Winter Wonderland ?

Just a very small blog to show our wonderful, erratic, winter weather, these photographs were taken at 4.15 pm today after what had been a cold but bright day, this was the result of a brief but heavy hailstorm.
Captured these shots before any vehicles came along and spoiled the pristine whiteness.
Makes one want to wrap up warm and reach for the hot toddy.

Half a pleasant walk.

This wasteland was once a place of great fun and amusement, it had remote control boats, a small crazy golf course, a place to roller skate, and a nice little refreshment kiosk.
When I was a bus and coach driver( back in the mists of time ) we used to run trips to Morecambe and Blackpool and all the drivers would meet here.
Now the council has destroyed it .
The twisted remains of yesteryear.
Looks like the sea is trying to return all the sand that was spread on the beach last year.
More advice from Nanny?
A quick visit to the Lake District, complete with real water.
This is a photograph of the moon taken at 8.00 am this morning from our back door.
These photographs are of a high flying skein of geese taken as they passed over the Stone Jetty, a lovely visual and audio experience

The natural world with all it's beauty , I love it.

Views at the seaside.

The following photographs were taken on a very cold day, while waiting in vain for the train to arrive.
The Polo Tower, almost good enough to eat.
A splash of colour on a very dull day.
Reflections.
Luncheon on the sands.

Cold enough for ice to form at the edge of the sea.

Winter Extremes.

Just a few photographs to show how the weather, at this time of year, can change completely from one day to the next.
I liked the way that the gravel changed from grey to green as it got nearer the sea.
Almost a summer's day.
Taken through the side window of the car.
Planes passing overhead.
Wonderful flowers in the middle of winter.
This is where the yacht club meets, not in winter though.

High and dry, waiting for the tide.

Just a brief glimpse of winter at the seaside. Bye for now.

Samye Ling

There is a Buddhist monastery in Scotland called Samye Ling, a quiet, tranquil place where people of all beliefs are made welcome.
I first visited it in the 1980's. At that time all building and maintenance was done by volunteers who lived on the premises in tents, old caravans and even wooden sheds, very much a hippie community. I was interested in Buddhism at the time, as I was quite deeply into meditation and wanted to experience new idea's and explore different beliefs.
Amber began visiting the Centre with me and we became very friendly with one of the lay people who was in charge of the gardens and greenhouses, swapping plants and buying our vegetables ( organically grown ) from him. For my blog post I thought a little tour of the Centre would be of interest and maybe you would like to join me.



This is the Samye Liberation gate, it was built to promote world peace and also to bring peace of mind to people walking through it.





These four photographs are of part of the gardens, the residents at the Centre have constructed a wooden framed building where it is intended to dry the herbs that are grown in the garden.

An avenue of Prayer flags leading up to the Stupa, these are inscribed with prayers for Peace, Compassion, Strength and Wisdom. The colours of the flags represent the five natural elements and the wind carries the prayers in all directions. The Stupa is a symbol of the enlightened mind of Buddha and helps to transform negative energy's for self and the planet.

Views of the interior and exterior of the Temple, building work on this was finished in 1988.
The Naga house was built as an offering to the Naga's or Water Spirits, placing it at the junction of two rivers helps bring natural forces into balance.
A lovely crop of Calendula flowers.
The Clutie Tree is a Scottish and Tibetan custom, the idea is to tie a rag or cloth to a branch and make a wish, as the rag disintegrates the wish is carried to the winds.
Part view of a wonderful lake full of golden fish.
Guru Rimpoche, founder of Buddhism in Tibet sitting on a lotus flower, ( beauty rising from the mud.)
Naga Juna in the pond, he was the forefather of Madyamika school of philosophy which forms the basis of the Karma Kagyu view of emptiness. Hope this has been of interest.

Swifts.

This is my first blog post of the New Year and these are the photographs of the swifts (winders not birds ) that I made for Amber. They seem to make things so much easier for her and are very simple and quick in operation. At the moment I am getting to grips with the new computer and trying to fathom out the Vista system, at the moment it is one nil to Vista.

The photographs are in reverse order (round two to Vista ).

I hope the photographs have been of interest.
Here is a little rhyme I saw on a post-card the other day, poet unknown. Mary had a little lamb, she tied it to a pylon, 10,000 volts shot up it's bum, and turned it's wool to nylon.
Bye for now.

I,m back in time for New Year.

Hi, Since my computer passed away I have not had much opportunity to post any blogs, I had Christmas presents to make for the grandchildren plus upright and umbrella swifts for Amber, photographs to follow shortly. I am now the proud owner of a nice shiny laptop and will be posting again very soon. Regards to all and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year.