Some Time Away
Photo by Tze Seeto We’ve just passed the longest day of the year, the solstice of summer. I did not manage to stay up to watch the sun...
Search
Monique Sliedrecht
- Jun 5
- 3 min
Breach!
Yesterday was such a beautiful day. Even though there was a great deal already on my 'to do' list, I had been thinking of going on the...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Jun 1
- 3 min
Pilot Light
The day is misty here in Freswick Bay. In the meantime, I've been told that the rest of the UK is basking in sunshine! I could drive out...
Monique Sliedrecht
- May 16
- 3 min
Keeping Our Eyes Open
It has taken me a little while to get going this weekend. I’m not sure what it is exactly, but I’m feeling sluggish. I probably need to...
Monique Sliedrecht
- May 9
- 3 min
Trip to the Islands
Making one's way across the Pentland Firth feels a bit like going on holiday, despite the destination being only an hour away! And even...
Monique Sliedrecht
- May 1
- 2 min
Winds of May
The super moon has come and gone and we are entering a new phase of the lunar calendar. Days lengthen, tides continue to ebb and flow,...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Apr 18
- 4 min
A Song to Sing
This last week the birds have been especially active and ever-present, flitting about in the trees and flying over the moorland and...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Apr 11
- 3 min
Out Like a Lamb
It’s April 11. To my amazement, I woke up to another fresh layer of snow on the ground this morning. Huge flakes have been blowing across...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Mar 30
- 2 min
Splodges
My friend in BC, Canada sent me this photo of a drawing done by her 4 year old son. With it she wrote: 'Asher making fantastic splodges...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Mar 21
- 4 min
Early Springtime
I just finished doing some morning stretches for the first time in a while! Oof. My muscles are certainly tight. To be honest, they are...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Mar 14
- 4 min
Drifting with Purpose
7 ANSWERS TO 7 QUESTIONS A friend sent me this article in the NY Times, which is very eye opening and interesting on many levels, and...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Mar 9
- 4 min
View from a Window
While sitting at my desk, looking out the window, I noticed a large bird of prey had just landed on a branch. I'm not sure that I had...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Mar 2
- 3 min
From the Ashes
For the end of February, the day was surprisingly springlike and warm. My friend and I went to do our fortnightly shopping in Thurso and...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Feb 20
- 1 min
My Podcast Launch
I’m glad to announce that my new podcast, Tales from the North, is now available on iTunes, Spotify and all the other usual places where...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Feb 13
- 5 min
Something New
I lit the fire on getting up this morning, it was so cold. Things are gradually warming up now. I’ve got two sweaters on, and have...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Feb 9
- 4 min
Sea Swell
Skerry Lighthouses, Skerry Island, Pentland Firth The Pentland Firth in the far north of Scotland is known to be one of the roughest...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Feb 1
- 4 min
At Home
It’s a new week and the beginning of a new month. As I sit here and write, I have a clear view out of a large window onto a frosty...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Jan 24
- 3 min
Day Moon
Some snow has finally fallen - enough to satisfy this Canadian-born woman’s heart for now. The distant homes look like house-shaped...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Jan 16
- 4 min
Blow Out
I was travelling to Thurso with a friend (we’re in the same bubble), to pick up a prescription. It was a nice enough day. No wind, no...
Monique Sliedrecht
- Jan 9
- 2 min
The Sand Truck
A small orange yellow light blinks it’s way along the top road, across the open view of the living room window, distinctly noticeable in...
{"items":["60d1a19c536b410015222028","60bb4051677bdf001527f0bf","60b5dd3e218edf0015744424","60a0e070f247f600168e0c13","6097c648ab6c06001520c6aa","608d7fa989e8d40015d31d76","607bdf9b481c9d0016a05601","6072b805aa85880041b9a01e","60630f1dda7d9500159cbcde","60573a4919d63d00158f28cf","604dfc1b01ee300057bbe9ca","60466195a20e7a00168f718e","603ca8d47d0c90002b953703","60302f07345c48002d12e45e","6027f41c78046300598bea98","60228d59182cf40018795d03","6018463b0de95e001738c46c","600c196071276b0017e1c658","6001f5b8982e51001765c4e7","5ff9e2ddc0f0d40018415cd4"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"fill","cubeRatio":1.3333333333333333,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":30,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":32,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"rotatingScatter":"","chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":1,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":1,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":1,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":true,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_ON_THE_RIGHT","galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":0,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":0,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":50,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":1,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"jsonStyleParams":"","gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":940,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"itemBorderColor":{"value":"rgba(207, 207, 207, 0.75)"},"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":2,"targetItemSize":940,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|fill|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":false,"externalInfoHeight":0,"externalInfoWidth":0.5},"container":{"width":940,"galleryWidth":972,"galleryHeight":0,"scrollBase":0,"height":null}}