Brander Lodge Backyard Fun

We have loved the plush yard here. Two slides and one rolling digger toy had proven enough to entertain for hours.

Molly and the Ponies

Molly petted pony noses today and decided that one of them should be named "Friendly." Said pony also wanted Molly to rub his nose and Molly's hands subsequently turned black. But she didn't care. She had a new friend. 💖😍

Today, Friday August 10

By Jackson
August 10
Inverawe, Scotland

Today we went fishing and I helped catch a rainbow trout. The ones in the picture are now the ones I helped catch, they are the ones Molly helped catch. Mr Simon was dry fly fishing and it was cool to watch the fish come up to the surface, pop up and try to get the fly. First me, Dad and Molly went to one pond, then we went to another and then we went to another and everyone came.

There were some really feisty fish and I saw some jump out of the water and land. I also some some make a double splash.

We had a breakfast and I had two packs of Cocoa Pops! I had a huge brownie at lunch and ice cream at dinner. And I had a bunch of smoked salmon for lunch.

Hot Chocolate

By Molly
August 10
Inverawe

I got hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows and chocolate powder sprinkled on top and a piece of chocolate on the side that was in a circle. It was so good I drank it in like 15 sips.

Sheep Shearing on Tarabuckle Farm - Aug 9

One day a year. It's Bret the Shepherd's favorite day. And amazingly, we got to bear witness to it. For two quick hours this morning, almost 200 sheep got their annual hair cut by the professionals, the wool rolled up, packed up and hauled off. And my favorite part: the sheep who seemed to docile and bewildered during their "clipping" promptly scampered off the trailer once hey were released and romped out of the barn and around the corner with the others.

We were mesmerized. Jackson asked for multiple videos of different types (get this one, the last one, a time lapse, one for my class to see...) and when the last one was finished, Molly looked at me with tears in her eyes and begged to go potty- which she later explained she had to go almost the whole time but didn't want to miss any of it.

I was amused that the wool was clipped off in basically one piece then folded in thirds and rolled up like a rug.

Katie, the farm owner, was a delight to talk to and she encouraged us to go to the Cortachy flower show and spring festival the coming Sunday afternoon. She said she'd be there with her parents. I had a blast visiting with her and she happily scurried Molly and me inside to use the bathroom.

Such a thrill to get to see this whole operation take place. I felt like we were inside a PBS show. Everyone left amazed and amused for sure.

Dune and Molly Day

By Molly
Aug 8

Today we played golf with Dune at Saint Andrews. Then we went to another city and we had lunch together, we rode a ride together at a carnival across the street from where we ate lunch, and we had ice cream and we also went to a gift shop together. We had fish and chips for lunch at a place where they were famous for their fish. We rode a really spin-ny, bumpy ride for about five minutes. But then it was time to say bye bye at the end of the day after ice cream. So we said goodbye.


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Robert the Bruce, King of Scots and very Great Granddaddy

A visit to the site of the Battle of Bannockburn, 700 years later.

I'm sure that Robert the Bruce would be amused to know that his Grand Granddaughter (21 generations later) from a country that didn't exist during his lifetime, was most thrilled with with the south end of his northbound horse on his monument.

Thanks for winning Scotland's Freedom, 'ol Grandpa Robby! ...And for the brilliant horse rump.

Airplane Museum

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Learning about the Battle of Bannockburn, and the Mock Battle game -Aug 6

Learning about the Battle of Bannockburn, and the Mock Battle game.
By Jackson
8-6-18

Today I went to Stirling Castle and The Bannockburn Monument. When we went inside they did this whole thing that was 3D that was about the Battle of Bannockburn. We watched some videos that were about the whole war also. And then before the last video we did a mock battle and we renamed it the Battle of the M9 (the modern day road outside the monument) because In the battle, someone in the English side moved their horses over to what is now the M9 Highway. Then the Scottish side started moving some of their side over to attack the Calvary because they were very vulnerable except not to small swords.

