Thursday 14 March 2024

Walking Meeting in Newington Cemetery

 Post lockdown, when many people were still wary of crowds and confined spaces, the idea of walking meetings became popular. Rather than sitting in a stuffy meeting room, why not meet outdoors and walk while talking? 

It's not only ecologists who talk about the benefits of walking meetings, business people do to, for example this article on seven benefits of taking your meeting for a walk

Personally I love being outside and definitely find that ideas can flow better when walking in nature. It's also of course a nice way to fit a bit of exercise into your day, as well as seeing more nature. Yesterday's walking meeting took place in Edinburgh's Newington Cemetery. This is one of the city's cemeteries that is specifically managed with nature in mind and now features a tree trail, new since I last visited. Guides to the tree trail are available in a neat little leaflet dispenser near the entrance to the cemetery, though unfortunately the leaflet dispenser is currently being used as a bin... 

Before the tree trail was officially set up as a trail (with numbers on the notable trees) the cemetery already had information boards about its trees. You can find out more here on their website

The upper part of the cemetery is particularly rich in trees and shrubs


The crocuses are out at the moment, adding some lovely colour to the cemetery


There were plenty of birds in the cemetery and at one point a flock of around fifty Jackdaws flew over and round about.

Wednesday 13 March 2024

In a Veil of Mist by Donald S Murray

 

This book is set in Stornoway in the Western Isles of Scotland, in 1952, when experiments in germ warfare were taking place on a vessel in the area, an undertaking known as Operation Cauldron. 

John, one of the scientists involved in the experiments, wrestles with his conscience over what he and his colleagues are doing to the guinea pigs and monkeys they are working with. His doubts build up, particularly as his wife, Lillian so obviously disapproves of even the small part of his work she is aware of. Then there is the suspicion that mist from the vessel may have caused anthrax to be spread among the crew and to people they mixed with. Meanwhile, the other islanders have their own concerns, suspicions and uncertainties about what is happening so close to their homes, which they are not being told about.

The author comes from the Western Isles and recreates the landscape and atmosphere of the place beautifully, also weaving descriptions of the natural world into the story:

"Jessie was still restless, still unable to sleep. She tried to blame other things for this - the corncrake in a nearby field of oats that was sending out a loud, persistent signal for a partner, the weeping sound of a curlew as it swept overhead - but she knew in herself that it had much to do with her own state of mind..... She felt she resembled the moth that appeared in the room the moment the tilly lamp began to glow. It flitted between the curtains and the edge of the stove..."

As a Gaelic learner, I was also pleased to find the text includes extracts from Gaelic songs and the occasional Gaelic phrase - the Western Isles being a stronghold of the Scottish Gaelic language (and more so back in the time the book is set).

The novel is an excellent look into how uncertainty and paranoia can affect individuals and communities. A lengthy author's note at the end expands on the historical background to the novel and gives some context into its relevance to the time it was written in (the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic).

In a Veil of Mist by Donald S Murray, published (2021) by Saraband

Friday 8 March 2024

Spring haiku

Spring thaw -
albino squirrel loses
camouflage

 

previously published on Lothlorien Poetry Journal.  

** 

I'm delighted to have a story 'Grandma's Old Biscuit Tin' published on Flash Fiction North. Scroll down on this link, but read the other stories along the way too! 

Thursday 7 March 2024

Campaigning on Plastic

Plastic waste is a big issue, littering places across the world, making towns look untidy and damaging nature. Plastic is generally made from fossil fuel products, so also indirectly adds to the climate crisis. 

Almost 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging are thrown away by UK households every year, and only 12% of that is recycled. 

We often don't have a choice about our plastic use, often there is no alternative to plastic packaging for everyday essentials. I'm committed to reducing my plastic use, but in the past few years three refillery shops in my part of Edinburgh have opened and then closed again. These shops offered customers the chance to take along our own containers and fill them up with the products we want - from beans to washing up liquid. There are still some shops in Edinburgh offering that service, but now I have a much longer journey to refill my containers.

