I’m writing this on my couch, a couch now covered in baby food thanks to Horatio (my poorly pet rat), who has just stuck his paws in the baby food I am feeding him. On the plus side, the couch covers are washable, so while I wait for him to finish his meal I thought I’d share my pick of this weeks web wonders with you, the lovely Scottish Roundup reader.

First off lets get the football out of the way. Even I ended up watching some of the Scottish Cup Final match between Hibs and Hearts and The Scottish Football blog nicely summed up the pre-match nerves for Hibs. The hype over this match made a nice change from hearing about the continuing saga that is Rangers attempt to stay in the SPL. Chris Graham reflects on the latest SFA decision regarding the club and how this might affect it’s future.

If the football news is affecting your mental health you are not alone, 1 in 4 of us will have mental health problems every year. Beauty from Pain shares her reflections on what she’d have missed if she had committed suicide and Touch&Tickle is running a Mental Health Carnival and is inviting us all to share our mental health experiences and stories.

Speaking of stories, for your reading pleasure Dorky Mum shares the first stories from her son. Loons and Quines, meanwhile, has been busy making props for her moose loose aboot this hoose themed storytelling session at her library. Felicity Martin shares a story from her dog who climbed her first Corbett (it’s the photos that make this one fab). Though if you fancy something more adult then have a read of View from the Pier’s interview with Donald Smith who is the director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Then head over to Tobar au Dualchais, an online collection of recording from across Scotland of things like stories, traditions, poems and songs.

Speaking of songs did you see episode 7 of Horrible Histories season 4? No? You should totally go and watch it right now. I’ll wait…. Back? Genius right. I just adore that Blue Blooded Blues song for the Scottish Stewart Kings and Queen. I’m also pro host Rattus Rattus.

From historical heroes to pop culture heroes. How many Super-heroines can you think of from comic books? Now how many of them aren’t wearing a sexy, but almost certainly, gravity defying impractical outfit? The only one I thought of was Supergran. The reason for this pondering? My recent quest to make three different mini super-heroines. I am not the only one struggling with the world’s gender stereotyping,  Transatlantic Blonde has been having a hard time finding stickers that don’t get her back up.

Finally, I want to dedicate this post to Jane Watson, who passed away on Thursday. She is the mother of Kids,Crafts and Chaos writer Clair and I can’t think of a better tribute than the one Clair wrote for her at the start of the month for her birthday. Warning folks you might need a hankie for this one.

Calton discovered the Scottish Roundup as a newbie blogger late last year and it introduced him to an amazing number of good Scottish blogs. Now it is his turn to share some of them with you.

Calton loves maps and National Collective has some really interesting ones made by superimposing Scottish maps on the map of Catalonia – another small nation with a devolved assembly and an independence movement. It was also the birthplace of Holyrood architect Enrico Miralles, which is a not necessarily a recommendation, depending on your opinion of the upturned boat at the bottom of the Royal Mile! Except the Kyes and Western Isles also has some good maps of old Inverness in a recent article about Cromwellian Forts.

Perhaps because Calton views the capital from the sky, he had completely missed the portraits of hoodies which have appeared on the sides of buildings. Fortunately blurofwoodsmoke hadn’t and has captured them for his blog. Scottish Art Blog showcases a wonderful picture of an owl from the 186th exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy. Two very different types of art and two very different venues. Both stunning.

Being a political blogger, Calton cannot avoid mentioning the council elections. George Stachura thinks that the Libdems need to hold their nerve. Calton wonders what they actually stand for these days. Liberal Sellout got Calton’s vote for the best blog post title of the election with ‘Dear Edinburgh Lib Dems: Do you want to die?‘  Mairi Campbell-Jack writes about the use of words in politics, which is of interest to all political bloggers. Calton is not sure that he agrees with Stevie Mach on the need for the pro-independence parties to have their own TV channel however Stevie makes a reasoned case for it. Check out his blog and make your own minds up. Looks like the new Labour administration of Aberdeen City Council are going to throw out plans for the new Union Street gardens. Suzanne Kelly of Aberdeen Voice will be happy.

Calton’s first (and hitherto only) appearance on the Scottish Roundup was for a controversial post he wrote on Jackie Baillie. (Which may, or may not, be the reason we never see her sitting behind Johann Lamont during FMQs these days.) This time it is Better Nation putting the boot in. Justifiably? On the evidence given, Calton would say yes.

Right, that’s the political bit over. Now for the really important stuff – food! Berry Scrumptious has a recipe for lemon curd layer cake and a photo to make your mouth water.  A wee bit of cooking has been making roasted beetroot salad which looks great with lamb chops. Susan K Mann made carrot and coriander soup with some carrots donated by a certain company who shall remain nameless (on this blog at any rate). Mrs Middleschmiddle was trying out economy gastronomy earlier in the year – hopefully she’ll post an update soon. Looks like Argyll and Bute Council have been economising on the school lunches according to NeverSeconds – the blog by an underfed schoolgirl which is taking the blogosphere by storm! Someone send that girl a food parcel!

