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Colours and reflections from a small hill in Highland Perthshire

The view south from a small hill in Perthshire

This year, I’ve mostly experienced the coming of autumn through our kitchen doors. From the table, where I’m both working and eating most of the day, I have watched as the yellow lime tree leaves swirl down towards the soil. Stems turn slowly into twigs, flowerheads melt, and squirrels dart around, defending their spoils. TheContinue reading “Colours and reflections from a small hill in Highland Perthshire”

An ode (and guide) to some favourite Scottish coffee shops

There are many things to miss about life as we knew it. I’m sure we could all make endless lists on the subject. There’d no doubt be disagreements on what each deemed ‘essential’ — and others wrote off as superfluous — but we’d probably all admit that simple pleasures are more important than ever. WithContinue reading “An ode (and guide) to some favourite Scottish coffee shops”

What’s next for our slow travel project

When I was commuting into Edinburgh each weekday — how strange it feels saying that in past tense — I kept a small notebook in which I’d scribble ideas as the train rattled towards the city. It feels like a lifetime ago when I wrote the words, Where does Hashtag Scotland go next? You mayContinue reading “What’s next for our slow travel project”

Distancing #5: More links for weekend reading

A close up of bluebells surrounded by grass

All of this series, words from life under lockdown, can be found via this link. After a week of work — which involves creating content about the coronavirus for about 7 hours a day, which as you’ve guessed doesn’t provide much opportunity from switching off from the situation we currently find ourselves in — oneContinue reading “Distancing #5: More links for weekend reading”

Distancing #4: When change is not a choice

Notes from journal entries penned at the end of March, edited and shared as part of a new series called Distancing. Read them all via this link. How has life changed for you in the last month? I barely recognise mine. Rewind and it’s the end of February, moving into March. I’m tallying up almost aContinue reading “Distancing #4: When change is not a choice”

Distancing #3: Little links for morning reading

Most weekends, even now, my mornings look like this: I get up, incredibly slowly, and get excited if there’s even the smallest sliver of sunshine sneaking through the blind. I set up my laptop, book, journal and pens on the kitchen table. I make toast and a coffee (which is always in my favourite white-and-beigeContinue reading “Distancing #3: Little links for morning reading”

Distancing #2: Indoors is the new outdoors

This is part of a new series called Distancing, short blogs mostly taken from journal entries. I hope you’re all staying safe. A few days ago we went on a ten-mile walk somewhere in Scotland. The last time we were here, it was a glorious January day and the thought of a global pandemic was veryContinue reading “Distancing #2: Indoors is the new outdoors”

Distancing #1: Losing my job and abandoning anxiety

We are all navigating a ‘new normal’. Like many, I don’t know how to process it — I can only write. Writing has always been cathartic for me, and so I am going to share a new series called Distancing. These blogs will be short notes, mostly taken from journal entries, and shared here. I hope you’re allContinue reading “Distancing #1: Losing my job and abandoning anxiety”