#Welsh Whisky

[maltrunners]

Penderyn 13 Year "Rich Oak" Single Cask Welsh Whisky

Review by: Wryan ImpEx 2021 Selection STR Finished Whisky I have been waiting to review this bottle for some years now. I had initially purchased the bottle a full year after it was released and have been trying to track down another ever since. Without completely giving away my review; this is easily my favorite Penderyn bottle I’ve tasted to date. I’ve been lucky enough to taste some…

[caskompare]

Buy now.

or

Find the best price.

The second single malt to be released by the fabulous Aber Falls distillery in North Wales is here! This expression was matured in a combination of Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, bourbon, and virgin oak casks and is positively brimming with rich fruit and subtle spice. Striving for sustainability and quality, the team at Aber Falls works closely with local farmers to grow top quality Welsh barley and contribute to the local economy. It gets a thumbs up from us!

About The Brand: Aber Falls

There are only four whisky distilleries in Wales, and Aber Falls is the first to open in North Wales since the early 1900s. Our whiskey is produced, bottled, and aged in our distillery, which is just a short distance from Rhaeadr Fawr, the well-known Aber Falls waterfall. We use locally sourced, freshly made Welsh ingredients to create our whisky.  Our distillery is located in the town of Abergwyngregyn, which lies at the base of the renowned Aber Falls waterfall. This attractive area, which draws more than 50,000 tourists annually, is close to the seaside and conveniently located off the A55.Our building, which was formerly a slate works in the 19th century, a margarine factory during the World Wars, and more recently a drinks wholesaler depot, has been lovingly restored and renovated and serves as the perfect setting for the production of our spirits and showcasing the zeal and expertise of our craftsmanship.

Learn more.

[my-wife-doesnt-approve]

I'm going a little batshit on my GO side blog, but this seemed like the correct announcement format for this blog.

My blorbos! Are coming back! Yay!!

Can I hear a fucking wahooooo??!??!?!!

Source

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Reference: A Historical Menu

Origin — Food — Drink

1900 — tacos, quiche, schwarma, pizza, osso bucco, paella, tuna, goulash, hamburger, mousse, borscht, grapefruit, éclair, chips, bouillabaisse, mayonnaise, ravioli, crêpes, consommé — Coca Cola, soda water, riesling

1800 — spaghetti, soufflé, bechamel, ice cream, kipper, chowder, sandwich, jam, meringue, hors d‘oeuvre, welsh rabbit — tequila, seltzer, whisky

1700 — avocado, paté, muffin, vanilla, mincemeat, pasta, salmagundi, yoghurt, kedgeree — gin, port, champagne, brandy, sherbet

1600 — omelette, litchi, tomato, curry, chocolate, banana, macaroni, caviar, pilav, anchovy, maize, potato, turkey, artichoke, scone — tea, sherry, coffee, sillabub

1500 — marchpane (marzipan), whiting, offal, melon, pineapple, mushroom, salmon, partridge

Middle English — venison, pheasant, crisp, cream, bacon, biscuit, oyster, toast, pastry, jelly, ham, veal, mustard, beef, mutton, brawn, sauce, potage, broth, herring, meat, cheese — muscatel, rhenish (rhine wine), claret, ale

Old English — cucumber, mussel, butter, fish, bread — beer, wine, water

The evolution of terms for food and drink is an interesting reflection of the history of cultural contact between English-speaking countries and the rest of the world (G. Hughes, 1988).

Source ⚜ Food History ⚜ Writing Notes & References ⚜ Word Lists

[ingravinoveritas]

I can't stop thinking about how the Macallan people really missed a trick by not having Michael in that advert. You could've had him and David sharing a glass of whisky and staring into each other's eyes in front of a roaring fire. Michael as a repressed Welsh sheep farmer who meets whiskey distiller David up in the Highlands in the past and then crosses paths with him again in the present. They end up together living in a cute little cottage and raising sheep, and Repressed Michael fulfills his secret dream of becoming a drag queen with flat cap-wearing bisexual David's encouragement and they open a gay nightclub/distillery in town together. I've been calling Staged 'Brokeback Mount Him' for the last four years. Do you see the vision here...

[sgiandubh]

S on BBC 4's Saturday Live: 'anything but a quiet life'

As you all know, S was today on BBC Four's Saturday Live radio talk show, sharing the scene with people like super male model David Gandy, Catrin Finch - a Welsh harpist of international repute and the ever fascinating Lucy Worsley, a strong contender (along with Mary Beard) for the title of personal favorite (living) historian.

You can listen (as I dutifully did twice) to it here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001t96r. I don't know how to embed it on this page, but that shouldn't be a problem.

