-
Swelling the gourd
A long overdue visit to Manchester encompassed a trip to see many of Paul’s old haunts, hugely changed now of course. We were there to see and hear Paul Gilbert at Sound Control, just off the Oxford Road, right beside where the Haçienda had been, by the Rochdale Canal and the Cornerhouse. After a…
-
Hallowe’en
Hallowe’en, the poem by Violet Jacob, set to music by Jim Reid, sung by Sheena Wellington and Karine Polwart. If there is a sadder and yet more beautiful song about this time of year, I’ve yet to hear it.
-
Dei’l tak’ the hindmost
Continuing on the ILFI theme we went to the Walled Garden for lunch and then for a long walk in the Devilla Forest. As with the rest of the northern hemisphere just now, the autumn colours are stunning. Wildlife seen included roe deer, a teeny tiny frog, Canada Goose, Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Pheasant, Pink…
-
Art + Birds
This week I have been fortunate to see some new exhibitions, which have reminded me of some other favourites. In Stirling at the Smith Art Gallery and Museum I found the most gorgeous watercolours by Darren Woodhead, his commissions from his tenure as artist in residence with the IFLI are truly epic depictions of the…
-
Oaky doke
We went to the Botanic Lights installation last night, in Edinburgh, no doubt Paul’s camera will have been the winner in tricky lighting conditions, and do take lots of warm clothes, including gloves, if you are going yourselves. We enjoyed this very much and it was grand to see so many children there. Last…
-
Olds and news
Continuing our explorations of the nearby walks and towns in Fife, we went back to Craigencault Ecology Farm and then down to Kinghorn.
-
National Poetry Day
Rosemary and I exchanged poems yesterday, both by Norman MacCaig. Blue tit on a string of peanuts A cubic inch of some stars weighs a hundred tons – Blue tit, who could measure the power of your tiny spark of energy? Your hair-thin legs (one north-east, one due west) support a scrap of volcano, four…
-
Lily Beag
We were at Lily’s 3rd birthday bash yesterday, with another beautiful cake and two very excited children who were nevertheless on their best behaviour. It’s not easy to take pictures on such a high octane occasion but there are some for the record below.
-
Not as far as you think
To Glasgow, on a £1 ticket, courtesy of my Club 50 railcard. I did not walk all that far, but was amply rewarded with some fine architectural gems. …
-
Equinoctial thoughts
The January man he goes around in woolen coat and boots of leather. The February man still shakes the snow from off his clothes and blows his hands. The man of March he sees the Spring and wonders what the year will bring, and hopes for better weather.Through April rain the man goes down to…