Dealbhan bho Alba, Samhradh 2010

Caisteal Eilean Donan

Taigh aig Aird a' Bhasair, an t-Eilean Sgitheanach

Baigh aig Hearadh

Cnocan agus cheò air Leòdhais

More photographs from Scotland, Highlands and Islands. An Gaidhealtachd. I took over 2600 pictures on that turas..still haven't done much with them. None of these have been enhanced or adjusted in any way. I love my camera, and my new lens will probably be here next week!

People who are fluent in Gaidhlig, please forgive any misspellings or gramar dona.

Tha beagan Gaidhlig agam.

Calanais, Leodhais, Eileanan Siar, Alba

Beanntainn, an t-Eilean Sgitheanach, Alba

Cuilthionn, an t-Eilean Sgitheanach, Alba

Feur le uisge, Hearadh, Eileanan Siar, Alba

Solus air an traigh, an t-Eilean Sgitheanach, Alba

Okay, so here's the plan: Study, study, study, study. Finish the three-year Slighe nan Gaidheal program, go to the Feis in 2012, take Skype class, study, study, study, go to Nova Scotia, or.....Scotland, study at Sabhal Mor Ostaig, Skye, become fluent, sing songs, read, speak. Learn. Tha mi ag ionnsachadh Gaidhlig. Tha mi ag iarraidh seo.

...and because you did...

Cute kid, Logan Pass

Somewhere between Big Timber and the Beartooth

Boulder River

Giant Springs, Great Falls

The end of another long day... it's nice to see these again and bring to mind being there, and going once again, because I missed last summer.

Since you didn't ask for it...

Falls on Going-to-the-Sun Highway, summer 2009

Lake McDonald, Summer 2009

Big Sky above me...

And that's it today. I'm beat and have a cold. Just some pictures to get a cetain sister of mine drooling...there's no place like home, Melis, no place like home.

Central Montana, Summer 2007

Bowman Lake, Summer 2009

Montana in Summer

This was Jeremiah with long hair shooting from the head of Lake McDonald in the summer of 2007. We took him on a road-trip for his thirtieth birthday. Last year he was in Zimbawbe for the occasion, and this year it was Scotland. He is thirty-three. Amazing that I have a kid that old, but then I'm old.

Crystal travels to London to study for spring term through UW. She's thirty-two. They are my treasures, these children, along with the rest of my wonderful, crazy family, and my memories of growing up free in Montana. We weren't close to being rich in the pecuniary sense, but our lives were every day enriched by having been raised in the most beautiful place on the planet. It was a different time then, one that we may never see again.

This little guy looks like he should be on a calendar. He just posed for me and amazingly, for once, I snapped the photo at exactly the right time. Taken just east of Logan Pass, July, 2007.

surgery

picture from our first cottage in scotland.

had 2 surgeries on my left hand yesterday to release carpal tunnel and trigger finger, and two cortisone injections, one in the left shoulder and left wrist. i am in a soft cast, which stays on till next wednesday, and am in a lot of pain right now, which is why i'm not using proper capitalization. i can't use the shift key. generally i'm about a four-finger typist and this two-finger business precludes me from being overly verbose--you wish! i can use the !!! key!!!

so no working on the novel today, or probably for a good while.

This unusual double-exposure photograph was possibly taken by my grandfather or my dad. It was among other family photos that I inherited upon his death. There is a real cowboy with his horse superimposed on a picture of the University of Montana clock-tower building. I can't recall the name of this building. If anyone reads this and can tell me at about what time-period the U of M looked like this, please feel free to comment.

At any rate, the photo was a treasure, ready-made. I scanned the original and here it is.