Kodak Moment

Today was the Papermaze Crop, and here is my version of Vanessa's crop kit design. Mine shows a black and white photo, I took in 1970. It shows my Gran and Granddad in their backgarden. I was trying out the Kodak camera I had been given by Mum and Dad for my 10th birthday. 


 
The kit included:
Bazzill Basics Cardstock - Typhoon, Powder Blue and White
Echo Park - Chilling with my Snowies collection - Winter Floral
Bo Bunny - Colourful Story collection - #07
49 and Market - Toddler Time collection - Solids #02

I added:
Tonic Studios Die Set - Windsor Alphabet 

Thanks for looking
Lynn x

The Adventure Begins - Tour of Scotland 2019

Our tour of Scotland started on 9th September. Some of you will remember we did a similar tour in October three years ago. Then, we had not long owned our first electric car - The Renault Zoe. This had a range of approximately 100 miles. This time, with our new Hyundia Kona we were looking forward to travelling further between charges, as we now have a 300 mile range. (Edited to add photo of car on charger at Tongue - towards the end of the post.)
Our plan is to travel up the East coast from Suffolk, then stay for a week in Tongue on the north coast of The Highlands, a week on the Isle of Skye, then a few days on Arran and travel home via the Lake District.

Day 1 - Mendham, Suffolk to Seahouses Northumbria

First Destination - Seahouses, Northumbria - 340 miles

Seahouses towards Bamburgh - Late afternoon on our arrival

We booked two nights in a hotel, and this was the view from the seafront just outside.

Day 2 - Bamburgh and Seahouses

On day two we had a look around the small town of Seahouses, taking in the harbour, and charging the car in the local car park. Then we drove along the coast to Bamburgh, visiting the castle, the town for lunch, the RNLI Grace Darling Museum and St. Aiden's Church.

From the walls of Bamburgh Castle

Looking out over the town from the castle

Alan took this one with his drone

After lunch we investigated the RNLI museum dedicated to Grace Darling, then took a walk around the church and graveyard.

 

There is a memorial to Grace in the churchyard which can be seen from sea.

Then there is also the family grave, where she is buried. In 1838, Grace and her father risked their lives to rescue stranded survivors from a ship wrecked in a fierce storm. This feat changed her life dramatically, she became a celebrity of her day and was awarded honours and the NRLI's silver medal for gallantry. Sadly, Grace died just four years later, aged 26 due to tuberculosis.

Day 3 - Seahouses to Killin, Scotland

A few photos taken early in the day, before leaving Seahouses for Scotland.
153 miles (total 493)

 

We picked a Bed and Breakfast in Killin - The Dall Lodge Country House for the night, and headed off to complete the trip, stopping a few times to admire the scenery and have a break. Very near to the B & B we stopped to look at the Falls of Dochart.

 

The weather was very wet and windy by this time, so we were pleased to arrive at the excellent B & B. The host is an excellent photographer of wildlife.

We enjoyed an excellent evening meal in the nearby Killin Hotel.

Day 4 - Killin to Rogart
Our next destination was Willie Jack's Cottage, Rogart - 155 miles (total 548)
This is a lovely 'home from home' B & B where we were made to feel like part of the family, we booked in here for two nights so we could explore the area on Friday before moving on again.

Day 5 - Dornoch & Dunrobin

We spent the day looking around the local area, first we went to Dornoch for some shopping. I found the Kingcraig Fabrics (Brora) Ltd. shop. It was recommended by our host Sandy, who had made some lovely things for the home with materials from this shop.

4 ply wool and 100% woolen fabric

Then we spent some time shopping in The Jail and the Courthouse. I was keen to see Dornoch as it was features in Lucinda Riley's Moon Sister (part of the Seven Sisters Series). An excellent read and so far there are five published - eagerly awaiting the sixth due to be published late October.

Shopping in the Old Jail and Courthouse

Lunch in the old Courthouse

After lunch we drove to Dunrobin Castle.

View from inside the castle

Castle from the grounds

 Day 6 - Rogart to Tongue

52 miles - mostly single track! (total 600)
We set off on Saturday morning for the last trip for a week, as we will be staying in a cottage on the North Coast at Tongue for a week. A welcome chance to unpack, and other then shorter day trips we will not have any long journeys for 7 days.

On route

We arrived at Tongue and stopped at Hotel Tongue for a snack as we were early for our accommodation and also to charge the car. 

When we arrived it was extremely windy and raining - Gale force 9! It's very remote here, and we were pleased to arrive, do some shopping for supplies and then make the cottage cosy for the evening.  Weather likely to be similar for a few days, then forecast to be much better. Hence I have had time to write this post and I'm getting on well with the crochet and reading.

