I was geek of the week last week, sharing my flight search geekiness on Skyscanner.net. Read the whole interview there - and feel free to comment here, if you have anything to say!
13.5.10
Geek of the week
I was geek of the week last week, sharing my flight search geekiness on Skyscanner.net. Read the whole interview there - and feel free to comment here, if you have anything to say!
6.5.10
Spring sprang sprung
In no time at all, spring exploded in Scotland. From a fairly grey first four months of the year, bar a few mentionable spells of sun and outdoor activities, May arrived with panache and pride in one big bang. The stately stone walled buildings are now contrasted with violent green, pink cherry blossom trees boom from parks and street corners, and soft grass lawns laying dormant for months have grown unmanageable and ruffledly untidy in just a few days. My lovely vegetable garden has gone from puny seedlings to tough turnip leaves and stretchy sugar snap peas - although the sweetcorn are still struggling. They're so dazzling and delightful that snails have taken a fancy to them: so a cleverly constructed beer trap has been mantled near the most tempting green growth. Hopefully I'll get to enjoy my own carrots this way, but who knows what is luring under the surface?
The heritage city of Edinburgh is particularly well suited to a striking touch of spring. I don't tire of walking through the streets, smelling the roses or other available flowers, and wandering between flowerbeds and lustrous green spaces sprinkled between the mansions of the New Town. I've also discovered that the secret to all this wonderfulness most likely is the refreshing rain pouring down at night, all but vapourising by the time the sun wakes up. To get a taste of the downpour, you have to choose your moments, so last night we went for a midnight walk - and secretly plucked some branches of delightful and delicate white flowers and green leaves now adorning the study. Such seasonal pleasures - spring isn't too bad after all. A strong 3rd favourite season if you ask me!
The heritage city of Edinburgh is particularly well suited to a striking touch of spring. I don't tire of walking through the streets, smelling the roses or other available flowers, and wandering between flowerbeds and lustrous green spaces sprinkled between the mansions of the New Town. I've also discovered that the secret to all this wonderfulness most likely is the refreshing rain pouring down at night, all but vapourising by the time the sun wakes up. To get a taste of the downpour, you have to choose your moments, so last night we went for a midnight walk - and secretly plucked some branches of delightful and delicate white flowers and green leaves now adorning the study. Such seasonal pleasures - spring isn't too bad after all. A strong 3rd favourite season if you ask me!
3.5.10
Horsing around
As I type this, I have blisters on my hands, sore arms and aching legs. It's all just a wonderful reminder that I was out horse-riding yesterday, and that it had been a while since last time I did - hence the 'injuries' of inexperience.
In the last post about my lovely bookshop, I told you how I'd found Saturdays somewhat wanting - until now. I finally seem to have found the perfect recipe for great Edinburgh weekends, notwithstanding the aches and weariness on Mondays. Starting with Saturdays in the bookshop, combined with strolling, reading, cafés and museums if one so pleases, Sunday should be spent on horseback for a few hours, then off to the pub quiz in Leith for some intellectual challenges. Bliss, as they say.
After many years of horseriding when I was but a wee girl, quite a while went by with no encounters of the equestrian type - if you don't count a marvellous beach ride in Morocco, but that was really more an exeption (and also far from the security measures employed over here). Then, in Dublin I discovered Glendalough Equestrian Centre, a diamond of a place nestled in the valley of the lakes, where two hour treks took us through forests and along rivers, near lakes and over glens. Pheasants, hares, foxes and deer were picturesquely dotted around the paths, and you expected to see fairies peek out from behind misty trees.
On Tower Farm in Edinburgh you are less likely to meet pheasants and fairies, and more likely to be hit in a head by a golf ball from the course that runs along the bridlepath (or the other way around), but the rides are still wonderful, winding their way through gorse and shrubbery, up hillsides and along well kept tracks. And the view is outstanding, taking in Arthur's Seat, the castle, Leith and everything around and beyond. Absolute serenity from the top of the world and on top of some of the most unbelievably beautiful animals. I wouldn't ask for more!
So this will be a regular pastime from now on, if my cowboy legs can take it. Mostly treks, and hopefully some obstacle jumping in the fields, as I've never really tried that, and I can only imagine the thrill of it. I also really fancy doing a Common Ride not too long from now, inspecting the city boundaries. And now that I'm a vegetarian on weekdays, I figure that earns me enough animal friendly points to justify the fact that I'd love to do hunting at some point...
In the last post about my lovely bookshop, I told you how I'd found Saturdays somewhat wanting - until now. I finally seem to have found the perfect recipe for great Edinburgh weekends, notwithstanding the aches and weariness on Mondays. Starting with Saturdays in the bookshop, combined with strolling, reading, cafés and museums if one so pleases, Sunday should be spent on horseback for a few hours, then off to the pub quiz in Leith for some intellectual challenges. Bliss, as they say.
After many years of horseriding when I was but a wee girl, quite a while went by with no encounters of the equestrian type - if you don't count a marvellous beach ride in Morocco, but that was really more an exeption (and also far from the security measures employed over here). Then, in Dublin I discovered Glendalough Equestrian Centre, a diamond of a place nestled in the valley of the lakes, where two hour treks took us through forests and along rivers, near lakes and over glens. Pheasants, hares, foxes and deer were picturesquely dotted around the paths, and you expected to see fairies peek out from behind misty trees.
On Tower Farm in Edinburgh you are less likely to meet pheasants and fairies, and more likely to be hit in a head by a golf ball from the course that runs along the bridlepath (or the other way around), but the rides are still wonderful, winding their way through gorse and shrubbery, up hillsides and along well kept tracks. And the view is outstanding, taking in Arthur's Seat, the castle, Leith and everything around and beyond. Absolute serenity from the top of the world and on top of some of the most unbelievably beautiful animals. I wouldn't ask for more!
So this will be a regular pastime from now on, if my cowboy legs can take it. Mostly treks, and hopefully some obstacle jumping in the fields, as I've never really tried that, and I can only imagine the thrill of it. I also really fancy doing a Common Ride not too long from now, inspecting the city boundaries. And now that I'm a vegetarian on weekdays, I figure that earns me enough animal friendly points to justify the fact that I'd love to do hunting at some point...
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