Sunday 29.12 2013

Cool winter sun at lunchtime,warm enough in the shelter of the trees: why don`t we plant more trees?
Long shadows even at this time of the day, more beautiful pale light,striking colours




and sheep safely grazing...or staring...or both.

Friday 27.12.2013

A bit wilder today which makes for dramatic skies

and beautiful light

Btw - The Girl Savage did have a very satisfactory ending...........

Thursday 26.12.2013

Cold bright blue day, light breeze on the hill but sheltered and still in the woods. Perfect Boxing Day walk.

And a slight cop-out for the last book recommendation in this book-a-day venture:
anything by Terry Pratchett.
Extremely funny and very wise - not a bad combination...........

Tuesday 24.12.2013

Blowing a fierce hooley up here tonight but due to calm down a little tomorrow: only one short sharp blizzard this morning otherwise at least it`s been dry.


Two more books then:
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Not particularly cheerful or Christmassy but a suspenseful thriller set in the 2nd World War with two feisty heroines and a bit towards the end that actually made me physically jump in my seat.




And...if it`s OK to recommend a book I haven`t quite finished.....another one by Katherine Rundell (she who wrote Rooftoppers see post on 8.12.2013) called The Girl Savage

Similar themes to The Rooftoppers - unconventional motherless girl comes up against convention in all its pomp and self-righteousness and....well, haven`t finished this one yet but suspect it will have an equally satisfactory ending and I`m now on a bit of a quest to find out more about the author.

Meanwhile, assuming we don`t blow away in the night, Happy Christmas and I`ll try and find a more seasonal recommendation for tomorrow.

Sunday 22.12.2013

5 past three and the sun was already behind the hills, leaving a coral sky splodged here and there with grey cloud and an icy wind only tempered once in the woods.
A few Christmassy jobs done, most importantly stringing up lots of lights to keep the dark at bay. Now a meteorological armageddon is forecast just in time for travel plans to be disrupted. Hey ho. What`s needed is a roaring fire and a good book.................



try The Year`s Midnight by Alex Benzie

a well-written,absorbing novel set in these northern climes. The occasional wee dram or two would doubtless enhance the reading experience.

Saturday 21.12.2013

This time last week in The Old Hairdresser`s in Glasgow, debating the pros and cons of Scottish Independence (general opinion among the random sample of under thirties? "Why not?")
Walked the streets the following day: its always the imposing buildings(and often their wasted potential)that grab the eye.

A storming gig that night with the always amazing Gogol Bordello and then back....



....to work and Christmas `do`s` and more work and Christmas shopping and more work - but a couple of good walks thrown in, especially yesterday on a beautiful cold, clear morning,the sun rising on one horizon as the moon set on the opposite one, the sounds of the geese overhead echoing across the sky and icy art at our feet

And as for books......here`s 8 more to catch up:
American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

Stay Where You Are And Then Leave by John Boyne

The Carhullan Army by Sarah Hall

Kafka On The Shore by Haruki Murakami

May Contain Nuts by John O`Farrell

Notes To My Mother-in-law by Phyllida Law

Phew. An eclectic mix but there you go. One a day would be easier. Must try harder.

Friday 13.12.2013

Sometimes you set out simply trying to get the last out of the day and it turns out....well....quite a bit better than that.
At quarter to four we walked up the hill under an already darkening sky made darker still by low grey clouds hanging overhead and curtaining the horizon in dramatic drapes. There was a brisk cool wind and it was a relief to get into the woods where the dogs scattered to torment the small snuffly nocturnal creatures beginning to emerge from the undergrowth.

The clouds got lower until we were enveloped in a damp mist which, as we turned for home, settled into a gentle rain, more refreshing than unpleasant.
But then as we emerged from the woods, the rain cleared, the wind dropped, the clouds parted to reveal a bright waxing moon which lit up the road and Venus,at the moment the first very bright `star` to appear in the evening, suspended over the southern horizon and it was winter-silent apart from the call of a solitary goose flying off in the distance.

The moral being something about setting off anyway, however unpromising it seems.

And we`re 4 books behind on this book-a-day thing so......two snortingly funny but completely different books, one of which I may have mentioned before:

How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran

and
A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away by Christopher Brookmyre

Both irreverent, iconoclastic and full of wisdom but not recommended for those of a nervous disposition.







For something meaty - Dickensian - in its breadth try The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber.

The Telegraph dubbed it a "down-and-dirty tale of an upwardly mobile Victorian prostitute" so you`ve been warned but it`s worth it for the beautiful writing.






And maybe something a bit lighter after that lot? try The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett.

The Queen stumbles upon the mobile library round the back of the castle and it changes her life.

Monday 09.12.2013

This book left me with a big smile on my face when I read it - some time ago now.

