Daft Hermits Wanderings

my first ever film using my pics hope you enjoy

Braveheart Theme Tune. soothing bagpipe/ullien pipe music.

simply wonderful

Scottish Music Bagpipes Lost song

some pipes

Dafthermit

my first ever upload of a film

Highlands Of Scotland (mountains ,music and dreams)

nomadic home near Braemore

                                                                        Scotland

                                                            -----------------------------------------------

            

As the sun begins it’s daily journey across the sky ,it is hidden behind some dark and ominous clouds that have rolled in on the early morning breeze.

The drizzly rain sweeping earth bound and covering everything with a fine mist which after a few moments you realise has made it’s way almost to your very bones .

But just as you think it is set in for the day ,a small ray of sunshine escapes from behind the clouds and sends a wee gentle ray on to the mountain side ,and onwards to the loch at the foot of the rocks.

Standing watching the early earthy show a smile that has travelled from deep in my heart races up ever nerve to my face a feeling of joy fills my very soul at the privilege of standing by that loch and watching .

From deep deep in the dark waters of the loch the mountain begins their journey to the sky,

with fish gently swimming bye nibbling at the mountains toes , and water caressing its ankles it rises out of the loch and at first the gradient is just a gentle upward climb but quickly this changes to a steep bluebell covered race to the clouds.

Then high in the sky it is as if the mountain is playing with the clouds which roll in covering the summit,  the very tips of the mountain summit seem to tear away at the cloud and send it northwards almost as though the mountain has decided today it was going to bathe in sunshine and nothing was going to put a halt to that ,

and as if the clouds knew that today at least they would not win the timeless battle they huffily headed of as if in a giant herd and within minutes there was no sign of them apart from two wee white fluffy ones that had rolled in to sit at the shoulder of the mountain .

High up it was still possible to see late may snow nestled in a north facing glen stubbornly refusing to melt.

Time to get the boys and head to the loch…….  for a swim …..

                                                                              

                         Scotland ,a land where you can dream

                        a land where you can hear natures music ..

                            A land where you are FREE…….. 

Home in the Highlands

    Home in the Scottish Highlands

..........................................................................................................

Like no other place i have been to, be it the wonderful Exmoor or Dartmoor to the lovely couty of Norfolk or black forest in Austria the the highlands seem to wrap around me and i feel more at ease with my life.

Travelling along the mountain roads as they wind there way gently through the mountains and glens one moment along the shore of 

a long dark peaty wind swept loch, the next moment you are passing through a forest  with trees full of long soft strands of moss hanging from spindly rain soaked Knarled branches of silver birch as if long forgotten xmas decorations.

As if watching some tennis match your head spins from the view too your right, a snow covered Ben, then just as you take in the perfect beauty of what you see ,quickly a movement or site catchs your left eye then back to the right.....

The sounds of the mountains be it some distant eagle calling as it effortlessly glides from glen to glen (making a mockery of them human clunky things called jets)or some stag bellowing his strength to anyone and everyone who will listen seem to flow through me as if electric passing through every molicule and resutling in feeling more alive ,more in touch with this amazing wonderful planet called we call Earth.

Everywhere history calls out,be it from the craggy moss covered rock an imagined clansman huddles from the northen wind and rain,

 the little clump of trees nestled at the slowly flowing river an imagined ancient settlement of people busy their selfs getting ready for the oncoming winter

gathering wood and everywhere laughter..

Travel these roads with your window wide open and your mind as open....

And the mountains will reward you with a gift you never believed possible in the hussle and bustle of this modern computerised world.

Standing on the top of a mountain As  you breathe in deeply your lungs scream for more, until they feel they will surely burst at any moment with the purity and sheer energy as the wind that threatens to blow you from the summit  ,born unseen far out too sea ,by a distant moon and deep deep water in an endless timeless batle and has travelled unobstructed across the Atlantic ocean. 

 until it hits the back of your troat with a force long forgotten and then travels speedily and determind to your lungs. leaving a faint tint of the sea as it does, filling your body with a long and nearly forgotten strength.....

As a kid i would climb Ben Bowie and do the same ,as i looked out across at Loch Lommond (often when i should have been at double maths ) it feels like so many years since i truly breathed ....

Standing by a small burn as is flows golden into the loch with no visible lights from anywhere the sky so clear and huge yet it seems to be completly carpeted in stars as if unable to fit even a single star  but somehow from the west a falling star is newly born and begins it's deahly journey ,weaves and squeezes somehow passing between them all.

 leaving it's firey trail across the  face of the new moon that is sitting lazily on the side of Ben Wyvis

Standing here in the highland moors i have never felt so at home and far from a lonely place the history and people of the highlands call out LISTEN  my friend.....................................

