I had never been to Scotland before … "not me, nor my mother, nor my Grandma before her…", but I am Scottish. A fourth generation Texan, still I feel very Scottish. I attend all the festivals, sing all the songs, know the history and absolutely love to see a man in a kilt! …and, I am not alone.

Statistics reveal that as many as one out of twelve Americans are of Scottish descent. The awareness of this heritage is growing at a phenomenal rate. The contribution Scottish Americans have made to the formation of the United States has just recently been recognized in the declaration of "Tartan Day", April 6^th of each year. There is a Texas State equivalent, "Day of the Scots" on November 30^th. There are Scottish festivals all over the United States and there is a Scottish festival in the state of Texas each month of the year. You can attend workshops at these festivals that teach you everything from the Scots Gaelic to the etiquette of Edinburgh. You can listen to bagpipes and watch young lassies dance the Highland Fling. The American Scot loves everything Scottish. For many of us, Scotland is "the homeland"… the "birthplace"… the "Mecca".

The purpose of my travel to Scotland was two fold. First to satisfy my need to step on Scottish soil… and secondly, to take the story of the American Scot back to Scotland - to let them know what happened to their relatives who made the journey over here so many years ago. The reception of that message was remarkable.

Several generous benefactors contributed to the tour, including the Clans MacLeod and MacGregor. Also, the Texas Tartan House provided a full-length kilt in the Bluebonnet tartan, the official tartan of the State of Texas, for me to wear on my tour. Everyone I met received me and my mission with great enthusiasm. The idea that there are so many Texans with a love and connection to Scotland seemed to be of particular interest.

Last year, I released my first CD, with the original song, "Never Been To Scotland". The song made its way to Scotland before I did. Murdo Morrison, retired president of the International Federation of the Robert Burns Society, heard the words to the song and made it his personal mission to see that dream come true. Through his contacts with the Burns Society and his work with Scottish radio and the Gaelic MOD, Murdo arranged a cross-cultural tour which included a live television broadcast and ten radio interviews, as well as several personal performances. The tour also allowed time for me to see Scotland for the first time, an experience which I will never forget. I was worried that my expectations were set too high, from years of anticipation, but soon found that Scotland was far beyond anything that I could have imagined.

Following are excerpts the journal that I wrote while in Scotland. I would love for you to see Scotland through my eyes!  (photos will be added soon!)

Next stop.... Scotland! This was the realization of a lifetime dream! Who knew, certainly not me, four years ago when I wrote the song, "Never Been to Scotland" that it would in a large sense be responsible for helping me to get there? I could finally think about Scotland once I was sitting on the plane with my seatbelt buckled! No one even blinked about me taking my guitar on the plane with me, which was a very important omen.

Murdo Morrison met me at the airport. He was the "guardian angel" who arranged this entire tour after hearing my song. We walked out into Scottish sunshine! Although I've been told it is rare... Scotland was shining just for me!!

Now, airports the world over tend to look pretty much the same, but there was something incredibly unique about that first breath of the cool freshness of Scottish air. My next distinct clue that "we’re not in Kansas anymore"… was the absolutely bizzare feeling when I got into Murdo's LandRover and actually saw the steering wheel on the "passenger's side"! I felt like Alice in Wonderland.

As we drove from Glasgow Airport, we passed several very tall old apartment buildings and it made me think of the song that Ed Miller sings about the moms throwing sandwiches down to their children from a "20-story flat". As soon as I mentioned the song, Murdo launched into a verse .... "the chances of it reaching us are 99 to 1". I will have to learn that one now!

We drove from the airport to the little town of Motherwell. All along the road were sights that I longed to retain... I strained to see everything we passed. I didn't want to miss a thing and tried to absorb anything "Scottish". I still had no clue that I would not have to look so hard to find what I wanted so desperately. I saw many of the familiar Scottish thistles along the road and explained to Murdo that those thistles had become very much a part of Texas. Every time we passed anything purple I had to ask, "Is that heather?" But no heather yet.

When we reached the Bed & Breakfast, the first thing that impressed me was the abundance of beautiful flowers - the color and diversity was just amazing! There was a constant cool crispness to the air that was so refreshing, and now as I just stood in the sunshine, the freshness enveloped me. I was surrounded by quaint little houses - and all those flowers.

There was nothing on my schedule for the day, so I got settled into my room and off I went to the town of Motherwell. It was just up the hill and a very comfortable walk. The day was too beautiful to waste on rest.

