Dec 24, 2018
Picture this: you’re about to hop on a train at Oxenholme station, luggage in one hand, sandwich in the other. It’s a good quality, sourdough sandwich with your favourite filling but, with a train to catch, you didn’t have time to enjoy it at the local cafe you bought...
Nov 28, 2018
As the Catania Airport hire car man surveyed our filthy vehicle, one last large lump of mud, which had clung on despite all the potholes a road round Etna could throw at it, finally dislodged and fell to the ground in front of him. Totally unfazed, he retrieved the...
Oct 18, 2018
On 10th – 12th September this year, the Beatrix Potter Society, which exists to promote the study and appreciation of Beatrix Potter’s life and works, held their 18th biennial conference at the Castle Green Hotel, Kendal. This year, the 100th anniversary of...
Sep 28, 2018
A few years ago, I bought food from a supermarket in Budapest and noticed how much less ‘perfect’ the fruit and vegetables were than those which we were used to seeing on shop shelves at home. No less tasty, just less visually attractive. This stood in stark contrast...
Jun 11, 2018
Every year, the American Glass Art Society holds a conference for glass art enthusiasts and glass artists from around the world. Usually held in the US, this year was one of the few occasions when the conference took place on foreign soil – on the island of...
May 9, 2018
Spring has well and truly sprung here in the Lake District. Trees are filled with pretty pink blossoms which are just beginning to scatter their petals onto the ground; the sun is making increasingly frequent appearances; and flowers dot lawns and fields, adding...