This is my take on ‘Serenity’ for the Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge.
Can you coax your mind from its wandering
and keep the original oneness?
Can you let your body become
supple as a newborn child?
Can you cleanse your inner vision
until you see nothing but the light?
Can you love people and lead them
without imposing your will?
Can you deal with the most vital matters
by letting events take their course?
Can you step back from your own mind
and thus understand all things?
Giving birth and nourishing,
having without possessing,
leading and not trying to control;
this is the supreme virtue.
-Tao te Ching by Stephen Mitchel
These photos were taken during a trip to Scotland, a country that offers breathtaking views – even with bad weather. Most photos were taken in the island of Skye, except from two photos taken in St. Abbs.
I made the sunset photo while crossing the North Sea by ferryboat from Holland to New Castle in England.
Camera: Canon Digital Ixus 960 IS
Beautiful photos!
Thank you so much!
Beautiful collection 🙂
Well are those wind mills installed in the sea?!!
Yes, they are. Thanks!
That is cool!
Like these photos, calming and wonderful to watch:)
Thank you. Also for visiting and commenting.
Lovely photos, I would love to go there too. Three and six are my favourites. I love the water with all those boats and the composition of the third was is fabulous. X
Thanks, Desley! You must go. You won’t regret. I made the photos before visiting Talisker whisky destilery! Xx
Fab! Did you take some after the distillery? 😉
Lol. Oh yes. Very inspired I was after trying everything offered.! Nice photos of a storm!
Excellent! X
Sorry, I cut off the conversation. I was at the apple shop. Had a doctor genius appointment to fix my iPhone.
No worries, I went to sleep, it was 1am, but then I did not go to sleep because a spider landed on my head and much shrieking and spraying of pest spray ensued. I barely survived 😁😜
How is your dear phone? Did the genius do the trick? X
Lol I’m sorry, I shouldn’t laugh…you barely survived? How has that happened and was the monster a dangerous one?
Well, the genius wasn’t so genius and didn’t solve the problem. He found a solution that didn’t last long as when reinstalling all apps, the issue returned. Needless to say that my husband is relentless trying to resolve the issue – I guess it now became a fight against the genius – and I am seeing steady progress here. Let’s hope he sorts this out.
And stay away from these monsters.. Lol
Good luck to your husband – very nice to have an in-home genius 😊
Um, yes it was hilarious and terrifying at once. Here’s the post I put on Facebook in the early hours of the morning:
So it’s 1:30 in the morning. I was just going off to sleep when there was a noise and something fell on my head. I thought it was a water drop at first because my air conditioner is above the bed. But it bounced. I turned on the bedside light and there was a SPIDER on my pillow. I shrieked like a little girl and hightailed it out of my room. Came back and rescued my pillow. Got the Mortein and did what I needed to do, wrapped said OMGSPIDER up in the sheet and ran to the back door, opened it and threw the whole lot out there and slammed the door shut. I’ve changed the sheets, the vapors have dissipated, but what if it was the baby??? I may not sleep. I may move to the couch. If you don’t hear from me, it was the baby.
Oh I forgot, while shrieking I was messing my hair with my fingers in case there was still SPIDER in my hair!!! OMG.
Omg. This was really freaking scary. I would be screaming too and running fast. I’m here picturing your actions and laughing a lot though. It would be a good movie scene.
Did you make a picture of the deceased? Lol.
And where did you sleep after all?
There are many spiders and rats here in Amsterdam but I guess they’re not wild anymore and acquired all bad habits of city people. Lol.
I used to kill many spiders during summer time until a friend told me that they eat the flies. I had to decide which ones bothered the most…well, the spiders won. But they don’t enter the house and like to live on the balcony we have next to our boat in the canal.
PS. Husband’s smiling after I shared your comment. I’m not sure if he’s happy or nervous to hear that as he may not find the solution. Anyways, he’s trying hard.
I am glad he’s smiling, he might be getting the upper hand over the genius.
I sat next to my pillow having a funny FB conversation with a friend in Chicago – she is petrified of coming to Australia because of the terrifying animals (😄) so I knew she would appreciate my story. At about 2am I turned off the light and went to sleep on my bed with the blanket over my head.
The flies win at my house, but I have screens on the windows and doors so they mostly stay out.
Fingers crossed!