I headed to the bank and tried the ATM (known in Scotland as the "hole in the wall") but to no avail - just could not make a connection. I thought that I'd just wander to a few other banks and try again. Up the road, and then just off to the left was a little alley of shops so naturally I wandered that direction. I passed by looking at each one and was amazed at just how similar they seemed to be to shops back home. I noted a few things that I might like to purchase later on, although at that moment, I was pence-less!

It was a pure joy just roaming the streets and listening to Scottish chit-chat. It was also amazing how very much alike the young people and their styles are so far away from the States. They have the same shoes, and the same little shoulder tatoos - as well as those little stretchy lace necklaces and bracelets that caught my eye back home. I thought about how fast our world is moving...

That first day, I was so tired that I made the mistake of going to bed at 2:00 pm. I got up for dinner at 6:00 pm, and then back to bed. Dinner and breakfast are included in my cost at the B&B which is extremely cost effective and very convenient.

I couldn't find my little alarm clock and as a result, woke up in a panic several times worried that I had overslept. The first time it was only about 8:30 pm! I saw the sunset and mistook it for the sunrise. It really scared me because I had to be up and ready for 6:30 am to get to the TV station. So back to sleep - then up again at 12:30 am - and 2:30 am - then finally at 4:30 am, I just stayed up for the day.

It was quite a scenic drive to the Lanarkshire TV Studios, and to add to the glamour there was a light rain. Murdo apologized, but I assured him that I was delighted The station was located in a beautiful old rock building, which many years ago had been a mental hospital - how perfect! The people inside were absolutely wonderful and seemed to really enjoy the music which made it all the more fun. The show was a live broadcast, so the energy level was high and exciting!

The main set was relaxed, with a couch in front of a window that looked out over the beautiful Scottish countryside! There was a young policewoman named Ann who was also appearing that day. Ann's report on local crimes was enlightening. To hear her talk about an assault and see that it was an unusual happening here... that told me volumes about Scotland.

When we left the studio, it was officially raining outside - real rain, not just mist. The countryside was hidden with a lovely fog. I know that it may be strange, but I loved it - the atmosphere was just so magical with that thick layer of fog clouding the view. We headed from Lanarkshire to Ayrshire for a radio interview at West Sound Radio. As we drove the rain lightened up.

The radio show went really quickly. Tom Ferrie, who conducted the interview, had a lovely deep voice and seemed genuinely interested in the "Tartan Day" declaration, a sentiment which I would find repeated at every station that I went to.

From the radio station we headed over to Ayr – official Burn’s territory, where we stopped at the Tam O’Shanter Exhibition Experience, and saw a short film on Robert Burn's life and then another one on his poem, Tam O'Shanter. Both films were wonderful - very informative and entertaining. Afterwards we went over to the thatched cottage where Robert B was born. Of course, we had to take our photos standing in front.

As we headed back from Ayr, the countryside was spectacular! The sun had returned. We passed a place which had been completely obscured earlier in the day by fog, and now we could see water and even mountains beyond. The scenery transformed constantly, bringing new wonder with each change.

Murdo told me to dress warmly for wandering around Edinburgh that night.... but I was not prepared for what he had planned! Oh, my God! He handed me a ticket to - THE TATTOO!!!! I wasn't even sure what it was, but I knew that it very special and that I was thrilled to go!

As we headed toward the castle all you could see was an ocean of people walking up this huge hill toward the castle at the top. I learned later that this was the "Royal Mile" between the Queen's Scottish residence and Edinburgh Castle. We made our way up and into the bleachers at a very slow but steady pace. I was so impressed with the overall atmosphere of the crowd. Even though it was "wall to wall"... no one shoved or pushed and everyone remained very up-beat and courteous. We finally made it up into the bleachers. The seats were so small that we were literally wedged between each other. It was warm though, and very cozy. The castle was breathtaking!

The bleachers filled, and the sun began to set - then the announcer welcomed everyone and started down a long list of various visitors and visiting dignitaries. Suddenly he was talking about me, coming all the way from Cypress, Texas for my first ever visit to Scotland. Before I knew what was happening, my song, "Never Been to Scotland" was coming out over the loud speakers for the thousands of people at the most awesome festival in the world!! I was absolutely in tears - I was so excited! I can't imagine the look on my face!