The show is always interesting and I strongly suggest to let it play along and not rely only on my summing up & comments. I particularly enjoyed Lucy Worsley's Medieval and Baroque musical selection (flawless!) - but enough said, we're here for S, who was live on show from BBC's London studios.

As usually, I am going to transcript it as much as I can, primarily for those reading this post and using Google Translate (@bat-cat-reader, you are served!). So, you will kindly excuse the length, thank you.

At the 07:40 mark, a half jocular mention when prompted by the host: not a cricketer and not a harpist either (you can say many things about S, but not that he's got no humor - always a big plus in my book). But then things quickly get emotional, when he immediately mentions his mother (the question generally asked was 'what did your parents sacrifice for you?'), who 'sacrificed a lot (...) [as] a single parent, (...) she gave us everything, I think'. And then he quickly gets emotional, mentioning Chrissie H. again:

'(...) can I give my mom a shoutout, it's her birthday, on Monday [Nikki Bedi, presenter: 'aww, of course you can!'], so happy birthday, Chrissie, and thank you so much and I wish... I'm glad you never got me a harp, because I would have never dedicated myself. I think that's why I became an actor, because I didn't have to work too hard at one thing.'

It's then David Gandy's turn to talk about his own rural childhood in Billericay (Essex), his close knit family and his parents' endeavor of building a business and the now incomprehensible need to use faxes, something he has now to 'explain to the younger ones'. Then Nikki Bedi turns to S (13:08): 'Sam's laughing at that. Do you remember faxes?' Answer: 'I do.. I mean, I remember faxes getting scripts through or couriers bringing you know, scripts to your door, it..it's just a completely different world, now, and I am sure the fashion world is completely different now, isn't it, David, I mean it's changed so much'.

Onwards to more questions asked by Mrs. Bedi. This one was interesting (19:16): 'Sam, do you fear that each job you do is an act that could be your last? Is that always in the back or front of your mind?' Answer: 'Yeah, I think.. David, I mean...um... earnestly, everything you're saying there kinda rings true for my career as well... I am sure for Catrin being, you know, being a musician, I think it's, you know [Nikki Bedi: is it true, Catrin? CF: yes, absolutely, yeah, many things David said... it's the same (...)'].

Huw Stevens mentions alternatives to 'gigs', the need to plan for the future and the fact 'you always have to remain busy', mentioning S's whisky. Gandy also mentions S ('you've got quite a few businesses [...] a man after my own heart, we'll then gonna have to go out'), immediately cued in by Nikki Bedi ('whisky, tequila, gin').

Just after Lucy Worsley's superb intervention (easily my favorite of the whole program!), cue in to the kilt on a glacier part of S's chit-chat I am sure we all dutifully 🙄, by now. I noted the slight hesitation in his voice, while mentioning 'my...my friend, Graham McTavish', so I will not - yeah, sue me-, I repeat: I will not transcript this verbatim, simply because it doesn't really bring anything new or important to what we all know, already. Sitting on a glacier 'in a kilt, in commando, yes, it's my claim to fame'. Disgruntled Tumblrettes, beware - he poked fun at himself (shall I sign this to you, or are you able to read my lips?) and that is something only very intelligent people are able to do without sounding pathetic. Another interesting thing is the way Nikki Bedi presented S ('the actor, award-winning liquor maker and writer'- 36:00), roughly midway of the whole broadcast.

His dedicated segment begins at the 49:10 mark and lasts until the end, about 10 minutes in all. He was introduced by Huw Stevens: "Sam Heughan, it seems, would like anything but a quiet life", plus some cursory bio elements, mentioning his mother's influence on his own creativity, his breakthrough as JAMMF, but also TCND (Nikki Bedi watches it and 'apparently the third episode is the most steamy' 🤦‍♀️). 'He is also a philanthropist, businessman and thrill seeker, and of course, as mentioned earlier, has his own whisky and is a best-selling author'. Mentions his 'parents, characterful people, hippies, in the Seventies, with a love for Tolkien'. S: 'my mum would probably kill me if I called her a hippie' - also, 'she is not the best singer, but there was always music around'. Stevens mentions the Gandalf's Garden Soho hippie community both his parents were a part of before he was born, but S doesn't develop it. The rest (difficult childhood, loner, using his imagination sparked his creativity, etc) we know from Waypoints. The very Scottish concept of 'stravaigin'' comes along in the conversation, which is not exactly a drifter and a bit more than a wanderer (if I understood correctly) - perhaps a good title for a second personal memoir, S? I'll leave this idea float in here for free, heh. OL comes along then, and by far the most interesting thing he mentioned about it is that "it is my life, it's taken over my life', hoping it would sparkle at least some conversation in the comments' thread. OL 'has also been hugely beneficial for Scotland, increased tourism by 200% in some locations (...), and it's all down to the magic of Scotland'.

