iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

New top suggestion for beating the heat - retreat to the champagne tunnels of Reims/Epernay. Admittedly a niche option, but highly recommended

The champagne ‘train’ at Mercier - an electric vehicle trundled through the 18km or so of tunnels underneath Epernay

A painted wooden sign reading ‘champagne Mercier’ in a dark tunnel about two wooded a frames stacked with champagne bottles

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Have I been missing out on all the fun parties again?

A screenshot from the NBN atlas for Scotland, showing a result for swifts from the data resource “swift screaming parties”

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

The author followed us home from Norway!

A red arora fills the sky, changing to a pale green at the base with silhouetted hazel

A vivid green aurora floods the sky, changing slightly to red at the top, at the bottom are the silhouettes of trees

Green, almost turquoise aurora with the silhouette and lights of a house below

Paler red and green streaks of aurora shoot into the sky side by side, the silhouettes of larch trees below

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

My 8yo definitely takes after me - he told me he made a church (complete with chapter house) and also a cherry picker for maintenance.

Brightly-coloured magnetic tile toys arranged into two towers, a main rectangular structure and an adjoining hexagon complete with flag. At the pack a small child’s arm is visible and is holding on to a tall thin structure with a black platform at the top - essential for enabling proper roof repairs.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

Tag yourself - taxidermy edition. Never a boring visit to the Tring branch of the Natural History Museum!

Realising I should have spent more time reading the labels rather than sniggering at the poor animals and their unfortunate expressions. A taxidermied small furry mammal looks quizzically at the camera.

Again, my bad for not taking proper notes. A taxidermied mammal with prominent front teeth looks as though highly shocked

A very confused looking animal this time - it looks as though its thoughts pain it

A surprised seal, also slightly recoiling

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

New additions to the uranium glass collection - spooky vibes.

Two glass syphons glow a fluorescent green in the dark.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Possibly the best use of a morning off work in quite some time - three hours to learn to make all of these tarts! Thankfully two growing boys are helping to destroy all my work.

A selection of tarts - twelve mini tarts with a brownie filling topped with praline ganache; a large oval pear and ginger frangipane topped with chocolate dipped mousse and little dollops of various ganache; and four square tarts with a pistachio friand filling topped with raspberry cremeaux with a red glaze and various berries. It’s a lot of cake/chocolate/tart

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Another yeah, another cake theme done. The party had more smoke grenades and ammunition than I ever expect when I had kids, but as there don’t seem to have been any lasting injuries or burns I’m calling it a win for the day and am off to collapse.

A Minecraft themed birthday party made from piled-up cubes of chocolate cake topped with buttercream icing, as well as rice-crispy treat ‘sand’ blocks and jelly cubes in an alarming shade of blue for the water.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Always nice to have a quiet moment at the castle before it opens up for the day - I may be here a lot now but it’s always special!

Edinburgh castle in the quiet before the storm - the main route past the one o’clock gun is empty and the upper ward is silhouetted by the sun.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Today’s adventure was being allowed to climb down into the dewatered lock chambers of a section of the Forth and Clyde Canal in Falkirk to inspect the maintenance works being carried out - really something quite special!

Two men in high-vis jackets and hard hats stand on the wooden-planked floor of the base of a canal lock chamber, looking at the massive wooden lock gates which stand partially open before them.

I feel sorry for the masons who nicely finished the stonework shown in this picture only to have the surfaces hacked back to allow for the depth of the sluice doors within the lock doors.

A view from a footbridge looking along the length of a section of the dewatered canal with several sets of lock gates standing open, scaffolding towers are visible within.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

The entrance to the secret path is starting to look glorious - always a lovely few weeks when the rhododendrons are in full bloom!

A blaze of purple rhododendron flowers against a backdrop of verdant foliage with just a sliver of a bright blue sky peeping through. At first glance it appears to be a wall of plants but AHA! The secret path lies hidden in plain sight

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

My youngest bought himself a laminator earlier and has immediately made bookmarks for my husband and I, and a checklist of daily events for himself….

A laminated checklist with the tasks:
Get dressed
Eat breakfast
Brush teeth
Sort bag/shoes
Lunch
Newsround
Chores/homework
Dinner
Wash
Get pyjamas on
Brush teeth
Stories

And two smaller laminated pieces of paper -
one reads ‘ I luv too daddy’ and the other reads ‘I lov yuo mummy’

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Not a bad day for site visits I must say - lunch with a view!

Tantalum Castle with the Bass Rock visible to the left, all under azure skies with whispy white clouds

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Emboldened by the veil of mist, an increasingly confident gang of lambs plot their great escape.

Six lambs gather around a blue digger sat in a field, the distance is blurred in mist. The four lambs to the front of the digger look at the camera as if caught in the act.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

One very cool uranium decanter and a glow in the dark plastic Jesus (in joke) - not the usual presents perhaps!

