(no subject)

I'm currently enjoying a never-ending stream of daffodils available for display in the vase on the mantelpiece.  This sounds like a marvellous state of affairs, but...  I'd much rather the daffies were standing proudly in the garden, waving in the breeze, than a) sitting mouldering in a vase, or b) lying flat on the lawn getting turned into floral doilies by the predations of many happy slugs and snails.  Yes, March came in like a sabre-toothed tiger, and went out like a lion, and April's not looking much better right now.  As I speak, my garden is carpeted with a thick layer of horizontal daffodils.  Ah, well.

To Douglas Church now, and a rather lovely church building which is hidden away in the depths of rural South Lanarkshire.  I may have briefly featured it before, but I thought I'd devote a bit more time to it.

The church is dedicated to St Bride, and is first mentioned in the 12th century.  The exisiting building is, however, somewhat later:-

 

It looks like a late medieval construction, and once again I'm sure it's been heavily restored in fairly recent times...  Of particular interest is its clocktower, which may date back to the 16th century, which makes it unusually early round these parts:-
 

 

Douglas Church is associated with those bad boys of the Scottish medieval period, the Douglas family (Red and Black).  And I shall post more about them over the coming days, because they're well worth it!!  With names like James the Gross and Archibald 'Bell The Cat', they're certainly deserving of attention...

My apologies for the dark, gloomy photos.  It's a West of Scotland thing, I'm afraid.
 

 

(no subject)

I'm currently enjoying a never-ending stream of daffodils available for display in the vase on the mantelpiece.  This sounds like a marvellous state of affairs, but...  I'd much rather the daffies were standing proudly in the garden, waving in the breeze, than a) sitting mouldering in a vase, or b) lying flat on the lawn getting turned into floral doilies by the predations of many happy slugs and snails.  Yes, March came in like a sabre-toothed tiger, and went out like a lion, and April's not looking much better right now.  As I speak, my garden is carpeted with a thick layer of horizontal daffodils.  Ah, well.

To Douglas Church now, and a rather lovely church building which is hidden away in the depths of rural South Lanarkshire.  I may have briefly featured it before, but I thought I'd devote a bit more time to it.

The church is dedicated to St Bride, and is first mentioned in the 12th century.  The exisiting building is, however, somewhat later:-

 

It looks like a late medieval construction, and once again I'm sure it's been heavily restored in fairly recent times...  Of particular interest is its clocktower, which may date back to the 16th century, which makes it unusually early round these parts:-
 

 

Douglas Church is associated with those bad boys of the Scottish medieval period, the Douglas family (Red and Black).  And I shall post more about them over the coming days, because they're well worth it!!  With names like James the Gross and Archibald 'Bell The Cat', they're certainly deserving of attention...

My apologies for the dark, gloomy photos.  It's a West of Scotland thing, I'm afraid.