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On the shore of the peninsula Normally we can see for miles But with the Sea-Mist visibilty it is cut down. Barely able to see the marvellous scenery This fog and mist is like Smoke on the Water But in reality they are just clouds Clouds on the ground...
As far as the UK is concerned, the £400bn cost of covid this year has been "paid for" already by quantitative easing - the Bank of England has bought back roughly that amount of Gilts/bonds from the financial institutions with newly created money, and...
There's heavy snow on the ground here and it will be months before the first hint of spring, so I'm forcing some hyacinth bulbs inside in anticipation. Plants are so remarkable. By the second day the tips had turned green and they had sprouted an amazing...
The problem with ethical shops is that most of their merchandise is over-priced junk and clutter that none of us really needs. Yes, this junk and clutter is nice, but not quite necessary. Some sell some clothing, but usually it is limited to T-shirts,...
Here are some things that the pandemic changed. It accustomed some people – those whose jobs allowed it – to remote home-working It highlighted the importance of adequate living space and access to the outdoors. It renewed, through their absence, an appreciation...
To reproduce in English the Russian "sh" character Ш, which is represented in Polish by the letter combination "sz". The trouble with Polish orthography is that when the missionaries from Rome arrived at the court of King Mieszko they were much less inventive...
The roses I have in pots on the patio from cuttings I took a couple of years ago are not doing very well, yet the very old original plants in the garden seem to have been rejuvenated lately and have been flowering well. I did some dead heading yesterday...
The very bad thing about this is that the government won't be able to do anything going forward as people just won't listen due to the government's own response to lockdown. A lot of those who had faith in the government lost it when they so staunchly...
In Scotland, the water quality is excellent, and a test is taken somewhere every two minutes on average. Our water & sewerage bills are included in our council tax bills, based on your band rating, and ranges from £ 298-£896 pa, working out at an average...
Sending young children to school is absolutely the wrong idea. United Kingdom have the youngest school age in the world. It is as though the government believes that early years is there to short circuit normal child development as a way of boosting the...
Lockdown in Paris Lockdown in Prague Lockdown in Berlin Lockdown in London Lockdown in Glasgow Lockdown in Krakow Lockdown in Kilcreggan Lockdown. Lockdown - Lockdown - Lockdown - Here we are. Here we are in Lockdown. Welcome to 2020. Welcome to 2020...
Do not travel if you feel unwell or have a temperature. Travel away from the main commuting times (0700 – 0900 and 1600 – 1830) wherever possible, as trains will be busiest around then. The earliest and latest trains serve key workers, like NHS and care...
In stark contrast to the post war-settlement, which saw the beginning of a world of unprecedented egalitarianism, Covid-19 looks likely to mark the birth of a technoauthoritarian Dark Age - a new era of e-surveillance, racial segregation, digital ID certificates,...
The sense of well being that is achieved through being around plants is greatly underestimated. I await, with enthusiasm the re opening of Glasgow's botanic gardens. Trees can hold such deep importance for so many people... Enjoyment of nature is always...
Today been outside picking some Bog myrtle Bog myrtle is strongly aromatic and in the past, it was used to repel fleas and other vermin. In Scotland, it is well known as a way to ward off the Highland midge. The herb’s insect repelling properties have...
Lithuania’s capital Vilnius drew attention at the end of last month when it announced plans to turn the city into a vast open-air café by allowing bar and restaurant owners to put tables outside for free while observing physical distancing rules. Since...
Throughout this crisis, the world has been given a chance to reflect on its actions and the effect they have on each other and the planet, especially in more developed nations. From London to Lahore, there have been significant increases in air quality...
I love that I'm old enough to be environmentally friendly by habit, having been brought up to avoid waste at all costs. (Mother brought up in the war, lessons passed down.) Keep old glass jars - handy fridge storage for small amounts of leftovers without...
There have been four major tests of Johnson’s English leadership: Brexit, flooding, Covid-19 and the BLM protests. The results? Four abject failures of leadership. Brexit: He helped instigate it, manipulated it for self-empowerment, used it to create...
Charity shops and the Covid19 Surely, if Covid19 has taught us anything, we have realised that we do not need wardrobes filled with unwanted and unworn clothes. Charity shops will have to diversify to survive. The global need to wise up on this throwaway...
The Templars , were a Catholic military order founded in 1119, headquartered on the Jersualem through 1128 when they then went to the Vatican The Templars founded a bank in London so as to finace the crusades Exploring the origins of the Templars also...
Pond Life Perhaps the recent rain has encouraged frogs to wander about more, as more of them seem to be discovering our tiny pond. It took quite a bit of thinking to work out how to fit one in, and I'm glad we did. What's particularly interesting is how...
This time last month we were basking in the calm of a trafficless world, listening to the birds and cycling in empty roads. Sadly, far from the 'predicted' new normality, today the car is king again - and even more so now that people are actually being...
I watched a RSNO concert on their YouTube channel last night that I had actually been to live in Glasgow February it was great to see it from other angles but it made me sad to think that only a few weeks ago already seems like a lifetime away. How can...
The meadow is so beautiful. Poppies, daisies, I want to call the blue flowers bachelor buttons or cornflower, but don't know if that is right. If it had some bulbs that flowered earlier, or some later flowering perennials it would be a joy all year round....