Rachael Dunlop
@rachaeldunlop.com
Writer of #FlashFiction, #ShortStories and a never-finished novel. Spaniel-wrangler. Curmudgeon. Forest dweller. #MDANT She/her/cis rachaeldunlop.com
Day 7. Nearly finished with the outside. The inside, not so much. Oh, and we decided to paint the inside of the window frames white and the outside black and the point where they meet is… not fun.
October 29, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Day 7. Nearly finished with the outside. The inside, not so much. Oh, and we decided to paint the inside of the window frames white and the outside black and the point where they meet is… not fun.
Where do BBC Maestro think people write novels? (What they mean is you can do their novel writing course from your sofa. Such imprecision in their language isn‘t selling me the course, let me tell you.)
October 28, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Where do BBC Maestro think people write novels? (What they mean is you can do their novel writing course from your sofa. Such imprecision in their language isn‘t selling me the course, let me tell you.)
At the other end of the garden, the final phase: log cabin is up. Much cheaper than a swanky oven-ready garden room but let me tell you, untreated timber is NEEDY. Nearly a week later and we’ve only just finished treating and priming. Painting this week. AT LAST. (Reposted minus typos)
October 27, 2025 at 9:05 AM
At the other end of the garden, the final phase: log cabin is up. Much cheaper than a swanky oven-ready garden room but let me tell you, untreated timber is NEEDY. Nearly a week later and we’ve only just finished treating and priming. Painting this week. AT LAST. (Reposted minus typos)
Dogs across the country wondering where on earth their lunch is. High alert for the last hour. Gentle whimper has begun.
October 26, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Dogs across the country wondering where on earth their lunch is. High alert for the last hour. Gentle whimper has begun.
Misty morning up here in the North East. No stressing about my Wordle streak when this is the view.
October 20, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Misty morning up here in the North East. No stressing about my Wordle streak when this is the view.
Ponds all planted up now. Plan was to have less grass and more plants but we ran out of £££. As you do. Still lovely.
October 19, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Ponds all planted up now. Plan was to have less grass and more plants but we ran out of £££. As you do. Still lovely.
Monster Stump was too heavy to get out of the garden so he’s been relocated and half-buried again upside down in what will be the wild woodland. Plants went in this week and my god, I think we have a garden.
October 19, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Monster Stump was too heavy to get out of the garden so he’s been relocated and half-buried again upside down in what will be the wild woodland. Plants went in this week and my god, I think we have a garden.
A few years ago I heard experts in retail supply chains saying reducing plastic packaging was impossible. Today I unboxed an electrical appliance with zero plastic packaging. An item that needed to be sealed came in this nifty tin. How has this come about? Partly because…1/2
October 10, 2025 at 6:36 PM
A few years ago I heard experts in retail supply chains saying reducing plastic packaging was impossible. Today I unboxed an electrical appliance with zero plastic packaging. An item that needed to be sealed came in this nifty tin. How has this come about? Partly because…1/2
Want some trivial, frivolous good news? There’s been a breakthrough in sunscreen technology and if you know anyone with polymorphic light eruption (posh name for being painfully allergic to the sun), tell them THIS ACTUALLY WORKS. I’ve tried everything over the years, this is a genuine game changer.
October 4, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Want some trivial, frivolous good news? There’s been a breakthrough in sunscreen technology and if you know anyone with polymorphic light eruption (posh name for being painfully allergic to the sun), tell them THIS ACTUALLY WORKS. I’ve tried everything over the years, this is a genuine game changer.
The pump is in. This is not a drill.
October 1, 2025 at 10:40 AM
The pump is in. This is not a drill.
Reuse: old field drain that got dug up used for header pond spout. Decorative stone cap was here already. Old broken stone arch that was lying around the garden now a bench for small people (that would be me).
September 26, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Reuse: old field drain that got dug up used for header pond spout. Decorative stone cap was here already. Old broken stone arch that was lying around the garden now a bench for small people (that would be me).
