During the Whale King's Winter Years the cold and snow and ice rarely left the outermost isles of Auld Dalriata. Overcast skies left all in gloom during the days, while night, all sound muffled, seemd to last for ever. So inclement was the weather in those years that children born in that cursed time were known as the grey children, old before their time. Women and children the wealth of any clan, suffered most from the lack of sunshine and fresh vegetables. Sparse grain harvests, and even poor catches at sea resulted in many of the oldsters, and some of the young ones dying of starvation with their silently mocking, bulging empty kites / stomachs. Situated in the clandom of Maubhraie, at the head of the Loch of the Grey Rose, the huddled village of Roisin Liath stood silent through one bitter period, and when, eventually, the baron's men fought their weary way through the rock filled pass, they found only empty bens, deserted turf fires, and a few starved beasts. No sign, then, or ever later, was found of the men, women and bairns who filled that glen. Nae ither lads nor lassies wid tak thir place... e'en when the gey wattery sun returned to the western glens. 'Roisin Liath is doomit', they say. PARISHE TALES O' AULD PERSHIRE, WIld Geese Press, Edwinstoun This is my first effort in the new VUE 9 Complete rendering program, from E-on Software / Cornucopia 3D store. I used some basic terrain, textures and atmosphere, so as not to overload my creaking machine. When I started the newly installed program, it gravely informed me that my trusty PC was not up to spec, and that several program features would accordingly be turned off or disable, in order not to crash the program. The upgrade is quite exciting, I've found, and, God willing I'll be able to experiment a bit with it. To those, like me, whose body and mind are limited by what they can do now ( a bit like my PC ) I can only say, 'Do your best, but do it all the time'. Excellence survives our wilted dreams. Warm regards to my usual viewers and old friends, and welcome to any new viewers who have wandered in. Less mythos story of Auld Dalriata this time, but I'm so busy at the moment, that I'm sure I saw myself leaving the house, just as I got in .. ;o) May God bless you all. May you experience wonder and joy when you are least expecting it, but most need it, and, when you can, please pass it on.. John.