The sun slipped down, and the show started - the excitement didn't stop until it was over. When the pipers marched out of the castle through a fog - there I was crying again. It was heaven!

This was the 50 year anniversary of the Tattoo, complete with fireworks, and a shower of fire that lit up "50" on the side of the castle. The show had everything from Country & Highland dancing to a spectacular production reliving the Scottish military, from the Thin Red Line to Desert Storm! Dancing horses, and fantastic music - continuous excitement. I was in awe! At the end of the evening, the lone piper stood high on the castle wall and piped his magic! It was a magic that stays with you forever!

It was hard to believe that I had only arrived a day ago. Friday the 13th would forever be a wonderful reminder of the Edinburgh Tattoo.

The next day we headed back to Edinburgh for another radio interview at the Hospital Broadcasting Studios/ Red Dot Radio. The hospital was a network of very old rock buildings and little streets, which had obviously been there before the invention of the automobile. Sandie Wyles was a lovely lady and so easy to talk with that I felt like we were just having a heart to heart chat! "Hit the spot with the Red Dot... this is Sia LaBelle from Texas".

We all had a great time. Afterwards we went up to a huge hill in the center of Edinburgh called, "Arthur's Seat"... It was like being in the middle of the wilderness instead of in the heart of Edinburgh. I took photos all the way around and told Murdo that I would have been perfectly content to just sit on that hill - but we had to get along. Murdo just smiled coyly and said, "You ain't seen nothing yet!"

Murdo's youngest sister, Joan was visiting from Australia - a great lady born on the Isle of Lewis! We made our journey together into parts of Scotland that neither of us had ever seen. We left Glasgow and Edinburgh behind and started up the road to Perth. Our first stop was Heartland Radio in Pitlochry with Alan Brown. Every one of the radio stations have been located in a completely different but very scenic location. Such diversity!

Alan and I discovered a mutual friend in Ed Miller. Ed, originally from Edinburgh, now lives in Austin, Texas where his easy manner, beautiful songs, and quick wit make him loved by everyone. We had a very good interview and then we were back on the road, through Perth and up to North Arbroath.

Arbroath was wonderful! We actually arrived about an hour early and there just happened to be a "Sea Fest" on the docks that day!! A reenactment of an 1800’s wedding - complete with sour-faced minister, and foot-stomping ceilidh. We tasted several smoked fishes and then had a slice of "seafood pizza" which was incredibly tasty!

We broadcast live for about half an hour on Radio North Angus. It was very enjoyable! The young lady DJ, Leslie McHardy, had a lovely calm demeanor and once again seemed so honestly interested in the stories of long lost kindred who crossed the ocean so long ago. Of course, she was intrigued with the U.S. document I brought which clearly credits the Declaration of Arbroath as instrumental in the formation of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, and specifies April 6^th as National Tartan Day to recognize the contribution to American history by those of Scottish ancestry.

The next morning, we had the grand tour of Aberdeen which is called the "Granite City". All the houses & buildings are made of the same gray granite. Everything, houses, apartments, office buildings and stores, all color coordinated. You got the feeling that it was just one huge castle! Flower boxes on the window sills were filled with an amazing variety of flowers and added a wonderful contrast of color to the solid gray of the walls.

At the harbor we saw an old lighthouse that had been there for over 800 years! The sea was wonderful! It was obvious that this part of the city was very old. The houses were so tiny and seemed to be made for much smaller people.

We followed the sea on around and stopped at a little fishing village called, Cruden. There were rows of tiny little houses. The view was spectacular! A tiny creek made it's way down one side of the houses all the way to the sea. On the other side of the creek up some very steep hills, was one of the top golf courses in the world and from the looks of it, it was a very difficult one.

At the ocean, there was a large cement square which was filled with mud and boats. One end of the square had an opening for the tide to come in and the boats to leave. Apparently it wouldn't be too long before it was full of water again, because there were several fishermen preparing their boats and gear in the mud. Beyond a great wall was a fantastic, rugged beach where we sat and watched a group of dolphins jumping and playing in the deep blue waters.

We traveled through Petersburgh, then on to Fraserburg, where we went right down to the docks to see a large fishing vessel unloading its fish. The fish poured from the ship, a solid stream of silver, and filled huge crates. There were so many fish that no one even seemed to notice all the ones that fell out - no one except the gulls! The gulls flew down in massive numbers and had an absolute feast! Just in the water not far from the boat was a huge seal, probably after some of the same leftovers!