Unlike last week, there were lots of blog nominations this week on a wide range of subjects so apologies for not managing to include them all. If your nomination hasn’t made the cut this week you can always resubmit it for a future roundup. Happy reading!

Scottish Roundup’s normally strict avoidance policy regarding Tony Boaks’ Despairing Notes is hereby challenged by virtue of the fact that I’m Tony Boaks and I’m sitting in the biggest chair. Fasten your seatbelts.

The news, and hence the Scottish blogosphere, has been dominated by two main stories this week: ‘What are we going to do about Donald?’ and the other one. Many bloggers have chosen to deal with both in the same post, with varying degrees of how much both are entirely Alex Salmond’s fault.

It began innocently enough when a Holyrood committee wanted to question a range of experts on renewable energy and naturally called in Donald Trump. Billionaire ba’ heid Trump put himself in charge of Scotland’s energy policy some time ago and blew into town promising Scotland would become “a third world wasteland that global investors will avoid.” I didn’t think it sounded so bad if it meant he’d get back on the plane.

In Ten Lies of Donald Trump, Andy Wightman offers some of heid-the-ba’s most recent untruths. This is by no means a comprehensive list but will up your creativity in the swearing stakes. Of this mere tip of the iceberg number 6, “We’ve had tremendous support from environmental groups”, would have to be my personal favourite.

A Sair Fecht also questions Trump’s distant relationship with the truth (apparently Al Megrahi was seen jogging in the park last week). At one point he resorts to personal insults, something I would never do, but such is the strength of feeling regarding combover-boy. Rupert Murdoch is thrown into the mix and in the process A Sair Fecht offers a new word to the English language – the Murdump – describing what the First Minister has had to contend with in trying to coax jobs out of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

Peter A. Bell focuses on the Leveson enquiry and how Salmond was or wasn’t involved in the BskyB deal. I have no idea what Chiels That Winna Ding means (and I’m technically Dundonian) but his argument is very clear and anyone who read the four innocuous emails in question would have to agree that they’re probably the dullest scandalous material ever released.

That didn’t stop Lallands Peat Worrier accusing Salmond of “astonishing naïveté,” something that doesn’t get said very often of the high heid yin, and herein lies the thrust of much of the debate that has followed. That is, is the First Minister a bit keen to court powerful businessmen? Wings Over Scotland discusses Labour’s policy in Labour’s Long Spoon and concludes their handling of the issue would have been no different. My own view is that it’s okay for successive Prime Ministers and opposition leaders to seek favourable press coverage and inward investment to their country but it’s simply not on for Alex Salmond to do the same.

Elsewhere, historian David Starkey has been up to his roguish tricks again. Starkers, or Tool Britannia as he is known in Scotland, called Alex Salmond a “Caledonian Hitler” who thinks “the English, like the Jews, are everywhere.” I thought this was nothing that a good skelp wouldn’t sort but when I said as much on Twitter, I was told I would have to join a long and disorderly queue waiting to administer it. Bella Caledonia takes a more rational view of this twisted little ego-ball in Starkey.

Turning from one horror to another, it’s important to remember that not all Scottish bloggers are dealing with news and current affairs. One of my favourite escapees is Edinburgh’s only supernatural crime fighter Rose Garnett. In The Ghost Formerly Known As…, Rose is confronted by the spectre of a murder past and is plunged into the start of a new case. A little dark relief for those in need.

In The Hands on the Clock, ‘poet warrior’ John W. Macdonald shows us the two terms are not necessarily incompatible and reminds us that poetry is alive and well in Scotland.

Marianne Wheelaghan quotes Mark Twain in You have to write for a long time, to write like yourself …: “My books are like water; those of the great geniuses are wine. Fortunately everybody drinks water.” I suppose my own writing is more like lemonade in that it’s not so good for you but is a bit more fun.

My latest post at Tony Boaks’ Despairing Notes: Easily Mistaken For A Funny Blog was inspired by the Daily Record. It might be unusual for the Record to inspire anything other than despair but I should explain that it was Muriel Gray’s description of the paper which was responsible. In Muriel Gray’s Parrot, I encounter a most discerning reader who is vocal in his criticism of Scottish print journalism.

Tony Boaks is the main character in my blog. Everywhere else I’m known as @gregmoodie.

I like a good roundup on a Sunday but this one will have to do.

As wide and varied as they customarily are, so they have been – so far.

It’s been a long driech winter but with a few signs of spring in the air, many have taken their first holiday or break of the year with one blogger I Done a Holiday making a welcome return as he recounts how he has managed a) To freeload around the world in recent years and b) Get himself tae France for Easter.

A Son of the Rock has journeyed south to Gloucester and follows his passion for all things Art Deco.

AnElephantCant meanwhile extols the virtues of staying closer to home and pays a poetic tribute to Glasgow’s Queen’s Park which is celebrating its sesquicentennial year (It’s ok, I had to look it up too!)

