Reserve your copy of The Book Of Names HERE Oh, what tales of romance lay waiting for those who venture here! Rowan had always wanted to escape the legacy of her family - owning the Bonnie Bell Inn at the edge of Culloden Moor. But it came at a price. The ghosts of Jacobite soldiers […]

Yesterday was the 277th anniversary of Culloden, the last battle fought on British soil. A devastating end for the Jacobites who wished to see a Stuart king reclaim the throne, the Battle of Culloden Moor evokes strong emotions amongst the Scottish people still today. Historians say that it was the end of the Scottish traditional […]

Is it spring where you are yet? Here in the northern hemisphere, astronomical spring arrives in the third week of March with the equinox. Unfortunately the astronomers were a little off this year and it is still winter where we live. I know I have spoken before about the long, hard winter we have been […]

With St. Patrick’s Day approaching and North America’s obsession with leprechauns, I decided this week’s post should reflect mythical spirits. Every culture seems to have a representative magical being that is mischievous and used to explain unknown phenomena. Growing up, I was exposed to stories of pixies, sprites, brownies, goblins, fairies and leprechauns. As we […]

A couple of weeks ago, my blog post was about the oldest Wych Elm in the UK and its demise (see here for post). I received a lot of feedback from many of you and it really lifts my spirits in these dark months of winter to hear from my wonderful readers. It seems as […]

Europe’s oldest Wych Elm tree finally succumbed this past week. Located in Beauly near Inverness, this wonderful specimen has stood watch over Beauly Priory for 800 years. References to this magnificent tree, known as the Beauly Elm, have been found in records dating back to the medieval times. Read more about it here: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-64176914  

This was our home for a week, Kinnaird Castle near Brechin, Angus. Home of the Carnegie family for more than 600 years, the Duke and Duchess of Fife reside here on their 7000 acre estate. Close relatives of Her Majesty the Queen this was truly an amazing experience. We stayed in one of two self-catering […]

Imagine being wealthy enough to have your own tomb house carved of stone for yourself, your spouse and all 8 children and to store the heart of another of your relatives! Culross is a living example of a village from the 16th and 17th centuries. An abbey was established in here in the 1200’s.   […]

Edinburgh loves a good statue, celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee florally, the Ross Fountain in Princes Street Gardens, a view of Edinburgh Castle, Fleshmarket Close and our accommodations - above 2 pubs!     Edinburgh never met a statue or monument it didn’t like, unless it was of a woman. They have more statues dedicated to […]