Next projects: exciting not to really know what is next, but 'I am also saying no to a lot, because I am in a place now where I think the next decision is really important (...). I enjoy being in control now (....), producing my own shows and you know, my own products. (...) once you take control of that creativity (....) there's a lot of freedom and yeah, we shall see'.

And then Huw Stevens makes a joke - but was it really a joke? it's the BBC, after all - and says that all four of the guests could contribute something to what 'could be the next generation of Bond', (S: 'the finest British production'). Cue in an anecdote about S being invited to present an event to Buckingham Palace and taking a cab to a pub, right afterwards. MPC and tomorrow's book signing at Saint Pancras station wrap off the show.

Quickly, my 50 cents on it: way, way better than expected and S always delivers when they ask no weird questions about his private life (hallelujah, maybe they listen to us, after all?). The question about the fear of each job being the last reminded me of one of his answers in a very early interview: 'your biggest fear? getting the sack'. This time, his answer, whatever he intended to say, got lost in the brouhaha, but I suspect not much has changed, essentially, even if the 'after OL' part of the show strives to tell a more optimistic story.

But the thing that impressed me the most and in a very good way is the attention he got from all the other people invited in that studio. Unlike the social nobodies of Tumblr, they did not find bizarre the fact that he created his own spirits business and is actively promoting it. They were far from judging him: in fact, I even think he made a new friend of David Gandy, who had quite positive and nice and honest things to say about him. S was articulate and graceful and very moving every single time he mentioned Chrissie. And I am also sure he would have loved to share more things, especially when David was lovingly talking about his wife and daughters. But he couldn't. And that is a shame. But this too, shall pass - The Boy is slowly learning to say no to a lot of things, as he just let us know. Probably the best news we've got from him in a good while.

And now, onwards to a particularly venomous Anon I am still pondering the answer to.

[scotianostra]

12th June 1997 saw The island of Eigg pass into community ownership when it was purchased by the Eigg Heritage Trust.

After years of instability, neglect and lack of secure tenure, the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust was able to purchase the island on, largely due to the generosity of around ten thousand members of the general public

The Hebridean island of Eigg is second to St Kilda as the most famous of the smaller Scotttish isles. While St Kilda is renowned for its extinction as a place of human settlement, Eigg is celebrated for its rebirth. After overthrowing its eccentric, authoritarian owner two decades ago, this 31 sq km (12 sq mile) patch of moor and mountain was reborn as what is sometimes mockingly called the People’s Republic of Eigg.

This triumph of David versus Goliath has forged an apparently inspirational, sustainable community of 100 people.

A series of owners tried unsuccessfully to run some sort of business on Eigg during the latter part of the 20th century, from the Welsh Farmer whose Hereford cattle promptly died of bracken poisoning. Disheartened, he got rid of Eigg for £110,000 in 1971 to Bernard Farnham-Smith, self-styled naval commander, head of an English charity that wanted to run the island as a school for disabled boys, by 1973 the Eigg’s own school had only one pupil. Rather more successful was eccentric Keith Schoenberg, a dashing, Yorkshire-born businessman and former Olympic bobsleigher, acquired Eigg.

He was a charming, persuasive adventurer, who, over the next 20 years endeared himself to the guests by allowing them to perch on the running board as he drove them to beach picnics or moonlit games of hockey. One failed marriage after the other ended with him reluctantly having to sell the island in 1992 in his divorce settlement, in a surprise move he ended up bidding and became sole owner of Eigg, this didn’t go down well with the Islanders who were tiring of him, culminating in a fire in sheds on Eigg’s pier, with Schellenberg’s Roller inside. Police arrived but noone was ever brought to justice for the arson attack, maybe the Polis were just happy to get off the island alive rather than ending up in a wooden effigy atop a bonfire! “It was once the laird’s factor [his estate manager] who went about burning people out. Now it seems OK to burn out the laird himself,” fumed Schellenberg.

By 1995 he had enough and put the island up for sale, but refused to sell to the population, it should really be of no surprise that the knew owner seemed more eccentric than the previous one, self style Professor Gotthilf Christian Eckhard Oesterle was a fire-worshipping German artist and self-styled “professor” who went by the name of Maruma having read the new name in a pool of water in Geneva.

