It has been a week of hard work but fun. It was funny to move into a new place having NO idea what it looked like ahead of time. Yes, we had a floor plan, but it was difficult to get a feel for the place from it alone. Now that we have seen it, we LOVE it! Nice kitchen, very bright and airy, patio and balcony, and a garage! I haven’t seen our pet—the big black bear--yet, but will try to get a picture if I do—from a safe distance, of course.
We have gotten a lot done in the apartment but still have a lot to do. We have the first load of furniture in and most of the boxes unpacked. We now have interent and TV. We have a new dining room table and chairs and have bought, but not received yet, the living room set I have always wanted. And it was such a good deal! I actually pushed for the good deal with the seller—those good old Scott genes coming through, I suppose. Ray was happy as long as I got him a recliner thrown in. So it will all be delivered next week.
And I love being out and all of a sudden just noticing the gorgeous Smoky Mountains all around us. They surprise me every time and make me so happy. I love living in the mountains. I hear that they've had a LOT of snow up here the last two years, and no matter what the people say, I think I'm gonna love having snow! In Atlanta, it only happened like once every TEN years. And that includes snowflakes that didn't even stick! So to have a real snow--I will be thrilled! [Note to self--reread this in February and be sure I still feel the same way. : ) ]
And Margaret and Colin have done it again! I don’t know what magical powers they possess, but they seem to have some spell on both the mail systems in the UK and here in the US. No matter where we are, they manage to get cards and gifts to us delivered on exactly the day we arrive places! Their record for this is amazing. Even if it is in a hotel in Wales or a remote cabin on the Isle of Skye! And this time arranging somehow to be the first piece of mail we received here in Asheville when we arrived!!! It may even have beat us here!!! And such a cute New Home card it was. A very welcoming sight to see when we got here. Thanks, guys.
It has been an interesting week for weather, too. When we arrived in Atlanta, it was hot—93 degrees. Then we got up here to Asheville and it was in the 80s for 2 days. Now it has turned much cooler with the high of 58 yesterday. It feels like we are back in Scotland with really cool mornings and a breeze later in the day. The whole summer long in Scotland, it was too cool to wear my sandals. I get back to the States and get to wear them for 1 week and now it’s back to regular shoes. So this was the “Only-One-Week-of-Sandals Summer,” I suppose.
Those of you who actually read the blog—hi Margaret!--know that while I was in Melrose, we visited the area by family, the Scott Clan, came from. And on one of these visits to the Ettrick Valley and on our was to the Yarrow Valley, we saw a tall towerhouse in the distance. I spent hours trying to find out the name of the tower, to no avail. But now, I have it. Using the antique maps I consulted, I found that it is Kirkhope Tower. Yay!
Kirkhope Tower is a Scottish Pele tower located in the Ettrick Valley. It was presumably constructed by the early part of the 16th century in accordance with an act of theScottish Parliamenyt dated 1535 that required large landholders in the Borderlands to build Barmkins of Stone and Lime, sixty square feet in area and with walls of one Ell thickness and six Ells in height "for the resett and defense of him, his tennents, and his gudis in troublous tyme". Furthermore "with ane toure in the samen for himself gif he thinks it expedient. And that all ather landit men of smaller rent and reuenew (revenue) big (build) pelis and greit strenthis as they please for the saifing of thaimselfs, &c.; and that the said strenthis, barmkynis, and pelis be biggit and completit within twa yeris under pane."
Kirkhope was burnt and its stock removed in the early stages of the rough Wooing of Mary, Queen of Scots, by Henry VIII of England. Walter Scott of Harden was a notorious Border Reiver. The tower of Kirkhope was used as a residence of the eldest sons of the Scotts of Harden Castle, immediately to the west of Hawick. Young Wat Scott brought his bride and cousin Mary Scott of Dryhope, better known as the "Flower of Yarrow," back to Kirkhope prior to the death of his father William. Mary Scott was as renowned for her beauty as much as her mate was known for his belligerence. Wat Scott was later to be a supporter of Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell, and an unsuccessful warrant for his arrest was made in 1592 by James VI. Wat Scott, although the subject of many Border ballads, is perhaps best remembered by his wife's reaction to empty stores, presenting him with his spurs on a platter for dinner; a signal to ready his men for a raid.
Kirkhope came into the possession of Anne Scott, 1st Duchess of Buccleuch, widow of the Duke of Monmouth, in the early eighteenth century, and from mid-nineteenth century it was allowed to fall into a state of decay.
Kirkhope Tower was rescued from ruin in the later part of the twentieth century and by 1996 it was again in use as a private residence. It is now owned by Peter Clarke, a former Tory candidate and landowner. Clarke was spokesperson for “The Wild Beasts Trust,” a movement to reintroduce numerous wild species back into the United Kingdom. He was interviewed and gave a tour of Kirkhope Tower on the BBC TV programme "Castle in the Country."
That’s all for now. Will keep you updated on our progress with the place, whether we decide to look for houses now or wait until later, and on our big black bear.
Pictures of Kirkhope Tower.
