New Illustrated Story Book from Mandy Elizabeth Rush, inspired by her visit to John O’Groats and local stories and folklore.
John O’Groats, or Jan De Groot is a humble ferry man. One day he rescues the mermaid caught in the Swelkie the Sea Witch’s whirlpool and from that day forward, Jan’s life will never be the same. For his brave deed he receives some local shells, little beautiful pink shells, called groaties. Little does Jan know but these are no ordinary shells but have magic woven into their beauty.
Follow the adventure of Jan De Groot as his kind, heroic deeds around the seas of Caithness, result in him living the live he always dreamed off. Not one filled with wealth and possessions, but one filled with love and laughter.
A story book which is full of love, kindness and adventure as Jan bravely puts others before himself without thought of reward. The perfect bedtime story.
Did you know that the 24th of November is Evolution Day? Charles Darwin’s origin of the Species was first published on this day in 1859!
The revolutionary story of Darwin the Finch, a children’s book about the story of these amazing finches will be launched on facebook on the 24th of November 2021.
Watch my little trailer about my illustrated childrens book launch.
Señor and Señora Finch are swept away from their home by the strong Trade Winds. Eventually when they finally land on distant islands they build a nest and lay eggs.
Blessed, Señor and Señora Finch hatch five eggs.
How will these five brothers adapt, survive and thrive in this strange new land?
The finches’ beaks differed depending on the local food source. Darwin concluded that because the islands were distant from the mainland, the finches that had arrived there had changed over time, adapting to the environment on each island.
Charles Darwin described the speciation of finches after his studies of the birds on the Galápagos Islands. Darwin noticed that the finches on the different islands were similar to each other, but notexactly the same.
Alfred Russel Wallace was a great admirer of Darwin and a fellow naturalist. After a variety of zoological discoveries Wallace proposed a theory of evolution, which matched Darwin’s unpublished ideas that he had kept secret for nearly 20 years. This encouraged Darwin to collect his scientific ideas and collaborate with Wallace. They published their scientific ideas jointly in 1858.
This also prompted Darwin to publish his book, ‘On the Origin of Species’, the following year. This meant that Darwin and Wallace worked together to improve the explanation of natural selection.
New environmental posters at Inverewe Gardens, feature a Highland Cow, the Highland Haggis and Plastic Polluted Puffins. All illustrated by a local author and illustrator Mandy E Rush.
A wee surprise when you visit the loo at Inverewe ❤️ new environmental posters highlighting the problems of plastic pollution, doggy poop bags, and keep your dog on a lead near livestock.
My environmental posters😮😃 Nancy Coo, Puffins and Haggis ❤️ All illustrations from my books ❤️.
We all know the perils or plastic pollution and we can all make a difference by picking up plastic, just pick up 3 and save our sea!
Plastic Pollution and Puffins
Pick up Plastic, Be Fantastic
Save our Trees, And our Seas
Nancy Coo the Highland Cow and Inverewe Squirrel Poster
Don’t make Nancy, the Highland Coo, bleed
Near livestock keep you dogs on the lead
And help the Red Squirrels of Inverewe
By kindly removing your doggies poo!
Haggis and their greatest threat – doggy poop bags
Come and enjoy the story of Nancy Coo, the Highland Cow travelling Scotland’s North Coast 500 in search of her smile.
Come and enjoy the story of Nancy Coo. This lovely wee Heilan Coo sets off on a slow travel adventure around the breath-taking sights and scenery of the North Coast 500 to find her sMile. Join her as she encounters the helpful and kind wildlife of the Highlands who help her on her magical journey.
Nancy Coo walks 500 sMiles will prove to be a humorous alternative guide book to those travelling the world famous NC500/ North Coast 500 tourist route with children of all ages.
Book Launch, reading and signing of :‘Nancy Coo walks 500 sMiles’
Sunday the 16th June 2019, 18:30
Sawyer Gallery, Inverewe Gardens, Poolewe.
Watch the Youtube Video of Nancy Coo, the Highland Cows adventure as she walks Scotland’s NC500, a perfect children’s book. Age 4 – 104.
The old Melvaig Driftwood sign was looking a bit weathered. As this year’s Hagglets have just started to leave the Haggii Holt in preparation for Midge feasting, I knew it was important to get the new Haggii sign up.
Haggis Caution Sign in Melvaig, Gairloch, Wester Ross
We have had beautiful weather again here at Oran Mara, The Last House before the Lighthouse and electric screwdriver in hand I got the sign up.
Seven wee Hagglets have been born this year and I want to do my best to make sure they survive. The rare Highland Haggis needs all the protection we can give it!
Remember the main threat to the rare Highland Haggii is doggy poop bags, but fast vehicles at dawn and dusk, when the Heroine, Hog and their wee Hagglets emerge to Midge feast can decimate the Haggii Huddle population.
To learn more about the Highland Haggii read Haggis History & Facts, written and illustrated by me, Mandy (protector of several secret Haggii Holts).
I had an amazing day at the Haggis Book Festival in Spean bridge.
Hector the Haggis celebrated his 5th birthday and we were invited along to the celebration. We sold our Scottish Beastie Books about Haggii, Midges and Puffins and I chatted with the children about our friendly Highland Haggis.
