Snowdrops on this morning’s walk with the ill-advised spaniel. Which I’m trying hard to tell myself nearly make up for the absolute pissing rain on walks two and three. Ho hum. #smalljoys @cogenthippo.bsky.social

Today’s small joy was walking the ill-advised spaniel, this time in a break in the otherwise torrential rain. Velvet-like moss coats on all the trees 🥰 #smalljoys @cogenthippo.bsky.social

Latte art class, just up the road. #smalljoys @cogenthippo.bsky.social

This morning’s small joy: a white amaryllis I planted in November is flowering. It’s been a good shout, planting shitloads of bulbs for this slightly murky part of the year. #smalljoys @cogenthippo.bsky.social

I bought these little felt coasters bloody years ago, and have often tried to find more of them since, sadly without success. But every time I see them the bright colours cheer me up, so they are today’s small joy. #smalljoys @cogenthippo.bsky.social

Today’s small joy: the ill-advised spaniel, reclining. #smalljoys @cogenthippo.bsky.social

I don’t think this really counts as a small joy because it was such a big joy that I was literally giggling in delight. But anyway. I digress. The northern lights from my bedroom window last night. Just amazing. 🤩 #smalljoys @cogenthippo.bsky.social

A person‘s attractiveness increases by a minimum of 58% when they support their local bookstore, café, theatre, bakery, and library.

Small but also BIG news from the garden step bird café: in the last 24 hrs my garden robin, the one who came in the house to tell me the mealworms had run out, has found a mate! I usually silence my films but you can hear how completely delighted I am. He was showing her around! Ngl bit tearful rn❤️❤️

Today’s #smalljoy: a majestic tree in the mist, in the local churchyard, as I walked the ill-advised spaniel this morning. Noticing small joys each day, and spurring ourselves on. Join in? @cogenthippo.bsky.social

I’ve got just a few signed hardbacks of my latest novel here to sell direct to people - signed and personalised - with A FREE handmade linoprint bookmark by my mum, Jo. If you’d like one, please let me know in the replies. Sorry, this offer applies only to people in the UK, BUT…

Just a thought I'm putting out into the universe. THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES has been a thing since forever, or 1971 at least. There was a British TV series by that name and a more recent anthology of short stories. Thing is... how about THE RIVALS OF IRENE ADLER, an anthology of adventuresses?

Good morning , thank you to Patrick Kielty ( @Paddy2808 ) for all three members of today's #FoxOfTheDay !

"Make Hope Normal Again"👍

If you're looking for a sign to switch careers: this is the sign.

Reader, I bought a dymo machine. Today’s small joys brought to you courtesy of labelling anything that doesn’t move (and contemplating a few things that do). #smalljoys @cogenthippo.bsky.social

'An Islington View,' by Melissa Scott-Miller, UK painter known for her London streetscapes #UnlockingWomensArt

Remembir everye daye ys a goode daye to reach out to a friende and tell them how much you love them. Maybe buy them a booke. Bringe up an olde inside joke. All the sillye thinges and the serious thinges about friendeshippe, thei are all infinitelye valuable. Tyme spent thus wil nevir be regrettid.

Today’s small joy - a book delivery from Postscript Books, based on Dartmoor. They do an excellent monthly catalogue, and have all sorts of odds and sods at hugely discounted prices. www.psbooks.co.uk?campaign_id=...

Be not ashamid of how manye wyndowes are open on thy computir at one tyme. Thou art buildinge a skyscraper.

Japanese artist Akie Nakata (known as Akie) turns found stones and rocks into animal paintings #WomensArt

On that last repost, I moved to Qobuz in December because of various ethical disquietudes about Spotify. It’s great so far, and definitely worth a look if you’re finding the approach Spotify is taking makes you uneasy. www.qobuz.com/gb-en/music/...

In April 2024, Spotify implemented a new scheme: songs with less than 1k streams per year would no longer receive royalties. The data for 2025 was just released via Luminate, and 88% of songs have been demonetized. Read it again: 88% of songs on Spotify have been demonetized.