So what can we do? 

March sees two campaigns on the plastic crisis. 

First up is the Big Plastic Count, which is happening between 11-17 March 2024. For this week, we are being encouraged to count how much plastic we throw away (whether we put it in the recycling or into the landfill). You can take part as a household or get your school, community group or business involved. You can sign up here.

In 2022, almost a quarter of a million people took part in The Big Plastic Count and revealed that almost two billion pieces of plastic packaging are being thrown away in the UK every week. This year, the campaign hopes to provide even more evidence to convince UK government ministers to lead the way at the Global Plastic Treaty negotiations that could phase out plastic pollution.

Following on from the Big Plastic Count is the Spring Clean Scotland campaign, which will take place between 15 March - 28 April. This year's themes for #SpringCleanScotland are Nature, Communities, Health & Wellbeing and Marine Litter. To join in you can:

  • Organise a litter pick in your community.
  • Join a public litter pick.
  • Complete a Litter Survey.
  • Help spread the message and get more people involved. 

Find out more here.


Wednesday 6 March 2024

Gods of the Morning by John Lister Kaye

 

 Subtitled 'A Bird's Eye View of a Highland Year' this natural history memoir from acclaimed conservationist John Lister Kaye follows a year of abnormal weather (September 2012 - September 2013) in the Highlands of Scotland and the effects this had on the wildlife he encountered in his daily life over that time period. The book centres on the Aigas Field Centre, which Lister Kaye established (you can read about his journey in setting up the centre in his book Song of the Rolling Earth, which I reviewed briefly here). 

The author treats us to many detailed observations of nature, from the common: "a blackbird was cashing in, flicking rusty leaves as if turning the pages of an ancient tome in a rushed search for wisdom" to the much rarer experience of being able to watch a pine marten at close quarters as it harvests rowan berries from a tree, to a field of sparkling wonder created by uncountable numbers of young spiders. 

Many birds died in the cold April of 2013, which followed an unseasonably warm March:"All those lifeforms that had been tricked, lured into exposing themselves far too early, had been ruthlessly obliterated by the subsequent frosts and snows"and the author observes these effects on several species, particularly the rooks that nest in trees around the area. 

As well as climate change, the author considers topics from bird migration, to the ethics of the practice of egg collection, once considered a respectable pastime but now a criminal offence. 

There are delightful personal stories here too, including the tale of Squawky, a rook which the author had rescued when he was at boarding school and then had to leave with an employee of the school, whose husband made an aviary for the bird - a story with a touching conclusion).

The book closes with a delightful description of Lister Kaye introducing his 5-year-old grandson to the Treecreepers that have excavated roosts for themselves in the soft bark of giant redwood trees in Aigas. A lovely demonstration of how to pass the love of nature onto the next generation and a great way to end this book.

Gods of the Morning by John Lister Kaye, published (2015) by Canongate.

Sunday 3 March 2024

Enjoying Our Local Parks

We spent time in a couple of local parks this weekend. On Friday lunchtime, we visited Harrison Park, which borders the Union Canal

The daffodils are out in full bloom

as are the crocuses


and this beautiful Blackthorn tree


From Harrison Park we popped into North Merchiston Cemetery, where the snowdrops are still in full bloom

and ladybirds are still hibernating on some of the gravestones - the larger ladybirds in the photo below are two different colour varieties of Harlequin Ladybirds while the smaller ones are Pine Ladybirds. 

Yesterday we visited Saughton Park which borders the Water of Leith

 

We saw plenty of birds in the park, including a Dipper

and a Song Thrush 

The miniature daffodils and crocuses were looking beautiful


Thursday 29 February 2024

River Haiku

rushing river -
the stillness
of the grey heron

**

previously published in Haiku Corner 41 of the Japan Society UK