Category Archives: history

New Horizons: New Year

Posted on December 31, 2012 by greenmackenzie

We have just walked beneath the reddening sky of this years last sunset. It was deep red, as though the sky was bleeding as the sun sank westwards. As we prepare to celebrate the incoming New Year Scottish style, it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in friends, history, mindfulness, poem, thoughts | Tagged auld land syne, change, life, mindfulness, new year, photo, poetry, scotland, spiritual | 9 Comments

Weekly Travel Photo Challenge – Transport

Posted on December 17, 2012 by greenmackenzie

This blinged up speedboat made us laugh out loud when we spotted it cruising past us at super slow speed. We were in the middle of the exclusive and glossy glamour of Dubai Marina, and the bright unrestrained colours popped … Continue reading →

Posted in history, photos, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged Dubai, Dubai harbour, musings, old Dubai, photography, transport, travel, vacation | 8 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge – Delicate

Posted on December 15, 2012 by greenmackenzie

I took this photo back in 2009, while visiting a former Islamic School in Tunisia. From the outside the brick building was simple and quite scruffy, but once we passed through the ancient wooden doors, a breathtaking display of mosaics … Continue reading →

Posted in history, photos, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged delicate, islamic art, islamic marble carvings, Islamic school, light, marble art, photography, postaday, travel, Tunisia | 16 Comments

Poppies to remember: Or to forget?

Posted on November 12, 2012 by greenmackenzie

Poppies have always seemed rather cheerful flowers to me, with their vivacious red petals filling my borders with colour year after year. So to me it has always seemed a bit of a misfit with the somber remembrance of the … Continue reading →

Posted in history, philosophy, photos, poem, thoughts | Tagged death, In Flanders Fields, life and death, musings, philosophy, photo, poppies, remembrance sunday, soldiers, symbolism, the past, war | 5 Comments

Surprise Brides of Edinburgh

Posted on November 7, 2012 by greenmackenzie

I had headed up to Edinburgh’s Old Town, looking for some atmospheric shots of the old Closes (the alleyways squeezed between the crooked old highrises). I had set up to take a picture down Old Assembly Close when suddenly a … Continue reading →

Posted in Edinburgh, history, photos, spiritual, Wedding | Tagged bride, Edinburgh, kilts, life, love, marriage, musings, photo, photography, scotland, scottish, spiritual, wedding | 11 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometry

Posted on November 3, 2012 by greenmackenzie

I took this on a visit to the interior of Tunisia in 2009. The sheer size of the building and all its repeating geometry was so stunning. As we looked a little closer we could see that the columns were … Continue reading →

Posted in ancient sites, history, photos, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged columns, Great Mosque of Kairouan, Mosque of Uqba, photo, photography, pillars, postaday, travel, Tunisia, Unesco World Heritage site, vacation | 10 Comments

Dark Roots: Memoirs of an Old Scottish Halloween

Posted on October 29, 2012 by greenmackenzie

The gathering gloom swirled with crisply tumbled leaves and neep lanterns and candles began to flicker in the windows and on the doorsteps of the village. I was rushing to put the finishing touches to my turnip lantern, with the … Continue reading →

Posted in ancient history, Celtic, childhood, history, mythology | Tagged All Hallows Eve, celebration, Celtic, guising, Halloween, history, lanterns, life, musings, night, postaday, Rosshire, samhain, scotland, scottish, symbolism, the past, travel, turnip lanterns | 5 Comments

Couples: Mute Love

Posted on October 22, 2012 by greenmackenzie

This was taken in response to the Travel Photo Challenge: Couples This pair of swans looked so in love that I couldn’t resist snapping them. At one point their two necks formed a love heart, but it was past in … Continue reading →

Posted in history, mythology, nature photo, photos, poem, spiritual, weekly photo challenge | Tagged Edinburgh, love, mute swans, myth, nature, photo, photography, poem, poetry, postaday, scotland, spiritual, swan song, swans, travel | 11 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Big

Posted on October 13, 2012 by greenmackenzie

This big bronze horse is carrying his big hero of a rider, Wellington, towards the rather big New Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. I took this photo on my way to a lovely family meal in the hotel on a warm … Continue reading →

Posted in Edinburgh, history, photos, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged Edinburgh, photo, photography, postaday, scotland, scottish, sunset, travel, vacation | 6 Comments

Chinese Guardians

Posted on October 6, 2012 by greenmackenzie

This photo is my response to the Travel Photo Challenge: Animals Okay Im cheating a little with my mythic animal, but she is so magnificent I couldn’t resist sharing her. This shot shows a female Shi shi, stone lion, or … Continue reading →