A few people have asked what Christmas looks like in Scotland, so if you’re among that group, this one is for you. One surprising thing I learned from the National Trust for Scotland is that Christmas was actually banned in Scotland for close to four hundred years. It had been celebrated before the Protestant Reformation… Continue reading Festive Season – Scottish Style
November Wrap-Up
If you’re like me, November felt like a flash. It’s hard to believe it’s already December. Similarly, in just a week, it will be a year since I first arrived in Glasgow for this wee adventure. The year has whizzed by and I plan to commemorate by spending a little time in the upcoming weekend… Continue reading November Wrap-Up
Close Encounters of the Hairy Kind
Today was a marvelous autumn day in Glasgow – of a kind that has been quite rare. Mostly, that means it didn’t rain much of the day. And not only did it not rain at all, but it was gloriously sunny for hours on end. It felt like I could have been in the Mediterranean.… Continue reading Close Encounters of the Hairy Kind
Global Day of Action – Glasgow-style
The UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) felt a bit remote this week. Even though tens of thousands of people have descended up on Glasgow, the area where I live and even the center city have been fairly quiet. While out for an errand this week, I only saw one small protest, some scattered signs… Continue reading Global Day of Action – Glasgow-style
Glasgow on the Global Stage
It’s been planned for years really. The UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) was supposed to happen last year here in Glasgow, but was postponed to this year due to the pandemic. And for quite some time, it wasn’t looking certain to happen at all. We’ve been seeing the city making preparations for weeks. Last… Continue reading Glasgow on the Global Stage
The Kelpies and The Falkirk Wheel
Life in our new flat is slowly coming together, slowly being the operative word here. When I came back from the U.S. in August, we got delivery of our bed, which was a nice improvement over sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Unfortunately, the sofas we ordered, however, aren’t due until February due to… Continue reading The Kelpies and The Falkirk Wheel
Going for the Messages
I overheard a young Scottish woman saying that she was “going for the messages” and had to go look up what in the world she was talking about. It sounded very James Bond-ish and I was imagining her picking up an encoded message while winking and saying the code word to her informant. It was… Continue reading Going for the Messages
Wildlife Wonder of the World
Back in June, D. and I ventured to the eastern coast of Scotland for a day in North Berwick. We had planned to join a seabird cruise and were highly anticipating seeing PUFFINS, especially, BABY puffins, but were thwarted by gusty winds. With boat trips coming to a close at the end of the month… Continue reading Wildlife Wonder of the World
Excursion to Dundeeeeeee!
We made a weekend excursion to Dundee, which is under 2 hours from Glasgow and, as you can see, on the eastern coast of Scotland, a bit north of Edinburgh. Why Dundee? . . . Well, why not! Dundee is the fourth largest city in Scotland (after Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen) with a population of… Continue reading Excursion to Dundeeeeeee!
Happy Birthday, Mom! (and catch up)
First, a big shoutout to my mom, who is celebrating her birthday today! Happy Birthday, Mom! May all your cakes this next year come with extra icing! I love you dearly! And now to catch up . . . It’s a bit hard to know where to pick up on the blog since I’ve been… Continue reading Happy Birthday, Mom! (and catch up)