Next time you're over, I'd be happy to host a (modest!) Substackers of the Black Isle Gathering (SotBIG). (You being an honorary member, obviously.) Or maybe Substack Creatives of the Black Isle Gathering, making it SCotBIG?!
I remember driving through the glens as multiple tornadoes made their way”runs” and we, too, had to look down from the road to catch sight of them streaking past.
I remember seeing several waterspouts out in Scapa Flow, in Orkney, when I lived there as a child, that was quite impressive! The way wind flows through a space is always a fascination.
It certainly was a stupendously good place to grow up, all that history and prehistory, woven in with the nature and ocean and big skies—it cannot help but seep into the soul.
The all in Time week ten took me a bit over hour to read in darkness in my room in California but my sight is slowly dwindling as the night appear ling. Your thoughts, perusing notes with pictures warm fire glow remind me of being alone and yet you manage well with no cabin fever. Yes the loons Erie cry calls with notes from summers in Maine. You inspire me with the natural ways. Rocks warmth that hold heat and cook the bannock cake. Raisins you mention but what other ingredients? Are there cat tails in Scotland? Other plants with pollen flour? Did you ever try pouring water over hot rocks to make a sweat lodge i.e. steam-bath? I worked today being one with the soil. Weeding in a rose garden and planting daffodils for spring. Your side notes of preparation like shoes with space for extra layer of wool socks; gathering wood further away from camp leaving wood closer for emergency. The sound of cars a distance away but still to annoy. Silence is getting more difficult to find. No wonder people are losing their hearing. The RAF jet that passed after burners would fry me.
I have noticed a different tone in your writing. More poetic and insightful, encouraging. Caves and archaeological finds was delightful to see a branching out structure by another’s post. Yes, sub stack brings people together with creative closeness. Perhaps a poem that you wrote ? I now must get some sleep.
There are cat tails in Scotland, but not where I was that time. For flour, I mostly just used some I carried in, in those days I had yet to learn of my gluten intolerance, so it was wheat flour. I also usually carry baking powder, which helps--and have been known to add all sorts of different things, depending on what I have with me, or what I can find. The longer I was out there, the more I craved sweet things, however!
I'm slowly preparing our little garden here for next spring, I have a lot of good compost to spread this year, which I'm pleased about--most of our herbs, fruit, and vegetables are in containers.
When I left the woods, I found the noise in 'civilisation' incredibly difficult to cope with. We really do like to pollute our spaces with too much sound, everything loud and immediate, with little space for silence.
I'm glad you spotted the evolution of the tone in the writing--as I kept notes in my journal over those months, my tone there altered, becoming something quite different to that of when I first started living out there. I tried to replicate this in the pieces I've shared here, demonstrating how immersion in nature can do this to the individual, how it can make them more creative and simply approach life with new, open senses.
I will certainly share some poetry at some point, not sure when, but it is on the to-do list, a list which seems to keep growing--just to find the time!
Next time you're over, I'd be happy to host a (modest!) Substackers of the Black Isle Gathering (SotBIG). (You being an honorary member, obviously.) Or maybe Substack Creatives of the Black Isle Gathering, making it SCotBIG?!
YES! We should do that. I like the acronyms too!
Sounds like a great plan, Lydia!
Thanks for all the kind comments 🙂
All true comments! :)
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
I remember driving through the glens as multiple tornadoes made their way”runs” and we, too, had to look down from the road to catch sight of them streaking past.
I remember seeing several waterspouts out in Scapa Flow, in Orkney, when I lived there as a child, that was quite impressive! The way wind flows through a space is always a fascination.
One of our favorite places!
It certainly was a stupendously good place to grow up, all that history and prehistory, woven in with the nature and ocean and big skies—it cannot help but seep into the soul.
Really enjoying reading this series -- and that opening image is amazing -- the sky!
Many thanks! And that was one sunset which has stuck in my head ever since—all I had to do is point and click, it was stunning.
The all in Time week ten took me a bit over hour to read in darkness in my room in California but my sight is slowly dwindling as the night appear ling. Your thoughts, perusing notes with pictures warm fire glow remind me of being alone and yet you manage well with no cabin fever. Yes the loons Erie cry calls with notes from summers in Maine. You inspire me with the natural ways. Rocks warmth that hold heat and cook the bannock cake. Raisins you mention but what other ingredients? Are there cat tails in Scotland? Other plants with pollen flour? Did you ever try pouring water over hot rocks to make a sweat lodge i.e. steam-bath? I worked today being one with the soil. Weeding in a rose garden and planting daffodils for spring. Your side notes of preparation like shoes with space for extra layer of wool socks; gathering wood further away from camp leaving wood closer for emergency. The sound of cars a distance away but still to annoy. Silence is getting more difficult to find. No wonder people are losing their hearing. The RAF jet that passed after burners would fry me.
I have noticed a different tone in your writing. More poetic and insightful, encouraging. Caves and archaeological finds was delightful to see a branching out structure by another’s post. Yes, sub stack brings people together with creative closeness. Perhaps a poem that you wrote ? I now must get some sleep.
There are cat tails in Scotland, but not where I was that time. For flour, I mostly just used some I carried in, in those days I had yet to learn of my gluten intolerance, so it was wheat flour. I also usually carry baking powder, which helps--and have been known to add all sorts of different things, depending on what I have with me, or what I can find. The longer I was out there, the more I craved sweet things, however!
I'm slowly preparing our little garden here for next spring, I have a lot of good compost to spread this year, which I'm pleased about--most of our herbs, fruit, and vegetables are in containers.
When I left the woods, I found the noise in 'civilisation' incredibly difficult to cope with. We really do like to pollute our spaces with too much sound, everything loud and immediate, with little space for silence.
I'm glad you spotted the evolution of the tone in the writing--as I kept notes in my journal over those months, my tone there altered, becoming something quite different to that of when I first started living out there. I tried to replicate this in the pieces I've shared here, demonstrating how immersion in nature can do this to the individual, how it can make them more creative and simply approach life with new, open senses.
I will certainly share some poetry at some point, not sure when, but it is on the to-do list, a list which seems to keep growing--just to find the time!