Growing from Stress to Strength
I remember reading a poem at a friend’s house when I was a little girl. It was framed and hung in their downstairs loo. I…
Growing Up Feminist
I came of age in the 1970s during the first wave of feminism. In those days, when I was making my way into adulthood and trying to find out what being a man was…
Your Water and You
From feature article in Kindred Issue 28, Bottled Water, it's not what you think
The human body is a water-based…
Bottled Water: It’s not what you think
The bottled water industry promotes an image of purity, but comprehensive testing by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) reveals a surprising array…
Second Wind: Breathing new life into old clothes
This was published in Kindred Issue 28 as part of a larger feature, Cotton thread count
Don’t throw away those old clothes yet!…
Cotton Thread Count – the real story behind your cotton clothing
See also Second wind: breathing new life into old clothes, published in same issue.
Despite the fact that cotton is a natural fibre,…
10 Tips for Shopping with Children
1 Remember that children have limits.
If you are shopping with children, be alert to their needs: are they tired, hungry,…
When the Guns Become Silent
The longest wars of history did see their flags of white. Ours will not be different. The smell of cordite will drift away and the dust will settle. The ones…
The Caesarean Birth
As a midwife I have reflected on why I feel sad when I hear of, see and care for women who have elected, when there is no clinical indication, to have a…
Frightful Witches and Kissable Toads
How folktales nourish the soul
One day Baba Yaga’s two trusted toads said,
‘You are truly…