Pond is DONE. Except for the pump for the cascade. Massive tree roots reused as bird perches.
September 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Pond is DONE. Except for the pump for the cascade. Massive tree roots reused as bird perches.
Robert Redford will always be my Gatsby (newer readings of the subtext on Gatsby’s origins not withstanding).
September 16, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Robert Redford will always be my Gatsby (newer readings of the subtext on Gatsby’s origins not withstanding).
The expression on my face is ‘Dear god I hope there aren’t too many more of these buried in the garden.’ This took two men and a digger nearly three days, on and off, to extract. (The small birch is behind, not, as it appears, growing out of the monster stump).
September 13, 2025 at 8:38 AM
The expression on my face is ‘Dear god I hope there aren’t too many more of these buried in the garden.’ This took two men and a digger nearly three days, on and off, to extract. (The small birch is behind, not, as it appears, growing out of the monster stump).
Can you guess what it is yet?
September 11, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Can you guess what it is yet?
Confirming the stereotype that British workmen run on strong tea. They don’t get the green Denby, obvs.
September 5, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Confirming the stereotype that British workmen run on strong tea. They don’t get the green Denby, obvs.
First time I’ve been able to reach the top of the garden since we moved in. For scale, yes, I am small but the garden is also big. I reckon this is maybe a fifth of the area we’re currently landscaping. And that’s about half the plot overall.
September 3, 2025 at 6:24 PM
First time I’ve been able to reach the top of the garden since we moved in. For scale, yes, I am small but the garden is also big. I reckon this is maybe a fifth of the area we’re currently landscaping. And that’s about half the plot overall.
And so it begins. There’s decades of mystery under the sod - have already discovered a long buried patio under three layers of gravel and liner topped with a thin layer of soil formed from years of pine needle drop.
September 2, 2025 at 10:47 AM
And so it begins. There’s decades of mystery under the sod - have already discovered a long buried patio under three layers of gravel and liner topped with a thin layer of soil formed from years of pine needle drop.
Male, lazy, likes to keep snacks for later in his ears.
August 23, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Male, lazy, likes to keep snacks for later in his ears.
Made my first red velvet cake today. Didn’t have enough food colouring so it’s more of a dusky pink cake. Lemon cream cheese frosting, get in. It all got a bit crumby in the slicing (even though I kept wiping the knife) so decided to make the crumbs a decorative feature.
August 22, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Made my first red velvet cake today. Didn’t have enough food colouring so it’s more of a dusky pink cake. Lemon cream cheese frosting, get in. It all got a bit crumby in the slicing (even though I kept wiping the knife) so decided to make the crumbs a decorative feature.
You've been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who's coming to save you?
It will be messy. We’ll likely all die. But we will not die bored.
It will be messy. We’ll likely all die. But we will not die bored.
August 22, 2025 at 11:43 AM
You've been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who's coming to save you?
It will be messy. We’ll likely all die. But we will not die bored.
It will be messy. We’ll likely all die. But we will not die bored.
What do we reckon, Bluesky? Elephant hawk moth?
August 18, 2025 at 4:38 PM
What do we reckon, Bluesky? Elephant hawk moth?
Our third summer here and the first time the poke man has been round our way. Thought I should encourage him.
August 2, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Our third summer here and the first time the poke man has been round our way. Thought I should encourage him.
Only took two photos at @flashficfestuk.bsky.social. This was one of them. I will be taking no questions. Not pictured: fantastic workshops; thousands of words written; stupidly talented writers who are also excellent human beings.
July 21, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Only took two photos at @flashficfestuk.bsky.social. This was one of them. I will be taking no questions. Not pictured: fantastic workshops; thousands of words written; stupidly talented writers who are also excellent human beings.
Patiently waiting to continue his walk, entirety uninterested in the bucolic scenery.
July 16, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Patiently waiting to continue his walk, entirety uninterested in the bucolic scenery.