Proud parent moment. A great programme that encourages the international exchange of ideas and learning if you’re not already aware.

Baby robins discovered today in the woodshed. How exciting. Stay safe little ones.

Madness. If @teamlabouruk.bsky.social vote against this one small thing for nature there’ll have lost any remaining credibility for me and I’ll not vote for them again.This govt has been such a huge disappointment to date. @lukecharters.bsky.social @rachaelmaskell.bsky.social

The Esk Valley around Grosmont is a favourite place to walk and this time of the year it’s particularly special. Carpets of wild garlic and bluebells as far as the eye can see, together with cowslips, early purple orchids, greater woodrush, red campion, greater stitchwort, bugle and so much more.

These have appeared in our front border. Very pretty but a little concerned it might be a Spanish invader and not a native variety. #wildflowers

Exciting … look forward to this one in the autumn

Home to York. Daffodils and cherry blossom in full bloom around the city walls. 4146km travelled by train in just over 2 weeks. What an adventure. Definitely going to make more of the journeying in future and not all about the final destination.

Travelling through the mountains of southern France. The snow capped mountain tops and patchwork of greens from the trees are just breathtaking. To think I’d have missed this joy if I’d simply flown. #takethetrain

Travelling through Italy by train is wonderful on such a morning, passing through the countryside, mountains, vineyards and endless cypress trees. It’s the best way to travel.

The Triple Elvis Andy Warhol exhibition in Naples today was pretty cool. Good to see them together and up close

Guide books warn you about thieves and pickpockets in #Naples. Only ones I’ve seen wear Polizia uniforms & target tourists endlessly especially where the on board ticket machines aren’t working. They’re on just about every bus & it’s always the tourists they’re targeting with €55 in the spot fines.😡

Up until now we've focussed on fossil fuel companies . But companies are made up of people– and these people know that they are working against the interests of all life on earth . They need calling out .

A beautiful morning. Awoke to the sounds of a hoopoe, as willow warbler and green woodpecker ☺️

What film to watch this evening? It has to be Gladiator surely

Deep breath. We’re going in!

Made it to Naples and not a bad view. What a vast sprawling, bustling city it is. And such a contrast to Milan.

Good morning Milan.

At risk of overusing the word ‘wow’. Travelling through part of Switzerland, early flowering meadows, pristine lakes and snow capped mountains.

“L’ange protecteur” by Niki de Saint Phalle above the main concourse at Zurich Station. The gigantic “Nana” is apparently in the shape of a guardian angel watching over travellers. A fleeting visit, albeit Tigs managed a visit to the Lindt shop before train no 4, our last of the day, to Milan

A very relaxed morning in Paris and of course a visit to Notre Dame to see the incredible restoration work. Crepes and coffee, a riverside walk and then off for the next leg of the journey, Paris to Zurich.

Heading off to Italy by train. First leg, a leisurely York to London and then on to Paris. Quiet and relatively stress free.

Went along to Leeds Playhouse tonight to see Tatty Hennessy’s powerful adaptation of Orwell’s Animal Farm. The book was published 80 years ago but its messages around power and corruption resonate so much today. Worthy of its 5 star reviews. www.leedsplayhouse.org.uk/event/animal...

Some good news heading into the weekend. Thanks to @marycolwell and @carolinelucas.bsky.social for all their work and determination in keeping the pressure up on this. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Just sorted Easter this year thanks to the deliciously wonderful @montezumaschocs.bsky.social Great selection from this UK sustainable business and great vegan selection too. What’s not to love. www.montezumas.co.uk

What a glorious first day of spring, spent volunteering at the local nature reserve. Lots of wigeons and curlew activity, even had a close encounter with a Chiffchaff.

We have frog spawn. Three years after creating the wildlife pond. This makes me incredibly happy. 🐸 🐸 #WildlifeGardening

Excellent news for cleaning up our rivers.

Edinburgh never disappoints. I love it. And a great city to explore on foot especially on such a warm, sunny day.

Mary Chapin Carpenter, Julie Fowlis and Karine Polwart in Edinburgh tonight. Such a beautiful collaboration and concert. So much talent, love, laughter and mutual respect on stage, and some great storytelling. I’ll never think of satellites again in the same way 😢 #Lookingforthethread

Right now, I quite fancy moving to a remote croft with land in Scotland www.muchbetteradventures.com/magazine/reg...

Saw my first butterfly of the year this afternoon. A brilliant yellow Brimstone enjoying the warm sunshine at RV Rogers nursery in Pickering. Lots of bumblebees 🐝 too 😍

A walk along the coast between Whitby and Sandsend. Walked it countless times and never tire of it.

A fabulous concert last evening at the Theatre in the round, Scarborough with O’Hooley and Tidow and Lady Maisery. What a gorgeous collaboration. So much love and laughter.

Volunteering day at the Lower Derwent Valley nature reserve and heard the wonderful call of two curlews, flying low on the horizon. A sound to lift your heart. Hoping it’ll be a good year for them.

New passport arrived in super quick time. Well done and thank you to the #passportoffice If I may have one further request though @teamlabouruk.bsky.social , I’d really rather like to have a European one again 🙏🏻

Finally managed to get to Sriveners bookshop, Buxton. What a gem. Perfect for rainy day browsing. Picked up a book from 1951 about the impact of human activity on bird life. Not sure it’ll make me feel better knowing the warnings from 70+yrs ago were largely ignored but looking forward to the read.

Light sleet today in the Peaks but good to get out, if only for a short walk on the Monsal trail in and around Bakewell. Really missing that winter sun though. #bakewell #winterwalks

A grey, rainy day here so cheering myself up listening to the always brilliant Bookshop Band. One of their older albums, but Helen’s Game is definitely my ear worm of the day, inspired by a book (as all their work is, hence the name) by Margaret Drabble. Take a listen youtu.be/-5SWr7o5VYU?...

Good morning from a frosty Vale of York

The delicate beauty of snowdrops. Focusing on them is all my head can take today in this mad and totally f****d up world.

Curious to tune into this one - A history of land rights and protest - this Wednesday, Live to your living room. livetoyourlivingroom.com/events/three...

Hope jeanettewinterson.substack.com/p/hope?utm_c...

Some serious mole activity this morning at the Yorkshire Arboretum, first early daffodils and pine cones the size of my boot.

Excellent summary from @guyshrubsole.bsky.social on the new land use consultation.

A brave and urgent column by the Labour MP Clive Lewis - @labourlewis.bsky.social - calling on his own party to stop appeasing capital and work on behalf of people and the living world. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

We can easily spare a tenth of England for nature without affecting food production! 20% of our land produces just 3% of our food. Vast swathes of our uplands are owned by about 150 wealthy landowners who use it for shooting grouse, and set fire to our biggest carbon sink, our peat bogs...

A couple of hours in the garden today. Sun shining, birdsong and some late winter colour bringing the promise of spring. Perfect antidote to the mad and broken world around us.

What a lovely piece by Alys Fowler www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Starting a new online learning for fun 8 week course next week. We start with Roger Deakin’s Waterlog and then onto Elizabeth-Jane Burnett’s Twelve Words for Moss. I’ve yet to read anything by either writer so excited to get started. store.york.ac.uk/short-course...

@donnarainey4.bsky.social so pleased to find you on here ☺️