ChaHarper

ChaHarper, 9 days ago to london

I’m in London this week. In Victoria Park in Hackney the greenery is reaching its peak. The verdant nature of these boldly planted and laid out parks is key to providing the ‘lungs of London’.

You can read more about the Park in the ALT below…

#green #london #park

ChaHarper, 15 days ago to random

In my experience the first week of May here on Skye means an explosion of green. We had 24 hours of rain, the river is high and the leaves seemed to grow in front of our eyes.

What joy there is in this annual renewal.

#GreenSpaces #isleofskye #Chlorophyl #joy

ChaHarper, 20 days ago to random

We live in Roskhill which in the Gaelic is Roisgil or Rosgill. It is thought to be a name from the old Norse:
'Ravine of the horses', from ‘hross’ - horse and ‘gil’ - a gully.
Most place names on Skye (in excess of 80% of them…) are from the time of the Vikings. These names were adopted into the Scots Gaelic.

This pic. is taken on the moor up the Rosgill River or Abhain Roisgil this afternoon.

You can read more about the Viking occupation in the ALT below…

#isleofskye #oldnorse #Roskhill

ChaHarper, 29 days ago to art

Wilhelmina Barns-Graham CBE (1912 – 2004) was one of the foremost Scottish abstract artists.

Through the course of her life her work generally lay on the divide between abstract and representational, typically drawing on inspirations from landscape. From as early as the age of eight she had been creating abstract shapes with coloured chalks.

This painting is a great example of her work. I particularly love the apparent simplicity of brush strokes and colours.

#art #abstract #ScottishArt

ChaHarper, 1 month ago to random

We have a series of prints of still life paintings by the Scottish Colourists in the guest house. They were purchased from the shop at Art UK.

https://shop.artuk.org.

This one with pink roses is by Leslie Hunter. We occasionally have the actual flowers featured in the works in the vases in the lobby and the snug.

#ScottishArt #artandlife #roses

The art in our guesthouse is Scottish either by artist or by subject matter.

ChaHarper, 1 month ago to Scotland

April weather remains changeable…what am I saying? It’s like that all year round.
Living with four seasons in one day is the norm here in Scotland. In fact the old idea that the seasons were four distinct phases in the year has become a rather quaint way of looking at the passing of time. Although the flora and fauna know are familiar with the changes and adapt well, I struggle with finding the right kind of raincoat.

#scotland #seasons #lochness

ChaHarper, 1 month ago to random

April continues to provide a range and variety of weather and moods. This spot in the woods is a haven. I actually sat on a log there for a few minutes while the dog snuffled and was busy. The year continues to unfold and the place reveals all of its many faces.

#isleofskye #april #showers #sunshine

ChaHarper, 1 month ago to random

We opened for business today. As if to mark the occasion the weather changed. I had the sun on my face for a full 45 minutes this afternoon. The vernal equinox has passed and the most telling sign is a full car park at Dunvegan Castle. Visitors bring us connections to the world. All summer we’ll meet people who have chosen to holiday here. Last year we had more than 800 guests from 38 different countries. I can’t wait.

#isleofskye #holidays #vacations

ChaHarper, 2 months ago to random

A photograph taken from the passenger seat of the car on the way home from Inverness the other day. The view is looking up the east coast of Skye along the Trotternish Ridge. I pass it on because it illustrates the beauty of the place… even in a snapshot

#isleofskye #trotternishpeninsular #march

ChaHarper, 2 months ago to Artist

The artist Isaac Levitan born a poor Jew in Lithuania (1860 - 1900), ventured into different genres, but his talent was only fully revealed in his depiction of nature. Like no-one else, he conveyed the mood of melancholy in landscape.

Levitan gained recognition only at the end of his short life - at 37, he became an academician of landscape painting and, at 39, died in Moscow from a heart aneurysm. A sad tale. One of the artists I most admire.

#artist #landscape #melancholy #19thcentury

ChaHarper, 2 months ago to random

“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”

Philip Pullman

It’s World Book Day and I am reminded of the need for a good read. This photograph was thrown up by my ‘phone this morning. I can remember the day and the time. It could be the start of a good story…

#memory #stories #worldbookday

ChaHarper, 2 months ago to random

Thanks to the British Hen Welfare Trust we have 6 rescue hens.

They have settled in nicely and are at home here. They eat well and they all laying. They all had pale pink combs and now the colour has returned. Their feathers have improved. They eat a lot. They are putting on weight. They have an outing every afternoon from their pen which is about a third of the garden. They come back home when called. They put themselves to bed at dusk. They are given a healthy diet. We love them.

#chickens

ChaHarper, 2 months ago to poetry

Here, as promised, is a translation of the poem in my last post. There are words that have no direct translation and the meaning can be different according to context and inflection. Read the ALT.

