Page 3 - Blog

It’s been a big year for dog news in the nation, what with the theft of a dog becoming a specific criminal offence after a slew of dogknappings across the country. This was  due to the increased popularity of dog owning after the COVID19 pandemic.

The ability of Scottish dogs to win our hearts remains undimmed. A dog from West Lothian has gone viral after confusing some cows with her unique mooing-like...

In the week that we slough off the latest Prime Minister and his cabinet whip round produces one of the most expected surprises in retirement presents a carriage clock. The departing PM was presented with the symbol of the affection in which he was held and no doubt the presentation of the Légion d’honneur by France’s President Emmanuel Macron struck a less symbolic note. The late and great comedy...

It’s a fact that 98% of the wildfires caused throughout the nation and indeed throughout the UK are caused by human intervention. It may be a machine causing a spark while harvesting or it may be a careless or even deliberate act. And it is both nature and humans who suffer.  Just over a month ago Edinburgh’s venerable Arthur’s seat was ablaze in the heat and the fire service struggled for a day...

Are you like me lounging around baying at the heat, with all the doors and windows open to try and catch a breath of cool air. We’ve recently moved inland from the beach, where there was always a cool breeze and the house was designed to ventilate wonderfully. Now in the new modern house, built to be well insulated it  is sadly even too hot for my porridge. That’s insane, it’s certainly unheard of...

Any casual reader of this blog could tell you of my admiration for the Great Scot, Sir Andy Murray, possibly the nation’s finest athlete and this week he’s in Eastbourne as I begin my trek to the tennis tournament there. The favourite son of Dunblane had made a terrific transition from player to retiree and now he’s coaching the British tyro Jack Draper, who has made a return to competition. Perhaps...

If I had to write a blog about Scotland’s contribution to the sciences and engineering history then I’d have no shortage of material. The nation has been as active or more active in the great leap forward of mankind as any other and much more than most. Scots genius from Bell to Fleming to Watt is world renowned. But one of the more forgotten corners at the moment is ship building which used to be...

In the week that the governor of Massachusetts jokingly legalised the sale and consumption of haggis in his state in order to celebrate the Tartan Army’s love affair with Boston I can report that another beloved Scottish icon is back. Yes it’s that Edinburgh Noir hero Rebus. It’s been through the mill a bit the now and has its third incarnation of the down at heel copper with Richard Rankin playing...

It’s dream of all charity shop divers that you find an object, a dress, a vase or the holy grail of the charity shop, the old master painting picked up for a song and then auctioned for a life changing amount. And recently it happened with a painting by noted Scottish Colourist FCB Cadell which was bought in White Plains New York then sold in the capital. The art piece was bought for $100 and it was...

Almost every Scottish man and many, many women of the nation will be watching the telly this June as Scotland take on Haiti first then Morocco  and then tournament favourites Brazil,  but a lucky few will be there in person with the Tartan Army. The matches are June 14: Haiti vs Scotland,  in Boston at 2am UK time. June 19: Scotland vs Morocco, Boston at 11pm UK time and June 24: Scotland vs Brazil,...

Now I don’t know if you like otters, but I absolutely love them. They are cuddly warm blooded killers, but so cute! Ever since I read the book and saw the film of Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson I have been a big fan of theses wonderfully adapted creatures which are whip smart and can even use tools to open shellfish. Tarka’s statue in Bideford even has his own FaceBook page! But the deal was sealed...