Menootering; History Kick In Kilbarchan

Ducky introduced you to this week's topic from the recent trip away... The Weaver's Cottage at Kilbarchan. This is one of the many National Trust Scotland properties I still hadn't ticked off my membership list, and it was ideal for a showery day. I can't believe it took me this long - what a fabulous place! Definitely in my top five of NTS places visited thus far. That takes some doing, because there's a lot of 'fab' in the NTS. 

Anyhoo...

A mere ten-minute drive from Lochwinnoch is this wee gem. Before checking it out, I was a tad concerned about getting The Grey safely parked in this tiny street and right on the corner... but would you believe it, a car pulled away as I came up the hill towards it, and we got stopped right at the door!!! As you can guess from the entrance, this is not a rollator-friendly venue, but it was small enough that I was happy to use just my walking stick. Look carefully at the door lintel... can you see there is an inscription?

‘BUILDED · ANNO 1723 BY ANDREW · BRYDEIN JOHN · BRYDEIN JENET · BRYDEIN’.

303 years old. It has had some alterations. The original layout was the main kitchen-living room to the right of the passageway (two windows, single level), then the drop of the hill enabling an upper and lower (basement) level, with stone stairs leading to each. The upper level has two rooms, which would have housed one, or possibly two, families; another family would have inhabited the main room. If not involved in agriculture, they would have been busy spinning, dyeing, and weaving. Kilbarchan (as a whole) became a major weaving centre, connected to nearby Paisley. It is thought that nearly 900 looms were working in the village during the peak of the industry. This cottage was still working the looms into the 1950s, when the last weaver, William Meikle, passed away and the cottage came to the NTS. There were fireplaces in each room, as well as box-beds of the old 'French' style, designed short to keep the trunk more or less upright, as this was considered the healthiest form of repose.

Note the rag rugs: lots of selvedges and rough ends from the weaving would have accrued, and they were not wasted! Check out those tiny wee shoes, too... no wonder there were often bunions and rotten toes and such. Thing is, I can remember my Granny Shiel wearing something very similar. What is more, the original farmhouse they were in up at Hawksnest was very similar to this cottage, and I found there were quite a few memories flooding in.

Downstairs is the loom room, the virtual hive of industry.

A couple of the small looms need some upkeep, but the main loom is still operational... indeed, you can see it being worked by one of the NTS attendants in this wee video. Of the folk in that, I only recognised Suzanne. The other girl on duty when I went was Ellie, who was sheer delight. There was also a volunteer, Alistair, and they took turns providing the tour narration.  

Most of the weaves taking place here were tartans, and in the back room, which was an extension added in the mid-19th century by the new owner, Wm. Christie, are housed the archives of all the patterns.

You'll note on the wall not only the Stewart plaid, but also a piece of paisley work. Although most of that was produced in Paisley itself, there were occasional orders for this distinctive design. Particularly hard to do on the traditional loom (most were produced by automated, punch card systems), so it would have been a lucrative production.

On the wall above the cabinet is a painting of a loom room at work. It has an interesting history, as do other works on the walls, and you can read about those at this link.

Alistair was the guide who took me up into the loft room. Mr Christie had not only added that back room onto the house, but decided that there was lots of space up there begging to be used, and he had a growing family! Up the wooden hill we went... (again flashbacks, as this boxed-in semi-ladder was what the grandparents had at Hawksnest... and yes, we did sleep in box beds there!)

I loved this room... it felt so familiar. Given that it is scarcely longer than my lifetime since it was last inhabited, there was a definite sense of presence - the possibility that the owner might just turn up again very soon. It was a room in which I could very happily settle. 

The teapots were interesting. A traditional wedding gift.

I really, really enjoyed my visit here! The connection to yarn craft, the familiarity of certain items and architecture, the ambience... and the offer to use their recycling and general rubbish bins! Just brilliant. Oh, I didn't have to worry; there was a more modern facility available for comfort...

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

A September baby who has long been one of my favourite composers is Gustav Holst. He was a third-generation Briton, his grandfather having migrated there from St Petersburg in the 18th Century. The paternal family was of mixed Swedish, Latvian and German ancestry, and on the maternal, principally English. When I was 11 and showing a strong interest in classical music, I was given my first-ever LP for my birthday... The Planets! I still have the disc, though nothing to play it on. Oh my word, how tempting it was to give you four movements from that incredible suite. 

