Right proud of my little self!!! Drove to Aberfoyle last Mon, all around the area incl to Inverary & into the middle of Glasgow (no mean feat) for Celtic Connections and then back home to North Lincs with my mate @mandywest.bsky.social . A fab time and a well needed break after a tough two years!

Heading to Glasgow for a folky gig at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as part of Celtic Connections. Rura/Imar/Staran. Three for the price of one! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Lovely morning. Walked 5000 steps on our birding/red squirrel walk. Then wonderful views of snow covered mountains in our way back!

Well we said goodbye to mum on Wednesday. Lovely service. Very chilly and pouring with rain at the graveside but she is at rest. A great life achieving many things including reaching 90 a few weeks ago.

My mum died yesterday morning!! Not the best time but at least she avoided Christmas day itself although I was sitting with her for most of Christmas Day. And she did reach 90 on 16 December and that was her goal. God speed mum...hope you have found Dad!

Lovely break with my lovely son in the Lakes! Derwentwater was stunning. I was sitting at the Lakeside cafe eating crumpets when I took this picture.

Yeah Bellowhead 21 Nov 2026 Sheffield City Hall. Tickets on sale 27/28 Nov. No others announced yet but gleefully hoping soon so we can book more than one date! @bellowhead.bsky.social

An amazing day at Middlesbrough Town Hall at The Young ‘uns Big birthday bash with Mandy West. Uplifting, poignant, hilarious (at times) emotional and totally superb. Thank you @theyounguns.bsky.social

So looking forward to this in January. Something to brighten the long dark winter days at Celtic Connections, Glasgow with @mandywest.bsky.social

Two very diverse and different gigs last week. Rura at NCEM in York last Sunday and Hope & Social at the Crescent, York last night. Both incredibly enjoyable. And we managed to squeeze in the wonderful Fisherman’s Friends at The Barbican, York last Friday! @mandywest.bsky.social

I still put punctuation in my texts. If it's an 'I', I make sure it's a capital.’ Well said Simon Cowell. And the same applies to the comma and the full stop!

Lovely break with son Matt and partner Claire in the South Lakes!

Repeated content can become monotonous, which can dull interest and make even important information seem unexciting.

Humans are naturally drawn to new experiences and information. When something is repeated without variation, it fails to provide new stimulation or interest, leading to disengagement.

The ear tends to be lazy, craves the familiar and is shocked by the unexpected; the eye, on the other hand, tends to be impatient, craves the novel and is bored by repetition. W. H. Auden

@readifolkradio.bsky.social just listening to 5 Sep programme whilst sitting birdwatching in Southern Spain. Lovely with @mandywest.bsky.social

Reminder and also what about you are, your and you’re and here and hear!!!! Is anyone taught grammar anymore?

I am on a mission. Another one for those poor English teachers driven up the wall by the misnomers that are constantly made everywhere!

There are a fair few people that need to think about this!! Ha!

Not sure whether you see this @mandywest.bsky.social

@mandywest.bsky.social #InternationalOwlAwarenessDay Little Owl in Spain and Tawnies in UK

You can catch up with this week's show here: bit.ly/RRS1AUG25 with new music by Steeleye Span, The Often Heard, The Magpies, Atticus The Ocean and lots more besides.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... Listening now. Just an hr before bed. Dubliners on now!

I follow ‘discipline’ always have and encouraged my son to do the same!!!

Wow!

Love this!! So true

🌳 Dame Judi Dench is calling for the return of ancient woodlands. Will you sign the petition to help restore the Ghost Woods and protect our green spaces for future generations? you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/pr...

Yep

Good morning! ☕️😎🌺☮️🎶💗

Lovely few days in south Lakes!

Some good stuff here!

Listening to Mark Radcliffe’s folk programme on Radio 2. Going to feature Spiers and Boden along with Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys, always well worth a listen

Haha!

Hahaha!! True!!

I will just leave this here: ‘if you can’t stand the heat… get out of the kitchen!’ There are are few people who need to do this!

Another wonderful song from Ranagri at Beverley Folk Festival last night with @mandywest.bsky.social

Fabulous evening last night at Beverley Folk festival with Ranagri with @mandywest.bsky.social

Ranagri. Beverley Folk Festival with @mandywest.bsky.social

@Carluccios Beverley for tea before Ranagri at St Mary’s Church

THIS!!!

@thelongestjohns.bsky.social at Crookes Social club, Sheffield tomorrow!! I wonder what fab folkies we’ll meet up with tomorrow. @mandywest.bsky.social and I have made so many great folkies friends (performers/and supporters) by regularly attending gigs in Sheffield. Will they sing Moby Duck?

So excited to see that the Young ‘uns great birthday bash in November in Middlesbrough have Jez Lowe and Janice Burns and Jon Doran as special guests!! Wonder if there will be any more special guests? Can’t wait!! @theyounguns.bsky.social @mandywest.bsky.social and I have our tickets!!

When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the foreigner. The immigrant who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the immigrant as yourself, for you were refugees in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. —Leviticus 19