Rock-hole glory
A memorable image of a glorious, dreadful creature hanging out in weather-gouged holes in rocks.
'Nothing can really...
Appetite for the absolute
Perhaps the enduring attraction to island life isn't just to get away from the rest of it, or to enjoy...
Food-rich water
Here's to hoping the future will see the ocean still full of food-rich water.
'Its dredger-bucket mouth agape...
Sun-trap warmth
A haven of calm and enveloping warmth in places blasted by wind and cold. A place where a monk arriving...
Intimate with hugeness
A wonderful way to describe bobbing on the sea close to the sheer cliffs of the islands, and edging towards still,...
As subtle as scent
A simple simile. While some scents are not subtle, my husband's endeavours to teach me the mysteries of wine aromas...
Tide-rippled sea
Nicolson's book is as much about the sea as the land, and the tidal pull it exerted for centuries on...
Heard it on the radio
This sweeping and damning judgement of England, found entirely wanting, is contrasted with the simplicity of the source, the radio.
...
Purple-budded seedlings
A description of alders which caught my eye. It is winter here, and I am waiting for the first sign...
Spring-time clothes
A thrilling image of glittering northern waters in a moment of calm and gentleness.
'Crossing from Scalpay in...
How to build a library … Alexandrian style
The Library of Alexandria had 30-50 state-funded scholars and agents scouring the Mediterranean for new books. It's believed that...
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