A bright green glow-in-the-dark plastic Jesus with arms outstretched stands next to an etched uranium glass decanter/jug/vase which glows even more brightly green under the blue glue of a UV light.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Scotland is not a serious country. 18 and sunnny = THE COUNTRY IS ON FIRE. (I jest, obviously it has been very dry and it’s a real threat….. but still)

A clip from a BBC article warning of an extreme risk of wildfires on Friday

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

A quick scoot over to Linlithgow this afternoon and was much taken by the spectacular stained glass in St Katherine’s Aisle - installed in 1992 to commemorate the 750th anniversary of St Michael’s church, it was designed by Crear McCartney on the theme of Pentecost.

A shocking blaze of colour: the stained glass on the lower windows is largely shades of blue with accents of red, pink and yellow. The upper glass is more purple, with a central blaze of yellows and reds. The traceries window itself takes the form of a huge, curved-sided, equilateral triangle containing cusped circles and ovals, sitting upon six cusped columns

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

I came home from work yesterday to find we have a new orchard of pear trees! A local brewer/cider/perry maker had trees but no space, so we’re essentially fostering them. We only had the one vole guard, but he seems to be taking the job seriously at least.

A black cat perches atop a tall fence post, behind him is a former horse field covered in the remains of last year’s raspberries and willowherb, amongst which 40 young pear trees have been planted - each with tall wire around them in attempt to stop them being eaten by the deer. We shall refer to the former horse field orchard as ‘The H’Orchard’

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

A glorious day to see some areas of Edinburgh Castle that are currently closed to the public - the Western Defences offer gorgeous views and some lovely historic graffiti is a bonus.

A view from lower down the ramparts looking up at the buildings on Hospital Square, an outcrop of rock shows the underlying geology of the castle. The sky is bright blue and the grass a vivid green.

A view looking North along the lower wall of the ramparts - the city is visible in the background.

Incised graffiti on a wooden door - a delicate foliate wreath surrounds a crown with the letters SV and the number 80 below.

A view of the rear of the yard enclosed by the National War Museum, the Governor’s House and the New Barracks.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

I think this takes the prize of smallest functional souvenir from any site my kids have been to - fun!

An ‘Edinburgh Castle’ branded Lego block

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Annabelle looking fabulously awkward as ever this afternoon. 🐐

A reddish goat eyes the camera mid chomp a lettuce leaf. Her teeth are just visible and it feels as though we’ve interrupted her somehow.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Well this is far too exciting for a British person on a Monday morning.

An carton of 12 unexpectedly white, yes WHITE, eggs

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

A favourite tree for many this #ThickTrunkTuesday - the magnificent Chestnut at Roslin, sadly another branch down following Storm Eowyn.

An ancient Chestnut tree in Roslin Glen - two children in red coats sit on its gnarled base

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Top marks for wistful contemplation from my eldest, looking across Shinbane Field (named for the bones that continued to be ploughed up centuries on) where the Battle or Roslin is believed to have been at its fiercest.

A child wearing a red waterproof coat rests one forearm on a strainer post as he faces across a green field which rises gently to a ridge.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

The evening was dominated by Up Helly Aa - a fairly modern (love the Victorians) but utterly spectacular fire festival which focuses on Shetland’s Viking heritage. Being there is really quite extraordinary as the light and heat from 1000 torches surrounds you.

Almost 1000 people forms a line four abreast, each person carries a flaming torch - the combined light and heat was quite extraordinary

The guisers carrying their torches line up around the inside of the park where the ship is about to be burnt.

The squads close in on the replica ship and swirl around it in a vortex of heat and light

Each person throws their flaming torch into the boat - often only narrowly missing other people - and the boat erupts into flames.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Day two needs to be split into two. The morning saw my friends and loved ones highly doubting ever going on a trip I organise ever again - but fortune favours the brave and all so a hike across a marshy hillside in horizontal rain brought us to Stanydale Temple, an oversized Neolithic ?house.

Two men walk away across a fairly featureless landscape under sodden skies. Squelchy.

The entrance to Stanydale Temple - a small wooden gate set across a gap in the low stone walls with close-cropped grass capping. A turnip sits atop the gate (an in joke that day - his name was Terence and he loved his outing). On the gate is a plaque which hints that the term ‘Temple’ is tenuous at best.

My intrepid group of explorers. Absolutely LOVING Shetland in the driving rain on a Tuesday morning in Shetland.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Our first day was largely spent adjusting to land again and I failed miserably to take many photos - but I did get a few at the lovely Clickimin Broch. Gloriously Iron Age in origin, even if the Victorians got their hands on it.

The remains of one of the outer buildings within the brick enclosure - low grey stone walls, often white with lichen, are topped with close-cropped turf. Water is visible beyond, with houses on the far shore sheltered by the rising hill beyond.

A view of the interior of the broch, looking at modern wooden stairs leading to the upper level. A man is squatting in a rather froglike manner, taking photos to the exterior.

The interior of the broch as seen from above the modern staircase. The grey walls ripple, the layers accentuated by the narrow turf capping - worn routes indicate where people have clearly risked walking.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Time to brave the potting shed again - much easier on a sunny day. 🌱

The interior of a rather chaotic potting shed. Seedlings in trays on a table are being potted on, pots teeter alarmingly.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Tell me I’m not the only one that finds this layout borderline disturbing somehow?

