Curated Archive

Sam's Journal

Recent entries, field notes, and poems collected from the road.

The Mystery of the Highland Herd: The True Story of Luno the Loch Ness Alpaca

Notes from the Desk

March 9, 2026

The Mystery of the Highland Herd: The True Story of Luno the Loch Ness Alpaca

Of all the characters I’ve introduced over the years, Luno has a very special place in the collection. He has become something of a mascot for me—”Loch Ness Luno: An Alpaca on An Adventure.” But the way he came into existence is...

Read Entry

A small red squirrel with tufted ears looking directly at the camera while perched on a tree stump in a shaded forest.

Notes from the Desk

A Challenge, a Café, and a Squirrel Named Rupert

Read Entry

The ruins of Urquhart Castle on the shore of a calm Loch Ness under a bright blue sky with wispy clouds.

Notes from the Desk

From a Highland Grotto to a Global Adventure: The Making of ‘Santa’s Adventure at Loch Ness’

Read Entry

A dramatic twilight sky with orange and purple clouds over a rolling green Highland landscape and distant cliffs at twighlight.

Notes from the Desk

The Muppets, Metre, and a Knight Named Name: The Story of ‘Mourning in Mooring’

Read Entry

A vibrant Toucan with a large yellow and orange beak perched on a mossy branch in a lush, dark green Highland forest setting.

Notes from the Desk

The Art of the Mono-rhyme: Behind the Scenes of ‘The Toucan Poem’

Read Entry