New pictures of the Scottish Highlands hotel where John proposed to Dora in 1935

The light in the west #highlands was something special this last few days, with a deep hoar frost adding a magical glow. This is the view down the steps to the station from the Loch Awe Hotel, where my great aunt Dora got engaged in 1935. #Scotland #LochAwe

Lismore sunset. Having a beautiful wee break on #Scotland west coast.

Christmas book haul. But where to start?

Beneath the angel’s hymn have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And warring humankind hears not The love song which they bring O hush the noise, and still the strife to hear the angels sing! (Edmund Sears 1810-76) #MerryChristmas #Peace&Goodwill

The cost of living crisis is even affecting Santa. He’s having to work driving a number 23 bus in #Edinburgh. Hope he’ll have enough time for all his visits tomorrow night 🎄🎁🎅 #lothianbuses

My great aunt Dora's Wiki page has been viewed over 6000 times! Plus news update on my novel.

I took this snap on the Highline walkway in NYC. For me, it captures the beauty of the more than human world and nature’s resilience even in a big city. #Blueskyartshow #openhouse

I made #switchel today, an American drink I think. My recipe is pretty spicy, with chilli, turmeric, ginger and rosemary, along with orange, cider vinegar and honey. Delicious and fantastically good for you.

Festive bibimbap! Yum! Starting to feel properly Christmassy now 🥰🎁🎄🥂

Tis the season for making chocolate fudge. Just butter, sugar, cocoa powder, milk and love. You?

#favouritethings is a tough category. Meaningful to the artist but not so much to anyone else. Here are a couple of mine - my beloved dog, Gobi, who I loved with all heart. And the Stiperstones hills in Shropshire; ancient rocks, on this occasion lit by a miniature rainbow. #blueskyartshow

Went for a walk through a sea buckthorn forest today. Such glorious colour to brighten a cold winter’s day!

Post a favourite work of art from the year exactly 50 years before you were born. Gustav Klimt, The Maiden

Totally fab PT, highly recommended. And she makes award winning porridge.

This was a cold afternoon looking out to sea at Portobello in Edinburgh, with a delicate wintry pastel #sky #blueskyartshow

Another favourite #sky shot - sunset at Kota Kinabalu #blueskyartshow

I like the light on the greenhouse in this #sky over an allotment #blueskyartshow

Malvern Hills #sky for #BlueskyArtshow. I seem to have hundreds of sky shots but this is a favourite.

Hugely disappointing, with world now on track to yet more heating & chaos, & poorest hit first & hardest. This process needs radically rethinking - meantime it’s vital that the Brazil-led coalition of the willing urgently delivers on plans to leave fossil fuels in the ground #COP30

📣 Today is Equal Pay Day. Women are still being shortchanged. 👉 Learn more bit.ly/485Ldf5 #EqualPayDay #WomenAreBeingShortChanged #CloseTheGenderPayGap

#small Mirandes donkey foal, a Portugueserare breed #BlueskyArtShow Possibly the cutest thing in the world

Something strange going on in the English countryside today.

🚀 LAUNCHED TODAY! 🚀 Get fit from home in 2026, I will show you how in this workshop (with FREE food). www.griffenfitness.com/shop/p/get-f... #Edinburgh #homefitness #Leith #event

Bus stop strange silence Laughter and shouting no more Kids glued to their phones #haiku #ModernLifeFatigue

Argonaut books is a fantastic indie bookshop and has worked hard to build its presence in the local community. They also generously host @societyofauthors.bsky.social events. Shocking to learn that Waterstone’s made no contact prior to the press announcement. #indiebookstore

Beautiful light this afternoon, turning this redshank to gold.

We will remember them. My dad fought at Hong Kong in 1941, was taken prisoner but escaped, making his way 1200 miles across China. Beautiful service today at the Haymarket Memorial Clock #RemembranceDay #veterans #RoyalArtillery

Walking from Waverley station to the bus stop and noticed St Giles cathedral lit against the #evening sky. Casually gorgeous #BlueskyArtShow

Always worth a visit to Musselburgh for #birding but #evening often brings special light, on this occasion making the water look like purple silk #BlueskyArtShow

Lucky enough to see a flock of #beardedtits at the #TayReedBeds grit trays this morning, filling their gizzards to cope with a seasonal switch in diet from insects to reed seeds. #birds #birding

#autumn sunrise #blueskyartshow

A witch’s cat and his ghostly shadow 🧙‍♀️🐈‍⬛ #halloween #spooky

Highland cattle are soooo cute!

Pink sky, snowy morning at Moniack Mhor near Inverness #amwriting #womenwriters #writingretreat

Ooh! I just discovered Google Books Ngram. I searched for the phrase ‘mod cons’ to check that my character might have used the expression in 1960. Wow!

Beautiful bus ride up to Inverness, through autumnal colours and snow on the tops.

Looking forward to a few days writing at Moniack Mhor but first - jam. Blackcurrants from the garden that I sieved and froze. It smells like summer has returned on a rainy October Sunday.

#blueskyartshow #inside the Musée d’Orsay restaurant, Paris.

#blueskyartshow a sparkling #vertical water curtain vies with iron bars to keep these worlds separate

This morning I am giving a lecture on maternal health at 9 and then a lecture on WW2 in the Far East at 11. Might have to switch my brain off and switch it on again in between 😂

Here’s Athena happily slaying a foe. Not sure I’ve seen such an image before - it was in the archeological museum, Frankfurt. Is this common @nataliehaynes.bsky.social ?

The botanical garden in Frankfurt is stunning.

Goddesses. Something to aspire to.

I’m suffering from Modern Life Fatigue. Logged in to Lufthansa app to check in. Part way through app says ‘immigration authorities server is down.’ I call airline & reach a human 🥰 They get the same error message. ‘Do you know why? Any idea if they’re working on it?’ ‘No, check in at airport.’ Sigh

“Oblivion reigns. Tell me why?” Listen to the end. Annie Lennox, 70, refusing to keep her big mouth shut. #WhyforGaza youtu.be/l1RkUE8YG5Y

Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.

I would love to see this in Edinburgh. I can’t quite believe that our ancient and beautiful city centre is full of cars.

Inspiring lecture by @kateraworth.bsky.social last night. Super clear storytelling and a laser intellect showing the madness of endless growth as a goal. The donut economic model where everyone thrives within planetary boundaries is the rational response.

There’s something dreamy and mythical about the Highland landscape. I find it very soothing to the troubled soul.