Come ,whatever you do in life, if but once, to the Scottish highlands, and sleep on a bed of moss under a moon lit night and open your heart........

The Happy Dafthermit x

Buzzards

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BUZZARDS

Standing at the foot of Ben Wyvis far up on the south facing cliff a buzzard sits perched.

And with a sudden release of power from strong legs he is airbourne at first he plunges earth bound but soon the enormous wings have found the thermals and at first he slowly circles and begins to climb higher and higher ,faster and faster as the tips of his wings search and find the best thermal until he almost disappears from view then with no effort he swoops from one side of the glen to the other covering a vast distance in no time.

Then he begins his upward journey once again and along the way time for play folding his wings he tumbles earthward then slowly lets his wings fill with the warm spring air and he glides towards a hill

Then from the north he is joined by another feathery friend then another and I watch in complete awe as the next few minutes I am treated to an aerial display of utter perfection.

Two of them head as if on an unavoidable collision course then at the very last second bring their huge talons forward and lock them together then begins a tumble of strength and daring plunge to the rising heathery hill far below

Locked together tumbling and spinning ,tumbling and spinning ,as if two drunks rolling in the dirt after a boozy night then as quickly as they had come together they release and head of in search of a thermal to rise again..........

with calls between them all carrying across great distances what joy to live and travel in my home country of Scotland.... 

The Magical Earth: April Showers, May Flowers, darned near Summer Fools

The Magical Earth: April Showers, May Flowers, darned near Summer Fools

The Hermitage: The Greening and The Keening

The Hermitage: The Greening and The Keening

Reduce Footprints: Vacations ... The Eco Friendly Way

Reduce Footprints: Vacations ... The Eco Friendly Way

Mayberry's Journey to Freedom: Workin' On "The Beast"

Mayberry's Journey to Freedom: Workin' On "The Beast"

Scotland Sunny Scotland

Wow,what a night we had some visitors a small herd of deer to the bus they were only yards from us but as usual i couldn't get to the camera but what a privelage to sit with them .

And this morning the sun is beating down again and with only two wee clouds in the sky it looks like it will be a beautiful day here in the highlands..

Moving,Dawn and a bobbie

     Trying to walk gently after staying here for 4 months this is a wee picture as we have left our old parkup 
                                    New home for a week or so
                                   blowing in the wind how we live our life
                         lens on life

With the darkness descending on the bus and a beautiful clear night it was time to get ready for the move.

While Mel tatted the bus down ,i filled the diesel tank with a few gallons and turned the isolator switch and headed to the drivers seat .

It had been four months (wow, how time flies when you are having so much fun)since i had fired the old girl up and hitting the master switch i with a quick prayer pushed the starter button and straight away she fired up and like some old graceful lady she stirred into life and as if shaking her skirt slowly she began to rise on her 37 year old air suspension and within a few minutes the air tanks were filled and with the sound of the exhaust valve venting the excess air she settled into a steady idling beat

I got out and after a quick check that all was ok especially the pulley for the alternator belt and with a check that i hadn’t left anything it was time to head off down the road.

The parkup we were heading to was only some fifteen miles down the road but as always in the highlands the journey is filled with breathtaking scenery and sights

So within an hour we were parked up after a gentle trip and Mel set to getting everything back to how she likes it and we looked out the window and watched the early morning begin to rise in the new hermit lodge ..

 

After an early breakfast i put on my old faithful wellies and with my camera in pocket headed of down the road to pick up the truck..

Walking down the road was amazing a gentle breeze and the sun gently tumbling from the sky and walked on with a smile and the thought that everyday in the highlands i wake as if falling in love afresh everyday.

 

as i walked along the road i started to wonder if i would have to walk the full distance but once again a car pulled in and with a good morning and a smile i was of down the road …..

When i looked closer at the driver i realised he was a local bobby from the highland police and straight away he knew i was on the way to pick up my truck he also had seen my pictures and stories on the internet and as he was into photography it was a journey of  excited talk of the wonders and pictures  in the highlands..

yet again the power of the internet and i just want to thank him for the kindness in giving me a lift also for guiding us to a new parkup on the road to Gairloch when we are ready…

 

so happy travels everyone

 

Andy & Mel xx

Heed The Call A time To Move

Some jewels i found yesterday and i look forard to seeing what wonders i find at the next parkup 

Thankyou Aulguish and goodbye xx

A Time To Move ….

