Blogs

As we head towards Car-Free Day this year (Sunday 22 September) perhaps it’s timely to ask a very challenging question. Should Christians, and other people of faith, drive cars? Or to be less controversial, what might our attitudes be to driving that express something of the spiritual and ethical values that are central to religious tradition? We ask similar moral questions about our sexuality, war, economics and medical ethics. Why not about transport? There are rights and wrongs in our travelling which relate to how we love others as ourselves. If a particular focus of faith is...

Growing large vegetables is a pursuit that is largely underrated. For, to produce a giant carrot, onion or cabbage takes persistence, an intimate knowledge of your subject and dedication. At the Chagford Show in Devon recently I marvelled at the incredible specimens on display. This humungous harvest was the result of months of effort, blood, sweat and tears and yes, sometimes, failure. Everything from the choice of seed and the time of planting to the watering regime and the thinning out process went into producing these incredible results. The extra minutes spent eliminating bugs or...

Name: Kathryn Aalto - People, plants and places are my passion. I am a garden designer, historian, writer and speaker from California. For more than a decade, I taught English and Environmental Issues in Washington prior to moving to Devon. I've segued that into a lovely creative career in England. How would you describe yourself in 5 words?

Someone recently told me I was "California sunshine in a bottle." How would you describe Exeter in 5 words?

A jewel in the crown. What brought you to Exeter?

History of Exeter, beauty of Devon, proximity to London. Which part...

As the summer buying season continues with The Great Barratt Move, the five star housebuilder takes a look at how your personality shapes your moving experience.

Leading psychology and health expert, Professor Cary Cooper says that moving home continues to be one of the most stressful life events and that your everyday personality will have a massive effect on how you approach a move.

“Moving really magnifies an individual’s personality,’’ said Cary. “It is one of the leading life events because it touches so much of your life and that has a massive effect on how you behave...