A plan showing the ground floor of a house. It’s an L shape with a narrow diagonal entrance at the inner corner. The hallways is very, very large and many of the trams appear to be of unusual proportions.

A floor plan showing the upper floor of the same house. The vast space is almost entirely open and lit by multiple roof lights, one corner forms a void to the kitchen below.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Firstly, on our way to Aberdeen to catch the ferry we called by Dundee to check out the Discovery - well worth a few hours if you’re interested in learning more about Scott, Shackleton and all that the crew endured.

A preserved…. scientific discovery…. From the Discovery’s 1927 escapades.

Looking up at one of the Discovery’s masts.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Just off the ferry from Shetland, so for #StandingStoneSunday it seems appropriate to post pictures of Clivocast and Bordastubble from our trip to Unst on Friday.

Clivocast standing stone stands in the middle of a field of short grass with the coastline beyond. The stone is silhouetted by the sunrise behind it.

Bordastubble menhir - Britain’s most northerly example - standing an impressive 3.5m high, rising from a field like a whale’s flipper.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

No points for guessing where we are this week - what a place though!

Hundreds of people dressed as Viking’s gather around a Viking ship beating flaming torches

A Viking ship in flames as people throw lit torches on it.

1000 people carrying burning torches march along a street in the darkness, the flames light up the surrounding houses

View across a calm bay, a fence in the foreground and the sun shines briefly.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Bruce decided he wanted to be a garden tree, but thankfully avoided becoming an indoor tree by a few metres. Many other trees down but not as bad as we feared. Much relief here today, if still years of work ahead. #stormEowyn 🌪️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌲

Bruce the Sitka spruce lies across a collapsed stone wall. He’s at least 30m long (or high?) and has branches reaching at least 15ft into the air even when prone.

An upended root plate, a small child in a red coat is clambering on to the prone tree trunk

A larch tree split in half at around head height, the upper section suspended in the air at a right angle to the trunk.

A big old mess of downed trees covered in a dusting of snow

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Ugh. Well, we felt that one come down.

A very large Sitka spruce lies inside a garden, the stone wall smashed.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Border reiver bastles in the mist today - suddenly appearing across a field. Possibly even better than seeing it on a sunny day!

A ruined building formed from large blocks of grey stone stands alone in the middle of a field, wreathed in thick mist.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

We’re getting all arty with our igloo now, given it will be melted tomorrow. Farewell igloo.

An igloo in a snowy garden at night. Lights shine through small openings and the entrance.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

I don’t want to alarm anyone, but not only is it snowing again but the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man appears to be lurking and ready to strike.

Blown snow looms alarmingly in the shape of a figure around 10ft high, apparently hiding behind a pillar and pot

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

FINALLY I test my theory that an icicle makes the perfect murder weapon

An alarmingly long and sturdy icicle is brandished in a fist

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

Rumour has it that the world continues to exist beyond ours, but feeling pretty isolated (in a good way) just now! Even the hills have been lost to the wall of white.

Two children with sledges in the snow, looking downhill toward a frozen pond covered in snow, with trees in the background merging into a white sky

A line of shadowing trees in the distance mark the line between a snow-covered field and the white sky above.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

Regret is kicking in. Taking down trees is never fun.

A Christmas tree lies on its side, side branches largely obscure a 6ft man who is rethinking his life decisions right now.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

Peekaboo. 2025 is off to a strong start!

The aurora borealis shows up as a flare of magenta across a purple sky, with stars shining through.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

We had a surprise 4 inches of snow today, which was beautiful, but hours and hours of shovelling our way to freedom before it freezes solid overnight was perhaps less appreciated on New Year’s Day than I may otherwise have been... Much fun sledding too though!

A world blanketed in white - tall trees to the left of a track are dusted liberally in snow, whilst a stone pier with an urn on top to the right is similarly coveted in blown snow. A winter wonderland, but a long way to the nearest road!

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

Happy New Year all! The community Hogmanay ceilidh at the school ended in a flurry of excitement - may the year ahead bring you excitement, joy and health.

Confetti explodes from canons either side of a small stage upon which a three piece band play.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 29/12/2024

Experimental archaeology in action. Not up to using chainsaws again yet, so going with the time-honoured tradition of finding dead branches & whacking them against a health tree to form suitably sized pieces. Satisfying, time & emergency efficient, and at the end of the day more wood is more wood!

A wheelbarrow full of snapped pieces of branch, mainly 2-3 inches in diameter. The wheelbarrow sits in the middle of a sycamore wood with brown leaves covering the ground.

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

The last decorations are up, the big tidy up begins! Pretty sure only just found the least of the needles from last year, but it’s worth it.

A fresh garland of noble fir draped across the top and down the sides of a slate angle with a log burner below. The gardland is decorated with small coloured baubles and long red ribbons drape down the sides. Above the mantle is a large mirror flanked by brass wall scones, each holding two candles which are burning low.

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