Summer in the garden.

Castle Urquhart on the banks of Loch Ness. For 500 years it was
an enormously important medieval fortress and as such open to
many raids and power struggles. From the 13th to the 17th centuries
it suffered many bloody attacks. At one time, after the invasion of
Scotland by Edward the First, it came into English hands. Another time
it was the base for Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. Most attacks though
were the work of the MacDonalds, Lords of the Isles. These were in the
15th and 16th centuries. Eventually the Grants, who owned it latterly, gave up
and abandoned it after an enormous explosion destroyed much of the main fortress.
Now it is owned by the National Trust for Scotland.

That wee black bit in the loch is not the Loch Ness Monster....but it is close to the
most recently reported sighting.

I've never seen the monster but way back in the early seventies when I was filming
'Pathfinder' for the BBC I spent a bit of time with the Loch Ness Investigation people
and saw some pretty convincing photographs taken under water.

Tour De France Sponsors Parade

The Sponsors Parade at the Tour De France is massive, colourful, loud
and highly amusing. These are a few of my favourite moments.

Bastille Day, Carcassonne

This was quite a firework display. Probably the best I've ever seen.
July 14th ...Carcassonne. People came from miles. Spectacular.

Very funny foam hand pointing toward Hampden where we saw
Japan play Spain. Would have been nice if it said 'Glasgow 2012'

Tour de France

The Tour de France passing through Chalabres last week.
Centre photo....that's Bradley Wiggins in the yellow jersey
and helmet in the middle.
Well done that man.

This is what I've been doing...drawing out in the hot countryside.
Not a pretty sight.

I'm back. Been in the South of France for a couple of weeks
drawing and exploring and enjoying the one thing that has
been missing here....sunshine. This is a detail of a garage
door in Siran.

Summer

Raindrops decorate the garden like pearls

The house at Candili

Candili

Did this sketch on a hot afternoon sitting on the back lawn of the
main house on Candili Estate in Greece.

Iris

Photo in Felix & Oscar on Great Western Road.

The Gypsy Chandelier in 'Felix & Oscar' on Great Western Road
in Glasgow. A good place for a cuppa and a chat.

Morning light yesterday

Evening light in the garden

Went to see Alan Cumming in Macbeth last night.
This is a near solo performance set in an asylum
with Cumming as the patient who performs the
entire play....or almost the entire play. As a piece
of theatre it is the single bravest performance I
have ever seen. AC is absolutely brilliant. There
are aspects of the production which leave a little
to be desired. The show could easily lose twenty
to twenty five minutes giving it more power. The
ending too missed a trick. It should have ended
about four minutes before it did.
When this show moves to New York (hopefully
with some cuts) Alan Cumming should receive
an award....I hope so.
The set is really great as well. Designed by
Merle Hensel.
Nearly thirty years ago I was in a tv soap called
Take The High Road and Alan joined the cast.
I think it was one of his first tv roles. I remember
a crowd of us sitting in the green room watching
a scene on the monitor and we all agreed that this
young guy wasn't just good but very good and that
he should go far. He has. Ain't that great.

Love these Himalayan poppies.

Riverman George Parsonage

Yesterday I visited George Parsonage in his riverside studio to see
this group of sculptures of musicians. Aren't they fabulous.
So imaginative.
George is known as the Riverman because of his life long work
with river safety. Just as his father Ben did before him, George runs
the Glasgow Humane Society which was started in the 18th century
to protect lives and rescue those who had fallen into the Clyde. All too
often this has meant retrieving the bodies of the less fortunate.
The Humane Society is a charity and much of what George makes
from his sculpture helps fund their work. The redevelopment of
Glasgow's riverside has meant that there are many more places that
need life belts and the clearing of the riverbank.

www.glasgowhumanesociety.com

I had a tricky day yesterday so today I need a
nice photo of the garden.