Clouds & Sunset River Tay North Fife

Clouds over the River Tay North Fife, never the same twice, always quite beautiful, colour, density and shape. Thousands of tons, water vapour gathering, eventually to precipitate and we've had plenty of that this year.

Capping Dundee across the water from Flisk North Fife.

Looking North to Angus.

Sunset July 30th. time for bed.

Tayview North Fife 29th July

Tayview 29th July, Overcast skies, it showers, the sun shines, it showers, it seems the whole Summer is this way. Certainly the vegetation has benefited, fuller, taller and now some turning to seed.

Along the roadside the grasses are in seed displaying a wide variety of colour, shape and texture.

Quarter Moon July 26th North Fife.

Almost Quarter Moon July 26th, a still night, warm and silent.

looking North over The River Tay setting sunlight, behind the sky is dark.

Outside, turning from looking skyward this Salsify drew my attention, some 150 metres from my garden where I grew them 15 years ago now spreading on the wind. The roots make excellent eating similar to parsnip.

Hedge Parsley.

Shangpa Kagyu Teachings by Kenting Tai Situpa

The Shangpa Kagyu lineage is generally little known. It is often considered to be a secondary line of the Karma Kagyu lineage (the celebrated lineage of Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, and the Karmapas), but in fact these two lineages were born at about the same period in India, around the 10th century. The Karma Kagyu lineage begins with Tilopa and Naropa. The Shangpa Kagyu lineage begins with the latter’s sister, the dakini Niguma, and the dakini Sukhasiddhi. From that time onwards each of the two lineages had its own development, even if they remained close to each other within Tibetan history. Throughout its history, the Shangpa lineage has never converted itself into an institution or school. It is above all a lineage of practice and has never been concerned with power or wealth. Most of its holders were great yogis living in hermitages all of whom had attained great spiritual enlightenment. It had very few monasteries, was without hierarchy, and remained a “secret” lineage transmitted from master to disciple. In each generation, several branches appeared; some of them passed away, others endured. Moreover, it was often held by masters of other lineages and schools. In the 19th century, when it was almost extinguished, the great masters Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo gathered together the transmissions of the different branches and gave renewed energy to the lineage. They along with Pema Nyingche Wangpo (the ninth Kenting Tai Situpa) put great effort into preserving and upholding the Shangpa lineage. The lineage was revived in Palpung Monastery in Tibet where the Shangpa Kagyu retreat Nigu Choe Drug (Six Yogas of Niguma) was established, and still today functions as a Shangpa Kagyu retreat. Then of course the previous Kalu Rinpoche went all over the world and established many retreat centres of both the Marpa Kagyu and Shangpa Kagyu lineages. A wonderful book by Kenting Tai Situpa In 2009 at the request of the present Yangsi Kalu Rinpoche, Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa conducted the transmission of the entire Shangpa Kagyu initiation and reading transmission at Palpung Sherabling. This book contains the teachings given during this transmission. You can Buy here. Shangpa Kagyu Teachings .

Blackberries North Fife

Blackberry flowers (bramble) in abundance along the road side in north fife, twill be a good harvest if the berries set. Apple, pear, cherry, elderberry and plums are not doing well though the red currants and black currants are.

Hedge Parsley, scattered along the roadside along with a multitude of wild flowers, Red Campion, Roses white and pink.

Spring sown oilseed rape, late, it's now mid July and about a month behind with most flowers.

Tayview 8th July 2012

Tayview 8th July, throughout the UK it has been raining non stop, today just a few drops, low wind and a tranquil time on the Tay near Newburgh North Fife.

Barley field North Fife

Wind blown barley next to the river Tay at Ballinbreich North Fife. Just like the rest of the world Britain is experiencing extreme weather conditions. The fruit tress, for which this area is famous have failed to set viable fruit, temperatures are all over the place, endless rain but today the sun did shine though massive downfalls are expected over the next few days. Growth is incredible, lets hope the sunshine comes big time for the harvest.

Khajuraho Temples India

Khajuraho Temples are situated in a village in Madhya Pradesh, bearing the name of Khajuraho. The rural ambience and the rich cultural heritage of the village serve as the perfect backdrop to the temples, which depict the sensual pleasures enjoyed by human beings. Khajuraho temples also reflect the maturity of the people belonging to that period. One of the most popular tourist attractions of India, the temples were constructed somewhere between 950 and 1050 AD, under the rulers of Chandel Empire. Each of the temples comprises of three main compartments i.e., the entrance (ardhamandapa), the assembly hall (mandapa) and the actual sanctum (garbha griha). The temples have been divided into three groups, based on their geographical patterns, namely western, eastern and southern. The theme of the Khajuraho temples is mainly the celebration of woman and her countless moods and aspects. The temples, built of sandstone, have also been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1972 I was commissioned to make 3D ceramic tiles based on the Temples of Khajuraho for an Indian Restaurant in Birmingham. At the time the only reference was poor quality B&W prints mainly of the less explicit examples. Little did I know that one day I would see them for real, mind-blowing. Should you ever go to India then visit, take your sketch book, camera, video camera and even a copy of the Karma Sutra if you're that way inclined. These photographs show but a tiny fraction of what can be seen.

Chhatarpur district.

I hired a bicycle and peddled out, easy going as it's mostly flat and the Temples came into view.

This how the town was in 1980, considerably developed since, it was walk, hire a bike, take a rickshaw or ambassador taxi. There were originally over 80 Hindu temples, of which only 25 now stand in a reasonable state of preservation, scattered over an area of about 20 square kilometres (8 sq mi). All within cycle distance. Today, the temples serve as fine examples of Indian architectural styles that have gained popularity due to their explicit depiction of sexual life during medieval times.

Closer up a veritable feast of sandstone sculptures featuring the art of sexual pleasures.

We all do it, some do it divinely.

Buddha, snail covered head, seated on and shrouded by Nagas.

Vishnu.

Khajuraho (Monumental Legacy Series) [Illustrated] [Paperback] This book is an introduction to the magnificent world of the Khajuraho temples; their history, patronage, court culture, religion, iconography, and distinctive features of the sculptures and architecture. Addressed to the general reader by an expert on the subject, this book systematically describes the twenty-two temples and the three museums at the site. RRP: £6.99 Price: £6.36 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. Click to Buy now.Khajuraho (Monumental Legacy Series)