Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Scotland: Crannogs

When we decided to visit Scotland I remembered an article I read in Archaeology Magazine about the work done to find evidence of earlier peoples in Scotland who lived out over the water in houses called crannogs.

My search for the article now only brings up these.

Here is an article in the BBC and the website for the centre.


The Scottish Crannog Centre has used the techniques of the 3rd millennium BC to recreate a crannog dwelling on Loch Tay where underwater archaeologists found evidence of them.


The walkway to the dwelling would have been pulled up at night.  


Loch Tay is a beauty with this scene across the way.


Dug out canoes.  To build the crannog these Iron Age  people would have hauled the timbers by the boats and driven them into the clay base of the bottom of the loch without benefit of pile drivers.

Our visit to the Crannog Centre included a visit to the re-created crannog.  There were 18 crannogs discovered in Loch Tay.  Some appear as islands.










In the center of the dwelling was the fireplace surrounded by rocks.  Considering that everything in the crannog was flammable I'm sure many burned down.


Our guide, dressed in Iron Age clothing showed us many of the daily tasks that now we take for granted, like making a fire.  Here he is blowing on the spark he created on the kindling.


The Scottish Crannog Center is in the village of Kenmore on the eastern end of Loch Tay.  Well worth the visit if you are intrigued by ancient history.

Joining Fences

Saturday, January 27, 2018

Pennsylvania Capitol

Thursday we traveled to Harrisburg with friends to visit the capitol building, enjoy lunch at an Amish market, explore the Civil War Museum and enjoy a dinner before heading home.

Our friends have as a goal visiting all 50 capitols.  Harrisburg, PA made #11 for them.  In February they are headed to Sacramento.  I think with retirement they have had more time to do this visiting and the number listed will be increasing faster.  We went with them last year to Dover, DE.

The Pennsylvania capitol building was completed early in the 20th century and shows it in its decor.  It is spectacular with 23 k. gold leaf on so many surfaces.

Enjoy the tour.  We did.



Interesting statues in front. 
[post script since two commenters asked: the statue below was titled "Labor and Love/The Unbroken Law" representing humanity advancing through work and brotherhood.
There was a second statue on the right titled "The Burden of Life/The Broken Law" which portrays lives of degradation and spiritual burden.  I didn't take that photo, it was even more X rated.]


The dome over the rotunda.


The floor of Moravian tiles.


Paintings overhead.


Fantastic lamp fixtures.






Another view of dome.



Some of the gold leaf.




From the 4th floor looking down.



The Senate chamber.




The stain glass ceiling in the Supreme Court.




The Delegate Chamber.


Lamps that weigh 4 tons hang overhead.


Tours are conducted on the half hours.  Thankfully neither the court nor the legislature was in session or we wouldn't have be able to get into some parts of the building.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Scotland: Inchmahome Priory

It took two trips to this site in order to visit.  The first time we stopped on our way back from a Loch Lomond circle route but it was closed.  The second time was our last full day in Scotland and a rainy day but it was open.

You take a boat to get to the priory which is another of the Historic Scotland properties so we didn't have to pay.




The ruins of the priory are on an island in Lake of Monteith - the only lake not called a loch.  Guide/boat operator had several reasons for lake v. loch one of which had to do with ownership residing with someone who favored the English not the Scots.




I recognized this from Dunblane Cathedral and was gratified to see below that I was right.




There is nothing in my Lonely Planet guide about this priory.


The Historic Scotland brochures says this:
" Founded around 1238, it was home to Augustinian canons for more than 300 years.  It was visited by Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots."

There were countless places that Mary was said to have visited!







A very recent burial, 1936, and someone still remembers him with flowers.












Other graves but of unknowns.
















Above - now.
Below - then.




It was rather spooky, tragic, depressing, awe-inspiring: all of those emotions, visiting such an ancient place and wondering about the people who lived there.