Dawyck Artist's Date

When I was walking the dogs first thing this morning the sun was already shining and the day showed every sign of become a sparkling one. I was right, you could get drunk on the light later on. So it seemed a good idea to grab the moment and go on an Artist's Date (as per Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way). I definitely wanted to be outside and combined the Date with an Artist's walk in Dawyck Botanical Gardens. I left my coat in the car and although it was a bit nippy to start with, as soon as I had scaled the first hill I warmed up considerably and was pleased I didn't have to carry the coat around. Instead my camera was my only baggage. The colours were astounding.

There were the usual browns and oranges of course.

But also blazing red. And can you spot my self-portrait, standing on a bridge while taking the above picture. For once this wasn't accidental. I noticed myself and wanted to show the artist on her date!

There was also luminescent yellow!

Inside the Botanical Gardens is the private Dawyck Chapel in which services are still held occasionally according to the guidebook. And that also meant I could hear the siren song of the graveyard, never one I can resist.

The graveyard around Dawyck chapel is private and the gates are locked, but there is still plenty of see there. This table grave really caught my attention, specially as the theme of this week on the Blipfoto site is texture. So this will become my blip for today. In Sheila A Scott's book Peeblesshire Monumental Inscriptions pre-1855 these is only one entry for a table grave as this was (before it collapsed) and when she was looking at the graves (back in the early 70s) part of the inscription could still be read and it says: ".....(Isobel Stevenson) da......Dreva who.....Also A(lexander) Stevenson of (Smithfield) tenant in Dreva who died the 20th of July 176(3) aged (8)6 years."

I couldn't get close enough to see if anything is left of this inscription but I very much doubt it!.

All in all I had another wonderful Artist's Date with myself and again for very little money. I enjoyed a gorgeous Stilton and Broccoli soup and also bought a few cards, one of which says on the front: Each day a precious gift. Each moment an eternal joy. And that reflects my feelings today perfectly.