Cark is the harsh noise made by a carrion crow. They do sound as though they have a lot on their minds, maybe that’s why cark also means burden.
Carking is an archaic term for something worrisome. I hope nothing happens today to carken you with carking doubts.
Parergon is work that’s subsidiary to your main employment, or an ornamental accessory. Parerega is the plural in either case.
As a parergon to writing, I act as a photographic assistant (and I like to think I’m Gary’s parergon, although I’m usually more windswept than ornamental).
Toward is the less common variant of towards. Both are prepositions meaning in the direction of or getting closer to something. Eg todays word count of 1,237 words helps toward my goal of finishing the next Little Mallow book. Toward (or towards) can also mean contributing to the cost of. Eg each book sale goes towards funding my cake habit.
Toward (but not towards) is an old fashioned word for going on, or in progress. Untoward is not as might be expected the opposite. That means unexpected or inconvenient.
Toward is also the name of a castle in Scotland. Two actually, old Toward castle (pictured) is a ruin which the public are welcome to explore. You can get a better look round, and more information here.
Probably the most common use of the word offer is when it’s used as a verb to mean presenting something (or someone, or an idea) for acceptance or refusal. “Can I offer you some cake to go with your tea?” What’s offered can, in some cases, be called an offering.
In marketing terms, an offer can be a reduction in price “everything half price” or more for your money “10% extra free” or maybe there will be a free gift for a limited period.
Also as a verb, offer can mean to provide. “The mobile writing retreat offers great views of Scotland.” (Some of which are shown here.)
As a noun, an offer is an expression of willingness or readiness to do something. “I’ve had offers to supply me with cake in case I run out.”
Sadly that’s a fictitious example!
The first book in my cosy mystery series, Disguised Murder and Community Spirit in Little Mallow, is currently on offer at 99p in the UK (or 99c in the US).
I hope that proves to be an offer you can’t refuse! It offers hours of entertainment.
We’re not STILL on Orkney – but I am still processing the photos and video taken there. The photos will take months, but the penultimate video is now finished. It’s of our day trip to Papa Westray.
Heist is a word I’ve heard, read and pretty much understood, but I don’t think I’ve ever used it – until now.
It’s come to my attention because Amazon have labelled my new book as ‘heist crime‘. That didn’t sound quite right to me and naturally I wanted to check if it was accurate. Heist crime sounds so American and fast paced. My Little Mallow books are quite gentle and very English.
Not being at home, I had to use an online dictionary, which tells me that in UK English heist can be a noun meaning a robbery. There are definitely robberies in the the story .
In American English heist can also be a verb. The example they give is ‘he heisted a Pontiac’. I’ve concluded that although I’d much prefer ‘cosy crime’ or something with mystery in, heist crime isn’t actually wrong.
The second book in my Little Mallow cosy mystery series is out today! Dependable Friends and Deceitful Neighbours in Little Mallow is available as a paperback, ebook or through kindle unlimited here. You can also buy the paperback from most other online book retailers, order through your local bookshop, or request it in the library.
The picturesque seaside village of Little Mallow is suffering a spate of robberies. Arnold Stewart, verger of St Symeon’s interrupts a burglary in progress and saves the church’s antique silver. His friend, schoolteacher Ellie Jenkins, is another victim. Who can be responsible? And are they also guilty of other, far worse, crimes?
Naturally, police officers Crystal Clere and Trevor Harris are investigating, and young Adam is asking many, many questions. Arnold’s kind-hearted employer Reverend Jerry Grande is praying for answers, and for those involved. Cameron isn’t so much interested in solving the crime as keeping Arnold safe and showing him the beauty the world has to offer. All those people are old friends of Arnold’s.
His new friend Aurora is more interested in solving the mystery of Castle View. There’s definitely something odd going on at the house next to Arnold’s flat. Against his better judgement Arnold finds himself involved. He’s even more suspicious of the neighbours to his other side. They’re hiding something – he really hopes he’s wrong about it being a body!
Can Arnold and his friends untangle the lies being told in Little Mallow?
Thanks to Jim for this one. The winds in Orkney are sometimes described as swappy, meaning they seem to keep changing, or swapping direction as they’re diverted around cliffs, hills and particularly buildings. Maybe that’s why so many street names include ‘wynd’ (pronounced wind) ?
Other common words for road or street, common in Scotland, are Loan and Brae.
I previously blogged about the Northern Marsh Orchid, Heath Spotted Orchid and other purple wild flowers of Orkney. Another wild orchid which grows on Orkney and flowers in early summer is the twayblade. It’s less dramatic than the purple forms, rarer too, but worth searching out.
Other (non purple) wild flowers include yellow flag, meadow vetchling, bog cotton, moon daisies, ragged robin, eyebright, bog strawberry, clover (known as Curly Doddies in Orkney) yellow rattle, buttercups… I even saw a moonwort – OK, not exactly a flower, but I was delighted to see one for the first time.
The click mill, near Dounby, Orkney is a water powered mill, which would have been used to grind beremeal. It gets its name from the sound it made during operation – and although not often activated now, this one still runs if water is diverted into it.
Also, we saw more puffins! Gary took the shots of them flying, as it needs his extra big lens and I can’t move that as fast as a puffin can shift.
