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One of the things we’ve enjoyed wandering through Scotland is its random statuary. This statue is of Sheriff Lobby Dosser, his horse Elfie, and the bandit Bud Neil, apparently the denizens of some ancient cartoon strip. Notice how Lobby and Elfie seem to have the same squint? This must be something about people and their pets looking alike after a number of years.
Most of the statues are just … ordinary heroic poses. You know, people on horses trying to look all noble — despite the fact that there are traffic cones or pooping birds on their heads. But then there are these, or the Dragon, the Penguins, or Desperate Dan in Dundee. Here in Glasgow there’s also Citizen Firefighter and plenty of others (which D. has just not stopped to photograph yet – give him time, folks, give him time).
The weather has stopped being so miserably cold and has just gone back to generally miserable – it’s actually up to 48°F / 9°C right this very minute (8:30 p.m.)! The snow has finally melted, and all that remains are a few dirty icicles. We can tell that Spring will eventually arrive, because it’s getting lighter and lighter during the days. (If you look closely, you can see that the sun has made it above the buildings, even – and the picture is facing just about due South) Spring still feels a long way off, though. One thing long dark days does is slow down the brain, and make a person feel sluggish and stupid and out of touch with their vocabulary. Despite all of our best efforts, the work has been slooow, and we’ve still been holing up and not really getting out like we promised ourselves.
We’ve said that we’re going to take a trip somewhere, and soon. T. has a “research” trip to Italy planned, as an idea for more historical fiction is percolating, but we’re poking around for something more local we should see. Getting on a train and riding for an hour or three is probably the first step. If nothing else, we’ll at least find new landscape to appreciate.
– D & T
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it is hard to get out and about when the weather is dreadful. Soon it WILL be spring and we can all rejoice when poking our heads out of our little hobbit holes.
The baddie on the horse is Rank Badjin and the cartoonist was Bud Neil who depicted a lot of Glaswegian characters including the Native American Indian Highlander – Pawnee Mary of Argyll.The statue was put up after a long campaign by the Glasgow Herald’s Diarist Tom Sheilds.
It is firmly fixed in folklore that the statue in Queen street must have at least one traffic cone on the head of either Wellington or the horse but preferably both.
Daylight at half past five in the evening – it’s great isn’t it?
Interesting, the statues.
Glad the weather’s better.
Ohh! A trip to Italy? Cool!
Paz 😉
It is tough to get out when it just seems right to hole up and keep warm and dry.
I say go for it! Hopefully you’ll feel rejuvenated and excited to see the countryside!
9C…not bad! We’re still at 7C – warmest part of the day. Feeling cooler with some light wind. Can’t complain, though.
: )
OOOOOhhhh. The nice warm days are coming. I agree, it is so hard to get out when the temps are low and the wind just makes it colder and all you want is a warm blanket.
I hope you can get out and to Italy and see some sights.
Oh, I vote for Italy!!! Love the statuary….ours are all stern historical ones. Except for the sprawled Reader.
I say stay in and watch Juno. It was entertaining. But I’m a cheap and easy date.
I love that Sheriff Lobby Dosser statue – I pass him every day on my way to work.