He declared it was impossible to own Eigg and vowed to improve opportunities for the community, build a swimming pool, and replace the dirty diesel generators that provided electricity with an integrated system of wind and solar power. The press discovered that, unfortunately, Maruma was not quite what he seemed: he was unknown in the art world, he wasn’t a proper professor, and he had used Eigg as security for a £300,000 loan at a punitive 20% interest rate. He promised to remove the island’s rusty old cars, but a pile of wrecks soon accumulated by the pier: locals dubbed it “the Maruma centre”. In July 1996, the island was put up for sale again, at an inflated price of £2m.

The Islanders Trust rthrew themselves into raising the asking price. . The story of the islanders who wanted to buy their own island was portrayed as a jolly romp in the style of Compton Mackenzie’s Whisky Galore, in which Hebridean islanders rebel against British bureaucrats. Eigg folk didn’t particularly relish this stereotype, but it captured imaginations and raised money.

Donations began flowing in at the rate of £1,000 per post bag; soon it was £30,000 per bag. Concerts took place in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Tyrone – and even Detroit – to raise funds. A mystery benefactor, a woman from northern England whose identity remains secret. gave £900,000. Most donations came from England. Outsiders were shocked by the feudalism that the islanders endured – the owners even decided which of them, if any, could eat Eigg’s seaweed – and worried about the possible fate of its pristine environment. The wildlife trusts, including the Scottish Wildlife Trust, were particularly effective at mobilising their members to help Eigg.

Meanwhile, the island’s Trust feared that Maruma’s German estate agent would sell Eigg to another international client. The agent described the Scottish islands on his books as “the Van Goghs” of 120 personally inspected paradises: “There is a sense of romance in buying islands. It is the ultimate purchase you can make, a complete miniature world of which you can be king.” Maruma’s creditor, a German clothing exporter, finally put the islanders out of their misery. After Maruma defaulted on his £300,000 loan, the creditor used the Scottish courts to force Eigg’s sale. His solicitors accepted the islanders’ offer of £1.5m on 4 April 1997. Finally, the people of Eigg owned their island.

Eigg has been hailed as Scotland’s most Eco-Friendly Island and the community trust are doing a great job of running a successful business, which includes offering accommodation, courses and working holidays for volunteers, you can read more about the Island on their website here. http://www.isleofeigg.org/

[mykneeshurt]

hi!! happy new year!! 💗

I love ur writing, and I was thinking to drop this request;

so may request some hc’s of cod task force 141 (+ alejandro, könig, graves and rudy) :))

feel free to skip this if youre busy, just wondering, happy new year :)

Sorry this one took me some time, I got too in my head about it. It was so hard to not be bitchy to Graves lmfao, Soap is my favourite enjoy! SFW. Let me know if you want NSFW ones

Price 🥃

He supports Liverpool FC, no I won’t hear any different

His favourite non-alcoholic drink is ‘builders tea’

Glenfiddich 18 is his Whisky of choice

Favourite colour is khaki green

Is the father figure of the group, strong, reliable, approachable (everything my dad wasn’t lmfao, I still love him)

He wears a plain t-shirt pyjamas to bed, sleeps on his side, one arm under his head, absolutely snores

His favourite breed of dog is a Collie, or any working dog he can walk for miles for in the country side

He absolutely loves Bargain Hunt on TV

His favourite smell is fresh gingerbread

He’d make an excellent grandfather tbh

Soap 🧼

Despite being Scottish he supports Blackburn FC, an underdog (I refuse to comment on the Celtic vs Rangers, far too much history there. And I’m Welsh, it ent for me to say haah)

He absolutely loves winding the boys up about being English

His text tone is SCOTLAND FOREVVAAAA *aggressive bagpipes*

Soap 100% sleeps in the buff

His favourite dog would be a Labrador, nice active family friendly dog

He’s a chatterbox but a good listener when he needs to be, will often give some surprisingly good advice

He’s an iPhone wanker

Absolutely a mummy’s boy, would do anything for her - he’d love to pay off her mortgage for her

His favourite smell is the cheesy paws of his dog for real

He’s not a morning person, he loves a lie in when he can

Ghost 💀

Ghost supports Manchester City, he just gives me those vibes ok?

His favourite weather is rain/storms

When he’s home from a mission he’s a bath guy, he showers all the time on base, so when he’s home it’s hot ass bath with an audio book and his bourbon

He has two cats that his neighbour looks after when he’s away, two British blue shorthairs. Called Foxtrot and Whiskey

He also loves rabbits

He loves helping beginners at the gym

His favourite tv show is The Simpsons, something easy and colourful to watch to distract him from what he’s seen

He smells like Dior Suvage (anything musky and heavy)

He’s ambidextrous

He loves a cooked dinner, beef, roast potatoes, all the veg, stuffing and all the Yorkshire puddings

He’s got his tongue pierced, I’ve seen the fan art. You can’t tell me other wise.