But NO! Without doubt, that was his masterpiece, but Holst wrote lots of other music, all of easy listening and unchallenging to the ear. This could be taken as being a bit "muzak", and, perhaps, that's true. Nevertheless, it is that very inoffensiveness, the lyrical and undemanding quality, that can make these pieces worth having on one's playlists. Great for working to, like knitting, editing photos, writing blog posts........... Let's start with the shortest of my four choices for the month. A bittersweet love song. Watch how the different parts are providing offset lyrics, and only occasionally are all four voices in verbal unison.

Adventures Of Ducky 6939

Quackety-quack! Today I want to share with you a little of the visit YAM-aunty and I made to the Weaver's Cottage in Kilbarchan (as usual, Y will tell you more on Thursday). 

We were first directed into the upper living room, with its wee box bed and ancient chairs, where we sat and watched a video about the history of this place. Then we went down into the main loom room, where I got to sit on the smaller transportable loom... and Y went a bit weak at the knees looking at all that lovely yarn!

After that it was up into the garden for a breather... It's a long garden, and there were lots of lovely plants to do with not just eating but dyeing, as well. It had been raining, so there were also some good smells. At least that is what Y told me. I have to trust her on that.... plastic ducks are anosmic... jus' sayin'...

Finally, we went into the back room where a whole repository of tartans is held. Some of the name spelling was a bit suspect, but there's certainly an impressive range. That's all from me on this one, and I will be back for one more post next week.

Menonday Art Vibe; Slinky

Richard Goldsworthy has no relationship to Andy Goldsworthy, but his works echo something of the same principles of looking at what nature has to offer - and raising it to something else. Here is a conceptualised stream which I think is gorgeous. It is a delight to the eye, and I think this would be a gorgeous piece to adorn a garden room - or even in the garden itself, letting it mellow with the nature around it...

MenoSundays; Life Lived Lovingly

Menoturals; Full-feather Feature

Joining with the LLB Gang for our once-a-month shared meme day, Nature Friday and Final Friday Feature.

Last Friday and yesterday's posts introduced you to the Lochwinnoch bird population. Permanent residents. They have learned it is a place of safety and plentiful food. I admit I am a bit conflicted at the level of over-feeding that may be occurring, particularly with inappropriate stuff such as loaves of supermarket bread and potato chips, but there is no denying the joy this avian community brings to the human one. What is more, the birds themselves all seemed to be pretty content with the state of play.

Of the Gulls present, there were Lesser Black-backed, Herring, and Black-headed represented. I want to focus on them a bit today because there were also examples of each juvenile stage. ...oh, and can I just emphasise that there are no such things as 'seagulls'. Gulls can be found a very long way from the coast, right into the country and farmland, in fact. Yes, they favour waterways, but they are opportunists and are actually adept foragers/scavengers, as much as they are fishers.

Most of the Gull species will form lasting mating bonds, and Herring Gulls and Greater Black-backed Gulls in particular are known to be life-long monogamous (bar the occasional 'amicable divorce' that occurs if they prove ill-matched for breeding purposes). Breeding occurs once a year in or around April (Northern Hemisphere; antipodean Gulls can vary from late August to early November). The majority of layings are between two and three eggs, and for most clutches, at least two of the hatchlings will survive. Parent birds will take turns to tend the nest in the first few weeks, with the other going to gather food. As fledging takes place, the young will continue to beg for food, and may do so for quite some time even after taking flight. It is that piping sound you hear most in the video. "Feeed meee"! The vast majority will be weaned and self-feeding by the end of three months, but occasionally a parent will continue feeding for another few weeks. The chicks are most vulnerable during this transition from nest to self-care, because quite often they just stand around in the most inappropriate places (like roads or pavements) and this can result in injury or death. 

While there are some subtle differences between the different species of Gull, overall the first four seasons produce roughly similar feathering. Maturity is only attained in the fourth or fifth season, depending on species.

First Year. All over brown colouring, almost duck-like. Beak is black.

Second Year. Mottling still very much present, but the chest and underparts start to whiten,
beak less black.

Third Year. Mottling remains marked on the wings, legs will change colour according to species, beak likely to change also, but may retain black. Head and chest distinctly white.

Fourth Year. Almost transformed to adult plumage.
Still mottling around head and shoulders, 
but legs and beak more or less complete.
Full maturity is reached when the gonydeal (red) beak spot appears.

You might gather from all this that I am a bit of a Larophile. All waterbirds are fascinating to me: well, all birds, but I do have a particular fondness for the shore and pelagic species. It is possibly something to do with having read Johnathon Livingston Seagull (guilty of misnaming for the sake of alliteration) back in my teens. Or, perhaps, that so many people seem to want to hate on them (same with Corvids, and you must know I also like those!) and I have always been one to support the underdog.

Anyhoo, hope you've enjoyed this little look at the life stages of Gulls, and might view them a little differently next time you meet one. 

