Chasing rainbows on the NC 500

We set off from Inverness on the North Coast 500 mile road trip

We selected an anti clockwise loop

Rolling hills covered in yellow Gorse to our left

Angry seas decorated with massive offshore wind farms to our right

The wind was howling when we reached John O’Groats

Bright sunshine interrupted by frequent rain showers

The North Sea seemed to be planning a land invasion

Pounding waves and spray battered the shoreline

It was late May but felt like winter

Brave tourists snapped rapid selfies at the most northerly part of the UK

Rapidly retreating to the shelter of the gift shop

Spectacular scenery best enjoyed from a warm and dry place

We stayed in a nearby rented house

Nature delivered a rainbow outside our back window which we claimed to be just for us

Deer passed by as the winds howled relentlessly

The sunset views were breathtaking

We made hot tea as we made special memories

Chasing rainbows as we were chased by horizontal rain

Friendships are the perennial flowers sewn by the seeds of acquaintanceships

Its nice to meet new people

Get to know them

Become acquainted

Discover what makes them tick

While they do the same towards you

Sometimes things do not click

You may naturally drift apart

For no apparent reason

Without any bad feelings

Sometimes a lasting friendship blossoms

You become soulmates

Always looking out for each other

Ready to lend a helping hand

Offering a shoulder to cry on

Or just an ear to listen

You will laugh a lot together

Cry a little too

Memories will be made

You might be physically separated

Perhaps not see each other so often

Friendship will still endure

You will gain an extra brother or sister

Reunions will be sweet

Picking up where you left off

Acquaintances will come and go

Some will bloom briefly but fade away

Friendships are the perennial flowers 

Sewn by the seeds of acquaintanceships

Things that make you go oooooh!

the smell of fresh rain

The sound of a door opening

Stirring hot tea

Hugs

Slicing crumbly cheese

Birds singing

Reading a bedtime story to child

Singing in the shower

Watching the sunrise

Happy hours

Greeting a friend

Sunsets

Key lime pie

Fixing a broken toy for a child

Jazz on the radio

Frying sausages

Mailing a gift

A clean shirt

Holding hands

Making a chopped salad

Firework displays

The sound of the ocean

Exercising

Making a bed

Listening to a waterfall

Adding butter to mashed potatoes 

Cutting flowers in a garden

Fluffy white clouds

A cold beer

A warm beer if you are English

Holding a door open for the person following

A crisp white wine

Smiling back at somebody

The smell of fresh ground pepper

Mending a fuse

Learning to dance

Holding an umbrella in the rain

Flying a kite

Taking a nap

Dreaming

Waking up

Thinking

Writing

Poetry

chasing memories of shadows

Long shadows at the end of a long day

It went so fast

Never got all the things done I had hoped 

Watching the shadows get longer

Wishing I was young again

Carefree and ready for anything

Days seemed much longer back then

Watching the shadows get longer

It will soon be sunset

A long dark night to follow

Nights seemed brighter when I was young

Watching the shadows get longer

Sunset was over in a flash

They lasted longer when I was young

I remember watching them for hours on end

Watching the shadows disappear

Its nighttime now

Preparing for a quiet night in tonight

I remember those all night parties when I was young

Watching my memories get longer now

I did not sleep much

Tossed and turned throughout the night

The sun just came up

Watching the shadows get shorter now

Its that midday heatwave

Sun directly overhead and its ever so hot outside

Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in this

Looking for my missing shadow

Swear words

entering my 

metal box

push button

move lever

press pedal

turn wheel

go fast

watch world 

flashing by

see bird 

soaring along

pretty bird

flying low

big bang

sudden stop

big tree

steam rising

metal box 

all bent

push button

move lever

press pedal

nothing happens

engine thing

is broken

swear words

abandon my

metal box

swear words

walk home

swear words

blame bird

swear words

what would you dare whisper to the wind

The wind blew hard all day

Incessant undulating waves of mad moving manic air

Hissing and whooshing and crackling

Flipping over the patio furniture during frequent uncontrolled delinquent rages

Angry bands of heavy almost horizontal rain crashed in without warning

Soaking the ground with vigor

Flooding the roads with fast flowing miniature rivers

When the rain stopped the wind dried everything in minutes

During the day the sound of heavy city traffic competed with the wind

As the evening arrived the wind noise rose above all 

By nightfall it was a deafening torrent

In the dead of night it was an explosive roaring menace

The building stood from as the howling wind screamed by

Windows rattled and shook in disbelief

Trees rustled and braced themselves against the invisible force

Innocent chairs outside were cruelly slammed into the fence

All this mischief went on throughout the long night

It was hard to sleep under siege

Having no control

Surrendering to the unstoppable power of the wind

As the full moon looked down in silent disapproval

By morning the noise had dropped to a steady blow

It was time to step outside and survey the damage

Cleaning up after natures drunken tantrums 

I whispered I forgive you into the wind

Ghosts under water

Oh mighty ocean

What tales can you tell

Of bygone days

With sailing ships and pirates

How many ships perished in these seas

Condemned to rest in Davy Jones Locker

Sunk without trace

No footprints left on the ocean surface

Just calm blue waters rippling

Secrets locked away

Ghosts under water

romantic rain ramblings

Ridiculous radar realized

Cunningly concealed clouds

Random rain received 

Delightfully delicate drops

Very vertically vectored 

Windless wandering washing

Rain romance revival

Remembering rain kisses

Seductive soaking streams

Positively passionate precipitation

Delicious dewy drops

Marvelous moist madness

Advancing aqua avalanche

Breathtaking bubbling baths

Effervescent evening encores

Jerky jolly juices 

Serendipitous serious soakings

Is the earth flat?

some say the earth is flat

it seems that way when you walk around

but what happens when you reach the edge

will you fall off if you keep walking

I found the answer on the internet

you just get teleported back to the other side

so you will never fall off

It would be a long walk home though

we can all sleep soundly tonight