Gaz 🇬🇧

He gives me Arsenal vibes, so he supports them

But also supports Chicago Bears in American Football

He’s gentle, reserved so he’d have a rat as a pet, highly intelligent

Fish and chips with curry sauce is his favourite meal, a proper British geeza

He smells fresh, think a bright spring day, fresh linen and cut grass

He loves the sunshine

He’s a keen gardener, grows his own herbs and vegetables

His house is spotless, minimalist, but has a huge book collection

He loves caramel lattes despite the banter from the boys, he has a sweet tooth

Loves meeting the boys down the pub on a Sunday for a carvery

Alejandro 🌹

He’s an excellent cook, his favourite hobby when not on a mission is trying out new recipes for Los Vaqueros

This man sleeps in silk sheets, tell me he doesn’t?

He’s fiercely loyal his country, he loves Mexico and is passionate about it through and through

He’s got a great sense of humour, enjoys making people laugh

He runs marathons for charity in his spare time

His favourite subject in school was history

If you’re sad this man gives the best hugs, he’ll make you a strong ass coffee and give one hell of a pep talk

His favourite smell is fresh cocoa beans, always stealing the nibs to eat

Him and Rudy have film nights with their families when they’re home

He’s 100% a girl dad, teaches her how to shoot with nerf guns in the garden

Rudy ❤️

He has a German Vizsla called Pollito, because her legs look like chicken drumsticks

He 100% has an android phone

He’s an armature photographer in his spare time, he loves nature

He and Alejandro have personalised ringtones for each other

His favourite food is Seafood paella

He owns a small farm, sells the produce to the local area, he loves animals

He once won a poetry competition

His favourite colour is orange

Sorry but he wears lynx Africa (I like it sue me)

He likes to game in his spare time, anything from farm simulator to RPGs

König 👑

He loves drawing, anything creative, he’ll draw/paint the Austrian countryside to de-stress

He grew up on a small farm in the Austrian mountains, he has a very close family

He doesn’t like large crowds, worried people stare at him because of his height, feels claustrophobic sometimes

He bites his nails when his hands aren’t busy or covered by gloves

He’s a cat guy 100%

He’s left handed, 100% a lefty but holds his gun right handed (its a struggle, I’m left handed)

He’d like a family one day, he’s got a lot of love to give

He smells like leather, sandalwood and vanilla

He loves eating raw cookie dough, vanilla and chocolate chip

He holds the record for the hardest punch in his home town

Graves 🇺🇸

His favourite holiday is July 4th, he does a huge fireworks display whenever he’s home

His favourite food is Gumbo

He smells like Paco Rabane Invictus

He’s got 3 Dobermans, whom he loves with all his heart. Ben, Jacob and Molly

He has a white picket fence - obviously

He doesn’t have a good relationship with his father, daddy forced him into the army to gain approval

He sleeps in red plaid pyjamas and has matching slippers

He’s fluent in French, he learnt it to pick up girls

He loves hiking in his spare time, with his 3 dogs

He runs support groups for veterans on a Thursday a local library

[linnetagain]

Oh hey I have a vacation rec for the Bloodweave fam: the Isle of Skye, apparently a part of the Inner Hebrides islands of Scotland. It has no light pollution at all, so they can go lookin at stars and such. And maybe Astarion will find a Scottish island slightly more cool than Wales, idk.

YES!!! I ADORE SKYE!!!

Gale would LOVE being able to do the tours of the whisky distilleries, the history and mythology and the landscape!! And Astarion would love listening to him patter about all of it and all of these 'first time' experiences he'd be having alongside Hessie as a city boy. He would NOT appreciate the lack of WiFi or phone signal tho lol. They'd definitely tire Hessie out traipsing around the countryside tho, I don't think either of them would pick hiking by choice but Gale would be intrigued enough to try at Halsin's suggestion and Astarion wouldn't tolerate being left alone wherever they were staying. I'm picturing campfires on a slightly too cold beach and badly toasted marshmallows.

