Chris Ó Conghaile
@mccustard.bsky.social
Retired welfare rights worker & bookseller. Now celebrating the things that make life worth living: love, peace, friendship, nature, art, music, sunshine, coffee, cake, dairy-free custard. &c. Nae flags. Nae anthems xx
Soft rain today at Carlingwark Loch.
January 14, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Soft rain today at Carlingwark Loch.
Far too many talented artists here. Time to redress the balance. This is called A Woman Surprised By A Wasp.
January 12, 2026 at 4:03 PM
Far too many talented artists here. Time to redress the balance. This is called A Woman Surprised By A Wasp.
We really need cheering up. This will do the trick, but only for fans of Kurt Vonnegut. It must be the most classic Vonnegut paragraph of them all. If you've not read Slaughterhouse 5, Cat's Cradle or Hocus Pocus I recommend them, but not Bluebeard or Deadeye Dick, which are surprisingly dull.
January 11, 2026 at 11:43 AM
We really need cheering up. This will do the trick, but only for fans of Kurt Vonnegut. It must be the most classic Vonnegut paragraph of them all. If you've not read Slaughterhouse 5, Cat's Cradle or Hocus Pocus I recommend them, but not Bluebeard or Deadeye Dick, which are surprisingly dull.
Wigtown's parish church, rebuilt in 1730, was replaced by a new one next door in 1851, but some of it still exists. It's an interesting feature of what is a lovely wee former county town.
January 10, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Wigtown's parish church, rebuilt in 1730, was replaced by a new one next door in 1851, but some of it still exists. It's an interesting feature of what is a lovely wee former county town.
Boats in the mud at Annan Harbour. The blue-painted one will never float again; I think the other one might be somebody's cosy home.
January 8, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Boats in the mud at Annan Harbour. The blue-painted one will never float again; I think the other one might be somebody's cosy home.
First snowdrops of the year in Stranraer. Fab.
January 7, 2026 at 8:47 PM
First snowdrops of the year in Stranraer. Fab.
Today's walk in the December sunshine. 2025 has just 1 day left. May it be a peaceful one.
December 30, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Today's walk in the December sunshine. 2025 has just 1 day left. May it be a peaceful one.
Roe deer today in Kirkcolm, North Rhins. She's keeping an eye on me even though we're on opposite sides of the burn.
December 30, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Roe deer today in Kirkcolm, North Rhins. She's keeping an eye on me even though we're on opposite sides of the burn.
The Besotted Wretch; bookshop, cafe & welfare rights advice, Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, in January 2016. When the same 2 guys came back to try to rob us a second time we knew we'd probably be better off closing down. We worked more or less for nothing, but have no regrets. It was a dream fulfilled.
December 28, 2025 at 6:04 PM
The Besotted Wretch; bookshop, cafe & welfare rights advice, Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, in January 2016. When the same 2 guys came back to try to rob us a second time we knew we'd probably be better off closing down. We worked more or less for nothing, but have no regrets. It was a dream fulfilled.
The wreck of the Monreith, Dhoon Bay.
December 28, 2025 at 3:21 PM
The wreck of the Monreith, Dhoon Bay.
Nothing but repeats on TV this evening, folks, so how about a game of dominoes instead? Confession: I'd never heard of artist Horace Pippin (1888 to 1946) till about 10 minutes ago but I love his work already.
December 25, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Nothing but repeats on TV this evening, folks, so how about a game of dominoes instead? Confession: I'd never heard of artist Horace Pippin (1888 to 1946) till about 10 minutes ago but I love his work already.
Silhouettes in Kirkcudbright today.
December 24, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Silhouettes in Kirkcudbright today.
Stranraer, also known as The Clayhole, or Cleyhole. It's a bonnie wee town, in which we happen to have a house for sale. £100K will do nicely so we can move to what's currently a holiday cottage near Kirkcoubrie. 0.1% discount for Bluesky friends, or 0.2% if pie & custard are included in the deal.
December 23, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Stranraer, also known as The Clayhole, or Cleyhole. It's a bonnie wee town, in which we happen to have a house for sale. £100K will do nicely so we can move to what's currently a holiday cottage near Kirkcoubrie. 0.1% discount for Bluesky friends, or 0.2% if pie & custard are included in the deal.
Is this what got you blocked by Sandy Stevenson, Patrick? Seems a bit harsh, to be sure.
Here's a photo of some Scottish sunshine to cheer you up.
Here's a photo of some Scottish sunshine to cheer you up.
December 22, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Is this what got you blocked by Sandy Stevenson, Patrick? Seems a bit harsh, to be sure.
Here's a photo of some Scottish sunshine to cheer you up.
Here's a photo of some Scottish sunshine to cheer you up.
Kirkmaiden churchyard in today's December sunshine. There's a touch of sea in the picture if you look closely.
December 19, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Kirkmaiden churchyard in today's December sunshine. There's a touch of sea in the picture if you look closely.
Killantringan Bay, South Rhins, Scotland.
December 15, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Killantringan Bay, South Rhins, Scotland.
A wee part of Torhouse Stone Circle, Wigtownshire, Scotland, in rare winter sunshine.
December 15, 2025 at 9:36 PM
A wee part of Torhouse Stone Circle, Wigtownshire, Scotland, in rare winter sunshine.
Bateaux sur la Seine, by Maurice de Vlaminck, 1906.
December 14, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Bateaux sur la Seine, by Maurice de Vlaminck, 1906.
Never knew it at the time but I was lucky to visit Sycamore Gap in 2019. 4 years later the famous tree was no longer there.
December 14, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Never knew it at the time but I was lucky to visit Sycamore Gap in 2019. 4 years later the famous tree was no longer there.
44 High Street, Kirkcoubrie. EA Taylor & Jessie M King were artists & designers during the Art Nouveau period, and were instrumental in establishing the town as an artists' colony.
December 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
44 High Street, Kirkcoubrie. EA Taylor & Jessie M King were artists & designers during the Art Nouveau period, and were instrumental in establishing the town as an artists' colony.
I'm 69 this week. Would never have made it this far without my beloved.
December 9, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I'm 69 this week. Would never have made it this far without my beloved.
In a perfect world all sentient beings would be donkeys.
December 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
In a perfect world all sentient beings would be donkeys.
The man in the middle of this group of hairy heavy metal exponents is John Beano. John went on to run a wholefood shop with his partner Anne in Matlock Bath and was probably the nicest man I ever knew. I still dream about him & probably always will.
December 8, 2025 at 10:25 AM
The man in the middle of this group of hairy heavy metal exponents is John Beano. John went on to run a wholefood shop with his partner Anne in Matlock Bath and was probably the nicest man I ever knew. I still dream about him & probably always will.