Book Review – Bloom – by Ruth Kassinger

Writing 339 pages about algae is an impressive feat (including recipes, but excluding bibliography and index). What is even more impressive however is making a subject that might stereotypically be met with groans or raised eyebrows engaging. Algae is fascinating and I knew very little about it before reading this book. I have come toContinueContinue reading “Book Review – Bloom – by Ruth Kassinger”

Book Review – Wintering – by Stephen Rutt

The autumn and winter is greeted here on the Essex coast with flocks of Dark Bellied Brent Geese, overwintering to escape the harsh realities of their Siberian breeding grounds. The sounds of these majestic birds throng the air and for me are a clear association with my sense of place. I might complain that theyContinueContinue reading “Book Review – Wintering – by Stephen Rutt”

Book Review – Bird Therapy – by Joe Harkness

”Consistent and constant, yet wild and free Are the avian wonders comforting me. From the lake at my patch, to the gorse-speckled heath, they dowse me in light, over darkness beneath. Sharpening senses, they help me to find, the systems and solace that strengthen my mind. From meadow to estuary, shingle to tree, I’ll alwaysContinueContinue reading “Book Review – Bird Therapy – by Joe Harkness”

Book Review – The Forager’s Calendar – by John Wright

Foraging is a pastime like no other, although it combines the joys of several outdoor activities. It provides an opportunity to learn and promises delicious results, so long as one knows what to do with the collected spoils on return to the kitchen. John Wright’s The Forager’s Calendar is a fairly comprehensive account and handbook forContinueContinue reading “Book Review – The Forager’s Calendar – by John Wright”

Book Review – The Easternmost House – by Juliet Blaxland

‘’The Easternmost House is a portrait of a place that soon will no longer exist. It is a memorial to this house and the lost village it represents, and to our ephemeral life here, so that something of it will remain once it has all gone.’’ The bar was set high when I read theContinueContinue reading “Book Review – The Easternmost House – by Juliet Blaxland”