breathofgreenair

Twinkle Twinkle little Star

Posted on December 15, 2014 by greenmackenzie

Our beautiful little winter sun, glitters and sparkles as it peeps over the horizon for a few hours a day. From where we stand in the northern hemisphere, the central star of our lives has dimmed and weakened so much it can barely rise from its nightly bed. It’s light so soft and weak that it no longer heats the air, but instead creates a dazzling display of low twinkles.

Rolling across the beautiful dark curves of the earth, the twinkling winter light holds the tears of the dying sun. Caressing her soft round hills, spilling his light across the cool still water, as the year rolls on, ever closer to its end.
Hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields, our own enchanting star dazzles all.

The dogs break the sun stars spell, splashing out across the mirror still water, dispersing cloud and sun reflections in their wake. New stars are born on the lips of splashes and ripples, creating new earth born magic of their own.

Taken up at Thriepsmuir reservoir, high above Edinburgh, at around 3pm, these images attempt to capture the incredible twinkle of winter sunlight across the hills and water. The reflections were almost perfect in the still air, and I love the way the lens flare scatters the light…….although I know deliberate lens flare isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Someone who shall again remain nameless thinks it’s over the top in the third image…..I’m showing the shots are just as they came out of the camera.

Posted in elemental, nature photo, weekly photo challenge | Tagged landscape, lens flare, magic, mythology, nature, photography, postaday, solstice, sunlight, twinkle, winter | 59 Comments

Gone but not forgotten: Golden Splash

Posted on December 8, 2014 by greenmackenzie

Every moment passes, rolling on into the the past, as the present unfolds all around us. We don’t remember everything, how could we, our brain would be too full of a lifetimes memories to process much else. However some moments are so memorable, so unusual or beautiful or painful, that they remain etched clearly in our minds. Capturing the essence of such a moment is the art of photography, freezing life’s rolling film into perfect stills, which can be shared with others.

Capturing the feeling, the motion and energy of a moment in time allows us to go back and re-remember each time we look. We might see something we didn’t notice in the original moment, tiny details which bring new meaning or thoughts. Others can share their thoughts and feelings about something they may not have actually witnessed first hand. This to me is the purpose of photography.

These golden splashes are very obvious moments which pass away, falling back into the still water of the loch, leaving only fading ripples to show for their ever having exisited. This however is the perfect symbol for everything in our lives. Each thing we do makes a splash, sometimes a very small one, sometimes very large, but they all pass leaving only receding ripples.

These ripples we make roll through the lives of those around us, and we in turn feel the effects of others splashes. Its good to remember that the ripples pass, and that the waters of our lives can return to stillness. The sense of permanence is an illusion, and if we let it go a little into the splashes and waves, life can become fluid and soothing once more.

These splash shots were the less than perfect ones, where the dogs got in the way, leaping with wild abandon after the stones my husband was throwing. However I like the motion and energy which the dogs bring, and it was all part of the moment to be remembered. Sometimes the messy, less than perfect shots will tell us more about the truth of a moment than the perfectly edited and carefully cropped piece we might like to show others. These golden splashes lasted mere seconds, but their beauty was breathtaking, and will never be repeated in just those shapes and with that light at that angle. A great reminder to live in the present when we can, to be open to the unique beauty which each fresh moment brings together, for just a second!

Posted in change, mindfulness, weekly photo challenge | Tagged dogs, memory, mindfulness, nature, photography, postaday, relaxation, scotland, sunset, water | 56 Comments

Liquid Gold

Posted on December 4, 2014 by greenmackenzie

There’s a space between the world we know, and the otherworlds of Gods, ancestors and myths, and this space is as thin as a slender golden thread. Filled with boundless light and endless tales, it shimmers in between our thoughts, in between the edges of our sight, between our breaths and between sleep and wakefulness. Spun by the gnarled fingers of ancient powers, this golden thread is a source of endless creativity, weaving new stories and dreams into being, from its dark core. Sometimes it’s creations burst forth like liquid gold, dazzling the whole world with their beauty. Bewitching all who watch the fiery water dance impossible shapes into our world. Sometimes dreams do come true…..