Today’s small joy: returning to reading, after a real low in my reading career in 2025, where I read pretty much fuck-all. But now: actual books and everything. Trying to read 26 books in 2026 (see what I did there?). Also, my gorgeous kantha coat, a birthday present last November. #smalljoys

2025 was fucking grim. 2026 may well be too. And it's all too easy to get caught up in the doomscrolling/posting, even here on Bluesky. So, I'm planning to somewhat counter this by noticing and posting at least one postive moment from my day, every day this year. Join me in celebrating #SmallJoys

Walked the ill-advised spaniel around the woods, in the mist, chatting with the teen. Noticing small joys in each day, with @cogenthippo.bsky.social. Join in? #smalljoys

My cheese plant is bloody magnificent.

Beautiful winter skies here this evening. #glimmers

Could two followers please copy and re-post this tweet to show that someone is always there? National Suicide Prevention Hotlines Call: 0800 689 5652 (UK) 1-800-273-8255 (USA) 1.833.456.4566 (Canada) Copy... not just reskeet Do the thing! You never know who is having what kind of day.

Could two followers please copy and re-post this tweet to show that someone is always there? National Suicide Prevention Hotlines Call: 0800 689 5652 (UK) 1-800-273-8255 (USA) 1.833.456.4566 (Canada) Copy... not just reskeet Do the thing! You never know who is having what kind of day.

people say “you need to start living in the real world” but they forget that the real world includes lupines and lightning bugs and ginger beer and starlight and sea coasts and Renoir paintings and Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos and fog banks and foxes playing in snow.

Mood. Cross-stitch embroidery by @wendyenthomas.bsky.social

Thou shalt not accuse others of being criminals when you just made a criminal the commander in chief. Thou shalt stop being a gigantic hypocrite every second of thy life.

Went to @heligangardens.bsky.social’s Night Garden yesterday - just blissful. Definitely recommend if you’re in the south-west.

Wet-on-wet watercolour background for a flow for the week - going to use black pen to draw a timetable so things hopefully stop falling off my radar and I have a better sense of what happens when…

Listening to BBC Radio 3 Unwind, which feels like a super-long episode of Late Junction, in an entirely good way.

BBC Radio 3 Unwind Night Tracks: A meditative moonlight soundtrack Now Playing Arne Nordheim Aurora (conclusion)

Word of the day is ‘suspiring’, from the 16th century: a deep sigh. (Covers exhaustion, relief, sadness, collapses onto the sofa, or whatever fits the bill).

Today's word is a Korean one. 이불킥 (Ibulkik): Kicking your blanket in embarrassment when remembering a past cringe-worthy moment.

Good morning! May this little tiny lady bug spread some good luck your way. We all need a little extra luck these days! 🍀🤞🌠 #ladybug #insect #naturephotography #nature #photography #bug #macro #gardening #garden

Let’s get to know each other through books. Quote or reply to this and tell me the four or five books that define you. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell; Brewer’s Dictionary of Myth and Fable; Love in a Cold Climate; Three Men in a Boat; Oryx and Crake.

Okay but hear me out: A nighttime bookstore in which the only lighting comes from lanterns, tea is served to all who enter, there is an emotional support owl in each section, and a buy one / get one free sale occurs during every full moon.

Squiggly: (Adjective) ‘Consisting of a line or lines that curve and twist in a way that is not regular’ This is when a tree favours one-sided lateral growth instead of apical dominance, which is sideways growth from one side alone

Skyscapes Hope through the turmoil...

Homophobe Notices Flag In Shop

look at this absolute unit

Thou shalt stop making the same mistakes over and over again and never changing anything because lo, it be fucking CRAZY.

Word of the day is ‘hibernacle’ (18th century): a hibernating animal’s winter retreat. I believe it works on a human level too.

Can someone explain to me how putting a rainbow in a classroom is “indoctrination,” but the Ten Commandments isn’t?