Lol. I can imagine. I watched on national geographic last week, a report about a big wild bird which is scaring everyone. They migrated after a big fire. I forgot the name. Vety big and scary! Tell her to watch! Lol
I’m still finding your saga with the spider hilarious! A blog post? Xxx
Oh birds! I don’t know which is scarier to me – birds or spiders?!
Yes, maybe a blog post. I have a good spider pic…
Oh I forgot to say, yes I did snap a grainy pic of the offending spider last night before I sprayed it!!
Happy to make you laugh x.
Bring the offender to justice! Show the pic and spread the word.lol
Xx
Saying good night now…see you soon! Enjoy your day! Xxx
Night xox.
And you might be in bed by now! Night night! Xxx
Windmills in water ………WOW !! Sixth pic is where I want to be 😉 😀
Marvelous captures !
Thanks, Andy! I would like to be back there as well!
I was amazed to see all the windmills in Scotland, though I never saw them in the sea like that. Great captures, all of these. Very serene, indeed.
Actually wasn’t in Scotland but the North Sea, closer to Holland, and the windmills are Dutch…
Oh, I realize that (you said as much in your post). But we saw so many windmills in Scotland (and nowhere else) that it’s an image inextricably tied up with the place, for me. I wonder if there are sea-bound windmills there. Hmm. Probably.
I haven’t seen on my way but I would guess they may be there too. If you come here you will see them everywhere too.
Thank you, I am glad you like the photos.
Spectacular! I love the deep, rich colors of the water. 🙂
Thank you, Colleen!
Really beautodul photos the sunset blew me away wow! Only been to Scotland a couple of times and always too my Mac!!!
You’re so close by…and can go more often, now that you don’t need a Visa. Lol.
very true i am jotting down lots of reasons to visit, you are No1
Oh you are such a lovely person. You made me very happy now and would make me even happier when you arrive here. for real. xxx
awe, hugs ❤
Beautiful! Two weeks after xmas break and I feel I need another holiday 🙂
It goes so fast. I guess we all share this feeling.
Thanks!
Beautiful poem, and pictures.
Thank you so much.
wonderful gallery, Scotland is so beautiful and the have lots of good whiskys too 🙂
Thanks. And becomes even more beautiful after some whisky is consumed. Lol.
Perfect poem and photos to describe serenity!
What lovely shots…I’ve never been to Scotland nor the Isle of Skye but your photos make me dream 🙂
Such different contrasts here Lucile. Rugged, tranquil, pastoral. But they all in their own way portray peace and serenity.
Love them. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
~Carl~
The collection is beautiful but my favs are the 2nd and last. Something about the shadow and light that draws me in.
Amazing photos, framable views and breathtaking 🙂
Beautiful pictures! I am drawn to the colors in photo 5.
Lovely photos! I still cant decide between the windmills at sea being an eye sore or not, tho im leaning a tad bit more towards it being a beauty….
Lol. You can have both!
Really, really serene photos. I feel a sense of calmness even just looking at the photos, do it would have been twice as good in reality. Second last shot is my favourite. Excellent light in that one.
Oh yes, the serenity is amplified when you are there. and the silence is beautiful. Thanks.
Lovely lovely photos! I especially like the wind turbines. They seem to float above the sea. Just great!
Good to meet you by the way. I found you at the Harsh Reality site.
Thank you, Steve! Also for the follow. Welcome here. Good to know you too. I will check your blog right after this. Cheers!
No problem at all! Thank you. Hopefully we can stay in touch 🙂 I like to chat to new people.
Count on that. I like to chat too. I’m just looking at your blog. Impressive.
Oh, that’s kind of you. Being a self hosted blog, I feel a bit on the outer of the community sometimes.
As long as you actively comment, you start being part of a mini-community and from there you know many more people. Some friendships even are formed here.
I am only blogging here since September and joining the courses of WP was a great way to know more people. Joining events is also another way.
After the course photo101 some of us regrouped through an event, called ‘The Clinic Photo Rehab’, that I host for those of us who wanted to keep posting photos and learning from each other. This is how we keep in touch.
There are self hosted blogs in all these events. Don’t worry.
Oh, I didn’t know WP.com ran such events. I’m in Australia, so not sure if those types of events happen here.
It is all online and you can participate. Just check the courses in the dailypost.
Shall do so. Thank you for the wise tip!