A Pot of Gold

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Or to find any pot of gold for that matter, whether at the end of the rainbow or not? Me too. Hence last Sunday I found myself out on one of my adventures, exploring the Caithness landscape, looking for that said pot of gold. Seriously.

Legend has it that a kettle of gold was thrown into a pool of a wide burn at the foot of Dirlot Castle to stop invaders from stealing it. There have been many attempts over the years to retrieve the gold but the swimmers never survived their attempts, or so the story goes. So maybe my luck was in, I thought. Perhaps my pile of gold was there for the taking. Just, you know, sitting there. After all there is zero chance of me plunging into some freezing pool chasing some legend. I am a little crazy, and sometimes do ‘wild’ things but I do have my limits. Swimming in a creek in 30 degree heat in Australia at Christmas was enjoyable. Somehow I think the 25 degree temperature difference would not make this so.

Back to the gold..Was it there waiting for me? No chance. Not a scrap of metal was to be found, but what I did find waiting for me was priceless.

The place is a little gem, not gold, but sparkling all the same. Honestly, I am sure when authors wrote fairy tales, they must all have had Caithness in mind. You couldn’t make this stuff up. I’ll try my best to describe it, but the pictures may help. A winding burn, running through a narrow gorge. A disused, derelict cemetary in the middle of nowhere with eerie statues that set your spine tingling. A small pinnacled rock, with the ruins on the castle on it, at the foot of which is the said pool. A little bridge spanning the burn and over looking the entire scene the majestic mountains of Morven and Scaraben. Like I said priceless. All material to add to the inspiration bank that is my mind. Whether it comes out as stories, poetry or paintings, time will tell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I put out a post on Instagram this week and this moment resonates with that post.

This is what I said about this photo and this moment – ‘Distracted by the main event, ie. the sun setting, we forget to look around. But when we do we realise that the beauty and the blessings surround us and are not just in front of us’.

Perhaps we should all stop looking for that elusive pot of gold and change our focus instead to what is already around us? Surely then all things become golden.

For all of you who have signed up via my website for weekly updates, I have an apology..My updates are no longer weekly. I have got myself too busy to keep up with myself! But know that I write when I can, and it always comes from the heart. I would rather that then churning out writing for the sake of it. I know you love reading my blogs, I have had great feedback, so please do stay posted.

News at Haven House Art is that the doors will be opening in the next couple of weeks officially for visitors. I am just waiting for the sign for the garden. Exciting times ahead! I’ve been very busy with commissions that I have not been able to work on any new paintings for you to purchase, but there’s still plenty that you can browse here on my website.

I’ll leave you with this commission that went to a very happy customer last week. It’s of the Caithness mountain range. A true piece of ‘home’ for his home.

Thank you for reading this blog. Take care.

See you next time,

Lisa Weller xx

 

 

 

 

 

Inspiring Art from the Heart of the Highlands.