Still following the beautiful ocean, we came round McDuff, and to Banf... suddenly, I could hear the waves! We stopped by the side of the road to listen. Murdo told me of a Gaelic song, "The Immortal Sound of the Sea" written by a man who had left Scotland and lived many years in Canada. When he returned, so many things had changed, but the sound of the ocean remained the same. After a great deal of persistent coaxing, Murdo sang the song for me. It was magical! There's another I'll have to learn.

As we continued on the road toward Keith, I saw my first heather! The whole hill was purple! Finally!!! I had been looking for small patches of flowers... instead there was a whole hill of heather!! In fact, as we continued on our journey, we traveled through an endless ocean of rolling hills of beautiful heather!

Our next B&B was in Forres, which was breathtakingly beautiful - with flowers... flowers... flowers... everywhere. Barrels, and buckets, and hanging baskets of color. Before it got dark, Joan and I wanted to take one more quick walk in the gardens across the street. The flowers were exquisite. We walked along a little creek and over a bridge, and we were suddenly walking "in the midst of the midgies"! My first actual encounter - fortunately, the meeting did not last very long, and they seemed to disappear as abruptly as they had come.

The B&B, April Rise, was fantastic. Mrs. Banks was a lovely little lady with a very friendly and sincere smile. You really got the sense of "staying in her home". In the morning, Mrs. Banks made a feast - eggs, toast, ham, sausage (and this was after juice, cereal and fruit). I also had some "black pudding" and "oat cakes", which were both very lovely. The black (or blood) pudding had a wonderful flavor, especially with the eggs.

We made our way to Ft. George - a massive fort which was built following the battle of Culloden to "prevent any further uprisings". The walls were so "timeless" and massive, you really got a sense of stepping back in time. Ft. George is still an active military installation, and we saw plenty of good-looking soldiers to prove it. Murdo even got my photo with a couple of them.

Next we stopped at Culloden. The spirit of what had happened there was so strong - it was very much an emotional stop for me. A heavy lump formed in my stomach and stayed with me as we walked through the grounds. Like the sobering feelings that I had even as a child at the Alamo - just to know that so many great men lost there lives in this place.

As we walked along the grounds, Joan pointed out that it was all fields of heather! I walked among the heather for the first time on Culloden moor - this was very significant to me!

Little rocks that bore clan names were scattered around the field, the only evidence of the graves of fallen Highlanders. I was told that the brave men were buried where they fell. A solemn rock monument stood at one end as a memorial to them all. Such an overwhelming sadness, but at the same time I was so very thankful to have the privilege to walk there.

When we left Culloden, we headed to Inverness. As we drove along the Moray Firth, you could see the "Black Island" on the other side. The scenery was majestic! Murdo with his little grin said, "You ain't seen nothing yet". Every time I heard that I knew that there must be so much more, but I couldn't even imagine how it could get any more beautiful.

Now on into the Highlands! Inverness is considered the gateway. I was taken by how modern it was. The River Ness flows along one side, and the large castle on a hill stands over everything. I did two concerts in Inverness for the Council for Music in Hospitals charities. The first was at the Royal Northern Infirmary and the second at a Residential Home for the elderly. Everyone seemed to enjoy the music, and it was two of the most rewarding performances I think I've ever done. I've never had more enthusiastic listeners!

In between the two performances I had an interview on Moray Firth Radio with Andy Ross. Andy was very likeable and quick witted. This station covers a very large audience with nearly 130,000 listeners. Andy also managed a link with Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, so that at least my music would find its way to the Islands, and hopefully pave a road for me to follow on my next visit!

From Inverness it was on up into the Highlands!!! Oh, my God! The Highland woods were royal - majestic walls of trees with the soft floor of flowing delicate ferns and heather. We drove by in the car, and all I could think about was how desperately I wanted to just step into it!

We had to get to our next B&B at Garve - "The Birch Cottage", and just managed to get there before dark. There was a real briskness to the air, and a rich "browness" to the water! I was told not to be concerned… that the brown comes from good healthy peat beds! The water tasted great!

This has been a recurring theme - Murdo has quoted it off and on throughout out travels. It's a beautiful quote from an old Irish tune, "Come by the Hills." It just so happens that the first song on the Gaelic tape that I bought in Inverness is the Gaelic version of that very song!

As I woke up at a B&B in Garve, everything just felt different. OH, MY GOD!!! Now this is Scotland! Everything about it says, this is the Highlands!! The cool freshness of the air made everything so alive! My hair even looked better!

