Glasgow Gallivanting: June 2022

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GWL Volunteer Social
Photo credit: Gabrielle Macbeth

I’m happy to say that June has been another busy month, so much so that I hardly know how to include everything. So here’s an overview, and some of these items might get their own posts later.

Week 1 (Wed 1st – Sun 5th)

After a lapse of two years, my involvement with Glasgow Women’s Library is increasing again. I had a lovely time at their Volunteers’ Week Social on the first of the month (see header), and the following day I was out tour-guiding (Necropolis). John and I had days out to Overtoun and Newark Castle, and we went to a concert on Sunday evening (singer / songwriter Horse).

Overtoun House and Estate
Overtoun Estate
Overtoun House
Overtoun House ceiling
Newark Castle

Week 2 (Monday 6th – Sunday 12th)

Blackness Castle

A weird week combining meetings with friends and routine medical check-ups. I was due to visit the Dentist, Practice Nurse, and Optician so thought I might as well get them all over with at once. Fortunately, each had a good outcome. I guided on a West End Women’s Heritage Walk, at which point I had led four walks in under three weeks, so I’m having a rest now for a while. We visited another castle – Blackness, shown above – and went to another concert. Lesley, a friend I have made through GWL, is in three bands, and this concert featured two of them: The Carlton Three and Kittlin. For the first time, Kittlin was accompanied by an acrobat, Lauren Jamieson, on a couple of its songs. What that woman could do with her body made me wince!

Carlton Three and Kittlin
Carlton Three
Lauren Jamieson
Lauren Jamieson
Kittlin
Kittlin

 

Week 3 (Monday 13th – Sunday 19th)

Cardwell Bay, Gourock

Another week packed full of friendship, but also some sadness. I had my monthly meet-up with my Aunt Annabel (Mum’s younger sister) and cousin Tracy, this time in Gourock on the Clyde coast. At lunch, Tracy thought she was too full for a cake and would just have “a wee meringue” which turned out to be the biggest meringue ever!

Annabel and Anabel
Tracy and meringue!
Circus at Battery Park
Cardwell Bay, Gourock
Cardwell Bay, Gourock
Cardwell Bay, Gourock
Annabel and Tracy
A weekend with friends

At the weekend, my oldest friend, Valerie, whom I have known since I was 11, and her husband Kenn came to stay with us. I hadn’t seen them for three years, so it was wonderful. We visited the Burrell Collection, Benmore Botanic Gardens near Dunoon on the Cowal Peninsula, and the Falkirk Wheel and Kelpies. Just a taster of each below …

Burrell Collection
Benmore Botanic Gardens
Dunoon
Falkirk Wheel
The Kelpies
Elspeth McKay 18/03/1933- 18/06/2022
Elspeth, Christmas 2020

The sadness is that I lost an aunt. Elspeth McKay was the middle of my father’s three younger sisters. She and my Aunt Annabel (Mum’s sister) were at school together, so were friends long before my parents ever met, and Mum and Elspeth always said that they felt like real sisters, not just sisters-in-law. It was Elspeth who came to stay to look after Dad and me when my mother was in hospital having my sister (a two week stay in those days), and she was godmother to both my sister and my cousin Tracy. I think staying overnight with Elspeth and her husband Ian was possibly my first experience of going away without my parents. Elspeth and Ian taught me to swim, and they even seemed to forgive me a visit when I was a surly teenager dressed all in black who would hardly speak to them. So despite Elspeth and her husband Ian (who died in 2017) having lived in Brisbane most of my life, with physical meetings being few after the 1970s, the emotional bonds were tight, especially in recent years when I took over as chief correspondent because email became too much for Mum. Here are a few snapshots from Elspeth’s life, including two from our trip to Australia in 2004 when we spent a long weekend with her and Ian. The baby with the very rosy cheeks is me; the other baby is my sister at her christening. The photographs from the surly teenage years are CENSORED.

Elspeth and Ian 5th Mar 1954
Elspeth McKay
Elspeth and Ian with Baby Anabel
Elspeth as godmother to my sister
Elspeth and Ian May 1994
Ian, Elspeth and John 2004
Elspeth, Anabel and Ian 2004
Elspeth and Ian

Week 4 (Monday 20th – Sunday 26th)

I spent a lot of time this week looking out and scanning old photos, including some of those in the gallery above, to send to Australia for Elspeth’s memorial. I also made a tribute video which almost had me tearing my hair out in frustration, but it got done and transferred successfully. Another concert (Capercaillie), another dinner with friends, but nothing terribly photogenic apart from the exhibition below.

Wilhelmina Barns-Graham

This is the current exhibition at Glasgow Women’s Library (on till 6th August) of recently acquired screen-prints by the expressive abstract artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (1912-2004). I’m no art critic, so I shall just say that I find these absolutely joyous.

