I have a good friend who lives in Kenya – we used to teach in the same school in Mombasa. Some years ago, I stayed for a couple of weeks with her and her family in an old stone and thatch cottage right beside the Indian Ocean. Around the nearby headland […]
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The arrival of spring migrants from their over-wintering grounds in Africa is well underway. The morning birdsong chorus of our resident birds, such as Blackbird, Song Thrush, Great Tit has been joined by summer visitors like Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat. As we move into May, the volume […]
In recent weeks, two stories broke, almost simultaneously, that caused shockwaves amongst environmentalists and climate campaigners. The first was a warning from Simon Stiell, the most senior climate figures at the United Nations. His message was stark: Governments, business leaders and development banks have just two years to avert the […]
Our ancestors believed that there is only a very thin veil between this world of mortals and the Otherworld. This veil disappears completely twice a year, at ‘Bealtaine’ (May Eve and May Day) and ‘Samhain’ (November 1). On these pivotal dates the spirits of the Otherworld intermingled with mortals. Supernatural […]
The academic philosopher Julian Baggini claims the ‘fundamental basis of reasoning about matters of fact is empirical – based on observation and experience’. Simply put, observing the evidence for yourself. Once we undertook a decision to travel to the States, we undertook a historical road trip, observing, the great pillars […]