The warmer weather has finally arrived – as I write, it’s twenty degrees with somewhat cloudy but blue skies – and who knows how long that may last, considering the typical British weather. With Summer in full force, it’s made me appreciate more garden spaces. From the garden at home and my mission of trying to keep the dog away from decimating the strawberry plants,… Read More »Summer in Bloom
And Events Around the Tyne Valley We are finally seeing the beginning of lighter mornings and nights, and it has been fantastic to go to work to the sound of birdsong and the sights of blush pink skies. (The sunsets as of late have also been breathtaking with blazing red hues.) The lighter months bring an end to the winter blues. Did you know that… Read More »Lighter Nights
2023 has ended, and 2024 beckons. Whilst you may be busy creating new resolutions for the year to come, let’s look back at 2023 by rounding up some of the prominent moments of the year. Local Top Moments The Sycamore Gap Felling The iconic tree was sadly felled in September 2023, and we still don’t know why. The tree was a signature of Northumberland, with… Read More »Look back at 2023
I sat in a tattoo studio thinking about permanence, and the inspiration for this article was born. With tattoos, the artwork is permanently placed on the body unless you laser it off or cover it up with more artwork. It has a permanent home but, as with everything in life, it changes. Tattoos fade over time; new scars or injuries may impact it, life in… Read More »Permanence
So far, 2023 has been marked by some exceptional theatre visits. There have been four so far; two iterations of Neil Gaiman’s Ocean At The End of the Lane, then there’s been SIX, and the Ghosts of Metroland. I have even planned some more over the course of the rest of the year. I’ll go through the premise of each show briefly. First was the… Read More »Theatrics
With the warmer weather this month, I’ve appreciated outdoor spaces more. For example, just last week, I spent a good few hours in a park, lounging like a tired cat chasing after the sun, with a smoothie in one hand and a book in the other. It was a pleasant way to pass the afternoon (make sure you remember to apply suncream liberally and often).… Read More »Wonders of Nature
One of my New Year’s resolutions – and I don’t typically make many – was to say yes to more things. Looking back, I’ve always sometimes said no to opportunities due to not feeling in the right mood or just because they were out of my comfort zone. Staying in your comfort zone can be a good thing – for safety reasons and for your… Read More »Opportunities
The theme of 2023’s Children’s Mental Health Week, which occurred back in the second week of February, was ‘Let’s Connect’. That resonated with me mainly because I have spoken before on the power of communities and how forming meaningly connections is beneficial to us. One may underestimate the power that a sense of community has. Especially when you move into a new area or take… Read More »Our Communities
Well, that is another year behind us. Time flies when you are having fun as the saying goes and although personally, I’m still processing the leftovers of 2020, 2023 is upon us. A lot has happened this year so I’m taking the opportunity to have a look back and reminiscence. Cultural Moments One thing that gripped us from the start of the year was the… Read More »2022 Wrapped
With Britain being chucked from the frying pan straight into the fire, the cost-of-living crisis is on most people’s minds this winter. October brings with it the most recent hike in energy prices, and in the months beyond we have plunging temperatures and Christmas to think about. Back in February debt Charity StepChange said that ‘cost of living pressures’ entered the top five reasons for… Read More »Winter Worries
