Book Review: Island of Wings by Karin Altenberg

This is a book about the raw majesty of St Kilda as a place, and about the spirit, community bonds and resilience of its people. But it’s also a tragic tale about the devastation of colonialism and 19th century morality.

I would like to be a funeral director for one day

What’s a job you would like to do for just one day? It sounds odd, but being a funeral director would teach me a lot about what matters to people. Sometimes I understand people and their lives but sometimes what compels them remains a complete mystery to me. Seeing them in this moment would revealContinue reading “I would like to be a funeral director for one day”

10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #125

Bliss out with an uplifting short animation about a contented introvert, lessons in creativity by Prince, a lentil curry recipe, hopeful news for Scottish trees and much more. It’s edition #125 #Interesting Things #ContentCatnip. Tell your pals!

Comforting Thought: Getting Real, the Velveteen Rabbit

“Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it.”
— Marcus Aurelius #quote #stoic #philosophy #soul #life

Comforting Thought: James Baldwin on why art is important

If you can examine and face your life, you can discover the terms with which you are connected to other lives, and they can discover them too – the terms with which they are connected to other people. This has happened to every one of us, I’m sure. You read something which you thought only happened to you, and you discovered that it happened 100 years ago to Dostoyevski. This is a very great liberation for the suffering person, who always thinks that they are alone. This is why art is important. ~ James Baldwin

Comforting Thought: Throw open the windows of your soul

“Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it.”
— Marcus Aurelius #quote #stoic #philosophy #soul #life

10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #123

This week, learn how colours got their names, the value of friendship over the lifespan, funky flowing 90’s hiphop, ultra realistic paintings of life in small-town Texas, the legend of Rez Dogs, tasty evening snacks and much more it’s edition #123 of #InterestingThings by #ContentCatnip

Book Review: Medieval Bodies Life and Death in the Middle Ages by Jake Hartnell

Art Historian Jake Hartnell takes us on a macabre and enthralling journey from head to toe in the medieval human body. This is fascinating because, even though we share the same bodies as our medieval ancestors, we had wildly diverging beliefs about the inherent symbolic power of parts of our bodies and what could heal, harm or kill us.

Taking big-boned baby Buck to the beach

Buck has had a very difficult few months. He lost his golden retriever sister to a rare form of liver cancer. My parents’ two beautiful Goldens have now become one very distraught and lost boy. He has now grown into an adult body, but his mannerisms and mind are still show that he is aContinue reading “Taking big-boned baby Buck to the beach”