The lochs and lakes of Celtic Britain are ruled by the goddesses of water, daughters of the sea God Manananan. Holding the power of life and death, and creation and destruction within their waters, they give and receive treasures of the soul. As gateways between the worlds they can be places of danger, and places of blessing. Water monsters abound, guarding the waters and their spirits, and sometimes they burst forth startling all who see. Kelpies and each-uisge (water horses) have been doing battle with Celtic Saints since St Columba fought the beast within Loch Ness, back in the 6th Century, but many have received gifts and blessings from the water creatures. King Arthur received the legendary sword Caliburn (it means hard cleft in Brythonic, and is translated as Excalibur in English) from a Celtic lake Goddess……so who knows what magical gifts might tumble into your hands, or into you mind as you stand at the edge of water at the liminal times of day. When the veil between the worlds is thin all sorts of golden magic can bursts forth, and to see it you just need to be present with your eyes and ears properly open…..

For the fact lovers, this was taken on Sunday around 3pm at Threipsmuir Reservoir, in the Pentland Hills high above Edinburgh. There wasn’t a breath of air and the water lay mirror like offering perfect reflections of the sky. When my husband threw a stone into the loch for the dogs I saw the splash was perfectly reflected, and so of course he had to throw more for me….while trying to keep the dogs out of the shot…..there are more to follow with dogs included! The light and colours are just as they came out of the camera…..beautiful liquid gold. The gift of natures magic right before our eyes left me smiling for hours.

Posted in Celtic, mythology, spiritual | Tagged dreams, fairytale, King Arthur, magic, myth, nature, photography, scotland, sunset, water, winter | 45 Comments

Convergence

Posted on November 29, 2014 by greenmackenzie

Sometimes change happens slowly and steadily, tiny step by tiny step, and we barely notice it. Things appear pretty much the same from one day to the next, as gradual change steadily unfolds around us. Sometimes however change is rapid and swift, sweeping through the known world, ripping it apart at the seams. Often though the cause of the seemingly rapid change was the convergence of many small pebbles. World War I changed our whole world 100 years ago, in ways we are still dealing with today, yet it’s beginning was the result of many small seeming inconsequential and unlinked events.
Change is all around us whether we notice it or not……converging into pivotal points in time within our lives, beyond which life never looks the same again. Finding ways to embrace the change can help us to move forwards into our unfolding lives despite the losses.

Click here for a fascinating article about the changes we are still feeling today
For the fact lovers the photo is taken in Princess Street Gardens in Edinburgh, and is part of ‘The Call 1914’, the Scottish American War Memorial. Paid for by American Scots to honour the bravery and losses of Scottish soldiers. It was designed by R Tait McKenzie, a Scottish Canadian who was teaching in the University of Pennsylvania. Written along its base is an extract from the poem ‘A Creed’, written by E A Mackintosh. He was a 23 year old ex-Oxford Classics student of Scottish descent who was killed in the 2nd battle of Cambrai in 1917.
” If it be life that waits, I shall live forever unconquered. If death I shall die at last strong in my pride and free.”
Over 100,000 Scots died fighting in WWI, alongside 53,000 Americans and 60,000 Canadians…..to name just a few.

Posted in change, Edinburgh, weekly photo challenge | Tagged centenary, change, convergence, photography, postaday, scotland, soldiers, war, WWI | 40 Comments

Blushing hot Maple

Posted on November 25, 2014 by greenmackenzie

Blushing hot Maple
Yearly menopausal flush
In winters cold face.

Posted in change, nature photo, poem | Tagged Autumn, change, Haiku, leaves, mindfulness, nature, photography, poetry, red, trees | 46 Comments

The Importance of a 23.5 Degree Angle

Posted on November 23, 2014 by greenmackenzie

The spot on earth where I live, rolls through a glorious procession of four clear seasons. We are far enough North here in the UK for the light to change a little every single day. I say lucky because it prevents boredom and encourages the idea of impermanence, both of which can increase happiness. As a photographer I love the constant change, and this time of year sees me drawn down close to the earth and into the lengthening shadows.