Then the Queen of England moved over to where they had been fighting to where the Calvary had first moved. All the troops had been been killed in the virtual simulation. and then even more Scottish troops moved in and since they were attacking the Queen, a bunch of English troops moved over there. I had one of my guys over there trying to protect the Calvary and another one shooting at the guys with really long spears and with that troop, I hit a trap, so I lost half of my troop.
Slowly, the Queens troop dissolved away and the Queen died then the Scottish won.

Right before the Queen died, I sent one of my troops over to the King of Scotland, (Robert the Bruce, my 21st grandfather) but I went through the trap again and I lost a bunch more troops. But I couldn't tell exactly because the Queen died while they were still advancing but I don't think they made it because there were a bunch of troops guarding the King. When it ended, a bunch of projectors turned on and the Scottish flag was around all the walls and the guy in there that was helping us said "look up, see the flag?" And everyone knew what had just happened. The Scottish had won!

Then at the end, each "x" stood for each soilder that had died and the most were at what is now Highway M9. So that's why it was named the Battle of M9.

We were going to camp but we didn't make it before the game ended. Though my troops might have survived because when your shield turned dark and got an "X" over it it meant that they died and mine didn't have an "X" over it. But they might have all disappeared when the Queen of England died. But I can't remember if my troops survived or not. They all stopped fighting at the end.

Ok. Good bye. I'll see you later!


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Stirling Castle - Aug 6

Stirling Castle

By Jackson
August 6

Today I went to Stirling Castle. I got a picture with a statue of Robert the Bruce. I got a wooden cannon that shoots paper pellets from the gift shop. On the way home, I put it together in the car.

The most interesting thing about the castle was that I saw a cannon and the cannon balls it would fire.

I think I liked Glamis Castle better. It was bigger and there were more rooms and there were more interesting things that had happened. Although Glamis Castle didn't have a whole war that happened around it.

Bye bye.


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Ride From the River

Funny little crew bundling up on the way home. Lilly liked Mom's "blanket" and Jackson took off his drenched jeans and sat on some rain jackets.

Certainly the mark of a good time.

Oh, and the little worm found on the river bank was set free on account of it being Sunday and there's no fishing in Scotland in Sundays.

Sneezing Sheep - aug 5

By Jackson

I saw a sheep that sneezed several times. For a second I was like, "is that his heart beating? That's kind of weird." Then Mom came over and I said "what is that sheep doing?!" And she said "it's sneezing!"

And that is he sneezing sheep story.

Scotland So Far - Aug 2

By Molly

In Scotland, we saw a bunch of cows. This morning we saw them herding cows into the stable and there was a mama bull and a baby bull. The mama bull knocked it's head into a hay roll. Then later in the day, we kept moo'ing and the cows moo'ed back to us.

And two days ago we went inside of a castle. It was cool. And Jackson got this set that was wood and he had to punch out a bunch of parts. He made it into a castle and then we played with the knights and horseys.

And we also went to Saint Andrews, where Golf was made. We didn't play at the good corse, but we are going to with Dune next week.

Love, Molly ❤️












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Traffic Jams: Not Just on MoPac

Here I present the traffic jams of
Ireland (cows)
and Scotland (pheasant and sheep)

And we squeal with delight at each one.

Blue Skies and Blue Eyes - August 3 PM

Exploring centuries old ruins at Dunnotter Castle today on the eastern Scotland shoreline.

Leaving Dunnotter Castle and Seaside - Aug 3

With a sleeping baby in front of me, bright blue skies over head and scenery that is so pristine and lovely, looks like you're walking into a Microsoft desktop wallpaper - it was safe to say we had a lovely visit to Dunnotter Castle ruins.

Three cheers for all the amazing weather we have lucked into!!

Friday, August 3

Bedtime Story - Aug 3

Molly read to Lilly from the one book we brought tonight for bedtime. She must have read it a dozen times and I think has all four pages memorized at this point. But between the gear and the snuggles, I was beside myself.

Quoted at Dunnotter Castle - Aug 3

"This is just the right size...  and with a view of the ocean, I bet they used this room to do ballet and dance in!"
-Molly