Botanic Gardens

Today was a beautiful day today - 70 degrees and sunny and warm! I decided to leave the flat and enjoy the gorgeous weather.

Can you read this? Very interesting, and the next picture is of this tree.

Looking down into the Kelvin.

Looks like a fairy tree.

Embroidery: part two

I've begun a new project. It is a (much smaller) picture of St Mungo, Glasgow's Patron Saint. I drew a design fairly similar to my previous one, and then I lost the design, which on reflection, is a good thing. So I redrew it, and then after looking through some books on historical embroidery I modified that design a little more. And I've already begun embroidering!!!

My "first" design (after the lost one)

The embroidery that inspired me to change my design (I was nervous about the circle, so this not-quite circle really appealed to me).

My re-designed drawing.

The beginning!

Embroidery: part one

It's embarrassing to admit this, but it took me six years to finish my embroidery piece. This is because I hardly ever worked on it - maybe twice a year? Anyway, at long, long last it is complete, and I bought a frame for it and everything!

Here it is:

The whole picture.

Close-ups...

Here it is framed. At last!!!!

Hither and Thither

I had one more picture from Gorbals, some from Buchanan Street, and so on, so I thought I'd put these odds & ends together.

Gorbals, walking back from the cemetery.

A fascinating glimpse inside old buildings that are sadly being demolished on Buchanan Street.

A closer look - it's interesting to see the old shop sign peeking out behind the new pink one.

The subway station. See the route - very short! I love it!

Southern Necropolis

The Southern Necropolis was opened in early 1840's. The merchants in this area of Glasgow wanted to be just as grand as the Northern Necropolis, but they also wanted it to be affordable to the working classes. I think it can hold its own with the Northern Necropolis. Judge for yourself - you can compare pictures with my earlier post.

The Main Gate/ Gatehouse on Caledonia Street.

Our ancestor, Joseph McMurrin, no longer has a stone, but he was buried hereabouts.

Or here. In the background see the ivy clad stones of the earlier picture, and now see all this empty space. As his stone no longer exists, perhaps it stood in this area.

I took a close-up of this, as I thought it was suitably creepy that this fellows head (and hand) are missing.

Gorbals

The Gorbals is an area of east Glasgow, south of the River Clyde. It is best known for its Irish community. It was this area where our McMurrin ancestors lived, worked and died. I went on Friday to see where Joseph McMurrin, our great-great-great grandfather was buried. These are some things I saw along the way.

This is on Gorbals St. an abandoned, boarded up building.

This likewise was an abandoned place - an old factory perhaps? It really intrigued me.

I love the blue doors.