Category Archives: Winter Solstice

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

Circles, Rings & Stones

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Kate Cowie Riley

Sunday morning was bright and sunny; after we left Lana & Billy’s Orcadian Crafts shop in Kirkwall, we drove around the Mainland to continue our tour. The objective for the day was to avoid the tour buses which were out … Continue reading →

Posted in Maeshowe, Orkney, Ring of Brodgar, Scotland, Scottish ancestry, Self drive Scotland tours, Skara Brae, Stromness, Travel, Uncategorized, Winter Solstice, Women Writers | Leave a comment

The Mainland, Orkney

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Kate Cowie Riley

Orkney is a special place filled with ancient sites and the peacefulness that island life creates. Orkney gets its name from the Old Norse name Orkneyjar (Orc-nee-yahr), “Seal Islands”. When they arrived in the ninth century, the Norsemen heard the … Continue reading →

Posted in Eco-travel, Maes Howe, Orkney, Orkneyinga Saga, Scotland, Scottish ancestry, Self drive Scotland tours, Travel, Uncategorized, Winter Solstice, Women Writers | Leave a comment

Sun Standing Still

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Kate Cowie Riley

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 the Sun’s path comes … 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 | 3 Comments