather and grandmother. Unfortunately the library closed right when I pieced it all together, but that's my next trip I guess. The microfilm will still be there!

One of the most fascinating aspects of Edinburgh and Glascow was there role in the Arts and Crafts and Art Nuveau movements. Phoebe Anna Traquair (P.A.T) was one of the female artists who figured prominently in this movement. If you ever have a chance to visit the Mansfield Traquair church, do not miss it.



You can get a better look, here: http://www.mansfieldtraquair.org.uk/nav/cag02.html

If that doesn't blow your hair back, get a look at this amazing painting by P.A.T.. Oh, wait, take a second look, it isn't a painting! It's SILK EMPROIDERY!!


It's almost incomprehensible that a few years ago, the Mansfield Traquair church was being used as a brick storage facility. Thankfully, it was recently rescued an restored. For the life of me I cannot understand why P.A.T. and John Duncan are not better known. Please read this blog to see some more breathtaking work by P.A.T.

I am so awestruck by John Duncan's St. Bride that I recently aquired a canvas reproduction of it from an obscure source on the web. Here is a shot of it gracing my living room.


Scotland has lots of badass wildcats, which came to America as stowaways, and became the big Main Coon cats.

Loch Ness... of course. On the way there we passed the spot where the Battle Of The Shirts (or lack thereof) took place. It turns out that fighting a clan battle in sweltering heat with armor is a good way to die of heat stroke. So it probably seemed like a reasonable idea is to call for a "time out" because of the heat, and take a dip in the loch. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a very bad idea to agree to fight the second half of the battle without armor because of the heat. The horrific mutual slaughter that ensued, fought with claymore broad swords and battle axes left just 12 survivors in total, and the Loch was litterally red with blood for days.
Edinburough....