One Last Bit from Artland

One last set of photos from Artland in Edinburgh - and probably my favorite installation - Weeping Girls. This one caught you almost by surprise, you walk down the path and suddenly you see the first girl.

It was hard not to get emotional walking through this section and discovering each girl.

The artist did an amazing job of making them each unique, not just in shape and position, but in their emotion.

I was awed by the skill of the artist and would love to see how the installation changes over the summer months as the vegetation around them grows - I have a feeling they will feel even more isolated and sad.

Twice while I was in Scotland a piece of art nearly brought me to tears, this was the first, the second was seeing Salvador Dali's painting: Christ of St John of the Cross at the Kelvingrove Museum.

In honor of art that moves you to tears, here's Brett Dennen's: It Could Make You Cry.

Pin It

More from Artland

Happy Monday. I'm enjoying a rare (for me) long weekend at home. It feels amazing to sleep in my own bed and not be worried about packing a bag for at least a week. I spent a good share of the day Saturday backing up photos after a lost luggage scare last week - nothing like the thought of losing a years worth of photos to make you get serious about back ups!

To fill out the rest of the weekend, my niece/nephew visited for a sleep over, we did the traditional BBQ thing and managed to finally see the Avengers (great movie.)

The photos here are a few more of the art installations at Artland Jupiter in Edinburgh, I think I could have spent days there, there was something interesting around every bend.

I'm off to make breakfast for Miss M and Tiny T - here's hoping they are okay with omelet's or don't mind having chocolate almond milk in their cereal, my pantry is not particularly kid friendly!

My soundtrack this weekend included a lot of Kings of Leon - for some reason their music says summer to me. Here's their Beach Side.

Pin It

Lyrical Musing: Running Up That Hill

Last Friday I posted one of the photos I took at Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh and Tezzie mentioned it made her think of "Running Up that Hill" by Kate Bush. I love that song and have now spent the last week listening to it - although truth be told, I actually prefer the cover version by Placebo.

Every time I listen I found myself wondering what it would be like to change places for just a bit with someone we love. How would it change the way to interact and treat each other? I suspect it would make us kinder and more patient and might even change the way we see ourselves.

While I know I can't actually switch places, my goal for the next week is to at least try and see something from some else's perspective and see how it changes my actions and reactions.

These photos are some of the others I took at Arthur's Seat - a dormant volcano that provides the most amazing views of Edinburgh.

Do you like the Placebo or Kate Bush version best?

Pin It

Seuss Land?

As we started to drive into Artland, Joanna told me to get my camera ready, because the first installation would take my breath away. She was right!

I don't know how to describe it - but for a minute I felt like I'd entered a real life Dr. Seuss book. The mounds were perfection, and kids and adults were climbing over them and you could almost feel the joy.

The day was perfect - blue skies with fluffy white clouds that just added to the feeling that I was in the middle of the illustration for a beloved children's book.

We didn't get a chance to climb the hills - there was so much else to see that we ran out of time - which just makes me want to make another trip back there again very, very soon.

Have you ever felt like you walked into a place taken from a children's novel?

I'm loving this new one from Beach House: Myth.

Pin It

Coming Up Roses

The very best part of my trip to Scotland happened on Saturday, the one sunny day I experienced there, when I took the train to Edinburgh to meet up with the very lovely Joanna (aka RMontalban) and her family. They were the perfect hosts - gracious, fun and willing to show me the very best of their hometown.

We had an incredible day - and I took a ton of pictures that are going to slowly make their way here, but today I'm sharing the photos I took of an art installation at Jupiter Artland. The installation is made up of thousands of roses that were installed in the floor and will be left there throughout the season to go through their life cycle.

Joanna shared her photos of the roses last week and I loved being able to compare our photos. We stood next to each other and took photos of the same things at the same time - and yet came up with very different photos. It was fun for me to see our own styles come out.

I can't thank Joanna and her family enough for a truly magical day. I hope someday I'm able to return the favor!

While the roses were still alive when I saw them, I couldn't help but think in a week or so, they would be a perfect fit for this great Miranda Lambert song: Dead Flowers.


Pin It

Lyrical Musing: Go Easy

On Friday's I share a song that caught my attention. A lyric or line that made me stop and think, inspired me, or caused me to see something in a new way. I hope you'll play along and share songs that inspire you.

This photo brought to mind the first few lines of one of my favorite Ryan Adams song: Go Easy - which just happens to have a great message for all of: go easy on yourself!

I watch the evening roll

And I watch the sun grow tired

Collapsing into the meadow lands

What plans do you have for taking it easy this weekend? I have a feeling you all could use the break. Believe it or not, I'm traveling again this weekend - but this time it is purely pleasure. I'm off to a resort on the beach in Antalya. I plan to sit on the beach with a book and maybe if I'm feeling energetic I'll make my way to the hamam for a massage.

