Category Archives: Scotland

July 5, 2022 · 12:03 pm

Reading and Travelling for Inspiration and Renewal

Renewal

This summer and autumn are all about having a refreshing pause for healing and renewal of mind, body and spirit. My two main interests in life are writing and gardening and I found myself with a strained wrist back in the spring ~ possibly RSI ( but who can see a doctor these days?)

What did I need? A break from the garden and sitting at my PC.

What better way to do it than to read and to travel now the world has opened up a bit and while it is safe to do so?

The Extraordinary Island of Iona

In my next blog posts I will share with you posts about my journeys and book reviews of those I’ve picked up and enjoyed along the way.

Book Reviews

I’ve read some gripping and sometimes unusual yarns this summer including:

  • Songbirds by Christy Lefteri
  • The Stationery Shop of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
  • The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea
  • Interleaved Lives by Roderick Hart
  • Travels with Epicurus by Daniel Klein

I will share reviews of these books with you over the coming weeks. As I have often said, ‘in order to enrich the quality of your own writing it is vital to read a variety of books, helping you to hone your own skills. Meanwhile you will also enjoy being absorbed in the literary world in which you hope to share just a small part when you publish your own novels.‘

Islands of Inspiration

It may be a coincidence, but we have been visiting some new and some very familiar islands this summer:

  • Sifnos and Tinos ~ beautiful Greek islands.
  • Iona ~ a favourite of mine over the years for spiritual renewal and refreshment. An extra special place.
  • The Island of May ~ A fortunate recent trip to an island in the Forth estuary, renowned for its seabirds, especially puffins at this time of the year.
  • Alderney, Channel Islands UK ~ An island close to my heart and the original inspiration for my writing novels.
  • Guernsey and Jersey

There may be more.

My aim is to share the experiences with you and how they have inspired me in my life and more particularly in my writing.

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Filed under Alderney, Book reading, Book reviews, Channel Islands, Fife, Scotland, Writing

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June 7, 2021 · 8:40 am

Book Review of the Month ~ Secrets of the Sea House by Elisabeth Gifford

Today I am reviving my monthly book review, but this time I will post it on my blog before adding it to my rolling reviews on my Book of the Month Page.

Why did I choose this book?

I was drawn to Secrets of the Sea because:

  • I have visited Harris, Lewis and Uist and was drawn to the landscape; wild and rugged in contrast to the great expanse of machair, with wild flowers almost hidden by flowing grasses, a reflection of the sea and long sandy beaches.
  • I enjoy historical fiction and yet …
  • I also love reading novels in parallel time scales. I love the way they are woven to overlap and yet they are two stories in one, bringing history into the present day.
  • I have been inspired by local folklore in Scotland and Selkies intrigue me!

Did you feel empathy with any particular character?

Oh yes. Ruth’s struggles to shed her past memories. Memories are a bit like witness statements ~ it’s surprising how inaccurate they can be, especially those from childhood, and yet Ruth has resilience and a good man watching out for her.

Is there a lasting thought or memory of the book which remains with you?

Oh yes. I want to know more about the research and history behind the theory of where Selkies come from and I yearn to visit the islands again, especially Harris, North Uist and Benbecula, which we visited only briefly. I need more time to explore and absorb the essence of those places.

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May 31, 2021 · 8:15 am

Spring Bank Holiday ~ May 31st

Happy Spring Bank Holiday to all in the UK!

What does Spring Bank Holiday mean to you?

This is what it means to me. Lots of memories!

I was very fortunate growing up and then teaching because spring bank holiday, and the week’s holiday certainly enjoyed in England, usually meant that I didn’t go to school or subsequently have to teach on my birthday. Rarely it happened. Both my birthday and my Mum’s was around the same time, and so over the years we were often able to celebrate our birthdays together. Such happy memories! One was in 2016 when my cousins came over as a surprise on Mum’s birthday (30th) and visited us in Fife. Here are a couple of recent ones:

A cruise with Mum and Dad on the Oriana in 2017
Enjoying Loch Marie on my birthday 2018

This year we have decided to go away for a long weekend up to Glen Clova, a very special place just on the southern tip of the Cairngorms, with an abundance of pathways leading up glens and into the mountains. It has poignant memories for me of 2020, when we were not able to share our birthdays due to Covid, so it is lovely to look back on happier times.

Glen Clova Hotel

It will be good to recharge the batteries, enjoy a little bit of new found freedom to travel, albeit relatively close by, to have plenty of fresh air and walks and to be ‘in the moment’.

What have you been doing?

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