Monday 30 August 2010

Days Out - Strathaven Hot Air Balloon Festival

Strathaven Festival

I was really looking forward to writing this up but now I'm full of disappointment. Yesterday we decided to go along to the Strathaven Hot Air Balloon Festival. I really wish I had discovered their website before turning up. We had seen the signs up and around advertising that it would be on at the weekend. However never seen a balloon as there all up at the crack of dawn and there in lies my disappointment. Still had a good day out the weather was fine and there was other stuff to see and do. Lots of stalls selling local jams, jewellery, bags and the like as well as the Hamilton Classic Car Club.

Hamilton Classic Car Club

The club had a good selection of cars on show including a couple Trabants from East Germany as well as some old Royal Enfield motorcycles. 

Hamilton Classic Car Club

Ah well there's always next year. Now that I know the timetable.

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Friday 27 August 2010

Screw you dad I ain't for sleeping boo

A bright start?

According to Carol the weather lady on BBC breakfast, it was to be a
bright start in Scotland this morning. Which part exactly? Not where I
am.

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Sunday 22 August 2010

Sometimes you need....

Sometimes you really do need a real camera and a zoom lens. It's a big
DC10 type twin prop aircraft flying over my parents house in Cumnock.

It was all dressed up in army markings and the back door was open like
it may have dropped off some parachuters. It circled a couple of times
before heading off south.

If you have any idea leave comment. Sorry about the crap photo it was
on the iPhone.

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Friday 20 August 2010

Tattie Scones (Potato Scones)

Ingredients:-

2 teacups hot mashed potatoes (well salted)

2 tablespoons self-raising flour

Instructions:-

Mash the potatoes will adding a little margarine or butter if liked. Put on baking board and work in as much flour as the potatoes will take up to form a dough. Roll out very thinly, cut into rounds or farls, prick and bake on a hot gridle for 2-3 minutes on each side then place in a kitchen towel till required.

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Thursday 19 August 2010

Times up

It would seem that time is up for my Casio Pro Trek watch. A couple of
weeks ago I noticed the time was out by over an hour. I set the watch
to the correct time. That's when things went arse over tit.

It set to the correct time then it blinked out at me, back on it came
but the display read 'closed' but the battery was showing a full
charge. Weird. Nothing doing, tried pressing all the buttons, tried
pressing all the buttons together. Again nothing.

Fair enough. I left it on the windowsill facing the sun for a few days
just to be sure. It's solar powered. No luck. Now it's showing nothing
as you can see by the photograph. The display is dead.

I've searched the tinterwebs and greased pipes but to no avail. I'm
hoping someone will read this and be able to help. I know the watch is
10 years old but I'm hoping it can be saved it's been a great watch.

Any questions or if you can help leave a comment. Don't be shy.

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@bennycrime no worky!

Tuesday 17 August 2010

Days Out - Whitelee Wind Farm

Whitelee Windfarm

Spent the afternoon up at the Whitelee Windfarm with my 8 month old daughter, she was in her buggy, I was on foot. I really do wish I had a better camera as the few photographs I took don't do the place justice. We had such a great day out and would thoroughly recommend it, especially if you like being in the outdoors, either walking, cycling or even running. There's over 90km of well marked hard packed gravel trails that I had no problem pushing our super duper all terrain buggy over. I would recommend that if you are pushing one that it does have suspension and inflatable tires, if only for the comfort of your son or daughter.

We took a short option of about 6km as time was a bit short and there was a feeding to be had for my daughter, she is a growing baby after all and these things can take time in the outdoors. Too much going on. However the walk was a good one plenty of wildlife and views to be had. We had a couple of wagtails fly past, well I think it was, I'm no ornithologist. We also saw a Kestrel hovering among other things. All in all a great walk in the fresh air. Great access to the high moors & mosses that you just don't normally get.

Whitelee Windfarm

The photographs taken with my iPhone make it look like a very dull and overcast day but it really wasn't that bad, yes it was pretty bright and the clouds were well above 3000ft, so much so that the vast majority of Ayrshire was laid bare to the south and offered great views all the way to the Ailsa Craig and the Kintyre Pennisula as well as Arran. I would wager on a really fine and clear day you may even be able to see the Merrick away down in the Galloway Forrest.

Top of Turbine No. 40, Whitelee Windfarm

It's a bit disconcerting the first time you stand next one of the big turbines. They are massive and strangely quiet for the size and speed that they are spinning at. I can imagine that they could give some people the fear. Yep they are that big.

There's excellent car parking and a brilliant visitor centre with toilets and showers should you need one. They also have a cafe should you want a feed as well as an excellent exhibition space explaining everything that goes on there and the wildlife you can expect to see. For the less active you can take a bus round, that stops at some of the great view points. If you get a chance and it's a dry day, give it a go you maybe surprised. Oh and it's free, no charge.

If there's any questions then leave me comment and I'll try my best to answer it.

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Friday 13 August 2010

Wednesday 11 August 2010

Beer o'clock

How I rolled earlier. Beer & a pie. Not much better when the clock strikes beer o'clock.

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Sent from my iPhone

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Almost a book cover

Messing around with a new iPhone photography app, well new to me. It's
called PictureShow.

It's a bit like hipstamatic but seems to have a bit more in it's
locker, like adding text to a photo. Some of the effects are real nice
too.

Felt like the one below was almost like a book cover for some sort of
thriller. You know, secrets of the bible revealed or the Mason's plan
to rule the world.

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