The shadows have become so wonderfully long because of that angle of 23.5 degrees. It’s the angle the earth is tilted, and it means that as we roll through autumn the sun peeps lower and lower over the horizon. At midday it is now still so low that it dazzles the eye, and days become so short that the trees can no longer produce enough energy from its light. They close down, releasing their leaves and sealing their pores until the days begin lengthen again in Spring. Those glorious piles of scrunchy leaves are a result of that angle of tilt.

I find that the angles I’m drawn to shoot from change with the seasons, and in autumns shrinking light I’m shooting very low to match the angle of the light. The leaves which gather along paths and in corners give lovely texture and colour to the foregrounds, pulling us on into the picture. So you could say that as the sun sinks you will find me on my knees often.

The other wonderful result of this angle of tilt, is that sunrise and sunset can be easily captured without having to resort to rising at some horribly unsocial hour. It also gives us lots of opportunity for night shots, as we wander around in what would have been the middle of the day just a few months ago.
Because of the angle of tilt, we can easily see that we live in a world where the only permanence is change. The lesson is all around us if we open our eyes and look…..

Posted in change, mindfulness, weekly photo challenge | Tagged 23.5 degrees, Autumn, change, earth, light, mindfulness, nature, photography, postaday, science, seasons | 46 Comments

The Achievement of Doing Nothing

Posted on November 20, 2014 by greenmackenzie

Imagine a world where we could be proud of ourselves for relaxing and letting go. A world where being able to breathe out was applauded as a great achievement. In such a world we would see taking care of ourselves and our needs as a great goal.
Instead most of us live in a world where greater and greater deeds and accolades are counted as achievements. Worldly success is measured in pounds, dollars and targets rather than smiles and relaxed bodies.
Imagine walking out across the soft silver sand and just letting go of all those worldly societal pressures. Breathing out, letting go, and breathing in the sense of release and space.
There is nothing else to do in this moment, so let yourself relax and enjoy just being….
….as you breathe in and out…..
leaving your unique footprints in the warm sand, watching the sun set in wild abandon over the horizon. There will never be another day quite like this one, and savouring it must be seen as a wonderful achievement.

Posted in mindfulness, relaxation, weekly photo challenge | Tagged change, life, lifestyle, love, magid, mindfulness, nature, postaday, relaxation | 43 Comments

Caribbean Commute

Posted on November 16, 2014 by greenmackenzie

Whenever we go away on holiday, we take time to notice the locals and their lifestyles. Sitting sipping coffee in the morning we watched many locals drive to work across the blue bay in front of our Barbados hotel. It looked like such a relaxing way to commute to work, and compared with the congested drive in near darkness which I returned home to, it seemed like heaven. The soft morning sun warmed their bodies and the fresh sea air swept through their hair as they steered their way through the waves and around the reefs of this beautiful ocean.

Some were so relaxed they even had on board coffee to sip, waking up into the day, surrounded by nature and all her beauty. It got me thinking about the lifestyles we chose in order to live the lives we dream of. Many of us move out of crowded cities looking for a more relaxed life closer to nature and open green spaces filled with fresh clean air. Yet a frequent irony is that in order to work and live in these greener places, there is often a daily commute. Commuting has been shown to decrease all sorts of well being measures, and the longer the commute the less well we feel about ourselves and our lives. Commuting has also been shown to increase stress levels and all the negative health effects that brings. The longer the commute the more negative the impact on our well being. However looking at these guys commuting across the water each morning I felt that rather than reducing happiness, this sort of commuting might actually be life enhancing.

Sitting just below our window was a little speed boat which would take us wherever we wanted, and so one morning we left early and joined the island commuters, heading across the blue water, out towards the deep blue sea hoping to see some of the famous flying fish. The skipper helped us aboard, and as we moved away from the sand fringed coast he spread his arms in a wide sweep and said “welcome to my office”. He talked about the life he had given up back in Britain where he had studied and worked for several years, and about the relaxed way he was now living. Working outside, surrounded by natures beauty each day, governed by the weather and the tides, he felt utterly content. It was a great example of a life enhancing lifestyle choice. He had looked at his world and at himself and had understood what made him happy, what left him feeling fulfilled at the end of each day. Then he had acted to bring his life into line with his real needs.