It’s a sporting month, what with the boat race and the Grand National, and what’s this? there’s to be the first all Edinburgh cup final since 1896 and a rare chance for the Hibees of cup glory? Fan of beaten semi-finalists Aberdeen, Ken Fitlike wishes Hibs well whilst reflecting on what might have been. Well worth checking this post out for the photos.

Adullamite meanwhile can hardly contain his glee at his beloved Hearts overcoming Celtic in the other semi final. He has also managed to source some photos of that last (and only) all Edinburgh cup final 116 years ago.

It was with great sadness this week that I learned of the passing of Alastair McSporran after a long and bravely borne illness. “Alastair’s Heart Monitor” was quite possibly the most visited blog in Scotland before he decided to make it private a few years ago, he having been appointed to a high profile position in the legal establishment. Anyone old enough to remember the fitba’ fanzine The Absolute Game can still read some of Alastair’s wonderful writing in another blog he set up to remember his and others’ contributions.

Talking of matters legal, there was a first this week in the broadcasting of Lord Bracadale’s passing of sentence to David Gilroy in the Suzanne Pilley murder case. Lallands Peat Worrier expresses reservations about what televising such an event achieves.

In other academic surroundings, Scunnert publishes a magnificent photo of the new library at his place of work and delivers some homespun philosophy in a conversation overheard in Aberdeen.

Ellen Arnison is a dab hand with the camera too, catching a wonderful shot under a particularly stunning April sky of the highland fault line from Conic Hill above Loch Lomond.

Kerry Dexter writes about Scots and Irish folk music and tells of the stage production/book/record The Boy and The Bunnet, which is an educational production in Gaelic/Scots language and music.

On to the more serious matter of politics as Scott at Love and Garbage p..p…p….picks up on the local council election fever sweeping the country.

As if a penguin standing as a candidate, or indeed voting, wasn’t strange enough, who knew it was a criminal offence to put a dummy up for election? Election agents nationwide will surely be dreading a knock at the door.

I fair enjoyed my first review for a while and thanks for reading.

After the silliness of the end of term my school library has been a wonderfully quiet oasis for two weeks, conversely the public libraries have been totally crazy entertaining the holidaying children.  Librarian Loons and Quines posted her Favourite Read Aloud Picture Books , though I noticed she missed my favourite – Tanka Tanka Skunk by Steve Webb. Library patrons Kids, Craft and Chaos take a trip to their local library to stock up on some new books.

For those who did manage to get away quite a few are posting their holiday snaps. I’ve enjoyed following Domestikated’s US trip – though I was very envious of her Mad Morning Tea. Not quite so far flung adventures were being had by Pining for the West who discovered that Stratford-on-Avon isn’t as bad as it’s cracked up to be, while A Son of A Rock has been admiring the architecture just along the road in Alcester.

For those of us who haven’t made it out of Scotland, be inspired by just how beautiful this country of ours can be by popping over to Scotland in the Gloaming’s blog and seeing a charming photo of the River Tay. Alternatively if you are looking for beauty in an urban landscape, Geener Leith is trying to save historic lamp posts in Leith. Or try and find something to be cheerful about like Percy Pigs (a form of jelly sweetie from M&S)  as advocated by Audrey Birt’s Breast Cancer Blog.

You’d have to be holidaying in a cave somewhere very, very remote not have seen the news about the SPL moving the goal posts on ailing Rangers. The Scottish Football Blog ponders if the SPL is playing fair or foul while Bella Caledonia has gone a step further and is having a call to arms against the SPL. No doubt we can look forward to yet more on this story in the coming weeks.

Luckily for someone as apathetic to football as me that it is not the only story making the news. The decision by Scottish courts to film the sentencing of Suzanne Pilley’s murderer, David Gilroy, and release the footage to the media is setting Caron’s Musing on edge. The latest Economist cover is getting people’s backs up with Better Nation offering up their thoughts while Leithal Yak suggests an alternative cover option.

Then is are the upcoming local elections are getting more prominent. As the campaign leaflets appear through my door, I begin my debate on how to vote this time and I’m not the only one starting to dwell on the issues. Lallands Peat Worrier ponders the possible future for the Liberal Democrats in Glasgow while From Speakers Corner made me giggle as they reflect on how the personalities in SNP may hinder or help their ability to win votes.

Speaking of elected officials, it appears that whenever the UK Government suggests as an idea it gets shot down in flames and this week’s burning policy is the planned capping to tax relief on charitable donations. Better Nation’s post looks at the reasons why people make financial donations and not all of them are related to government tax breaks.

If the government fancy supporting local charities, and fancy my vote, I’d recommend rewarding volunteers – ideally with a nice holiday. With that optimistic thought in mind I’ve given up my weekend to volunteering –  I’m off to walk up a hill with a group of 25 young people as part of their DofE training. Fingers crossed they can find North this time.

Hope you all have a lovely day as well.