A time to move,and for as long as i can remember and i have been on the road now for well over 20 odd years .

Every now and again a feeling sweeps in with the wind,the rain or the sunshine .

It seems to swirl around my very soul with images of new places coming to my mind 

From far of lands or just up the road ,the call to move comes and i WILL answer it,

And getting my mobile home together i will head out onto the open road sometimes with an idea of where i am going

But many many more times than i care to remember i head off not Knowing where i will park up that night.

Sometimes when i hit a roundabout i will travel around it until something guides me to go a certain route and with my heart leaping with joy i will engage a higher gear and  take the plunge and go down that wonderful unknown road .

Sometimes it comes when we are settled and doing really well other times it comes when we are struggling for what ever reason with life etc.

But when it comes it often catches me unawares ,and to my surprise the older i have become rather than weaken  the more intense that the feeling that comes

Is now.

The search for what is around the next corner or just over the hill ,like a young child fills me with excitement .

Some small insect ,flower or landscape some smell hither to unknown draws me to that spot and with my camera in tow i am able to hunt and explore this wonderful planet we have been gifted to life on

However brief the time allotted to us .

So when the call as now

Comes

I will bathe in it and relax not as scared (or as much)i will pack and insert the key and with the engine firing up and first gear engaged and bus slowly rising on her air suspension

I will with open arms and mind take the plunge to my future …

So to all

Happy Travels and catch you soon on the next leg of our journey…

The Nomadic Dafthermit xx

Visitors to our Highland Hermit Lodge

                                          when i was down collecting water i came across this wee chap

                                                        Karsten and his wee car

                                   have fun on your journey my friend 

What an amazing few days we have had in the highland Hermit lodge with so many wonderful inspirational visits..

First Jeff a new friend popped up from Garve and dropped us of some welcomed wood for the burner and we sat and chatted about life and fishing , he has a friend called Hat Macgreggor who is a musician and wants me to add my photography to a cd he is producing .. amazing 

Then yesterday we had a wee car pull in and i got chatting to the bloke he is called Karsten and is in Scotland on holiday we spent many hours laughing and talking about photography etc 

and thanks Karsten for your help in getting my videos up onto the net 

wee look forard to seeing you again my friend...

Then this morning before i headed off to get a signal someone turned up at the door , he was called Daniel a bus enthusiast i had been chatting to on a forum about leylands from London and popped in for a visit and to take some pictures of the bus 

so to everyone thanks for the inspiration and kindness and laughs take care ...

and we have had some amazing wee critters visit , what a joy to live in the highlands free..

andy 

the Dafthermit

Dancing Trees & Whistling Glen

Wow what a night,We had a massive storm pass over us last night and i had to bring the truck to the side of the bus to try and deflect the wind and rain ,earlier i had headed down to the silver bridge to do my postings etc and what a journey.

When i left it wasn’t to bad but by the time i was half way to the bridge the weather started to take a turn for the worse but i decided to push on and parkup and ride the storm out

on the way down i had stopped at what i call the long gorge and when i got out the wind was thundering up the glen and as it passed the rocks on the cliff a beautiful whistling sound could be heard and with the lines of silver birch with their braches flowing from side to side in unison it looked like some scene from the ballet , i was stunned at the sheer beauty of it all and i watched as the wind died down and all the trees began to reach their full height again and with a final shake of their branches ,leaves dispelling cold drenched rain to the ground .

Calm descended on the gorge and a small ray of sunshine burst through the clouds but as quickly as peace had returned the wind began again this time coming from both ends of the gorge and setting the trees of dancing but this time it seemed as though i was back at some manic festival trees were bending almost to breaking point then they would be thrown upright and then bend back again and all around the noise from the leaves and the wind was so humbling and truly a joy to be able to witness nature playing..

After a few hours i slowly made my way home to the bus and dinner..

Horsebox Paint Job

With this amazing weather still up here in the highlands , we thought it was time to get on and do a wee bit of painting on the horsebox.

and while Mel stated on the passenger side i grabbed a brush and wire brush and made a start on the fuel tank etc

Bees and flowers

 Some of the hidden jewels i was lucky enough to find as i wondered the highlands today
The true beauty i find with the help of my wee camera fills this old dafthermits heart with never ending joy

I hope you all enjoy them as well

andy

the Dafthermit

Windows Vista Magazine | Keep up to date with the latest Windows Vista news with our new Windows Sidebar gadget

 

Windows Vista Magazine | Keep up to date with the latest Windows Vista news with our new Windows Sidebar gadget

Hidden Jewels In The Highlands

Thought i would share these two pics of the dafthermits home when she was in service in London

Thanks Daniel and we are looking forward to seeing you next week

got these two wonderful Jewels yesterday

blog spot

Am I thick or what ?