Also with all the affection in the world, I'm Welsh and I fucking love Wales haha. We just get forgotten about a lot! It would be entirely self indulgent but man am I tempted to have Gale take Astarion to Wales anyway and Astarion be like... okay maybe it's not Greece but it IS pretty cool. Halsin would probably try to persuade them to go wild swimming or something haha

[maltrunners]

Penderyn 2004 The Black Book of Carmarthen and Penderyn 2009 The White Book of Rhydderch

Review by: Raygun A quick note before anything else for the sake of transparency. This review was done with an industry sample provided free of charge, with no expectations beyond drinking them. As always, I do my best to provide my unbiased opinion, and readers can decide how they want to take this review. For more information, see our Ethics & Transparency statement. Penderyn was founded in…

[askwhatsforlunch]

Phryne Fisher's Winter Cookbook

When the skies are grey, and there's a definite chill in the air, I'm bound to find comfort in old favourites, be they dishes or books, and I often make time to cosy up in my velvet chair with a dog-eared murder mystery. On the occasions the novel in question is a Phryne Fisher adventure, I would mix myself a cocktail from Mr. Butler's grimoire and happily sip and read to my heart's content. I thought I would share, as it is getting chillier every day, Phryne Fisher's Winter Cookbook, inspired by the dinners, suppers, teas and tipples the St. Kilda household enjoys in the colder months!

Mr. Butler's Thawing Tipples

Mr. Butler’s Phryne 

Mr Butler’s Special 

Mrs Butler’s Whisky Toddy 

Phryne’s Hot Chocolate and Raisin Toast 

Mrs. Butler's Warming Mains

Mrs. Butler’s Salmon Petits Bateaux 

Mrs. Butler’s Chicken and Chives Petits Bateaux 

Bacon and Egg Pies

Mrs. Butler’s Welsh Rarebit

Ruth and Jane's Comforting Cakes

Mrs Rosenbaum’s Jam and Cream Chocolate Cake 

[oflucius]

lucius malfoy wouldn't be caught dead in the three broomsticks under any circumstances, or so he thought -- turns out desperate times called for desperate measures. a month long mission in france; sure, beautiful country and all that, but how he'd missed welsh whisky. after a completed report in diagon alley, he headed straight for hogsmeade and just walked in the first pub he saw, a place well below his standards, but it would make due, just for tonight. the malfoy made a grimace as soon as the whisky touched his lips. "disgusting." he scoffed, muttering to himself and suddenly regretting his choices. nothing worse than cheap liquor but still, it felt good to be back in england. he noticed someone looking at him and locked eyes with the person. he spoke after a moment of silence. "it'll last longer if you take a picture."

[ob4yme]

──── 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐒.

𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓. the regeneration that goes by har.old saxon cuts a broad, commanding figure; what he lacks in height at 5'10", he makes up for in presence and posture. the best descriptor for this face and its presentation would be distinguished - old enough to come across as experienced and trustworthy, but with just enough youthful charm to be accessible cross-generationally. his hair is a well-managed mess of salt-and-pepper waves, his beard close cropped. his skin is pale, and he can generally be seen in some manner of designer suit when appearing in public.

𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐋. the primary note is a faintly smoky one - sandalwood, ozone, that sort of thing, with a gently metallic aftertaste. he favours colognes with ironic naming conventions, but he doesn't have one in particular that could be labelled as his.

𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄. at the root of it, there's almost a note of pomegranate to him - something of his heritage, tangy, a little bit earthy. above that, a sharp, clean spearmint, most often covering for an expensive whisky.

𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃. the master's voice is warm, rich, and eerily familiar; almost hypnotic in nature, he speaks with a magnetism, alluring and articulate. his accent is faintly equivalent to an earth welsh, though he has been known to affect others as suits his purpose. nine out of ten conversations are accompanied by a four-count drumbeat, tapped out on whatever nearby surface best accommodates.

𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋. he runs intensely hot; almost scalding to the touch, he gives the impression of a star compressed into humanoid form, and there is almost a thrumming beneath the skin to further support this. he vacillates between scrupulously groomed and incredibly unkempt, depending on his relative sanity and social status, but tends to favour fine fabrics, decadent to touch - and his hands, in a contrast that delights him, are kept perpetually soft and well-manicured.

tagged by: yoinked from @timedten tagging: @ibring1ife, @isbrilliant, @pondwaits, @undyingrogue, and anyone else that wants!

[copperbora]

Moar Dog Breed Research!🐶

So, after some advice from friends, I have readjusted my obsessive list of suitable dog breeds which should work for me. This list will have several more metrics than my previous list, plus it is much shorter, but the basic rules are:

- The dog breed must be at least 30 lbs as an adult and therefore classed as a medium sized breed. This is because as a backcountry hiker, I need them to be at least theoretically capable of defending themselves from a coyote (Canis latrans,) as unfortunately coyotes (which weigh 30-60 lbs depending on region, age, sex as well as other metrics,) tend to be understandably opportunistic and they seem to believe that small breed dogs have the potential for great tastiness.

- They must have at least a medium length coat, because hazards exist out on the trail. A good coat will help protect the dog from sharp twigs, burrs and inclement weather. It gets cold at night in the mountains!

