In hope of giving you some entertainment in these peculiar times, here’s a short story. It’s a gentle romance, with a touch of humour, from a collection of such stories I published some time ago. A Perfect Solution Under the heat of a Mediterranean sun it seemed ludicrous to care about his worries back home. …
Author: stuartaken
Today’s Pictures: 10 Nov 20
November sun in the Forest of Dean. If you’re visiting this blog, please be generous to those who can’t escape their own four walls at present, and share this post widely with them on social media, so they can enjoy it. It will also reach more people and hopefully remind them what a wonderful place …
Today’s Pictures: 9 Nov 20
Six birch trees in the Forest of Dean. If you’re visiting this blog, please be generous to those who can’t escape their own four walls at present, and share this post widely with them on social media, so they can enjoy it. It will also reach more people and hopefully remind them what a wonderful …
Today’s Pictures: 8 Nov 20
The remnants of an old walled lane in the Forest of Dean. Taken on the Greek island of Samos in September 2016. If you’re visiting this blog, please be generous to those who can’t escape their own four walls at present, and share this post widely with them on social media, so they can enjoy …
Today’s Pictures: 7 Nov 20
After today, I’ll be a bit too busy to add words to the picture posts for a while, so they’ll stand alone. Hope you’ll continue to enjoy, and share, them! If you’re visiting this blog, please be generous to those who can’t escape their own four walls at present, and share this post widely with …
Kos in a Time of Covid 19: 9th Day.
View from the road leading to the Asklepion Sunday was our 32nd wedding anniversary, so, naturally, we set out on a long trek up a hill. We’d decided early in the stay that we’d visit the Asklepion. It’s the most popular destination for tourists on the island, so we expected it would be quite busy. …
Today’s Pictures: 5 Nov 20
Today is Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Day) here in England. It’s an odd tradition marking the brutal execution of a man who attempted, with a dozen others, to blow up the Houses of Parliament. His reasons were largely religious, in that his particular sect of believers, the Roman Catholics, were being persecuted by the then …
Today’s Pictures: 4 Nov 20
If you’re visiting this blog, please be generous to those who can’t escape their own four walls at present, and share this post widely with them on social media, so they can enjoy it. It will also reach more people and hopefully remind them what a wonderful place this world is. Perhaps that might help …
National Cake Day in Ruritania, by Mark P. Henderson: #BookReview.
362 pagesSatire Fiction/General Humorous Fiction/Humour Humour is so personal. What makes one person laugh can make another frown or fail to respond at all. I’ve no wish to put readers off, but this book, included in the ‘humour’ genre, didn’t tickle my laughter muscles, I’m afraid. That doesn’t mean it will fail to stimulate yours. …
Continue reading National Cake Day in Ruritania, by Mark P. Henderson: #BookReview.
Today’s Pictures: 3 Nov 20
7 kilometres walked this morning (about 4 and a half miles) and we met just one other couple and saw 3 others at a distance. From Thursday of this week, the forest will be open only to local people, as England goes into a month-long lockdown. So our walks will remain local and we’ll meet …
Today’s #Pictures: 2 Nov 20
Deciduous firs. Part of the multicoloured autumn carpet. If you’re visiting this blog, please be generous to those who can’t escape their own four walls at present, and share this post widely with them on social media, so they can enjoy it. It will also reach more people and hopefully remind them what a wonderful …
Today’s Pictures: 1 Nov 20
A path we often use, now bearing autumn colours in profusion. And a small stream now also bearing autumn colours. If you’re visiting this blog, please be generous to those who can’t escape their own four walls at present, and share this post widely with them on social media, so they can enjoy it. It …
Grenade Rain Dance, by Calibna J. Kerr (Junk Talk Poet): #BookReview.
Poetry is such a varied medium that a reader approaches any work with cautious curiosity. What will this piece say, will it be formal, contemporary, or simply chopped prose? The very fact that Calibna prefers his Junk Talk Poet handle may well put off a number of potential readers due to the propensity to pre-judge. …
Continue reading Grenade Rain Dance, by Calibna J. Kerr (Junk Talk Poet): #BookReview.
Kos in a Time of Covid 19: 8th Day.
This post should have appeared yesterday. Unfortunately, my PC was temporarily disabled by a Windows 10 update. It had to be remotely invaded before it could be persuaded to comply with my wishes. Out of action for the whole day. But back now. Saturday sent us on another walk into the town to see more …
Today’s Pictures: 29 Oct 20
Just back from today’s walk, taking advantage of a brief spell of relative calm from the wind and rain coming in from the Atlantic. More on its way. But, undeterred, we trod the firm tracks and absorbed the spirit of the woods, made our daily connection with the trees. Wildlife mostly had the sense to …

