Isle of Man | Kathie Scrimgeour, Fine Art

Where do you like to read or write?

Posted on September 4, 2019 5 Comments

I love to read just as much as I love to write, and I have a few favorite reading spots. I always get a few pages in just before I go to sleep, but when I settle in for a long reading period I love my recliner. I can prop my reader on a pillow […]

Z is for Zoo

Posted on April 30, 2018 2 Comments

I can’t believe that this is the last day of the A to Z Blog Challenge! I hope you enjoyed reading about the Isle of Man and are as excited as I am about The Manx. On this last day I want to share one last bit about the Isle of Man and it’s zoo.** Currahs […]

X is for X Words

Posted on April 26, 2018 2 Comments

We are getting down to the last letters of the A to Z Blog Challenge. Through the challenge I have been writing daily about the Isle of Man where my book, The Manx, takes place. Besides all the wonderful characters and the folktales, I also included posts about visiting the island and some of the […]

Witches of Slieau Whallion

Posted on April 25, 2018 Leave a Comment

Slieau Whallion is a hill located on the Isle of Man near St. John’s just off of Gleneedles Road. It has a grisly history of being the execution place of accused witches. They would be put into a barrel with spikes driven into the sides of the barrel, pointing inward. Then the barrel, with the […]

V is for Vampire

Posted on April 25, 2018 2 Comments

In a churchyard in Malew parish, Isle of Man, there is a grave that is said to be that of a vampire. It is eerie to look at photographs of the strange grave, and not surprising that a vampire legend would be born from it. It is interesting to have the juxtaposition of a vampire […]

U is for Universe

Posted on April 24, 2018 Leave a Comment

When the sun goes down and the stars come out, how many can you see? Where I live the night sky is getting filled with flood lights from shopping centers and parking lots. 18 years ago we could go out in our backyard and were able to see quite an abundance of stars. Today the […]

S is for Mt. Snaefell

Posted on April 21, 2018 3 Comments

I had to giggle – just a little bit – when I first learned about Mt. Snaefell (see this map for location). When I looked at photographs of the mountain I scratched my head and thought, “That’s not a mountain…it’s a big hill.” I live near the Rocky Mountains and am used to the high […]

R is for Rhumsaa (Ramsey)

Posted on April 20, 2018 2 Comments

Rhumsaa is the Manx term for Ramsey which is located on the northern end of the Isle of Man. It was named by the Norse (hrams-á) as the “Wild Garlic River” due to all of the wild garlic that grows nearby. Ramsey is the second largest city only bested by Douglas. It is also where […]

P is for Castle Peel

Posted on April 18, 2018 1 Comment

Located on St. Patrick’s Isle, Peel was built in the 11th century by Vikings under the rule of our favorite king, Magnus Barefoot. Initially the castle was a Celtic religious site, but when Magnus’ forces arrived they replaced those with wood battlements. The sandstone walls did not appear until the 14th century. There are so […]

N is for Names

Posted on April 16, 2018 4 Comments

In choosing names for The Manx I used surnames that were listed in the census logs of the Isle of Man. I went as far back as I could find records for so that the names were as authentic as I could make them. Kaitlin Manning is named for the island, Mann (as it is […]