Living A simple green Life: update from Scottish Book Trust

Welcome

Welcome to my wee blog.My name is Andy ( The Dafthermit ) . For the last 20 odd years i have ben trying to get back to a simpler way of life and finally in my old bus up here in the Scottish mountains i am finally getting there. My time now is spent taking pictures of the highlands ,making films to show the world the beauty all around and writing something that has surprised me having had a few of my stories published , Having picked up a camera and laptop in 2008 i have really enjoyeed the journey the camera has taken me on again having had a couple of pictures in national magazines, last year three of ,my films where shown at the Loch Ness film festival. anyway i hope you enjoy your visit to my wee blog

love and light

Andy

Wednesday, 18 May 2011

update from Scottish Book Trust

Welcome to the latest update from Scottish Book Trust. This month we're highlighting some great new content on the website for both writers and readers: see below for more. Plus, it's the first birthday of our Early Years book gifting programme, just in time for Bookbug Day! Read on for the latest and see more on our website...

Bookbug Day - Thursday 19th May

Celebrate the first anniversary of the Bookbug book gifting programme by joining the fun at one of the free local events happening across Scotland for Bookbug Day!

Reading Recommendations

Wondering what to read next? Search our database of over 3,000 Scottish titles to get some fresh inspiration, or check out our collection of Book Lists, where there's sure to be a recommendation to suit your mood!

Turning the Next Page: Creative Writing Resources to download

We have downloads available from the one-day conference on Creative Writing, covering freelancing, writing for business, community writing and promotion. Plus, a brand new Q&A with journalist and novelist Fiona Gibson (pictured).

Authors Live: Explore Art with James Mayhew - watch again

The new Meet Our Authors programme got off to a brilliant start with James Mayhew's live event, which you can now watch again in full. Plus, registration is now open for 'Mr Gum with Andy Stanton' on June 16th.

Live Literature Funding: open for applications

The latest round of applications is open - for funding for Live Literature events taking place betweeen 1st December 2011-31st March 2012.

0 comments:

A wee film about us on STVs the HOUR SHOW click on STV logo to see the film

Andy the Daft Hermit lives 45 minutes outside Inverness with his wife Mel in an old bus parked in a layby. This current home of theirs is the longest they have ever stayed in one spot. “I’ve been travelling now 25 years,” said Andy Lowe. “Mel’s been travelling 15. One of the reasons we’ve come and stayed up here is because of Mel’s health. I wanted to bring her to the mountains for fresh air and clean water and just a slower pace of life.” Mel has had breast cancer twice, skin cancer once, and for three years believed she had bone cancer after being wrongly diagnosed. Andy’s belief in the restorative powers of the north made them pack up ‘The Black Bus’ that they live in and cross the border into Scotland. New Highland home for hermit couple Andy and Mel “I think we both believe in trying to get to a more simple way of life,” said Andy, “but it’s strange for us because we are sort of hermits, or we like to live separate, but it’s not being anti-social… it’s just the way we are that allows us to be creative.” Andy first began travelling when he left the army. Fed up with bureaucracy he packed a rucksack and left for France and has been travelling ever since. By investing any money the couple have earned into solar panels and wind generators they now live a self-sustaining existence, without electric bills, and collect rain water “straight from Heaven”. “It’s not easy,” said Mel. “There might be time when there might not be enough facilities around, but you always find a way, you know?” Rather than rejecting technology, Andy blogs about his travels online and collaborates with artists from around the world via his ‘Scratchy Heid Film Studio’, which he runs from a static trailer next to the couple’s bus. He explained his philosophy: “My belief is that if you can go through life and you drop dead and you’ve got a balance there that slightly outweighs the good than the bad, you’ve done alright. “Yesterday, with what Mel’s been through with the cancer and all that, I had a woman on one of my sites there that thanked me for the writing, for the positive things, and to me that’s worth everything. You can keep your millions, we’re not interested. That is what we do.” To check out Andy’s artwork and video projects check out his website. MORE FROM THE NORTH