I watched one of those police camera action shows last night:

And in it we were taken to some school were some vandals had damaged a door at the rear of the school and with the camera zooming in to highten the effect we were shown some slight fire damage to a door

Then the camera focused onto the Head teacher and he stood and explained how many hundreds if not thousands had had to be spent on fitting enormous shutters over the door to protect it

He went on to complain that he was so upset that all that money had had to be diverted from the childrens education etc etc etc etc

BLOODY HELL if this is a sign of the education our children are receiving then god help us all..

I have always believed that schools should be places where we encourage our children to think for themselves and to help change the older fixed in their ways elders .

They should be places were we are as much the pupil learning from the new generation as they from us ,and together we will all strive to a better world.

just a thought to that Head teacher maybe he could have got some solar lights from B&Q for £20 and installed them this then would light the area up at night at no charge….

ASK the kids how they would overcome the problem

look behind you sir !!!!!!

2050 ( a new blog by the dafthermit)

                                                                         2050

This is some of my thoughts on where we will be as humans by the time the year 2050 is here..

I think as we draw further and further away from nature our arrogance will lead us to a world I am glad I will not be around to see.

Technology as we all see both good and bad has enveloped all our life's and as we grow to depend on it more and more the true effects of this will become ever more apparent as time goes by.

If we simply stepped back 100 years with the knowledge we have at our finger tips and tried to explain what was coming and what we would be able to do in the next 100 years we would be laughed out the room or worse..

The world we live in now changes almost daily, with new medicines and technology being announced the sheer speed of it all sweeps us all along , never having the time to stop and question and if you do ,you are looked at and shouted down as an old dinosaur ,progress progress is shouted louder and louder , but maybe one day we will under stand that progress can be achieved by stepping sideways as well as back on some occasions..

I believe that our sheer drive towards the body beautiful and longer life will lead us down the path of true horror .

I believe by the 2050's we will be transplanting the human brain as commonly as we now transplant hearts ,lungs, kidneys etc etc .

The weak point some people believe, in our life on this awesome planet is the human body with our joints etc wearing out and disease able to attack it, will one day I believe lead us to the point were we decide to do away with it all together and this WILL lead us to transplanting our brain into sleek body robotic beautiful .

The sheer common sense in it in their eyes :

Take for example flying ,planes now are getting bigger and bigger to transport ever increasing numbers of people across the world just think how many more humans could be loaded onto the plane if the brain could be detached at the terminal and loaded onto the plane into a small box and stored for the flight. ( and while on holiday your daily robotic body will be taken to a place not unlike todays Kwik Fit for a complete upgrade while you relax abroad)

The box will take the shape of the black box we often hear found at crash sites undamaged today,

this will lead to claims that even if the plane crashes you will survive .. perfect sense..

Just think you could leave your daily robotic body at the terminal and on arrival you are given the choice of various bodies (robotic) as if picking up a rental car like Avis

no need for sun tan oils or hours of sitting under tanning machines

see makes perfect sense and saves the planet

Slight drawback the cost of our new bodies several millions but hey never mind buy today and get the first year free followed by a 2000 year 0% loan.

With a guarantee that if a fault develope's simply come to the shop and it will be replaced or even better upgraded..

far fetched not anymore than if you were to sit with someone from 19^th century bloody hell you dont have to go back that far ,go to 1970 and talk with someone about what we are able to do now and they would NEVER believe you ...

don't fret if you think you would miss smells touch etc new and vastly improved sensors will mean that you are able to see further and smell scents and taste tastes hither too unreachable with the old noses and eyes..

So don't delay come on down to Comets and step into the future

Help the Government save money they have to spend needlessly at the moment telling us all to stop smoking stop eating to many cakes etc etc

be a responsible human and get transplanted TODAY.....

This is the first post on my new blog 2050 i hope you pop over for a wee visit , Andy

 

come visit 2050

Hermit gone fishing

Sunshine In The Mountains

Well the sun continues to beat down on us in the hermit lodge tucked high in the mountains.

After going to Dingwall for the month's supplies i have pulled into one of my many wee spots so i can get on and post to the net.

I still feel shocked at the response i have recieved for my pictures and stories so many wonderful people scattered all over this amazing planet.

The Joy of being able to make people smile with a pic is trully amazing and i feel so lucky to have been lead down the photography and writing path

Happy sunny days to all

The Dafthermit x