After two glorious weeks of cloudless blue skies, sunshine and temperatures 20° above freezing admittedly unusual conditions for early April in the Highlands – it’s suddenly winter again! Thermometers have plunged, the mountains are dusted with snow. Cherry trees, having only just burst into bloom, are shocked, their pink and white blossoms drooping sadly in … More Here Comes The Rain Again
What will 2025, the Lunar or Chinese New Year of the Snake bring. According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Snake is wise, charming, calm, introspective and graceful. In contrast, the popular western view of snakes is of cunning, sleek and deceitful creatures – smooth operators, not to be trusted! Unfortunately, the latter description brings to … More Year of the Snake
According to the Chinese Zodiac, this is the New Year of the Dragon. In Chinese mythology, dragons are generally regarded more benevolently than in western folklore, symbolising among other things, power, luck and success, and in Chinese astrology 2024 is forecast to bring opportunities, changes and challenges. With elections in the UK and USA this … More Here Be Dragons
Winter rains raging tumbling over ancient rock flowing from source to sea
Life ebbs and flows, though early February in the highlands feels like something of a hiatus, the days are still short and the nights still long, winter storms still rage. The occasional day of lukewarm sun holds promise, just a few weeks more until the seasons change and spring returns. Hold on until then.
This is the Chinese Year of the Tiger but lacking a tiger I have featured another feline, a stylised lion from my collection of mid-century ceramics. The Tiger is known as the king of beasts in China and the Tiger sign of the Chinese Zodiac symbolises strength, courage and the defeating of evil. This modernist … More Year of the Tiger
Egyptian Revival Brooch by the Napier Company Some years ago I unearthed this gold-washed brooch in one of my favourite hunting grounds. Although this didn’t require months of hot, dusty toil in the desert, it did involve hours of concentrated effort searching the hidden corners of the online treasure chamber, which is eBay. I remembered … More Digging for Treasure
On this day in Scotland and around the world we celebrate the birth in 1759 of Scotland’s most famous son, Robert Burns (Rabbie Burns as he is best known in his home country), writer of poetry, songs and ballads. Amongst his many well known works are Auld Lang Syne, and For A’ That and A’ … More For A’ That And A’ That
The Chinese Year of the Ox begins on 12th February, so to start 2021, here is a piece from my collection of mid-century ceramics, a very decorative modernist stylised cow by Aldo Londi of Bitossi, in Rimini Blu with incised patterns. Not quite an ox but fairly close. It’s been some time since I posted in February … More Year of the Ox
Spring at last, bringing light, warmth and new growth but this year, although the birds are singing loudly in the unusual silence – welcoming the new season, we are hiding in our homes, venturing out only fleetingly, afraid of a new invisible danger which has brought illness, death and sorrow to many around the world. … More Spring in the era of coronavirus
Personal Musings and Thought Experiments
fine stationery & artists' supplies
art and photography
independence - self-determination - autonomy
mostly painting
Reflections on Canadian Culture From Below the Border
featuring West German art pottery, Fat Lava and more 20th century ceramics
collecting retro
Purveyors of Bijouterie, and Beautiful Bits and Bobs.
the intersection of graphic design + picture books
Retromode 