Nature and the countryside (especially islands, the coast, mountains), birdwatching, music, reading, writing, history, films, appreciating art and photography, taking photographs, Scotland and Ireland, Latvia and the Baltic States, keeping fit (especially running and swimming).
People with similar interests or who are just interesting! I love being in touch with people in other countries. Please send me a message if you would just like to say hi or if sending me an add request.
Karen Matheson singing puirt a beul (Gaelic mouth music) live on tv:Capercaillie live on tv: .. width="425" height="350" ..KT Tunstall's 'I Don't Know You Now' live on Later with Jools Holland (December 2007):Julie Fowlis live on Later with Jools Holland (May 2007):Something Sally's video of their single 'Tip Of My Tongue' also featuring Joss Stone:Roisin Murphy's 'Let Me Know' live on tv (2007):Amplifico, Eimear Bradley, Birdpaula, Rosie Brown, Capercaillie, Karan Casey, Dochas, Dezi Donnelly, Kim Edgar, Julie Fowlis, James Grant, Rachel Hair, Rebecca Hollweg, Incognito, Jamiroquai, John Joe Kelly, Seth Lakeman, Donna Maciocia, Karen Matheson, Alyth McCormack, Michael McGoldrick, Alice McLaughlin, Roisin Murphy, Nerina Pallot, Karine Polwart, Something Sally, Emily Smith, Kathryn Tickell, KT Tunstall, Ewen Vernal, Andrew White, Zar.
Mainly European - especially French (e.g. The Beautiful Troublemaker) and Italian (e.g. Christ Stopped at Eboli). Some films I have enjoyed over the last couple of years include 9 Songs, Ae Fond Kiss, American Cousins, The Dreamers, Climates, Facing Window, Finding Neverland, The Girl from Paris, Goldfish Memory, Italian for Beginners, Lie With Me, Lost in Translation, Once, Orchestra Seats, The Other Side of the Bed, Pot Luck, Russian Dolls, Swimming Pool.
Mainly programmes about nature and places. Some sport too including golf and rugby union.
Novels by John McGahern and Bernard Mac Laverty especially, also by others like Haruki Murakami and Jens Christian Grondahl. Poetry by John Clare, Edward Thomas, R.S. Thomas, George Mackay Brown, Seamus Heaney, Gillian Clarke, John Burnside etc.
Some literary heroes: Gilbert White (18th Century naturalist-writer), Mr Bennet (the character in Jane Austen's novel 'Pride and Prejudice'!), Edward Thomas (early Twentieth Century poet). Some musical heroes: Capercaillie (the best Celtic band!), Karen Matheson (Capercaillie's Scottish singer), Julie Fowlis (Gaelic singer and instrumentalist), KT Tunstall (Scottish singer-songwriter), Michael McGoldrick (Irish Mancunian instrumentalist).