Menootering; Lovely Lochwinnoch

On the way north from New Abbey, there was a brief stop at the Loch Arthur Community Shop for a bit of a spend-up on some organic goodness. (I'll be bringing you a relevant video next week.) I was really wishing I had bought more of the bread, because the loaf I did get was scoffed down pronto - by far the best bread I have eaten in a very long time! The range of incredible natural and organic, as well as vegetarian/vegan-friendly, products was tremendous. A real treat.

Then on to Castle Douglas Coop and B&M stores for grocery and 'household' purchases, before moving on up to Alloway, Bellisle Park for an overnight stop. There had been a plan to drop in via Culzean Castle Gardens, but yet again, the rain came as soon as the thought was formed - and stayed. I really had to reassess and find somewhere indoors to visit, so the weather wouldn't be an issue. I had a place in mind, but that will be for next week's post. Meanwhile, I made another shortish hop up to Lochwinnoch, mainly because there were EV chargers there at a cost of under 50p a unit - and the ability to park overnight without restriction. This turned out to be a bit of a diamond spot, and I stayed two nights.

Yes, it remained overcast and showery, but at least that full day, there were lots of sunny breaks as well. The visitor centre here is called Castle Semple, and this water and walking park is part of the greater Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. For those unfamiliar, national parks are vast, government-protected areas meant to preserve unique landscapes and wildlife. Regional parks are smaller areas managed by local authorities to provide easily accessible outdoor recreation, green spaces, and community leisure near towns and cities. During the day, this place was packed and buzzing with activity! At night, apart from youngsters having their fun, it was very peaceful. Sailing, rowing, SUP-boarding, model-boating... You name it! At the end of the Loch is an RSPB centre, and a big attraction at the park promenade is the number of friendly birds. Ducks, Geese, various Gulls, Swans, Coots, Rock Doves and Wood Pigeons, different Corvids... I even spotted a Grebe, though it wasn't joining the throng. 

More about the birds tomorrow. 

While sitting outside between showers and enjoying all the birds, I observed a fellow turn up with a bag of seeds and start feeding them... and the swans were hand-feeding from him. I've fed different birds by hand over the years, but I'm not sure I would have had the courage to approach a swan... they have a reputation, don't they?! You saw the swan video last Friday. That couple were being very watchful of their single chick... David asked where the others were (because there are generally at least three or four, and the brood can be as much as seven. I don't have an answer, except clearly there was either only the one successful hatching - or a tragic early life situation for however many did hatch, leaving this solitary, much-guarded cygnet. 

Another fellow turned up with a crushed fat ball to spread around, which the Gulls and Jackdaws in particular were happy for. We struck up conversation, as there were no less than three families turning up with loaves of bread.... NOOOOOOO! He told me that there had been a sign warning folk not to feed bread, but it had disappeared mysteriously one night and had never been replaced. 

Pat Smith and I ended up chatting for well over an hour! That was before lunch. We picked up the conversation when he returned later that afternoon to give the birds some tea. What an interesting man... born and bred and lived life-long in Lochwinnoch (with one period away that told him he needed to return!). He had been a keen videographer and photographer, as had his father and uncle before him. He and his cousin, Brian, are responsible for the excellent archive website, PBTheCairn... of course, it is primarily set up for the community, but it is an impressive effort of archiving, and if, like me, you enjoy poring over old photos, it will while away some cheerful minutes. There's a decent history section, too. There are no contemporary photos of the cousins, but there are some earlier ones of Brian under the 'families' banner (at the very bottom), and those of Pat (snr) give you a good idea of how Pat (jnr) looks now, as he is currently at about the age of the photos taken of his father. You can, though, see the youthful Pat (jnr) on the page about Clyde Cooperage, where he earned his place as a journeyman cooper.

I will definitely have to return to Lochwinnoch and give the town itself more attention. What had been intended mainly as a stopgap charging park-up turned into a wonderful interactive experience. The birds were a large part of the joy for me - and on that, more tomorrow! 

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

In a way, I am saving the best till last... for here we can listen to Erwin Schulhoff himself! Yes, recordings of him at the piano have survived and make for very interesting listening. If this bit I share today teases your ears for more, then hop on over to this listing for more!

Adventures of Ducky 6939

Quuaaaaaaaccckk! Well, this week's adventure is all about visiting some of my closer and not-so-close relatives. YAM-aunty had to reassess all the places she had planned to visit because of the change in the weather, but one place turned up that might otherwise have been missed... Lochwinnoch. You'll read more about that on Thursday, but here I am showing you a little bit of what it looked like - and some of the duck cousins and some distant relos, the Greylags...