Speeding over the sparkling waves with the sun warming my skin, I mulled over some of the changes I had made to my working life. Recently I had been questioning my choice to work only three days, wondering if I was just being lazy. It was as though the norms and expectations of society had slipped unnoticed back into my thinking. Here on the blue sea I came to know again that my own wisdom had been right. Getting the balance between life and work right is hard, commuting only to the point where it doesn’t impact negatively on well being is a challenge, but I knew that they were struggles worth making. This happy Barbados commuter had helped me come back to my own wisdom……

Learning to make the time to be mindful of ourselves can feel difficult, but it will be the best spent moments of your day, helping you steer your life from your own heart.

Posted in mindfulness, philosophy, travel | Tagged Barbados, boats, commuting, lifestyle, mindfulness, mornings, philosophy, photography, stress, travel, well being, wisdom | 47 Comments

Paradise this Way

Posted on November 11, 2014 by greenmackenzie

Washed by the soft warm waves of the Caribbean, a sea grass meadow beckons in the shallow blue waters off Barbados. Here the Green Sea Turtles wait to welcome you to their paradise beneath the tropical sea.

Gliding with ease through this watery world, their long arms paddle in mesmerising slow motion, scooping the salty water into swirling trails drifting away behind them. So relaxed, that one look into that huge black eye releases all tension, drawing you deep into the perfect present where your body is soothed by the warm motion of the waves and currents beneath the glittering surface.

You might find your breathing slows down into slow deep waves, and your muscles relax into the salty support of the warm sea. You might even begin to imagine that you could dive down towards the soft white sand on the ocean bed, and walk among the swaying grass and coral, among herds of silver fish. Swimming beside a green turtle may leave you convinced that becoming a mermaid would be an awfully big adventure, and certain route to paradise.

As the turtles get used to your presence, they often become more relaxed, and might swim up underneath your belly, gliding smoothly over your soft skin. They seemed curious, looking at us as with what seemed like slight bemusement, as we moved among them with our clumsy skinny four limbs. They could turn in a tight circle with one sweep of a flipper, while we flapped and kicked to follow like toddlers learning to walk.

Despite their bulk, they drift and fly, gliding like eagles through the blue waters of this heaven on earth. All around fish gathered and followed, like courtiers seeking an audience with the ancient oracle of the sea. A pair of love struck puffer fish, 50 cm long, flirted and kissed beneath the shadow of the turtles shells. Peace was the over arching emotion sweeping through me as I swam among the turtles in their own private paradise.

All turtles are protected in the waters around Barbados. The ones we swam with were adults who graze here when they are not breeding. Turtles, like salmon return to the beach where they were born to lay their eggs, but graze often thousands of miles away. We stayed on a beach where hawksbill turtles come home to lay their eggs, and all the beach front hotels have turtle friendly policies. Night time lights towards the beach are kept to a minimum, and lines of native vegetation are left between the buildings and the beach. No umbrellas are plunged into the soft white sand, incase a hidden nest of eggs lies beneath, and the sea in front of nesting beaches is marked off to keep boats and jet skis out.
I was left grinning, and am still in awe of these elegant creatures who have been on earth so long they have seen the dinosaurs come and go.

Posted in nature photo, relaxation, travel | Tagged Barbados, Carribean, nature, Ocean, photography, relaxation, travel, turtles, underwater, water | 55 Comments

Minimalist Barbados Birds

Posted on November 9, 2014 by greenmackenzie

We had left the responsibilities of our pets behind, as we headed off on a carefree couple of weeks, or so we thought. These little cuties had other ideas though. Every morning about half an hour after sunrise they would tweet impatiently on our balcony. They were looking for their breakfast of powdered coffee creamer. We didn’t understand this the first morning, and so as soon as I opened up the balcony one flew in and perched on the kettle. He nipped down and pinched a sachet, dropping it at my feet as a subtle hint.

He soon had me well trained, and would bring me a gift of a small twig, with all but a couple of leaves plucked off it, as a reward. He would place this in front of me, and then wait patiently until I picked it up. He also defended his spot fiercely whenever another boy tried to perch on my balcony. He moved so fast, that it was hard to get a clear shot, and for the first few days he was very wary of the camera whenever I reached for it.

I only hope that next guest in our room is as easy to train as we were.
It was such a lovely way to wake up in the morning, sipping coffee to the sound of birds and soft waves…..