A beautiful day for some geology

For the past 2.5 weeks it's been snowing and a winter wonderland and by winter wonderland I mean huge snow flakes and hail alternating and falling from the sky.  The city council doesn't clear the roads unless they are the major roads, so side streets are left to turn to mush during the day and then re-freeze at night and become super slick.  The sidewalks on the other hand become so packed down that you usually have ice that is 2-3 inches thick.  But this morning we woke up to a beautiful day.  The sun was shining and it looked like the snow might just melt away.

We had our chief geoscientist over from the Houston office this week and so we felt we needed to show him a little geology Scottish style.  We headed down south along the coast to Dunnottar Castle. After exploring the castle ruins and grounds we decided it was time to have lunch along the harbor in Stonehaven at The Marine Hotel.  The food there is excellent and dogs are even welcome in the pub!  Kady very much enjoyed laying in front of the fire while the rest of us ate our yummy lunches and enjoyed a pint.

After lunch we headed north of Stonehaven to the Highland Boundary Fault.  Here's a little geology lesson for you.  The Highland Boundary Fault is a major fault zone that traverses Scotland from the Arran and Helensburgh islands on the west coast to Stonehaven on the east coast.  It separates the physiographic and geological terrains known as the Highlands from the Lowlands.  To the north and west lie the hard Pre-Cambrian and Cambrian metamorphic rocks of the Dalradian group and to the south and east the softer sedimentary rocks of the Devonian and Carboniferous periods, principally the Old Red Sandstone.  The Highland Boundary Fault was active during the Caledonian mountain-building episode.  This episode refers to the plate tectonic collision that took place from the Mid Ordovician to the Mid Devonian (520 to 400 million years ago).  The Highland Boundary Fault allowed the Midland Valley to descend as a major rift (graben) by as much as 4000 m (12,123 ft).  This earlier vertical movement was later replaced by horizontal shear, i.e. strike slip. (Source)

Dunnottar Castle

Kady smiling to be out in the field

Near vertical rocks

A beautiful day to walk along the beach

The Highland Boundary Fault

Pointing out the unconformity

Vertical rocks of the Old Red Sandstone

Kady and I sitting on the Highland Boundary Fault

Hogmanay 2012

Hogmanay is what Scottish people call New Year's Eve.  Since this is probably my last one in Scotland I wanted to check another item off my bucket list.  The Fireball Festival in Stonehaven.  Stonehaven is located about 30 min south of Aberdeen on the eastern coast of Scotland.  There was a group of 9 that were all here for new year's eve and we decided to head south.  

The origin of the fireball festival (from their website: http://www.stonehavenfireballs.co.uk/about).

"Processions with flaming torches and kindling of fires on certain days of the year can be traced back to the Middle Ages all over Europe and, indeed, their origin must be sought in ancient times, long before the spread of Christianity. Proof of the existence of such customs in Europe is furnished by the attempts made by Christian synods as far back as the 8th century to put down what were called heathenish rites."

Sounds like a great time, right?  Well it was!

Freezing our arses off!

Kristal dancing to stay warm

Flinging some flame

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Tap O'Noth

After eating one too many christmas cookies, the few of us with dogs left in Aberdeen after Christmas decided to get out and stretch our legs and let the dogs burn some energy.  We piled into two Land Rover Defenders and headed about 1.5 hours northwest of Aberdeen to Tap O'Noth.  The online review of the walk said it was a hill but when we pulled up to the little parking lot at the base Laine exclaimed that it was not a hill but a mountain.  Needless to say we climbed it anyway.  It was a bit windy when we reached the top but the views were well worth it.

Bailey photo bombing the picture, but she is sure a sweetie!

Every hill/mountain top in Scotland has some sort
 of stone plack to tell you where you are 

Kady and I bracing the wind

Ryan and Angus

Ninja stealth time

Home for the Holidays

I decided after five, read it, five home trips in 2011 I would only go home once in 2012.  This resulted in people coming to visit me and me being able to do some traveling myself.  So my one and only trip to the good ol' USA was for Thanksgiving to Seattle where my sister and her family live.  Once my mom and dad found out I was spending Thanksgiving in Seattle they too decided they were coming.

It ended up being a really great trip home with some much needed family time.  My sister and I were able to take a whole day just the two of us visiting and shopping (thanks again Brent for watching the kids!) before mom and dad arrived.  Once my mom and dad arrived, the three of us moved into the condo we had rented for the week thus not over crowding my sister and her family.

All in all we had a great week of laughing and visiting and eating and playing.  We all went to an indoor trampoline center where Aislin and Cadel (and the adults) had a blast jumping.  We went down to the Seattle Space Needle where the Chihuly glass exhibit is on permanent display.  And we celebrated Aislin's 5th birthday a few days early.

My dad 

My mom

Chihuly

Rachel and Aislin

Sting ray

Aislin taking pictures with her mom's phone

Cuddly Cadel

Space Needle

 

Cadel being goofy

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Birthday Celebration times 3

A few days after Halloween we had our birthday party.  Julia and I were born on the same day, same year and are 4 hours apart in age.  Andrea celebrates her birthday a few days later so we decided that we needed to have a birthday party.  When Julia and I were discussing ideas, we both agreed that with our birthday just a few days before Halloween, we were never able to have both birthday parties and Halloween parties.. so this year we were going to combine them.  Here is what resulted in this idea.

Carmen San Diego and the Mad Hatter (birthday twins)

Our American friends in their great costumes!

Getting ready for the line of 50 shots that were included in our party package

The three birthday girls with the 50 shots, no we didn't
drink them all ourselves, we shared them with our guests

Gerald attempting to not topple over the giant Jenga game

Three of my local Aberdeen friends, like I said before the Scotts really get into Halloween fancy dress

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