This is *very* cool... www.space.com/astronomy/as...

Another sky I liked.

Interesting experience to be reading Gravity's Rainbow during what feels like the culmination of the processes Pynchon described: Information overload, horrific tragedy, absurd farce and of course the parabola of a ballistic missile.

PTSD.

What's the best boast you heard as a child? A kid up our road had a Mongoose BMX that he said cost a million pounds, none of us believed him but he kept at it.

This painting depicts Vilhelm Hammershøi's sister Anna, who was two years his junior. It is one of the earliest known works by him of a figure viewed from behind. The picture created a sensation when it was first exhibited in 1885.

We asked people standing up for free thought and reason around the world about how to defend the truth. From the fight for democracy to the guard against climate misinformation, read their insights here:

How Birmingham's torrid love affair with high-rise ended in tears. My concluding post looks at how and why the city's obsession with high-rise housing came to fail: municipaldreams.substack.com/p/post-war-h...

A slight frosty but beautiful tranquil start to the day,happy weekend☀️

Our home is full of wonders that are billions of years in the making

Friday evening astrophysics wonderment.

Friday Night Lights

'Juncture' Graphite sketch

Thomas Blackshear - Dance of the Wind and Storm (I think this is going on outside my window right now)

A visit on reopening day to Townend, Troutbeck, home of the Browne family for generations. An important personal library, extraordinary carved furniture and a wonderful bank barn.

Reflecting on 'JFDI' and how in certain circumstances it is sometimes the right approach, and in others, absolutely not. E.g. information management, system development, and the bombing of another country.

Cwmorthin, Wales.

Maurice de Vlaminck (1876-1958)

Another Sky I Liked (I think).

Family event this weekend - the highlight of which was having a massive portion of fish and chips with my 89 year old Nan and hearing how she'd like to punch Donald T**mps lights out.

The Tibblestone, an ancient pitted stone on a crossroads near Tewkesbury on a garage forecourt. Lost and found buried by a gardener in 1948. One of Gloucestershire’s very few standing stones. #StandingStoneSunday #UrbanPrehistory

Victor Charreton (1864-1937) Maison forestière

“When all this is over I mean / to travel north...” ~ ‘Lochan’, a beautiful #poem by Kathleen Jamie 🍃 Our #Scotland issue, co-edited by Kathleen, is available here: irishpages.org/product/vol-...

A Special Night - Winter Song [Italy, Darkwave, Post-Punk] (1986) https://redd.it/1rev05j https://youtu.be/ZJpVYl6VFfE

Male Shoveler, today at Catcott Nature Reserve

A hugely busy week, but one in which I actually managed to get out and do some (very experimental) community archaeology and gather lots of data with a volunteer colleague. The moonrise over the North York Moors was a sight to behold. This sunset wasn't bad, either.

This work is made by the renowned Ukrainian artist Ivan Marchuk, who invented the unique painting style called "plyontanism" (from the Ukrainian word plyontaty, meaning "to braid"). This technique consists of hundreds of fine, intertwined lines that create depth and an almost textile-like texture.

Me: I shall make beans on toast from scratch with vegetables chopped up in it. I shall serve it on artisan bread. My children will love it. My children: What the HELL is this? This isn’t beans on toast! YOU’RE TRYING TO TRICK US. Oh my GOD this has got onions in it, WTF is WRONG WITH YOU?!

Why is nobody raising a UK Gov & Parliament petition to mend England's archaic treasure (and metal detecting) laws? CBA, CIfA, Soc Ant, etc. Mindful of the differences between UK nations, England a laggard, better situation in Ireland. Do we not have a heritage champion voice in Parliament?

Nettasagrus Stone at Bridell, North Pembrokeshire. #StandingStoneSunday

A late addition of our Nellie to #Caturday

James Leslie Brooke. 1903-1973. Lluvia en Staithes. 1949

Onwards.

This is a listening pleasure - both the episode and the show in general. Music brim full with life and imagination.

Victoria Crowe (1945) is a leading Scottish painter. Her oeuvre encompasses a wide range of subjects including landscapes, still lifes, and portraits. Her work is often described as a bridge between observation and symbolism, using layers of imagery to explore themes as time and the inner landscape.

Happy Friday.

'London, Winter' (1928) by Christopher RW Nevinson (London Museum)

'Coastal Defences.' Eric Ravilious painted this work in Newhaven, East Sussex in 1940; as a coastal town it was heavily fortified because of its targeting as part of Operation Sea Lion, the planned invasion of Britain by German forces.

Another sky I liked.

I liked Tolkien when I was younger. Not read him in years. LOTR was a winter, cold, and flu bound tradition. He was an easy target as a writer in many ways, but his achievement was profound. It is horrible to think of the name Palantir being appropriated by Thi*l and co. How bloody dare they.

everything is increasingly intolerable all the time.

If only.

Come to the north, where the roads are paved with spuds 🥔

One thing that may dramatically shake up our political life on this planet is the advent of a strong new El Niño. (Also our, you know, life life) billmckibben.substack.com/p/an-el-nino...

Simon's Seat, Wharfedale.

Among all the books here you will also find a great selection of objets d'art including ceramic and glass art pieces by significant makers.

First butterfly of the year, a peacock on gorse. Photo taken 22nd Feb 2026, St Cleer. Can’t decide if it was hiding its fourth eye or if this was a mutation/aberration. #Cornwall #Butterflies #Insects @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Done a running recce, with a view of distant fells and a really nice hint of spring #Yorkshire