Scottish History Timeline: 2022

If you love Scotland, which I do, then it is essential to have a timeline of Scottish history. Everything from the Roman invasion of Scotland in 80AD to Alex Salmond becoming the First Minister of Scottish Parliament in 2007 (although I wouldn’t have preferred to just end at the opening of the Scottish Parliament building in 2004) and everything in between. Learn your history while wiping up is what I say. I’m guessing this has been around for more than fifteen years, otherwise the Referendum would be on it at least.

I bought this from one of those classic Scottish ‘tables’ you find in big touristy places, where there are piles and piles of different tea towels. This was at Gretna Green. I was the owner of most of them piled up there so was very excited to see this one, to be added to the Scottish Collection in the Virtual Tea Towel Museum.

Scotland: 2022

I bought this in Shandwick last year, well north of Inverness. Liz and I had been looking at some of the Pictish Stones and stopped in Shandwick for a cup of tea. In the gift shop I spotted this tea towel. I’d hoped for something linked to Shandwick or to the Pictish Stones. Failing that, this was a stunning second choice.

It was only today that I looked at the label and noticed that it was from the Sarah Leask Studio. Where had I heard that name recently? Ah yes, my friend in America had asked who designed the Gin tea towel I’ve blogged about. So there I am, on her website, what brilliant tea towels, all with a Scottish theme, many island ones, alongside whiskey, gin and various commissions. She is a very talented artist. There will be many tea towels to add to my Collection in the future when I return to Scotland this year. I’ll be on the look-out!

I love this one.

Dolly Mixtures: 2022

I bought this tea towel in Pitlochry just because I thought it was cute, oh so cute. I love the colours. It certainly will liven up the wiping up. It certainly wasn’t because I was short of a tea towel that day, having bought six. It comes from a Collection called ‘The Whimsical World of Thomas Joseph’. Never look at the website if you like this tea towel because it could cost you a fortune, there are so many cute tea towels, notebooks, coasters…… I will certainly be on the look-out for more in the future.

Nigg Old Trust: 2022

Memories from the holiday in Scotland 2022. In September/October 2022, Liz and I were staying in Alness, north of Inverness. I really hadn’t thought I’d been to Alness, but looking through my End to End Scrapbook from 1980, I realised I had stayed in a B&B in Alness for one night. Looking round, I had no memory of it; it must have changed. Alness is a fabulous small town.

One of the things we discovered in 2022 was the Pictish Trail. We followed some of the large stones in the landscape from the 7th and 8th centuries, beautifully carved. One was protected by clear weatherproof covering, preventing damage by graffiti. Another was a ten foot copy in the middle of a field. These are precious carvings. On our last day we tried to find the one at Nigg Church. The instructions weren’t clear. We found the church but there seemed to be nothing. It was a dreich day so took a look in the church. In the nave, at the far end, was a large stone held in a carefully balanced position, beautifully lit. You could walk round the stone. There were panels explaining the story of how it got there, including how it was found in pieces lying in the churchyard, the work that was done to restore it.

Liz and I spent a long time admiring the work, grateful that we had found this stone on our last day. As we walked back up the small aisle we saw a table with some items for sale, with an Honesty Box, including a tea towel. This was definitely not what I was expecting. The excitement was hard to contain, especially with the cost of it. £5. A bargain for such a beautiful one, the end of a great holiday.

We’ve definitely decided to go back to find more of the Pictish Stones, such history.

Snape Maltings: 2022

This tea towel, of Snape Maltings, was a Christmas present from Lyn and Rob. With the excitement of Christmas, and my plethora of tea towels received, I decided to post a picture of each of my fifteen Christmas presents a day at a time from Christmas Day onwards. I was shocked. The most responses I received were about Snape Maltings, about memories people have of going there with family, recently or long ago. Those comments are still coming in (because of Twitter’s peculiar timeline). Amazing, especially since I’m not sure I’ve ever been there. People have made it sound so lovely, so tempting, definitely somewhere on my ‘place to go’ list.

I apologise to any Reader for the lopsided photo, taken in a rush, in the freezing cold with no time to pose for it. It really isn’t distorted in true life, the garden is on a slope.

I love this very understated tea towel and am very keen to see the place that it depicts.

A Gift from Karen: 2022

21 October 2022

“Hello Barbara, my friend has been clearing her house before moving into assisted living. She gave me these tea towels. She got them in Australia. Would you like them for your Collection?“

Karen had sent me a photograph. And what do you think I said?

So here they are, waiting to be blogged about, with me doing a little bit of research. These two tea towels are made from pure linen, thick, hardy. Rodriquez: The Tea Towel People was founded in 1952 in Melbourne, Australia as a family-run business, now third generation owned and operated. All products are created from beginning to end in Australia, focussing on kitchen linen products.