As we drove higher and closer toward Ullapool, the scenery was magical! The Loch Broom Radio Station is set at the foot of a hill - a newly constructed building. I did a live broadcast with Ian and then filmed another program with Steve to air later in the week on a completely different show - a country program called, "Cowboys and Angels". Fun stuff!

Once again, I was thrilled at the genuine interest in the story of the American Scots and the Texas kin. "Sure we all know about the connection in Nova Scotia, but TEXAS??" That seemed a recurring reaction. "Yes", was my reply, "Texas is Texas because of the Scots who fought for its freedom and helped form its republic! Our most beloved Texas heroes were of Scottish descent – Sam Houston, Davey Crockett - there was even a MacGregor who piped for the battle of the Alamo." I told the story to everyone who would listen…. And they listened.

At the station I got a "midgie repellent bag" – "the secret", the bag said, "was to empty contents and swing the bag rapidly around your head!!" Down the road, I found a "hole in the wall" to replenish my rapidly depleting finances, and found myself just standing in line and admiring the view. The scenery around Ullapool was so beautiful. Murdo smiled once more, "You ain't seen nothing yet".

We continued to drive into the Highlands and I don't think I can even describe it - breathtaking... as in cannot breath... or it's just so spectacular that you simply forget to breathe!

We stopped at Corrieshalloch gorge - a 200 foot drop (that is AFTER you climbed down to that point). The walk down to the look-out was swarming with midgies which seemed to weed out a few of the tourists and sent them packing! The gorge had a long narrow pier suspended over the gorge that was only wide enough for two people at a time. Joan and I took the walk and it was awesome! Every direction was a postcard view! I clicked off some photos just to prove that I was really there. Murdo quietly said, "you ain't seen nothing yet".

Murdo was so right - every curve in the road brought more beauty and more diversity - The rocks and heather seemed to roll on forever and just gave me that serene feeling like looking out over the ocean. Then around the corner - majestic thick woods, with fern-covered grounds. One layer of hills just formed a forefront for a second and third layer of mountains - and then beyond there was the sea! The sky and the clouds joined in the magic, and their constant dances in the sky, brought amazing transformations to the country below. Sunlit peaks suddenly hidden, while others seem to appear in an instant.

We stopped at the Gardens in Poolewe . The gardens were lovely, but the appeal was not just the cultivated plants, the real beauty was looking out beyond the garden at the scenery all around. Back to the car, we went farther up into the mountain. The roads narrowed down to a small, single lane with little spots alternating on opposite sides of the road, marked "Passing Place". When you saw a car coming from the other direction, one or the other would pull over and wait for the other to pass. We had to pull over for two cows walking with their calves as though they owned that road - it was great!

We stopped where the mountains met the sea. There were fields of peat beds, where constant harvesting and regrowth created very unique patterns in the ground. This area had once been an American military base, but very little remained to give evidence - A few cement foundations and sidewalks.... a few bunkers - there was an old sheep corral.

We climbed to the highest hill and looked out over the loch to one side - the ocean on the other. The Atlantic Ocean crashed against Scotland's ancient rocks to the left of the mountain and to the right, the water lay tranquil and still! It was heaven! I did not want to leave and would have been so contented to just sit there forever lost in the magic of the place. Like we had come to the very beginning of everything! Joan had said that legend told about Gaelic being the language spoken in the Garden of Eden. I picked up a large flat pink rock and held it close as if it could somehow impart some of its mystery, then I lifted my face toward the water. Every cool, refreshing surge of wind carried with it the haunting sounds of the ocean. What a peace I felt. I can't imagine that even the Garden of Eden could ever have been any more beautiful than right there on that Highland mountain.

Across the harbor from the gardens of Poolewe is the Pool House Hotel, and later in the evening I "sang for my supper" - everything was absolutely first class. There was a terrace outside the hotel that looked out over the loch, and I managed to capture a few photos of the sunset. No way to describe the beauty... I've used all the words and none of them come close! Gold and pink brilliance across the sky and reflected in the water, as the mountains just darkened in majestic contrast.

The next day we drove past Loch Maree. Mist covered Ben Eihge in the distance and I begged to stop for photos. Every view - every angle is a picture worth taking. You could never have enough film - still never really capture the beauty!

