diff --git a/emacs/init.el b/emacs/init.el
index bd962d7..67c7a91 100644
--- a/emacs/init.el
+++ b/emacs/init.el
@@ -285,7 +285,9 @@
 (use-package denote :ensure t
   :commands (my/search-denote-notes)
   :bind (("C-x n f" . #'denote-open-or-create)
-         ("C-x n n" . #'denote)
+         ("C-x n n" . #'my/denote-create-note)
+         ("C-x n d s" . #'my/denote-switch-directory)
+         ("C-x n d d" . #'my/denote-echo-current-directory)
          ("C-x n c" . #'denote-region)
          ("C-x n !" . #'denote-date)
          ("C-x n z" . #'denote-signature)
@@ -302,10 +304,58 @@
          ("C-x n r f" . #'denote-rename-file-using-front-matter))
 
   :config
+
+  (defvar my/denote-local-notes-directory "~/notes/")
+  (defvar my/denote-remote-notes-directory "/ssh:lkn@alioth.uberspace.de:/home/lkn/notes/")
+  (setq denote-directory my/denote-local-notes-directory)
+
+  (defun my/denote-echo-current-directory ()
+    "Echo the current value of denote-directory."
+    (interactive)
+    (message "Current Denote directory: %s" denote-directory))
+
+  (defun my/denote-directory-segment ()
+    "Return the current Denote directory for the mode line."
+    (when (bound-and-true-p denote-directory)
+      (format " Denote:%s " (file-name-nondirectory (directory-file-name denote-directory)))))
+  
+  
+  (defun my/denote-switch-directory ()
+    "Switch current denote working directory."
+	(interactive)
+	(let ((new-dir (if (string= denote-directory my/denote-local-notes-directory)
+					   my/denote-remote-notes-directory
+					 my/denote-local-notes-directory)))
+	  (setq denote-directory new-dir)
+	  (message "Denote directory switched to %s" new-dir)))
+
+  (defun my/denote-use-both-directories (orig-fun &rest args)
+    "Temporarily use both directories for a given function."
+	(let ((original-dir denote-directory)
+		  (result nil))
+	  (setq denote-directory my/denote-local-notes-directory)
+	  (setq result (apply orig-fun args))
+	  (setq denote-directory my/denote-remote-notes-directory)
+	  (setq result (append result (apply orig-fun args)))
+	  (setq denote-directory original-dir)
+	  result))
+
+  (defun my/denote-create-note ()
+    "Create a note in directory of choice."
+	(interactive)
+	(let* ((dirs (list my/denote-local-notes-directory my/denote-remote-notes-directory))
+		   (chosen-dir (completing-read "Choose directory: " dirs)))
+	  (let ((denote-directory chosen-dir))
+		(call-interactively #'denote))))
+
+
+  (advice-add 'denote-directory-files :around #'my/denote-use-both-directories)
+  (advice-add 'denote-directory-subdirectories :around #'my/denote-use-both-directories)
+  
   (defun my/search-denote-notes ()
     "Use ripgrep to search denote notes."
     (interactive)
-    (let ((default-directory "/ssh:lkn@alioth.uberspace.de:/home/lkn/notes/"))
+    (let ((default-directory denote-directory))
       (consult-ripgrep)))
   
   (let ((map dired-mode-map))
@@ -314,9 +364,16 @@
     (define-key map (kbd "C-x n k") #'denote-dired-rename-marked-files-with-keywords)
     (define-key map (kbd "C-x n r r") #'denote-dired-rename-files)
     (define-key map (kbd "C-x n r f") #'denote-dired-rename-marked-files-using-front-matter))
+
+  ;; show current denote directory in modeline
+  (with-eval-after-load 'doom-modeline
+    (doom-modeline-def-segment denote-directory
+      (my-denote-directory-segment))
+    (setq doom-modeline-format-left
+      (append doom-modeline-format-left
+              '(denote-directory))))
   
-  (setq denote-directory (expand-file-name "/ssh:lkn@alioth.uberspace.de:/home/lkn/notes/")
-        denote-save-buffers nil
+  (setq denote-save-buffers nil
         denote-known-keywords '("emacs" "golang" "dev")
         denote-infer-keywords t
         denote-sort-keywords t