We are currently on a wee break in Kenmore, in the heart of the Perthshire Highlands.
And I’ve fulfilled three things on my bucket list.
- Walked the Birks of Aberfeldy….stunning…not to be missed.
Bonnie lassie, will ye go,
Will ye go, will ye go,
Bonnie lassie, will ye go
To the birks of Aberfeldy!
Now Simmer blinks on flowery braes,
And o’er the crystal streamlets plays;
Come let us spend the lightsome days,
In the birks of Aberfeldy.
Bonie lassie, &c.
Rabbi Burns – The Birks of Aberfeldy
2) Visit the Watermill Bookshop – this was recently named in the top 75 bookshops in the world and deservedly so. We loved it so much we went back to the cafe twice.
It is beautifully designed, very couthy and the food is excellent. But….a couple of things….firstly this was the religious section – two shelves…
So often bookstores reflect the prejudices and ignorance of their owners. There are a good number of Christians in Aberfeldy who would doubtless buy good Christian books from their local bookstore. But not if they are served this kind of rubbish. What do we have to do to get good Christian books into the mainstream? It is a bigger market than cookery and sport!
Secondly there was a wee art gallery….have a look at these two paintings….contrast and compare…
Which one would you prefer? Which would you be willing to pay money for? The first is on sale for £5,200. The second for £1,600. Why? The former is by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham who is apparently a famous abstract artist…the latter by the lesser known Lindsay Turk. The only reason that the former is valued at so much more has nothing to do with the skill of the artist or the meaning of the picture. It’s just the name. The folly of the modern art world is shown in this wee Aberfeldy bookshop. Especially if you contrast it with the creativity of The Creator seen in the Birks! Art is meant to reflect the creativity of the Creator not the folly of his creation!
Mind you this is the most Hygge bookshop I have been in….!
3) Visit the oldest living thing on earth – At least that is what the boast is – although almost certainly untrue. This is arguably seen in Fortingal – the Fortingal Yew – which some claim is 5,000 years old. Still it was fascinating seeing it…and again in the midst of beautiful Highland Perthshire.
Finally I had been there before but we had to visit again…..if you don’t have your breath taken away by Queens View, then thats probably because you have stopped breathing!
I am continually reminded in my life that I have ten thousands reasons to be thankful to the Lord…the above reflects some of them – family, friends, good food, art, books, music, health and the fact that we live in the most beautiful country on earth! God gives us all things richly to enjoy!
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
I see they have three copies of “God Is Not A Christian” by Desmond Tutu – Are they struggling to sell them? Maybe buy-one-get-one-free might help!
On the serious side, they are some lovely photos of the Birks.