We made our way to Nevis Radio in Ft. William for another radio interview and then a photo shoot with Ian Ferguson, a freelance photographer. As luck would have it, Ben Nevis dropped the veil of mist which usually conceals it, and we rushed down to the harbor at the foot of the mountain, where I pretended to put the Bluebonnet Tartan skirt on Murdo. There was an old fishing boat traveling slowly on the water and we positioned the photo so that the boat would be in the background. As the boat moved, we quickly dashed to set up again and get another few shots. When the captain of the ship realized what we were doing, he stopped the boat until we were finished with our photos and waved a thankful farewell.

That evening I performed with a local "Scottish Review Show" at McTavish Kitchens in Ft. William, complete with piper and highland dancing. George Smith headed the show with a soft, but quick sense of humor. We ended the night with all the performers on stage, and we danced like young kids, until I was so dizzy that I had to stop and catch my breath through the laughter!! The crowd loved it!

The next day we went through Glencoe - awesome mountains, rugged and steep on all sides with a little valley twisting between them. The slopes were etched with little crevices, carved from the snow and running water. It was a harsh land but so beautiful.

There are some really neat old roads leading in and through Glen Coe. I would love to have time to explore them more. Murdo told me that one of the old roads leads all the way to Glasgow, one would be the very road that the Campbells took on that fateful night so long ago.

As we left the valleys, the land looked so desolate - no trees, just miles and miles of rock hills & heather... that soft covering of moss & heather that adds so much to the countryside. The rolling land seemed endless... like a rolling ocean of land. It really was incredible!

As we traveled south to Loch Lomond, the land became lush and covered again with ferns and trees. Loch Lomond is a very long lake. We seemed to drive beside it forever... all the while me feeling very anxious to get out and see it more closely. I thought we would never stop so that I could actually take photos and feel the water. Finally we did stop, and I ran my fingers through her cold, clear water. I even looked around for my "ain true love"... but alas, he was not there.

As we left Loch Lomond, we got our final look at the Highlands. I watched the mountains disappear into the distance until I couldn't see them anymore. An immense sadness settled into the very pit of my stomach. I didn't realize until that moment how very greatly I would miss it. The Highlands of Scotland are so much more than scenery. There's a spirit there - something very different than anything that I've ever felt before.

Now the song, "Loch Lomond" has so much more meaning to me, because at the foot of Ben Lomond I had my last glimpse of the Highlands. I felt such an emptiness - but the memory would be with me forever.

I tried not to think about it. I still had two days in Scotland and certainly didn't want to waste time moping! It was so hard... but I found that listening to my new Gaelic music tapes helped. Listening to the beauty of the language in song has been such an inspiration - and my desire to learn the language and be able to sing it correctly has been kindled!

As luck would have it... I was invited that very night to a "Gaelic ceilidh". In fact, I was the only person there who wasn't a Gaelic speaker. At Murdo's request I started the evening off with a couple of tunes - "Never Been to Scotland" (of course) and then "Skye Boat Song"! Murdo John McLeod set the mood on his melodian, and Callum Ross joined in with his tremendous voice. Soon everyone in the room was singing in Gaelic. It was awesome! I was very glad to discover that my guitar knew the Gaelic chords! We talked, ate, drank and sang until almost 2:00 am.

Next morning, Joan helped device a wonderful escape plan so that we could get to Edinburgh to do some good old fashioned tourist shopping - we rode the train into Edinburgh. It was a very pleasant trip and seemed to take no time at all.

Once we got to Edinburgh though, I was sure that Joan was trying to kill me, up and down steep hills and stairs at a pace that had me huffing and puffing. We really had a lot of fun. The streets were full of people. The Edinburgh music festival was in full swing, and there were craft vendors and booths of every kind imaginable filling the parks.

Then sadly, my last day in Scotland....

On our way to the airport, Murdo still managed to squeeze in one last "tour" of Glasgow. The architecture and old buildings are very impressive. Murdo asked me for my most favorite moment during my stay, and I had to tell him the one I think that most captured my heart was standing on that mountain outside Poolewe looking out over the ocean. It was the most peaceful that I have ever felt in my life. Of course, hearing my song played at the Edinburgh Tattoo had to be right up there at the top - but even that was pale by comparison to the splendor of the Highlands.

I told him that my last photo in Scotland would have to be of him shoving me on the plane.... to which he replied, "We would keep you in Scotland for a thousand years if we could"....

And I thought.... if only I could.