capndarcy

Developing Green Fingers.

I recently took up gardening. Mum was a great gardener, growing most of her own vegetables: potatoes, cabbages, turnips, onions, carrots, anything and everything really. And she was successful. I had often thought to emulate her but had never had the time nor, if I am honest, the inclination to do so until recently. WeContinue reading “Developing Green Fingers.”

Two Entertainments in One.

It has been a few years since I have enjoyed so many evenings out to enjoy the theatre, live music and exhibitions. Busy schedules and then the pandemic conspired to keep us away from the cultural highlights in the city and surrounding area but we seem, in recent months, to have begun to make upContinue reading “Two Entertainments in One.”

A Family Remembrance.

On 21 March 1918, Private 242167 was retreating with the 5th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders along the Cambrai Road when he was fatally wounded and left to die in a shell hole. His name was Edward Brass Moar, a young man, only 21 years old, from a wee croft on Orkney. He was my great uncle.Continue reading “A Family Remembrance.”

And so it Continues

TW: Rape, sexual assault On a Sunday evening in mid April, 1728, Margaret Watt, a young Aberdeenshire woman, was walking to the town of Kintore when she was assaulted and raped by John Brown. We know this because she reported it the following week to the local Kirk Session in Kintore.* The minister asked herContinue reading “And so it Continues”

Lord Emsworth and Marxism.

I have, over the years, amassed a large library of audiobooks. Like my physical book collection it has somewhat overtaken my ability to keep up with it. However, I recently began to make inroads in my audiobook tsundoku- do the Japanese have a word for the digital equivalent of a pile of unread books? –Continue reading “Lord Emsworth and Marxism.”

Vivienne Westwood

There are not many celebrities whose passing creates a sadness that is normally reserved for those one knows personally. John Lennon’s untimely death hurt as did Peter Sellars and Eric Morcambe. I valued their talent and mourned its loss. In the final days of 2022 I have been moved by the death of John Bird,Continue reading “Vivienne Westwood”

The Power of Good Television

Recently I have found I want to watch less and less television. The old adage of ’57 channels and nothing on’ resonates as true as it ever has. I do love a documentary and a gripping drama or thriller but a lot of the regular shows are repetitive and boring after a couple of episodes.Continue reading “The Power of Good Television”

Saints and Witches

I love a visit to an exhibition and the local Art Gallery currently has two special exhibitions which I wanted to see. The first was The Book of Deer and the second The Galloway Hoard. The Book of Deer is a small ilustrated Gospel manuscript and is considered one of Scotland’s greatest treasures. Written aroundContinue reading “Saints and Witches”

State Mandated Grief.

The Queen is dead. I have absolutely no feelings about her passing although I empathise with the family who have lost a mother and grandmother. She was a familiar figure throughout my life but I never met nor wished to meet her. I had hoped that the death of the monarch would pass without theContinue reading “State Mandated Grief.”

Learning to Paint.

Do one thing every day that scares you, said Eleanor Roosevelt. Often, however, we only have the time and inclination to get through the mundane tasks of the day; paying the bills, shopping for groceries, the interminable task of laundry (which is quite scary in its endlessness). Every day is a lot to ask, Eleanor,Continue reading “Learning to Paint.”