Greetings from Scotland

We've been here in Scotland for five days now, first in Glasgow, where we stayed the first night with Lindsay Biddle and John Mann, a Presbyterian clergy couple who are colleagues of ours from the Presbytery of the Twin Cities. John showed us his church, in Glasgow's rough and tumble Pollok neighborhood, where they're doing several very creative community outreach programs for kids and adults. Lindsay is between interim assignments right now, and writing a novel about church life in Scotland!


The Highlands are a gorgeous, magical place, with the light always changing as the weather changes constantly. Whoever said there is a boring weather day in Scotland?? One moment rain, the next moment sun, and in a few minutes, rain again!

Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most beautiful ones we have seen so far. It is on the road to Skye, not far from the Kyle of Lochalsh bridge from the mainland. We stopped there around 7 p.m., and tough the castle was closed for the day, we could wander around and get the views. We also backtracked up a little road up the hillside behind the castle and got the panorama view you see above.Tom, at Eilean Donan castle, Aug. 12

This is for Margie Crone, Lowell Thornber, and the Seekers Group. Look, here I am at my "thin spot" by the River Teith, near Doune Castle. I found the exact spot I had been at in 2006, with the very same log sticking out of the river that looks like the head and neck of the Loch Ness monster, with baby monster underneath her. Some things never change much in this fast paced world of ours. I love it!
Lucy, at Doune Castle, near Stirling. This is one of my favorite spots in Scotland, and I wanted to show Lucy what a special place it is. We had a great time wandering around, climbing the spiral staircases, and going up to the rooftop for the views of the surrounding bucolic countryside.

I've run out of time to do more postings for today's blog, but will do some more, of the Isle of Skye and other Scottish places we've been when I get to where there is a wireless connection for my computer to access the Internet.