Pin It

Evening Stroll

I may have gotten a bit lucky in Glasgow last week. It seemed as if it rained most of the day, but 3 out of the 4 evenings after work it was clear enough I was able to stroll around the city center and people watch - one of my very favorite things to do.

In fact, I got so involved in the people watching and just enjoying the long days and having a new place to explore, that I nearly forgot to take photos. Which, in all honesty was somewhat nice. I think I felt more connected without the camera up to my eye.

I enjoyed exploring some of the shops and restaurants, Jamie Oliver's restaurant was my favorite on this trip (it's called Jamie's Kitchen.) If only the food coming out of my kitchen were half that good!

The one surprise, for me at least, was that most of the shops closed around 6 PM. Which, looking back may have been a good thing. I didn't make a single purchase the entire week. Which may just be a first when visiting a new city.

When was the last time you visited a new city and didn't buy a thing?

This David Nail song has been in my head all week - it could have to do with all the rain in Glasgow: Let it Rain.


Pin It

Modern Art

My week in Scotland literally flew by. There was rain, lots of work, long walks each evening and the chance to meet up with friends. It was just enough of a taste to help me know I want to go back again when I have more time to explore.

I got back to Istanbul a little after 1 this morning, so I haven't had a chance to even look at my photos, but I can't help but share this one. At dinner one evening my coworkers started joking about "cone head," I was clueless so I asked them to explain. Turns out some time ago someone put an orange cone on a Wellington statue that sits in front of Glasgow's modern art museum. The officials took it down. Someone put it back up. Officials took it down. Someone put it back up. This went on for a while, and finally, they just left it up.

I, of couse, went looking for it the next day. I couldn't look at it without grinning. That splash of orange and its jaunty angle adds so much life and personality.

I hope you had a great weekend - and that this week gets off to a great start.

Here's a little Joe Pug with Hymn 76 to start your week off right. Pin It

Lyrical Musing: For Sale

On Friday's I share a song that caught my attention. A line or lyric that made me stop and think, inspired me, or caused me to see something in a new way. I hope you'll play along and share songs that inspired you.

I've been a Kasey Chambers fan for years, not only does she have a beautiful voice, she is an amazing song writer. Her lyrics have a way of sneaking up on me and waking me up to an emotion or desire in my own life. Her song, For Sale, from her Wayward Angel album came up on shuffle recently and reached out and grabbed me. I played it over and over and found myself applying the lyrics and emotion to my own life.

Wouldn't you think that 

I'd have it all figured out by now

That I'd know exactly what I'm doing

Wouldn't you think that I'd have a key

To open every melody and sing

This is one of those rare times, when YouTube let me down - I can't find a version of this song online, so you'll have to track it down on your own - it is worth it.

Is there a song that is playing around in your head this week? Making you think a bit harder than you planned?

Pin It

Caught My Eye

I'm in Glasgow this week - but since work is keeping me busy, I thought I'd share a few photos I took on a walk through my neighborhood in Istanbul of a few things that caught my eye. First up, one of the neighborhood mosques.

One of the old houses with a garden my neighborhood was named for (there aren't many of these left!) Number 13 has seen better days, but you can tell it was a beauty once upon a time.

A very colorful fruit and veg shop, there are a ton of these, each more colorful than the one before.

How is your week going? I'm looking forward to a day off on Saturday to do a little exploring in Glasgow.

Here's a track from another of my favorite Scottish artists: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, Come on Over (Turn Me On) Pin It

Here, There and Everywhere

This photo is a fail - an attempt at capturing the light coming in through a tunnel as a passenger in a car. The photo may be a fail - but it isn't a bad representation of how the last week has left me feeling.

Two Friday's ago I flew from Salt Lake to Tucson for a friend's birthday - and had an amazing time! Sunday I flew back to Salt Lake. Monday and Tuesday I flew from Salt Lake to Dallas and from Dallas to London and from London to Geneva. In Geneva I caught a train to Lausanne. On Wednesday, I got back on the train to Geneva and flew from Geneva to Istanbul.

I finally found the luggage I'd left here in Istanbul and got unpacked Thursday night. And then I spent the weekend exploring the city - and repacking. This morning (at the insane time of 5:50 AM) I'm getting on a plane to go from Istanbul to Amsterdam and then from Amsterdam to Glasgow. For anyone keeping track, that is well over 10,000 miles.

While, I'm very tired of airplanes and airports (and especially of packing.) I do see the light at the end of this travel tunnel - I get to spend a week in Glasgow. A new city and new country for me to explore (before I head back to Istanbul.)

Have you been here before? Any recommendations on what I should see or do? I have the entire day Saturday and most of Sunday before I leave to explore and if I'm lucky a bit of time an evening or two.

Here's a little Amy MacDonald, one of my favorite Scottish artists: This is the Life.

Pin It