- They also must be at least somewhat heat tolerant because July-August temperatures where I live range between 30-40 Celsius, and 50 degrees Celsius happened in 2021.

- It'd be nice if they could carry their own poop in a backpack.

- They have to have an off-switch because I do not hike every day; I am an artist and writer. Hiking is a weekend activity so I need them to be okay with shorter walks during the week and playtime.

- It must be cuddly.

- I don't mind shedding but I want a breed that's easier to groom.

- Absolutely NO brachycephalic breeds.

- There can't be any danger of them eating my cats.

I will rate the breeds by best, good and maybe.

Best

🐶Silken Windhound

Pros: A nearly perfect size (20-55 lbs,) good coat, good temperature adaptability, big enough to carry a lil' backpack, won't be too expensive to feed, doesn't eat cats, they love to run and they are fun to watch! They also aren't too big, so if I have to I can carry one out of the backcountry. Easy to groom. Couch potatoes in the house. Some can prick up their ears and they are generally quiet. Awesome agility, ideal hiker, especially with their tendancy to want to stick closer to their human than other sighthounds.

Cons: Being a slightly rarer breed they probably cost at least $3 K. Also, most Canadian breeders are in Ontario, but at least there are some in Canada, right? (I live in British Columbia.)

Biggest Pro: Difficult to choose from their great attributes!

Biggest Con: Probably expensive. Also they wouldn't be able to carry much of their own gear.

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Good

🐶Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Pros: Great weather resistant coat, good size at 25-38 lbs with great agility which might allow them the upper paw in a confrontation with a coyote, great with cats, prick ears, good a daily walk and some play/training, can tolerate hot weather just fine but likes cooler days a bit better (rather like me actually.) Great 1st time dog breed! Also I have experience with them and unlike their cousins the Pembroke Welsh Corgis, they always have tails and their legs are slightly longer. Breeders exist locally!

Cons: Due to status as a teckel breed (abnormally short legs to long back ratio,) I probably shouldn't put a backpack on one unless it is very lightweight. Can be a teensy bit barky and they have poor endurance.

Biggest Pro: They're definitely my speed according to my real life experience with them.

Biggest Con: Although cardis have better backs than other teckel breeds (notably the dachshund,) their short legs makes them poor candidates for hiking dogs. While they could certainly handle a short day hike, there is little hope for them as an backcountry expedition buddy.

Even Bigger Pro: I'm friends/workmates with a local breeder who has promised to flatout GIVE me one and I sm good friends with the sire dog Whisky.

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Maybe

Nothing here right now!

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Disqualified

🐶Borzoi

Pros: Good coat, decent temperature adaptability, can definitely carry their own poop in a backpack plus more, doesn't generally eat cats; like their descendant breed the windhound, they're really fun to watch run and they're house spuds. No solo coyote in their right mind would ever mess with one. Canadian breeders exist! Generally a quiet breed with great agility and strength.

Cons: There's still a chance of a borzoi killing my cats. They're big at 55-105 lbs but I could pick a pup from parents at the lighter end of their size range. Being bigger they will have a larger food bill. There are less borzoi breeders in Canada than for other breeds on my list, including, surprisingly, the windhound.

Biggest Pro: Can definitely carry their own gear (which I love,) and with their size not only can this breed defend itself from a coyote, they would also offer an excellent hug!

Biggest Con: They're big, and therefore eat more. Their size means that they can get life threatening bloat and if that happens, or they get a bad injury, I would have trouble evacuating them from the backcountry. Unknown to me whether preventative stomach tacking is a thing.

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I'm not ready for a dog yet but whichever breed eventually steals my heart, I will always keep it leashed when hiking (regardless I will train it in recall.) I'm open to mutts but I need to be able to meet my dog's parents and have access to their health records. In any case I think I have narrowed my list down nicely, however, if there's a breed that you believe that I should research, please make me aware of it!

Edited February 22nd 2023.

Early concept art of my coyote character Sedge considering a beaver for his supper. He's perched on a log which the beaver is swimming under and Sedge is about to be splashed in the face by its tail.

[oneshortlady]

we all know jon loves red wine and strong alchol

but so does emily, she loves whisky and often draws as she has "a lot in a glass"(stolen from how my birth nan drinks whiskey while she oil paints) and she's got the welsh and irish in her so she's a heavy weight

Firsttime em and jon got drunk, they cried then 5 minutes later, Jon's standing on her table, his tie around his head and head banging and emily is doing air guitar to metal dressed as her granny ol self

[scotianostra]

12th June 1997 saw The island of Eigg pass into community ownership when it was purchased by the Eigg Heritage Trust.

