Taking the long view

Today is the third anniversary of my blog. I thought I'd commemorate it with a theme of taking the long view. In the first two instances, I'm referring to enjoying the view outside of the premises we live in, and incorporating them into the experience we have inside.

These first two images are from the second floor of the castle in Scotland, where we are lucky enough to stay when we want a change of lifestyle. The second two are from the flat we live in more than 30 floors up in Bangkok, of the view of the Chao Phraya river, as it snakes its way towards to Gulf of Siam.

Unfortunately the picture above is now partially obscured by a new condominium development - The Sukhothai Residences, which is nearing completion.

In due course some of the panoramic view to the right of the second photo will be obscured by another condominium development. These changes are the price of progress in a developing country. In a landscape so flat the new additions actually provide a little bit of interest, especially as the new buildings are not too close, and their design and landscaping is easy on the eye. The idea for these borrowed landscapes is not dissimilar to that which the late David Hicks created at his farm in Oxfordshire.*my uploaded YouTube sems to have some audio problems, in which case click on the highlighted link above to watch it instead.

Sometimes blogging provides unwelcome challenges, but the reason to go on, to take the long view, is very much based on the interest shown by so many, and the comments that keep this hobby alive for me. Thank you to those of you who qualify.

And finally it seems only appropriate that I should use the opportunity to remember the terrible natural disaster in Japan, with it's earthquake, tsunami and nuclear explosions. But for this I am also taking the long view. In time these terrible events will eventually heal, although with the bombardment of 24 hour news broadcasting, and repeated images of the horror unfolding, it is hard to imagine how any country, let alone one with such extraordinary wealth, can overcome the difficulties it faces today. The stories are heart-wrenching, but also show the finer side of human nature, and the dignity and stoicism of the Japanese people.

Living wall

Whilst on a mission in town yesterday I took some photographs of the living walls

created in Siam Paragon shopping mall.

By chance the photograph next to these on my camera's chip was of Floors Castle in Scotland which we visited in September last year, and I thought it was an interesting juxtaposition to see the Virginia creeper providing the living walls of the Victorian palace of the dukes of Roxburghe.

Romance and stones

Who knows? Only the shadow knows...

The garden pond

The tree-lined path

along which runs the burn from the garden

More photographs from an evening walk last September, accepting a hand of love and friendship, and admiring the handiwork of the drystone (dyke) waller, after some restoration on the bank of the burn from the garden pond to the river.

Come into the garden, Maud...

The snow must go on...

...and on. Some images from Scotland, sent by my brother. Exciting for a while, until the novelty wears off, and not so much fun when you're snowed in for three or for days, with no access to the village.

Colonel Mustard in the library

Taking my cue from Cluedo, and with a vague reference to the colours of the Knole sofa, the wing chair, and from the colour of the wallpaper, it might be appropriate that Colonel Mustard should meet Miss Scarlett in the library. This room was formerly the ballroom, and although not visible in these photographs, has a high-domed ceiling.

At the bay window end of the room, a huge partners' desk completes the essential functions of the room. In my own experience, this room is the perfect spot to enjoy an evening aperitif, with a book, or with someone charming and interesting. And preferably without murderous intent.

No More moor

Today would have been the 81st birthday of my mother, who died just over 8 years ago. During our visit to Scotland we were able to be together with my father on the anniversary of her death.

Thereafter, and probably exactly 8 years later, my brother and my partner walked up the moor behind the castle estate, to the spot where the three of us eight years previously, joined by my father then, scattered her ashes.

The walk began in suitably gloomy and foreboding clouds, but as is usual with Scottish weather, these were accompanied by bright sunshine

and pretty vignettes, such as this miniature waterfall through the heather. Above the point where we scattered the ashes, is a lone pine

which has poignant memories, as the Lone Pine hotel was a favourite weekend retreat for my parents when they first met in Penang in 1955.

Behind the green door

Facing the main front door

side alcove

mirrored side alcove, opposite

The inner hall fireplace (1)

The inner hall (2)

I was reading recently the lament that front doors are no longer used. The main entrance at the castle where we were staying is one such culprit. Behind the green door is a large and beautifully laid out entrance hall. Once you pass through the ovoid hallway, you reach an inner hall with a chimneypiece, within which there is a hearth plate dated 1635, with the royal coat of arms and initials CR, (Charles I).