Menonday Art Vibe; Giddy Up!

This collective might split the camp! I was intrigued by this setup: the artist providing us with a conceptualised visit to her workshop with all its materials, models and maquettes, then the juxtaposition with the wall artworks that appeared as a result. No, it's not something I could live with, but as an installation it held my interest and gaze for quite some time... (I am again slightly regretting not having taken the wall works individually, but it was the totality that was captivating me...)

MenoSundays; Life Lived Lovingly

Menoturals; Feathery Floaters

Joining in with the LLB gang for Nature Friday! I am only going to post this short vid clip and a teaser or two... There will be more info next week!

It's time to remind you, too, that next week is Final Friday - go on, dig a little deeper and bring us something just that little bit extra special! 

Menootering; Border Trawl

When I left Aitch's place, I headed west, first up through Kielder. I had intended, originally, to spend at least one, if not two, nights there... however, Aitch had warned me to check bookings for the various sites given school holidays and summer and all that. Free parking is available in one or two parts, but mostly it is best to book onto the several paid overnight spots and, it turned out, things were indeed booked out! That's okay, another time. I did stop at the village from which the area got its name, at the north end of the water, where there is an EV charging station in the school carpark. A fab wee stop that gave me time for my lunch, and I had thoroughly enjoyed the scenic drive... There was a marked difference in the quality of the roads on the west side of the A68... I have to say the roads till then were very rough, but suddenly we were gliding, even on the smallest side roads. That lasted all the way to Newcastleton, over the Scottish border. Here's an interactive map for you to play with!

Hope that worked, but you can click through to maps anyway, if that's your interest. I started a little east of Rothbury and meandered via Otterburn on small roads north of Bellingham, up the side of the Kielder water to Kielder village, stopping for lunch and a power top-up. Then on to Newcastleton, where I had an hour doing a grocery shop and visiting the wee "antique" (bric-a-brac) shop.

A mile out of there, I drove up a tiny track to the local cemetery, where there is a large parking plot which welcomes the occasional van parking. I spent three nights there!

I'm keeping the idyllic scenery shots for upcoming Me-Now-Views (yes, it's returning!), but I thought you might like this little insight into local history...

Can you see the wall steps? On both sides of the dyke were these protruding, ascending stones and a gap in the capping stones for a step-through. Given the presence of the gate, I am not sure why it was felt necessary to put these in as well, but they certainly add interest.

Having had a complete reset in this bucolic setting, it was time to hit the road again, and this time continuing along the border roads across, first, to Annan - Tesco supermarket where I could hook up The Grey for another juicing, and get a proper shop done. (The wee Coop in N'ton had limited options beyond the basics.) From there, we headed to New Abbey and parked up beside Sweetheart Abbey. Arriving on a Friday, we discovered that the monument was closed not just for Friday and Saturday, but also on Sunday that weekend. When I visited on Monday, the very talkative attendant let it be known that the jousting fair at Caerlaverock Castle had taken precedence over his attendance here.

You can also read about the Abbey history and related things at this link.

This kist is a 19th-century reconstruction and may or may not include all the original bits from the Queen's tomb... but it's impressive nonetheless. I have held back some other pics of the structure for MNV posts later - though it is fair to say that the scaffolding rather detracted from the enjoyment of the place. Chatty Chap at the kiosk was a bit of 'moany minny' about it. Apparently it's been there for several years already and could be another four or five before HS can get around to completing the repair works. 

Directly across the lane is the Abbey Cottage Tearoom. It's a fabulous wee place with all home-prepared items and a great list of teas to choose from. 

There are public toilets in the carpark, which is adjacent to the bowls club, also. I got to meet the vice-president (and groundsman) of the club and had a good natter with him. I asked him about making a donation, as I ended up staying six nights. There is a local community fund into which I happily deposited a fair sum, for this was another idyllic stay. We were parked right at the end of the tarmac, by the ancient wall and facing into the field where the farmer just managed to get his hay in before the weather turned on us. 

Yes, the summer dropped away, and the rain came. For three days, there wasn't much else to do but catch up with the Commonwealth Games. Hardship, eh?

To be honest, though, it was a bit of a washout as far as viewing was concerned, because the BBC cut back and the distribution rights went to the big-money broadcasters. Here in the host nation, we were able to see most stuff via BBC Alba - so all the commentary in Gaelic. I missed more than I watched, truth be told. Oh well. It may not have been the televised extravaganza we usually get, but word is that Glasgow did us proud again, and it has been considered a success.

It was time to move on again, but due to the downturn in weather, the two garden visits I had planned had to be postponed, and it was time to turn north a bit... I leave you with a look down the main street of New Abbey.