From the back of the cottage

Thanks for reading to the end, will be back with more next week.
Lynn x

Missing From My Post(s) and Missing My Dear Dad.

Sorry to start the year with this sad news, but this is the first post from me for some time as life has been busy sharing the care of my dearest Dad with my mother, sister and brother. Thankfully we were all able to be with him at his peaceful passing late at night last Friday. 

Dad and Mum on Christmas Day

My brother wrote this lovely post about Dad on facebook on 7th January:

"The hardest post I have ever had to write announces that my beloved Dad, Bob Banks, died last night. We feel thankful as a family that his wife of 59 years Mary my devoted sisters Lynn and Sylvia and I were at his side. We give thanks for having this wonderful man in our lives. We could not have wished for a better, kinder, more loving and giving father, and in the 48 years I knew him I cannot recall us ever exchanging a cross word. (apart from that time I flushed a comic down the toilet.) But apart from his calm and loving nature we are also thankful for his artistic talent and his enthusiasm for just about everything, but in particular music, art, aviation, film, wine, football and comedy, all of which rubbed off on us in one way or another. The world is definitely a poorer place without him. My wife Elaine and I have now both lost our fathers and and fathers-in-law in the space of a week and we both feel very empty indeed. Thank you to everyone who has already said kind things, it is much appreciated, and to Bob and Alan for all the support provided over the last difficult few days. We will never forget our Dad x"

I can't say it any better than Robert has, Dad was indeed a very gentle, kind, loving and happy man. He had many interests and was a talented artist.  He supported us all in all our interests and careers. He and Mum only moved into their new flat just over a year ago and everyone there had grown very fond of him.

Here are just a few of the many photos we are lucky enough to have of Dad, despite the fact he was usually the photographer in our family, especially in our earlier years:

In the caravan at Winchelsea

70th Birthday treat - flight in a Gipsy Moth

Supporting me at my graduation

Me and my little sister with Dad - IOW

1933

The family recently put on an exhibition of Dad's paintings in the lounge of the flats he lives in. There are several posts on this blog about Dad's art work:

Animals, plants, buildings & landscapes, and portraits

For those reading this that knew Dad (Bob Banks) his funeral is to be held at Beckenham Crematorium on Wednesday 25th January at 10.30

Thanks for reading and for all the lovely messages and beautiful flowers we have received over the last few days.

Lynn xxx

Touring Scotland with the EV - Days 25 - 27

  

Near Sawrey

 Days 25 - 27 (Wednesday 26th to Friday 28th October)


Here is the final entry recording our tour to Scotland 2016, in the Renault Zoe 100% Electric Vehicle. We have had a wonderful month and covered about 2000 miles, the weather has been amazing for the time of year, a truly beautiful autumn. 

On Wednesday we had a whole day in the Lake District. First stop for the morning was Ambleside and while we charged the car we visited a garden centre recommended to us by our hostess at the guest house. Hayes Garden World had an amazing display of Christmas decorations and trees. We eventually found the impressive plant area too!!

Ambleside - Hayes Garden Centre

Next stop was Hawkeshead, we had a walk around the village and found The National Trust Beatrix Potter Gallery, displaying may of her original drawings, paintings and stories. 2016 marks a special anniversary for the Lake District as it's 150 years since Beatrix Potter was born and so there was plenty going on to celebrate this event. 

Hawkeshead Village

From Hawkeshead we went on to Beatrix Potter's home - Hill Top Farm - It was fascinating walking around the garden and house. 

The Shop

Hill Top

We had time for a drink in The Tower Bank Arms and a chat with Mr McGregor!

Mr Cooper and Mr McGregor

Tower Bank Arms

From here we drove to Sawrey to catch the ferry across Lake Windermere back to Windermere where we were staying.

Windermere in the rain from the ferry

The rest of the trip was spent travelling back to Kent, staying overnight in a hotel in Coventry so we could meet up with Craig Tonge of the Renault Zoe Owners Club (RZOC), who has been very helpful in our learning curve with owning an EV. The club has a facebook page which has proved very useful in sharing hints and tips too.

A brilliant trip and we would love to do it again, revisiting some places and taking in others we couldn't include this time. We would also like to have more time in the Lake District.

Thanks for reading about our adventures.

Lynn x

Touring Scotland with the EV - Day 24

Days 24 (Tuesday 25th October)

We left Fort William with our heads in cloud and drove through Glencoe, still in the clouds for part of the morning.

By the time we reached Loch Lomond the sky had cleared and it was a beautiful, but cold sunny day.

A breif stop off at Cumnock for a car charge.

We arrived in Cumbria later in the afternoon, with the whole of Wednesday to explore the area of Windermere as we book two nights to stay here.

Thanks for looking

Lynn x