Fauré's Requiem from the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir on R3 right now. There'll be no work done here while this is on.

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Some fascinating associations here. I wouldn't necessarily have expected Norwegian Progressive Intellectuals, the British Wildlife and Birding Community, Everton Football Club Supporters, & Queer Leftist Artists and Shitposters to group together, but doubtless the world is a better place for it.

I know you're all excited about the luge at the moment, but this is very good. Jurowski's Mahler 9 with the LPO - a live performance from 2022, but I don't hear any bronchial interruptions from the audience. The adagio canters along - under 23 minutes, but slow enough when it needs to be.

Afternoon ramble. It’s not raining!

Evening

Yes, many things are terrible, but here’s Mini with his dad.

He would like the weather changed, please.

Into enormous Prehistoric fungi? Who isn't? How about something even weirder?

Evening plans.

Aurora over Cornwall tonight

Proteins plucked from the pages of Renaissance recipes Analyses of German medical manuals from 1531 reveal what ingredients those who handled the books used

This old boy moved into my garden a couple of years ago. He was an entire tomcat, completely unsocialised and terrified of people. Well, we’re friends now. He had his first flea comb today.

A Bronx cheer for the producer who decided to play 'Wolf Soundscapes' on R3 Night Tracks tonight. Cats have scarpered.

Very happy to say that Ian McMillan, and his early strolls, have arrived on Bluesky.

Power is out in Cornwall, but the roof is still on, so that’s all good.

No train services (or RRBs) running in Cornwall after 1800h tonight. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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An early flowering common dog-violet for the #NewYearPlantHunt today. Nothing else especially interesting around (plenty of red campion, snowdrops, primroses and the odd daffodil in bud). St Ervan, Cornwall. #wildflowerhour

Pinning down what PGR5 is actually doing has been a real head-scratcher since its discovery 20+ years ago, and I suspect we'll still be arguing about it in 20 years time.

I expect to see Yannick Nézet-Séguin crowdsurfing while conducting the Radetzky March next year.

2026 going tolerably well SO FAR.

Farewell then, 2025; happy new year, if that’s your thing. A rather middling sort of year for me. A couple of publications, a new roof, and a vet bill. (You can guess which cost more of the latter two, and you’d be right).

Coco, seeing the year out. Pervasive aroma of fermenting windfalls in the garden today.

Darwinism, but confectionery.

Snowdrops out in St Ervan, Cornwall for #wildflowerhour

The reliably magnificent Rupert Everett on R3 right now klaxon

Not a bad day at all, mind you. All’s well in the parish.

Boxing Day stroll. One of those feral rural churches that creeps up on you.

sitrep

Essential Xmas gifts from my smallholder relatives. (Not wrapped, but that’s OK).

Some optimistic (hopeful?) primroses out already for #wildflowerhour (St Ervan, Cornwall).

@ralitza.bsky.social random question, but do you know what this is? Is it a pickle/preserve? My Polish neighbours gave it to me for Xmas, but have gone home for the holiday, so I can’t ask them. I don’t want to open it if it isn’t a preserve.

What's in a name?

News from Titan. Interesting implications for any potential biochemistry (warm + potentially solute/organic rich pockets of meltwater deep in the interior). Still, just a model for now.

Excellent news!

News from the north (of Cornwall).

Treated myself to a little acrylic painting by Hester Berry for Xmas (well, why shouldn’t I?) - sharing to add a bit of Exmoor colour to your timeline.

Mr Garden Cat deciding that, no thank you, he’d rather be indoors today.

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Sunday evening plans.

Dining on a superficially damaged chocolate caterpillar cake courtesy of a neighbour who installs factory machinery. I'm not sophisticated enough to decline it.

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A cowpea study (genetic mapping of photosynthetic responses associated with cold stress) I was involved with a while ago. Good to see it in print!

Still a few scruffy apples around - Pitmaston Pineapple I think? - which at this time of year, and after a couple of hard frosts, taste more of pear than anything else.

Memories of an antimalarial conference years ago when one decorated researcher accused another of being a 'mouse doctor'.

There's a Nick Drake tribute concert from 2010 on BBC4 at 2215 tonight, which might be your cup of tea.

He’s decided that the best way to negotiate the staircase is by sliding down on his head, and I say don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

Welcoming in the cold snap with a spritz aperitivo, because why not, damn your eyes.

Always good to read about a live beaked whale sighting (especially this one).