Snow in Scotland

Snow has been bringing the south east of England to a halt over the last few days and more recently has been causing quite a bit of trouble in Scotland too. Tonight Glasgow Central station was closed due to the weather. A ‘first’ as far as I am aware.

We are  now winding down for the Christmas period and going to try to resist turning on the computers each morning – not easy! To anyone reading this I hope that you have a lovely time with your family and friends over the festive season.

We have had Christmas messages from many of our past guests and it is truly lovely to hear from these friends again. Today someone asked whether we remembered them as it was several years since they came to Scotland, but you can depend on the fact that we really do remember everyone! – and it is always a treat to hear from folk again. Thank you.

Evening sky over the hills

Annandale hills tonight

 I took this this evening, the light was so striking though I think that I just missed the most brilliant shades.  It is due to snow in the south of England and maybe here this weekend but a summer guest from Canada said in an email today that they have had temperatures so low that they are breaking records.

Christmas Greetings

I have spent ages today getting the wording right for a Christmas mailing to people on our mailing list. I think I am becoming a bit obsessed with words! Please let me know and I will sign you up if you would like to hear more from us!

Enquiries for vacations in 2010

2010 sounds such a cumbersome year but this morning I heard the decade to come referred to as the ‘tens’ which sounds stranger still.
We are getting quite a lot of enquiries for next year and have had a run of ‘Mac’s :- MacDougall, MacLean, McRobb and MacDonald. Guests are often as interested in where their Clan name comes from as the homes where their ancestors lived. It is particular fun when the ancestors lived in their Clanlands before they left Scotland.

Saint Andrews Day

Today marks the patron Saint of Scotland – Saint Andrew.

On a more mundane note it marks a profound change in our weather in the south of Scotland! From the prolonged rain we have been coping with this morning we have a clear bright morning with snow on the hills. It is trully beautiful – that is beautiful but cold of course!

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you are thinking about a special treat for yourself, or someone else, how about a Scottish Ancestral Trail for 2010? Just send me a note and I will do the rest.

Canada – Place names

There are 1000, yes 1000, places in Canada which are named after places in Scotland. – Now that is impressive.

Tidying up databases

Off season work! But actually I am enjoying going through each of our ‘Trails’ remembering the research involved and the lovely people I met at airports and throughout their stay. And the reward you get from bringing together a visitor with their familys past is suprisingly pleasureable.

The enquiries we have for next year vary from someone for whom this is their third visit but they want their partner to ‘fall in love’ with Scotland too; to a gentleman finding out about his ancestors who lived in the 1800s in the countryside by Edinburgh an area which is now incorporated in the city. Varied work and fun!

Scotlands Places

I have just heard about a new website which will help ancestor hunters and researchers. So often you will have the name of a farm or hamlet, which is possibly now extinct and it seems impossible to uncover any records or pictures. Your search is now over!  This is a facinating site which newcomers to Scotlands geography and history will find totally absorbing. It is an amalgamation of the knowledge base of Scotlands Archives and the Royal Commission of Ancient Monuments and contains photographic and written records all available for easy searching on line. Have fun!   http://www.ScotlandsPlaces.gov.uk

A quiet Autumn

We are quiet in the office at the moment as people ponder on their holidays for next year. I will take a little break from keeping up my blog unless something really exciting turns up. All for now!