Category Archives: Ecology

Sun Standing Still

Posted on December 22, 2017 by Kate Cowie Riley

(Originally posted, December 2013) The word solstice comes from the Latin: sol (“sun”) and sistere (“to stand still”).  As seen from Earth, the sun’s highest point for the day is at its lowest for the year and the movement of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestry, Auld Lang Syne, Eco-travel, Ecology, Highland Titles, Hogmanay, Land trust, Maes Howe, New Year's Eve, Norn, Orkneyinga Saga, Robert Burns, Scotland, Scottish ancestry, Scottish Christmas history, Self drive Scotland tours, Stonehaven, Stromness, Travel, Uncategorized, Winter Solstice, Women Writers, Yule | Leave a comment

Twice a King, In One Day

Posted on March 26, 2016 by Kate Cowie Riley

March 26, 1306 Earl of Carrick, Robert Bruce was born at Turnberry Castle, Ayrshire, on July 11, 1274. He was born into an aristocratic Scottish family with both Norman and Celtic ancestry. His grandfather had been one of the claimants to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestry, Arbroath Abbey, Eco-travel, Ecology, Robert the Bruce, Scotland, Scottish ancestry, Self drive Scotland tours, Travel, Uncategorized, Women Writers | 2 Comments

The Isle of Mists…and Midgies

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Kate Cowie Riley

We had intended to leave the B&B in Portree by 9:00 AM in order to have a long, leisurely day driving the three-and-a-half hours from Skye over to Nairn, so the mandated end of breakfast at 8:30 was not a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestry, Eco-travel, Ecology, Gàidhlig, Isle of Skye, Portree, Scotland, Scots Gaelic, Scottish ancestry, Scottish Dialect, Self drive Scotland tours, Travel, Uncategorized, Women Writers | Leave a comment

Scottish Heart on Facebook

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Kate Cowie Riley

A little announcement here that I have opened a page on Facebook for Scottish Heart where I will be sharing the online work of Scottish photographers and artists (with permission) and posting interesting bits about Scotland. There’s a little “button” … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestry, Eco-travel, Ecology, Gàidhlig, Scotland, Scots Gaelic, Scottish ancestry, Self drive Scotland tours, Travel, Uncategorized, Women Writers | Leave a comment

Kelpies, Part 2

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Kate Cowie Riley

The memories page on Facebook has reminded me that I wrote about the Kelpies at Falkirk a year ago today. Back then, I had not yet seen them and my notes on them were a postscript to the information on … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestry, Eco-travel, Ecology, Scotland | Tagged | Leave a comment

Freeing the Trees

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Kate Cowie Riley

We arrived at the airport in Edinburgh mid-afternoon, but with all the time spent with the lost luggage situation, we did not get on the road until a few hours after we had planned to do so. This meant that … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestry, Eco-travel, Ecology, Land trust, Scotland, Scottish ancestry, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Mishaps Do Not A Total Disaster Make

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Kate Cowie Riley

We flew in to Heathrow and then on to Edinburgh. Our luggage did not. It took the British Airways baggage claim people an hour to let us know that, due to a scanner failure at Heathrow, there were somewhere around … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestry, Eco-travel, Ecology, Land trust, Scotland, Scottish ancestry, Travel | Tagged , | 2 Comments

There’s More To This Plot Than the Title

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Kate Cowie Riley

I spent this past weekend working at the Highland Titles booth at the Scottish Highland Gathering and Games in Pleasanton (California). I first heard about Highland Titles a few years ago when I stopped by the Highland Titles booth and had … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestry, Eco-travel, Ecology, Land trust, Scotland, Scottish ancestry, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Modern Idiocy At an Ancient Site

Posted on August 8, 2015 by Kate Cowie Riley

  Yesterday, the BBC reported that someone has vandalized the Ring of Brodgar, one of the many—and certainly one of the most spectacular—ancient sites on the Island of Orkney. At 341 feet in diameter it is the third largest stone … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestry, Eco-travel, Ecology, Land trust, Scotland, Scottish ancestry, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Don’t Judge the Land By the Title

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Kate Cowie Riley

I first heard about Highland Titles a few years ago. I was at the Scottish Highland Gathering and Games in Pleasanton (California) when I stopped by the Highland Titles booth and had a nice chat with Stephen Rossiter. We talked about … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancestry, Eco-travel, Ecology, Land trust, Scotland, Scottish ancestry, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment