A weekend up in wine country, with the mellow time that brings and some free-diving in a lake, had me curious as to the stunning white blossoms that lined the roads into Winters, near Napa. Even the trees can hold stories and meaning that are millennia old…! Joining a freediving session in Lake Berryessa with Fins and Foam Freediving, the drive pulled us out from the cutting and jiving of…

Another bundle of Donegal days this last week, paired with nights in London on either side. It was a first February trip back to our family HQ, methinks. A time of year where you can feel the optimism of the light shifting towards spring, and the shrill cold of winter months starting to be left behind. View from Dad’s on a late winter’s evening… The centrepiece of the trip was…

“Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much.” — Erich Fromm Asking ChatGPT about Eric Fromm, I learnt: “Erich Fromm was a German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist. Born in 1900, he explored the interaction between psychology and society, emphasizing the importance of love, freedom, and non-materialistic lifestyles as pathways to true happiness and human fulfillment. He passed away in 1980.” Pairs well…

I’m finally reading this utter gem of a book, a compilation of hilarious and beautifully written perspectives on writing (and life!), after having heard it recommended so many times over the years. Bird by Bird consoles as to how hard writing is – from a 16-title author – weaving through observations from a lifetime of writing and teaching too. A few of the reassuring quips I underlined… “Very few writers…