Tonight’s wee tea (though it cannot compete with @gargarin.bsky.social’s) - Thai prawn curry with rice noodles. Thanks to Susan & Brenda at Mrs H’s allotment for the homegrown Thai (East Sheen) basil 🌿

An Evening Wander. 8°C and a cold wind. The hoot of an owl.

I'm listening to this, which I remember buying back when, with a feeling it was a late, late record and he was in his 80s - he was 66!

Would like to live in a world without Popes and Kings

I was lucky enough to interview Dave Ball at a book festival not so long ago. He was very nervous but when you got him onto music, amazing. I told him I had listened to Soft Cell every day on the way to school, radio pressed to my ear. He said, “Did it help?” More than you knew, Dave. RIP

Mrs H’s OG #NowPlaying #DaveBallRIP

Tonight’s tea = ‘Harmonious cannellini bean one-pot’ I’m not responsible for the title and can’t link to the recipe but it’s from Olive Magazine via PressReader, possibly free from your local library (true!) Anyway, was lush #homecooking #veggiecooking

We are so sad to hear that Dave Ball, the keyboard genius of Soft Cell, has died. He was an electronic pop pioneer and with Marc Almond made a unique catalogue of songs, completely original in sound and content. Our love and condolences go to Marc and all those close to Dave. Neil and Chris xx

A Watery Sun. 9°C and rather breezy. Rabbits.

Nighty night Bluesky x

Happy 82nd birthday to the wonderful Catherine Deneuve: here on the set of 'Les Parapluies de Cherbourg' (1963) 📸 Agnès Varda (thanks to @dean.bsky.social & @londonlee.bsky.social for prompts)

Eric Maschwitz, born in Edgbaston, Birmingham 1901: father Lithuanian Jewish, mother Australian, died 27th October 1969. Wrote one of the very greatest song lyrics ever and, hardly to be sniffed at, also ‘A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square’ I mean 💙 youtu.be/mshV7ug8cdE?...

It's really difficult to take notice of weather warnings when the meteorologists give them names like Storm Benjamin. Storms need to sound scary. Storm Drangarok will have people rushing to tie down their trampolines but Storm Benji is someone you invite in for a cup of tea.

Carthage housed a cosmopolitan mixture of Phoenician mask with styles that echo masks found across North and sub-Saharan Africa today, an eclectic mix found not just in the city but in sites across their Mediterranean empire. Their purpose? Unknown today. #WyrdWednesday

“The darkness grew,” said Malebron. “It is always there. We did not watch, and the power of night closed on Elidor. We had so much of ease that we did not mark the signs - a crop blighted, a spring failed, a man killed. Then it was too late - war, and siege, and betrayal, and the dying of the light”

Pretty sure I take a pic of this local #Ginkgo every year but hey #autumnvibes🍁

'River by Moonlight' (1886) George Henry differed from the other members of the Glasgow Boys, who, at the time of this work, were painting naturalistic scenes inspired by Bastien-Lepage. Henry preferred compositions with designs focused on achieving an overall decorative effect.

Re-reading the #AlanPlater (posts passim) memoir 'Doggin' Around' in which he mentions his film of same name feat. Elliott Gould as a washed-up jazz piano player on a reluctant six night tour of Northern England: I found it on YouTube (in 19 parts) & it's beautiful #JazzSky youtu.be/Dy8JXgJM9vM?...

Reflections by a Quiet Shore at Sunset #BlueSkyMonday #AlphabetChallenge #WeekQforQuiet #ColorADay #PinkMon #EastCoastKin

I am gently toasting my pine nuts

I love showing you these snippets of life in Kyiv. May they remind you that life goes on here. Pumpkin season.

A Glimpse Of Sunshine. 11°C and views to the Humber. Sparrows.

Concrete and stone jetty, St Ives. #classicmono #cornwall #leicaq2m

A very autumnal picture taken out of the car window today during The Great Wandsworth Gridlock apparently caused by 2-3 temporary traffic lights🚦 in the general area #Autumn

Early October out-takes: #BarnesCommon last week #BenchesOfBluesky

Vacherin Glacé is my new drag queen name #GBBO

Love these colours #risotto #homecooking

Autumn Colours and Grey Skies. 13°C. Apples.

Mrs H came over all autumnal in her veg shopping for Sunday lunch so with loads left over I’m bubble & squeaking with this on the 🎧 I hope you all continue well x

‘The trees darkened to rust and brown, or paled to topaz yellow, though some lingered, a dull green. Hips and haws reddened in the hedgerows, and on the common and along the lanes the blackberries ripened slowly to the colour of wine, and sloes to slate and indigo blue’ 💙📚 #SusanHill #AutumnReading

This was a fab listen #TheFall

Diane Keaton 📸 Norman Seeff (1975)

So sad to hear about Diane Keaton youtu.be/p32OEIazBew?...

Having mentioned ‘Misterioso’ the 1991 TV play (replies passim) recently, I was inspired to seek out the novel it was based on, and World Of Books came up with the goods. V much looking forward to reading this #AlanPlater #JazzInFiction 💙📚

Dittisham, Devon - always 'Ditsum' to locals

Still making salads with allotment lettuce and slowly ripening tomatoes (feta and toasted pine nuts shop bought) 🙏🏻

A not too shabby #RichmondPark today

New Puffin Post acquisition. What can I say, I am powerless before the incredible art of Jill McDonald. I have a personal Puffin pusher and everything now, one who knows my proclivities, my weaknesses, my unappeasable appetite for 20th century illustration

Once again, at Harvest Festival, it was myself, Mr. Posner, the Organist, and a tin of Spaghetti.

This again: was superb #veggiecooking www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/cris...

Crown shyness at the end of our road #trees

Got Lossless lads #Spotify

October Morning Tracks. 16°C and clear skies. Wood Pigeon.

After the storm #potatoroastingmusic #jazzvinyl #sundayjazz

Gorgeous early Jill McDonald illustrated primary education book with an equally lovely interior

A cartoon from my new book, 'Physics for Cats'. Out next week: www.tomgauld.com

I've posted about this before....so beautiful #NowPlaying with a cup of tea, likkle bit o'rom maybe soon #CharlieParker youtu.be/1CBUuHoNolc?...

The Hand of Miles Davis, New York 1986 📷 Irving Penn

Time of year where the #tomatoes Mrs H is bringing back from the allotment include some green ones; also the time (limited) where if you pop ‘em in a bowl with their red cousins, they ripen overnight, or while your back is turned 🍅

The naturalist Jane Goodall died today at 91. Hope, she argued, is not merely “passive wishful thinking” but a “crucial survival trait.” Revisit a conversation with Goodall, from 2021: nyer.cm/F55JtsS