After years of instability, neglect and lack of secure tenure, the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust was able to purchase the island on, largely due to the generosity of around ten thousand members of the general public

The Hebridean island of Eigg is second to St Kilda as the most famous of the smaller Scottish isles. While St Kilda is renowned for its extinction as a place of human settlement, Eigg is celebrated for its rebirth. After overthrowing its eccentric, authoritarian owner two decades ago, this 31 sq km (12 sq mile) patch of moor and mountain was reborn as what is sometimes mockingly called the People’s Republic of Eigg.

This triumph of David versus Goliath has forged an apparently inspirational, sustainable community of 100 people.

A series of owners tried unsuccessfully to run some sort of business on Eigg during the latter part of the 20th century, from the Welsh Farmer whose Hereford cattle promptly died of bracken poisoning. Disheartened, he got rid of Eigg for £110,000 in 1971 to Bernard Farnham-Smith, self-styled naval commander, head of an English charity that wanted to run the island as a school for disabled boys, by 1973 the Eigg’s own school had only one pupil. Rather more successful was eccentric Keith Schoenberg, a dashing, Yorkshire-born businessman and former Olympic bobsleigher, acquired Eigg.

He was a charming, persuasive adventurer, who, over the next 20 years endeared himself to the guests by allowing them to perch on the running board as he drove them to beach picnics or moonlit games of hockey. One failed marriage after the other ended with him reluctantly having to sell the island in 1992 in his divorce settlement, in a surprise move he ended up bidding and became sole owner of Eigg, this didn’t go down well with the Islanders who were tiring of him, culminating in a fire in sheds on Eigg’s pier, with Schellenberg’s Roller inside. Police arrived but noone was ever brought to justice for the arson attack, maybe the Polis were just happy to get off the island alive rather than ending up in a wooden effigy atop a bonfire! “It was once the laird’s factor [his estate manager] who went about burning people out. Now it seems OK to burn out the laird himself,” fumed Schellenberg.

By 1995 he had enough and put the island up for sale, but refused to sell to the population, it should really be of no surprise that the knew owner seemed more eccentric than the previous one, self style Professor Gotthilf Christian Eckhard Oesterle was a fire-worshipping German artist and self-styled “professor” who went by the name of Maruma having read the new name in a pool of water in Geneva.

He declared it was impossible to own Eigg and vowed to improve opportunities for the community, build a swimming pool, and replace the dirty diesel generators that provided electricity with an integrated system of wind and solar power. The press discovered that, unfortunately, Maruma was not quite what he seemed: he was unknown in the art world, he wasn’t a proper professor, and he had used Eigg as security for a £300,000 loan at a punitive 20% interest rate. He promised to remove the island’s rusty old cars, but a pile of wrecks soon accumulated by the pier: locals dubbed it “the Maruma centre”. In July 1996, the island was put up for sale again, at an inflated price of £2m.

The Islanders Trust rthrew themselves into raising the asking price. . The story of the islanders who wanted to buy their own island was portrayed as a jolly romp in the style of Compton Mackenzie’s Whisky Galore, in which Hebridean islanders rebel against British bureaucrats. Eigg folk didn’t particularly relish this stereotype, but it captured imaginations and raised money.

Donations began flowing in at the rate of £1,000 per post bag; soon it was £30,000 per bag. Concerts took place in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Tyrone – and even Detroit – to raise funds. A mystery benefactor, a woman from northern England whose identity remains secret. gave £900,000. Most donations came from England. Outsiders were shocked by the feudalism that the islanders endured – the owners even decided which of them, if any, could eat Eigg’s seaweed – and worried about the possible fate of its pristine environment. The wildlife trusts, including the Scottish Wildlife Trust, were particularly effective at mobilising their members to help Eigg.

Meanwhile, the island’s Trust feared that Maruma’s German estate agent would sell Eigg to another international client. The agent described the Scottish islands on his books as “the Van Goghs” of 120 personally inspected paradises: “There is a sense of romance in buying islands. It is the ultimate purchase you can make, a complete miniature world of which you can be king.” Maruma’s creditor, a German clothing exporter, finally put the islanders out of their misery. After Maruma defaulted on his £300,000 loan, the creditor used the Scottish courts to force Eigg’s sale. His solicitors accepted the islanders’ offer of £1.5m on 4 April 1997. Finally, the people of Eigg owned their island.

Recently the Island's trust advertised the two raree jobs on Eigg of a head teacher and a warm homes manager

Eigg has been hailed as Scotland’s most Eco-Friendly Island and the community trust are doing a great job of running a successful business, which includes offering accommodation, courses and working holidays for volunteers, you can read more about the Island on their website here. http://www.isleofeigg.org/