Wilhelmina Barns-Graham exhibition at GWL
Celebration at 90
Earth Series II
Wind Dance I
Water Dance IV

Week 5 (Monday 27th – Thursday 30th)

I collected some new street art in Partick this week. The two images below show the same building, the mural on the left having recently been replaced by that on the right. The current artist is Molly Hankinson.

Purdon Street Partick
Purdon Street Partick

Nearby, in Merkland Street, three more new murals have replaced gable end depictions of sportsmen and women which had been there since the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Left to right, they are by Voyder, Mark Worst and Voyder, and Mark Worst. A true collaboration! The black and white image is Lobey Dosser, a Glasgow cartoon character.

Lobey Dosser by Voyder
Merkland Street mural by Mark Worst and Voyder
Merkland Street mural by Mark Worst

A colourful end to the month, which is nice to look back on as I schedule this while the rain lashes the window. I hope your June was good. We’ve had the longest day and I leave you with this view taken from the steps of Glasgow’s Concert Hall at 10:04pm on the 23rd. From now on, the nights are “fair drawing in” as my grandfather used to say.

Happy July!

Scotland, UK , , , , , , , ,

49 Comments »

  1. Wow, Anabel, as per usual, you have packed this post with super-interesting people and places. I’m so very sorry about your aunt, but what a lovely tribute to her you have created. And, I’d like to raise my voice against censorship and request the surly teenaged pics! And as always, you’ve left me wanting to visit every single place you’ve shared, and to have tea with you after to talk about it. Hugs.

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  3. Sorry for your loss, Anabel.
    I was in Glasgow for a quick trip to see a friend at the start of June, which I think would have coincided with your Necropolis tour. Wish I’d known about it, as I definitely would have gone, though I suspect my friend would have been less keen. He has a very strange phobia about stepping on graves – he’s also a nightmare to visit cathedrals with for that reason.

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  5. I’m so sorry for your loss Anabel – it must be especially hard with the distance. How beautiful you were able to find such lovely photos to share about your aunt’s life at her memorial.

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  6. Hi Anabel – as you say a mixed month … I feel for your losses, yet know that you’d have enjoyed the memories. While see your aunt Annabel (two Ns!) and Tracy’s meringue – looks quite delicious! That’s great you’ve been doing so much … the two castles look interesting … while Gourock looks a lovely seaside town. Happy days as the nights start to draw in – very sadly! … CHeers Hilary

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  7. Sorry to hear about your aunt.
    You had a great month full of exploration otherwise.
    Falkirk wheel and kelpies are on my list for a long time now. The botanical garden looks nice as well.

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  9. It is so good to see life returning back to normal (or at least a new normal). My deepest sympathies for your losses.
    I loved your positive ending with those bright beautiful murals. Very inspiring and uplifting!

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  10. You certainly pack a lot in. The combination of musical trio plus acrobat is definitely different in that more formal setting, more usually seen in elaborate rock acts or around the Glastonbury festival type event.

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  11. A happy, busy month over all! That top picture is so cheering- people coming together again, being able to be social and supportive and share a brew and a bite. It’s priceless!

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  12. I’m so glad life has turned back to normal for you, Anabel, with loads of activities. Sorry to read about your aunt. As we get older, these sad moments only increase. On a brighter note: those murals!!

    Unbelievable that the longest day is already behind us. Have a fabulous summer!

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  17. You are certainly making up for the last 2 years Anabel. Love the murals. Sorry to hear about your loss, but nice to have such wonderful memories of her.

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  19. That was such a packed month Anabel. You are really keeping busy. I would love to see the Kelpies oneday. The murals are fantastic. Sorry to hear about your Aunt Elspeth. xx

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  20. Love all the murals Anabel and sorry to hear about your aunt.
    Seems June was very busy for you, don’t forget to rest now and again!
    Hopefully I will be posting my June soon
    Have a good weekend 🙂

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      • You gave been very busy. I got tired just reading what you have all done. I am so sorry to hear about your Aunt. It’s not easy when family members die because it’s not just the list of someone you love but that time of your life is going. The only person still part of my mom and dad’s life that have been so close is my mom’s best friend. It’s tough but I am glad you shared some memories with us..thank you! Now…one day would love to see your vampire look. Lol. Funny how we think we are so avant garde, thumbing our noses at the old guard and now we don’t want to even show a photo…hahaaa. I’m glad to say I never changed like that..never had spiked hair etc… u guess I am boring.
        I’m loving the photos you shared like that fancy ceiling and that humongous pie! That’s enough gor 3 people. Wishing you and John a great weekend

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        • Thanks Birgit. It’s that time of life indeed: on,y three members of the older generation left now, then I’ll be the older generation 😟. I hadn’t thought of it as a vampire look, more a cross between Morticia and Cousin It, but now you come to mention it …

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  21. A busy month! Love the gable end murals. I’m enjoying the 17 hour days for hiking, so a little sad to see the sunrise times slowly creeping later.

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