A View from Outside the Box

Where the verdant is absent, the sea provides.

(Southern Skye, at the foot of Sgur na Stri, Loch Coruisk.)

Sligachan, Isle of Skye

On the last day of a holiday, the most astonishing snow fall for long decades, my labour began here. Not just any labour, but the work of bringing a child into the world. Three ambulances, one air ambulance and a coast guard helicopter, plus a journey to the Outer Isles and over the north of Scotland eventually taking us to Alexandria (Scotland, not Egypt). It began here over a convivial meal with dear friends in the shadow of these great peaks. Skye - a place where things begin.

For photo credit, click here.

‘Storr Nan Bodach’ or ‘The Old Man of Storr’, a jagged pinnacle that is just a part of Skye’s rich geological heritage.

(Photo credit to Frank Heumann, click here for more.)

As an addendum to yesterday’s Skye posts, this is a bit of colour for those already in the grips of Autumn-Winter blues. Enjoy the colour on the Isle of Skye and dream of Spring…

(For photo source click here.)

A compelling reason to get out of bed in the morning…

(Isle of Skye, Scotland)

Light. Oh the difference a little light can make.

(Isle of Skye, Scotland)

Skye at night or the night Skye - what a show! Sgurr Na Stri at mightnight. Mountains lit by moonlight. Milky Way on the left, shooting star included. Aurora Borealis on the right. It doesn’t get better than this.

(For photo source click on the link and thanks to Cat for putting up this brilliant photo.)

scotianostra:

I have seen many great pictures of the Fairy Pools in the midst of the Isle of Skye’s Cuillins but am hard pushed to say if any are better than this one!! I know at least one of my followers will adore this, click the source link to see it in all it’s glory on black, links to his Facebook and website are below

Here is the photographer’s description:

“To make this photograph, I went back 3 times at Fairy Pools site in Skye Island. The second was in the early afternoon of July 16, when i’m rolled off a cliff near a waterfall and i violently slamming my hands on the rocks . These saved my head, but unfortunately I cut for several centimeter to the left palm as you can look in a video that I posted on facebook. Despite the deep cut, I expected only time the dressings made in a hurry b & b and I’m back where I was staying in place about 2 hours later. Fortunately the weather was still perfect, and we can finally see one of the most beautiful pools of the entire circuit with the sun. :-)”

http://www.sergiodelrosso.com/#!travels/vstc1=skye,-scotland

https://www.facebook.com/sdrartphotography

Skye island does indeed have the most wonderous fairie pools.

scotianostra:

The fun story of the day must be this one about a bunch of guys “kidnapping” their friend to take to Skye for a stag do and carry a table chairs and full meal, with alcohol, up a mountain, mad!!

http://imgur.com/a/hzIpg

Outside the dining room, out of the restaurant and best of all, this is THE VIEW FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX! Good on you guys!

“The next year the (home) ‘sickness’ hit with a vengeance and interestingly, it also corresponded with my whole family being physically ill, one and off.”…”I became a little bit ridiculous, hanging on to every shortbread tin with a west highland terrier or some tartan on it, clung to every Scottish word and tradition and fortunately, tartan trousers would have looked terrible on me or maybe I would have worn them too. In some deep way, I fought being here even though I’d chosen to do so.”

An excerpt from “Words To Sing Me Home,” to be found on “A View From Outside The Box,” url: adialogue. For anyone that’s every been homesick, take some comfort here.