Buddha Da by Anne Donovan is the story of a Glaswegian Dad who discovers Buddhism and sets out to achieve enlightenment.



Funny, poignant and beautifully written, Donovan`s coming of age novel Being Emily and her collection of short stories Hieroglyphics and other stories are also excellent reads.

Sunday 08.12.2013

OK - no question about this one and I`m back to the Young Adult category again but Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell is an absolute delight - finished it by torchlight in the car on the way to the gig last night because I couldn`t put it down.




Not only is it a good yarn, it is full of imagination, courage, compassion and joy: just the sort of subversive, wonderful novel that everyone should read but especially the aforementioned Young Adults (or even their younger siblings). Glorious stuff.

Saturday 07.12.2013

Here`s a completely different one: Lisa See`s Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Set in nineteenth century China it is a story of female friendship, a secret language and the agonizing tradition of foot-binding in a world where a woman`s eligibility for marriage depends on the size and shape of her feet.



And with that thought I`m off to take my large clodhoppers to an Alabama3 gig - wa-hey!

Friday 06.12.2013

Two woolly hats? Check.
1 pair of trousers and a pair of padded overtrousers? Check
4 layers plus serious weatherproof coat? Check
With hood? Check
2 pairs socks, big boots, woolly gloves? Check.
There we go then. Into the snowy landscape.

Just a covering of the white stuff really but an icy breeze keeping the temperature down (though nothing like yesterday`s gales). Christmassy trees

and winter geometry.

Today`s book is a strange one. Given to me a year or so back it`s a different take on the Adam and Eve story but be aware - some folk have labelled it blasphemous. In The Garden by Elsie Aidinoff. Makes you think anyway.

Thursday 05.12.2013

So let`s try an author instead of a book: Nick Harkaway, author of the totally brilliant, anarchic, post-apocalyptic and hilarious novel The Gone-Away World.....

.....pretty much my book of the century (so far).....

and the slightly more whimsical Angelmaker

"a mix of sci-fi, steampunk, adventure and romance". (These Amazon reviews are very useful.......)





Nick Harkaway is on Twitter @harkaway, a blogger @ www.nickharkaway.com and seems like an altogether good egg.

Wednesday 04.12.2013

Back late from a Christmas do so really it`s Thursday though it still feels like Wednesday.

An eye-watering icy wind had us walking really very fast this afternoon, the sun already down behind the hills at quarter past three, the sky an icy blue and puddles encrusted with ice - yup - it`s winter folks. Orion winking away at me just now too so that confirms it.
Book for today: For The Win by Cory Doctorow......

.....and I can`t do better than the Amazon description...not at this time of night anyway:

"A provocative and exhilarating tale of teen rebellion against global corporations from the New York Times bestselling author of Little Brother."

Tuesday 03.12.2013

"Young Adult" is a slippery classification: such books may be too old for children but they can often be recommended to adults of any age.
Thus today`s suggestion - After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross. Think being a refugee is something that only happens to other people? Read this and think again.

Btw, Aberdeenshire Library have opened The Help by Kathryn Stockett today. Un-put-downable.

Monday 2.12.2013

Nicking an idea from work: go to the Facebook page @ www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/libraries
and see their book advent tree - a book unwrapped a day...what a good idea.....well, coincidentally I`ve done 2 already this month (see yesterday`s post) so will attempt one a day from now `til Christmas....."the long winter evenings (will) just fly by" (pace Blackadder)

Sunday 01.12.2013

Strictly speaking this should be a November post as today only managed a quick scuttle round town before work but yesterday was a fine way to end the month and should not go unrecorded.
A chippy wind straight into the face as we went up the hill about a quarter to 2, the sun hovering quite close to the horizon as if it had already had enough for the day but was hanging about to throw a few more of those long wintry shadows.

In the woods it was hats off,jackets unbuttoned and much excited tearing about by the dogs though only minutes before they`d been fast asleep. Reminded me of The Dog`s Diary:

8:00 am - Dog food! My favourite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favourite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favourite thing!
10:40 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favourite thing!
12:00 pm - Milk bones! My favourite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favourite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favourite thing!
5:00 pm - Dinner! My favourite thing!
7:30 pm - Got to play ball! My favourite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favourite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favourite thing!


They really are very easy to please.

Beautiful layered skies as that same chippy wind blew us back down the hill (hat back in place, jacket done up) in time for a little seasonal/domestic activity - the making of the mincemeat - now I know it`s December.

Btw have been meaning to mention We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo: turns out it was on the Booker short list though didn`t win in the end: poignant, funny and thought-provoking - and well-written to boot!

And while we`re on books, try Soldier Dog by Sam Angus. A so-called Young Adult novel set in the First World War. Kes meets Michael Morpurgo.