24 October 2022

“Hi Karen, you certainly can’t complain about the post today. The two tea towels arrived today. That was speedy. Not only are they stunningly beautiful, very linen, very heavy, so original but they were sent by someone with my penchant for using old map books as wrapping paper!! I haven’t bought ‘real’ wrapping for years. Thank you so much for encouraging your friend to think of me and please thank her from me”

I am a very lucky person to benefit from the kindness of strangers, only known through Twitter. These are so beautiful.

Dornoch: 2022

Last October, Liz and I were staying in a cute cottage in Alness in Scotland. We took the opportunity to spend the day in Dornoch, a place neither of us had ever been to. The weather was beautifully sunny, if a tiny bit chilly. In the centre of the town is a functioning church founded in 1224 as a Roman Catholic Cathedral but is now Church of Scotland parish church, but retains the title of ‘cathedral’. It is magnificent, the sort of place that takes up hours of your time both inside and out.

Dornoch is also a town of small independent shops, the pharmacy stocked full of souvenirs including tea towels. The colours on these two catch the eye, very unusual, not often seen on a tea towel. I know one would have done but I couldn’t resist both, as a pair. As I write this, a sadness comes over me because I know that @almuckersie, a Twitter follower of mine who always commented on my Blogs and who has recently died, would have really loved these two. It’s a shame he never saw them.

Dornoch is definitely a place I’d return to, well worth a visit.

The Japanese Garden at Cowden: 2022

Today I learned from Twitter that @almuckersie had died. He was someone I had followed for many years. The idea that he would no longer be around is difficult to contemplate. There aren’t many on Twitter I feel like that about, most just come and go. @almuckersie was special. I loved his sense of humour, dry, kind, not hurtful. I loved the various ‘relationships’ he had with Michael Gallagher, Irene, Postcards from the Past and many others. I looked forward to his update on the local cygnets, his daughter’s ankle, his grandson’s new football boots, Hearts FC, Father Brown (which I hate). I watched him take the hand-me-downs of various items of clothing that the grandson didn’t like. I loved hearing the story of his beautiful wife and the photos posted on the important anniversaries, a wife he had clearly loved so much but wasn’t sloppy but beautifully respectful. I loved to hear about his daunders, while his daughter was at the physio. His stroke probably put the wind up his family but he took it in his stride, played it down for his Twitter audience. @almuckersie had firm political views which he didn’t thrust down other people’s throat but could justify if needed. I loved his love of Scotland. I regret not finding out exactly where the underpass is where the graffiti art is that he admired, but I will find it when I come to Scotland in April. A tribute to him.

When I decided to write this blog, I knew it had to be a Scottish tea towel. My friend Jenny bought this for me when she was in Edinburgh for her son’s wedding. She went to the Japanese Garden in Cowden and I recommended that I did. This year I will. Thank you Jenny. RIP @almuckersie.

Christmas Cats in Waiting: 2022

I know I’m not allowed to talk about my favourite tea towels, but for a Cat Owner this has to be one of the cutest Christmas Tea Towels. I just love it. And there are a couple of their jumpers that I wouldn’t mind too. This year was the first year that I treated myself to a real ‘tacky’ Christmas Jumper and found myself wearing it most of December and up to 6 January. I could do with a new one.

This tea towel arrived through the post in a plastic wallet, not an Amazon one, about a week before Christmas. I wasn’t expecting anything and it didn’t have that ‘plop’ on the floor that I recognise as a tea towel. I eagerly opened the package. No wrapping, no message, no card, no compliments slip, no indication of where it came from. Oh no, I was going to have to start texting people “Just a random question…you haven’t sent me a tea towel?” I needed to think carefully about who it might be. It had to be cousin Amanda or friend Fee. I’d start in that order.

I was right. Cousin Amanda because she is a Cat Lover; I only have one cat, she has seven! Why might it have been Fee? Because she often sends a tea towel and never wraps a present and rarely indicates who its from.

Amanda had texted back “Did not think it would get there pre-Christmas.” So thank you Amanda for this delightful tea towel courtesy of Ulster Weavers, a classic.

Linda’s American Tea Towels: Acquired 2022

Following on from Linda’s Australian tea towels, I present to you Linda’s American Tea Towels. Again I have no idea if she has been there. I have a number of American tea towels but none like these, made of unbleached linen. The coloured one has a style liked many Americans, with the same pattern either end so it can be hung over the handle of the oven door. It is beautiful, almost like a painting.

The Grand Canyon black sketches is much starker, more dramatic and even smaller. I like them as a pair, both have been used. They are a good addition to my Collection since I have never been to either place.

Thanks once more Linda.