Skywatch - Coming in

An unusual sight in our skies lately, due to the volcanic ash cloud grounding most of the UK flights. This one did make it into Edinburgh Airport.
See how the skies of the world are looking this week at Skywatch Friday.

Skywatch Friday - Skye Bridge

The bridge to the Isle of Skye from  Kyle of Lochalsh, with a hazy blue glimpse of the Cuillin mountain range in the background.
Enjoy seeing more skies from this Earth at Skywatch Friday.

Skywatch - March sunset

Driving home West from Edinburgh last week, stuck in rush hour traffic, this sky was a bit of a compensation.

See how the world's skies are looking this week at Skywatch Friday.

Skywatch - Views from the river

We've had a few beautiful sparkling sunny days here this week, still with a fair bit of snow lying around.  I came out of my Tai-chi class on Monday to this view of the Fife hills from the south side of the River Forth.

Looking  west here towards the Ochil Hills.

Then further west, you can just see the what I consider the beginnings of the Highlands - the mountains of The Trossachs. Pity about  the coal fired Longannet power station right in front.  Apparently it is capable of firing biomass though...
Please visit Skywatch and see how the planet's skies are looking this week.

Skywatch - shining through

The pale sun this morning, seen from our driveway, looked almost pear-shaped as it squeezed through this narrow cloud band.

Pushing itself upwards

easy does it,

almost there now,

Yay!  Brilliant!

See more skies at the excellent Skywatch blog every Friday.

Skywatch - Rosslyn Castle

Another wee day out on Wednesday, this time for a walk in Rosslyn Glen.  We had visited the (in)famous Rosslyn Chapel before, but had never made it any further.  This time, we passed on the chance to fight our way through the hordes of visitors vying to stand in the place that Tom Hanks stood in the DaVinci Code film, and headed off down the glen, eventually finding our way to Rosslyn Castle .  It was a lovely late winter day, with just a faint hint that warmer weather could be on its way back.
See what other skies around the world look like at Skywatch Friday - join in!.

Skywatch - Sky, snow and stones

A wintry view of the 5000 year old Callanish Stones against a pale blue sky on the Isle of Lewis, taken on Wednesday 3rd February. 
See more skies from all around the world at Skywatch.

Skywatch - Capital skies

Some dark foreboding clouds hovered over Edinburgh castle, but that figure of light soon chased them away.

Looking down over the chimmney pots of Frederick Street towards the River Forth and the Kingdom of Fife. I so often forget Edinburgh is a coastal city.  I love to be reminded with a glimpse like this.

Check out our planetary skies at Skywatch every week..

Skywatch - Blue skies and oil waste

Blues skies over Broxburn shale bing on Thursday morning.

A bing is another word for slag or spoil heap.  This particular bing is shale waste and is part of the original oil boom which took place over 150 years ago in West Lothian. It always makes me think of Uluru/Ayers Rock when I see it.  It is part of my own heritage too, since my ancestors worked down these mines. 
Visit skies from all over the world at Skywatch Friday.

Skywatch - Dreaming spires

Sorry - I couldn't resist the cliched title, but we spent a few days with my sister-in law and her husband while we all attended our nephew's wedding last weekend.  On a day out sightseeing in Oxford, we climbed the almost 1000 year old Saxon Tower and this was the view.  I love those clouds - they look as if they have been drawn in the sky. 

I like the way the University spires seem to be pushing their way out of the ground in this picture.
Check out Skywatch for more clouds, sun and beautiful skies from all over Earth.

Skywatch - Monotone.

Well - what can I say here. It has rained all week, so skies have been mostly grey with a few charcoal smudges here and there.  Hope you have had a sunnier week.  Check out more skies of all shades at Skywatch Friday.

Skywatch - The roof.

Our local butcher's shop is being re-roofed.  James and I were grocery shopping on Monday and stopped to watch the crane swinging the new roof trusses over our heads!

Luckily I had my camera in my shopping bag. Well - doesn't everyone?  Visit Skywatch Friday to see who else does.

Skywatch - Autumn seedheads

Delicate cow parsley seedheads and a pale blue autumn sky taken today in Almondell Country park just outside Livingston.
Check out Skywatch Friday for more sky views.

Skywatch - Home Skies

After a week of what seemed like constant grey, last night's sky looked quite promising. I dashed out and walked up and down the street reeling off various snaps, almost getting run over by my neighbour as she wheeled into her driveway to find me loitering there trying to get a better shot of that bird shaped cloud
Later we took a short walk to the construction site which is just at the end of our street (we are getting a new railway station and link to Glasgow and Edinburgh). I managed to catch the last of the sun as it set behind the JCBs. How romantic is that!
Please visit Skywatch Friday to see many more incredible skies from all around the world.

Skywatch - Jupiter Artland, Scotland

A couple of view of the skies over West Lothian and Fife yesterday taken at the fantastic Jupiter Artland sculpture park in East Calder. This work is appropriately for Skywatch Friday, called Firmament, by Antony Gormley. It is a huge structure - a crouching figure composed of steel balls welded together with lengths of rod and is inspired by an old star chart.

See the worldwide skies at Skywatch Friday.

Skywatch - shallots

I took some pictures for my gardening blog today. This was one of my shallot harvest, hung up on the washing line to dry in the sun. I thought it was a good one to start Skywatch Fridays. Check out lots of other skywatch pictures here.