Jac Magpie

Definitely fewer than previous years, not sure if they ran into storms migrating over here.

The swifts have fledged and the leaden Lanarkshire skies of July are all the brighter for it. I shall miss them when they go. Each visit seems briefer than the last.

Oh, she was beautiful.

Oh my god this man!

What a lovely thing to do!

Underrated.

Meanwhile, in Yvette Cooper's brain...

A frog with it's 'hands' against the glass of its enclosure with the words 'Mother, release me, I crave violence'

A local charity shop has displayed their books by spine colour.
..

Thank you so much.

Thanks lovely. Yes, it was very much a celebration of his life. I'll miss him forever, but we gave him a good send off.

A photographer of my recently deceased dad on the bar of the village pub. The photo is of him smiling and drinking a pint. In front of the photo are five tea light candles, and there is a pint of Fosters for him on the left hand side of the image.

By his chair in the pub(which has his walking stick laying across it). Overwhelmed by the hugs, the compassion, the funny stories, how much dad meant to so many people and how many lives he touched. The pint of shit lager (which he loved) for him finished me off.

Meadow Brown butterfly on grass.

Walking the Wales Coastal Path between Llanelli and Burry Port and what a spectacular day for seeing butterflies, including holly blues which I have never seen before. Unfortunately they won't stay still enough for a photo apart from this very obliging Meadow Brown.

Still very happy to allow his daughter to eat breakfast cereals in the name of research though.

Did anyone ever get to the bottom of whether Jack Monroe was saintly or satanic? I left Twitter just as she was being hauled over the coals for discrepancies.

Oh god, I'd forgotten about her.

Back in my hometown of Llanelli for dad's funeral tomorrow. Have a day to spend reminiscing, I think a long walk is in order. There will no doubt be tears.

You too. Be very kind to you xxxx

I'm so sorry Claire. I'm travelling down to Wales for my dad's funeral on Tuesday. I must admit I've just let my sister get on with it.

Oooft.

Post yourself from a different era.

For the avoidance of any doubt, I'm in the pink. 1975 or so.

Nature Beyond Cure: Disabled Perspectives Books that explore nature and living with disability and illness from disability perspectives. No magical cures here!

I've made a new list on @bookshop.org of books that explore nature / walking / the outdoors by disabled, neurodivergent and chronically ill writers - Nature Beyond Cure - aka our own narratives are messy and complex. Do share! #BookSky #DisabledWriters
uk.bookshop.org/lists/nature...?

Proper snort-laughed at that.

She came across as incredibly entitled, didn't she? She's even worse at the start of the second book where she's 'given' a farm to moan about.

Back on Weird Island. I am very cold, extremely grumpy and missing Greece.

Flying back to Glasgow from Zante tomorrow, can't say I'm relishing it tbh.

Bit damp, was it?

A swallow parent sitting on the edge of a mud nest inside a restaurant in Alykes, Zakynthos. The nest is on a man-made ledge, and just hidden from view are two fledglings.

Just watched fledging swallows soar accompanied by their parents. The nest was right above our head as we ate dinner.

Yeah, I worked freelance for a company who did this. They went under owing thousands, including my pay (fortunately I invoiced them fortnightly so it wasn't too much). They set up two new companies shortly afterwards and are back being shite at what they do.

I love being in Greece but I do really miss the massive trees of home. I cannot wait for my next walk in our cool, damp, woodland.

Congratulations!