For practical reasons - no servants, and closer proximity to where most deliveries are destined - the side entrance is the one used. But even for our arrival to stay with almost steamer trunk quantities of luggage, both entrances provide a physical challenge, getting the luggage up from the ground to whichever of the bedrooms we are usually allocated. Not surprisingly the amount of luggage we take now has diminished over the years.

Artistic interlude

The holiday in Scotland afforded the time and opportunity to go and view the Impressionist Gardens exhibition at the National Galleries of Scotland at The Mound in Edinburgh.

Amongst the many on display was this effete picture by James Tissot, entitled Holyday, or The Picnic. The other great names of the Impressionist movement were also well represented - Monet, Pisarro, Renoir, Manet and post-Impressionists Cézanne, Bonnard, Van Gogh, Gaugin and Klimt. It seems churlish to complain about the embarrassment of riches on display, but there were really too many pictures to digest the exhibition in a short afternoon's viewing.

National Galleries of Scotland, The Mound, Edinburgh

We coupled this visit with another exhibition in the same gallery - the work of the Danish artist Christen Købke, of which a two teasers are shown here:

Frederiksborg Castle in the Evening Light, 1835

One of the Small Towers on Frederiksborg Castle, about 1834

The detail of both architectural renderings above, and portraiture was extremely compelling. More of the latter anon.

At home with the Homes

On another day, when my brother and his entourage had joined us at the bijou retreat for a night, we went to visit the more immediately located estate of the earls of Home, (pronounced Hume), The Hirsel. Whilst the house is not open to the public, the gardens are, and as my brother's lifelong work and passion has been the restoration of the gardens at the schloss in Perthshire, it seemed an obvious place to visit.

The Hirsel was the home of the 14th Earl of Home, who renounced this title to enable him to run the premiership from the Commons, when he took up the post of prime minister in 1963, succeeding Harold Macmillan. During that time he used his knighthood, (of the Thistle) and was known as Sir Alec Douglas-Home. It turns out there is a family connection by marriage, of which I was vaguely aware.

This picture of The Hirsel shows the exquisite use of the ha-ha, to keep the rather delightful Highland Cattle from wandering up to the front door. 

The garden boasts some mighty oaks

and a scene redolent of Van Gogh

An open and shut case

These images are of Floors Castle, the home of the Duke & Duchess of Roxburghe, which we visited during our stay in the Borders. The first provides an easy understanding of the extravagance of the architecture. The second is of a painting of the castle, which hangs in the Ballroom, and shows it as it was built by William Adam in the 1720s. The additions and embellishments were made by William Playfair in the C19th, and is similar to Playfair's design of Donaldson's College in Edinburgh, which was very close to where we lived in the West End, in the late New Town. The Edinburgh building is said to have been favoured by Queen Victoria as (another) palace, a request refused by the city, resulting in her never again visiting.

Donaldson's College

and the silhouette view of it from our upstairs sitting room, herebelow:

The third is from the other side of the River Tweed. There are a number of magnificent country estates to visit in the Scottish Borders, but the one I most wanted to see, Mellerstain House, was closed, despite two attempts at trying to do so. Herewith however is a picture of the exterior. Again a William (and son Robert) Adam building, but for me the Adam interiors were the jewel that eluded me.

Mellerstain House

A doll's house

A small and perfectly formed house - the Garden House - on the banks of the River Tweed is our home for a week. The property has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a sitting room, and a kitchen. It has been tastefully and comfortably furnished in the Country House style.

The word that best describes the house is darling. We are not following any other aspects of Ibsen's play, but in an enchanting way, this is a doll's house.

Our leisurely drive down from Perthshire was in bright sunshine, and after unpacking and finding our bearings, we wandered down to the river bank, and had an unexpected encounter with the neighbours, (of the fauna variety). The only other human neighbour is the landowner, who's substantial Regency pile is not visible from our property, but which we drove past as we entered the driveway, and which we glimpsed from the river. More of that anon.

Unfortunately the unpredictable weather has meant that today is likely to be devoted to indoor activities, including in a motor car, and visiting a couple of the statelies in the vicinity.