Finding Refuge in each Moment

“Bothy – (In Scotland) a small hut or cottage, especially one for housing farm labourers or for use as a mountain refuge”, Oxford Dictionary.

Bothies intrigue me. Bothying is a modern tradition dating from the post World War II period. The growing economy increased wages, shortened working hours, and mountaineering and hill walking became popular forms of recreation for many parts of society. “As rural populations declined and farmsteads and homesteads were abandoned exploring walkers and cyclists used these deserted farms for overnight accommodation, sometimes secretly but increasingly with the owner’s knowledge; ‘bothying’ became the term for this activity”, Mountain Bothies Association.

I was in a bothy last weekend. I had hiked to the base of Morven (our highest mountain in Caithness) and came to Corrichoich Bothy – long since derelict and abandoned, though sufficient enough shelter in an emergency I am sure. With graffiti on the walls and signs of recent fires in the bothy it made me wonder how many weary travellers it had provided refuge for, and what were their stories?

Without a doubt they would be nature lovers like me. People who like to explore, to be out of their comfort zone, in fact to make these experiences part of their comfort zone. Perhaps they were groups travelling together or solo adventurers. I enjoy being by myself and the solitude helps me to connect even more to my surroundings. As John Muir (the great wilderness explorer) puts it “To sit in solitude, to think in solitude with only the music of the stream and the cedar to break the flow of silence, there lies the value of the wilderness”. I think you either get it or you don’t. Either you truly connect with nature or you see it with your eyes, appreciate it, but its beauty fails to penetrate your heart. Far from taking shelter, John Muir loved nature and being in the elements so much he climbed to the top of a tall pine tree in a storm, just to experience the sheer power of the wind. Would I? Probably!

I am savouring calmer, warmer days whilst they are here, knowing that winter is approaching, and winter brings ferocious storms up here and who knows what else this year? Finally it feels like we have our summer in the far north of Scotland. For a few days now we have had glorious sunshine and blue skies. It’s been warm enough to go out without a jacket, which is a huge achievement considering in June I was wearing jacket, hat, scarf and gloves! The sky is doing wonderful things, both at night – with spectacular sunset and northern light displays but also in the morning too with amazing sunrises. All in all, all is well.

Every day I wake up with gratitude that I am here, in Scotland, where I always knew I would settle. How did I know? I just knew..And I get to go out into my playground that is the Caithness landscape. My husband asks me why I don’t get bored of it. How can I when every day is different, each day the light has changed, the landscape has aged a day and so have I, bringing a fresh perspective to the scene. Plus I was never one for staying in watching the television. Nature is my entertainment.

I am especially enthralled to be on the beach when the sun is just dipping below the horizon, especially at low tide. The wet sand and the sky put on a mesmerising display.

So whether we choose to shelter or to go out in the storm, it’s all about us as individuals choosing what is right for us at any given moment. One person’s idea of a blissful afternoon is another person’s nightmare. What is important is that we respect each other’s uniqueness and ideas of recreation. The point is that we should enjoy leisure time and find refuge in each moment, whether it be inside a bothy, on the beach,in a yoga class at a football match, or even yes, watching television!

In between all this adventuring I have managed to squeeze in some painting and business progression! Wick Airport now has an official display cabinet where you can buy my stock. Plus I completed these commissions for a customer – one being a view from Craig Phadrig hill near Inverness, and a sceascape scene – the brief being ‘one of your seascapes with pinks, lilacs and blues’.

I am now focusing on Christmas and all the events, products and commissions leading up to it – a busy time for me. Please browse my shop for current paintings and products and watch this space for more.

Once again, thank you for your support and for reading my blog. See you next time,

Lisa Weller xx

 

 

 

 

Inspiring Art from the Heart of the Highlands