'Tis The Season For New Wellies!

With all the pouring rain lately I decided to go out (ie, go online) and buy myself a pair of new wellies. I'm discovering that they're all the rage. I found funky wellies, standard wellies, wedge wellies, wellies with fur...and even wedding wellies! (Actually, I filed that website away in case I need it for one of my brides.)

But, I said to myself, "Focus!" No need to be distracted with all these various wellies that will not do the job. I need a good solid pair that will muck with the best of them, and still look adorable at the same time :)

Finally, after long hours of trolling through website after website, I found the pair I wanted from Regatta. And after I found the pair I wanted, I dandered about on more sites until I found my size, thankfully on Trekwear.

And when they arrived today (very quickly! thanks Trekwear!), I was so excited that I had to pull out the camera and snap a few photos so you can share in my excitement. Now I can't wait for a good mud-puddle to go jump into! (Fortunately, with the weather the way it has been, I won't have to.)

So here are my beautiful Regatta Lady Tapestry Leaf Green/Sweet Grape Wellingtons! (To use their proper title.)



Of course, I wanted a picture of me actually wearing them, but that's where it starts to get difficult. (Tripods, various focusing issues with the self-timer, etc...) So I had to resort to my old standby Canon IXUS 95IS (great camera for an in-the-pocket option), and as you can see we had a few problems.

Such as, no head...

...no feet...

...and me looking like Alice in Wonderland. How am I the same size as my patio doors??

But the most exciting thing is actually sloshing around in the rain with them, so this is the last time you will see them as pristine as this!

I'm going up to Skye soon and I hear it's been wet and windy and wild, so you may get to see the wellies in action.

Until then, enjoy the rain!

Flowers In The Air

It's summer - flowers are in the air! And flourishing on the ground as well.

Enjoy this collection of flowers from Ireland and Scotland...



...in Bali...
...and of course, at weddings.


Enjoy a summer of beauty!

Castles and Churches and Really Cool Buildings

Well, February is the month of love, they say, and what's more fairy-tale like than a good old-fashioned castle?

Like St. Andrew's Castle, situated at the edge of the sea.

...or Castle Kennedy, down in South Ayrshire.

Airth Castle (shown to best advantage with a bride and groom in front of it!)

I like going onto the isles, still part of Scotland and yet their own little world. Brodick Castle on the Isle of Arran...

...Lochranza Castle, once a hunting lodge for Scottish kings, back into the 14th century. I found a different king claiming ownership when I visited...


And there's more, moving down south to England, with the famous 'Harry Potter Castle' (Alnwick Castle, used in the first two Harry Potter films).


And once I got started finding castle pictures, I couldn't stop there. Because some buildings in the world are fairy-tale romantic even if they aren't castles.

Like Bath Abbey...

...and Westminster Abbey...


...and St Paul's Cathedral in spring.


From London, it's only a short flight to the European mainland. I have a soft spot for the Tour Eiffel in Paris...

...the Trevi Fountain in Rome...

...and, my personal favourite, the Colosseum. Which is best viewed not only from the outside...

...but also the inside.


There's never enough room to tell all the stories in each of these buildings. Some beautiful, some not so much. But I hope you enjoyed at least one or two 'aww' or 'aaaah' moments in these old and beautiful buildings.

Portraits In The Snow

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but taking photos is so delightful...

...so since it's so beautiful...
...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

These last few weeks we've had more snow than we usually get at Christmas, so a few people have taken advantage of it by requesting some photo shoots! I had a brilliant time, and here are the results of our labours.



This is a family photo shoot that became very festive! We had santa hats, Christmas stockings...


...and a rogue elf.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas...okay, new year then! It still feels like Christmas to me!

Mary Zalesny Mulligan, 1914-2009

Today is the 7th of December. That means it's Pearl Harbour Day, and 18 days to Christmas Day, and my grandmother's birthday.

Recently, Grams went to be with her Saviour (and mine! - so I rejoice that I will see her again soon). I was in the States to attend her memorial service, and I'd like to honour her by sharing a few photographs with you of this amazing woman.

(Naturally, I didn't take any of these, except the last one!)

She was an airline stewardess...


...a beautiful airline stewardess!!...(this is the photo she sent my grandfather while they were writing letters. Needless to say, he sent back a wedding ring.)


She was a nurse...
...the wife of another amazing person, the irrepressible Bill Mulligan...

...and an example and encouragement to me.


I am missing her today.

Mary Zalesny Mulligan - 7 December 1914 to 2 October 2009