If you want to read more about individual words and the meaning and usage I would urge you to try: https://dsl.ac.uk

You can read the original poem here:
https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/rain-0/

#Doric #poetry #scotslanguage

ChaHarper, 2 months ago to poetry

Since moving back to Scotland I have become more aware of my native tongue. The Doric is the dialect of the North East of Scotland. It was spoken by my grandparents and we were taught poems in it at school.

The poem in the ALT is one such. It is comforting and grounding for me to be able to read it and understand it. Have a go yourselves. I’ll publish a ‘translation’ in my next post.

#Doric #poetry #weather

ChaHarper, 3 months ago to Lichen

“Rainforests in the UK are part of the Coastal Temperate Rainforest biome. This habitat is globally rare and some say is more threatened than tropical rainforest. Ideal conditions for temperate rainforest are found along the UK's western seaboard, including the west coast of Scotland.”

The richness of lichens in these parts of the UK is partly because the western extremities of the country have been least affected by air pollution.

#Dunveganwoods #isleofskye #summertime #green #lichen

ChaHarper, 3 months ago to random

Standing stones

We were built as a compass to the
Stars and the sun
The moon held us
As the earth turned.
We were raised in wildwood
Times, when fires burned
In hearts above.
Standing still, prayers still
Drip from us,
We hold your knowledge
In the turning of the sun.

A poem by Rachel Burch.

For the true story read the ALT text…

#iskeofskye #dunvegan #standingstone

ChaHarper, 3 months ago to rust

I remember a tutor on my Foundation Course at Carlisle who was truly inspirational. Her name was Jean Gordon. She taught us to find beauty in all things. I was 18 and my school also taught me but in a conventional way. Jean opened my eyes.

Scarcely a day goes by without I think of her. I just have to see something visually exciting. It can be anything. Here’s a rusting piece of metal. Not a bad attitude to have. I’m grateful.

#beauty #abandoned #rust #AttitudeofGratitude

ChaHarper, 3 months ago to random

“The term haar is used along certain lands bordering the North Sea primarily eastern Scotland and the north-east of England. Variants of the term in Scots and northern English include har, hare, harl, harr and hoar. Its origin is related to Middle Dutch haren, referring to a cold, sharp wind.”

Another favourite word: In Eastern England they call it fret and In Yorkshire and Northumberland it is commonly referred to as a sea roke.

Less poetically it is coastal fog.

#coastal #fog #sealoch

ChaHarper, 3 months ago to Weather

‘Dreich’ is a word that I love. You could describe yesterday that way. We had rain and mist for much of the day.

“A word that is commonly used to describe the Scottish weather has been named the "most iconic" Scots word. "Dreich" - meaning dull or gloomy - topped a poll to mark Book Week Scotland, led by the Scottish Book Trust.”

It has its own beauty and I’m secure in the knowledge that it doesn’t last long here what with the influence of the sea and the mountains…

#weather #dreich #Skye

ChaHarper, 3 months ago to Weather

The weather is always changeable hereabouts. Hailstones and rain earlier but blue sky and sunshine for our walk.

#isleofskye #february #weather #seascape

ChaHarper, 3 months ago to art

Anselm Kiefer (born 8 March 1945) is a German painter and sculptor. His works incorporate materials such as straw, ash, clay, lead an shellac. Kiefer develops themes of German history and the horrors of the Holocaust…

Kiefer's use of straw in his work represents energy. He claims this is due to straw's physical qualities, including the colour gold and its release of energy and heat when burned. The resulting ash makes way for new creation and rebirth.

#art #largescale #power #yellow #gold

ChaHarper, 3 months ago to random

#Dunvegan woods are full of colour and pattern in the #winter. They are also very atmospheric and an absolute pleasure to walk through. I rarely meet another soul there; even in the high tourist season. I have taken #photographs there at every time of year. I have no particular favourite. It’s the quality of the light and the place that makes it special anytime.

ChaHarper, 3 months ago to Happy

“Give me the clear blue sky over my head, and the green turf beneath my feet, a winding road before me, and a three hours’ march to dinner” - 19th Century essayist William Hazlitt

I wasn’t on a march and I was only out for two and a bit hours. The sky wasn’t clear but it was blue. I did, however, have a most excellent walk this afternoon and a now looking forward to a hearty dinner.

#happy #SkyeSky #winter #sunshine #scotland

ChaHarper, 4 months ago to Scotland

We have had some very changeable weather recently. A good covering of snow gave us a winter wonderland for a few days. This was followed by high winds and torrential rain. Then some misty days with a damp feel and a dreich outlook. The sun breaks through from time to time and so does the moon. The weather on Skye is never dull. In fact it’s a source of joy and I try to commit all of its splendour to memory. The camera helps.

#moon #nightsky #coastal #isleofskye #scotland #poetry #Neruda