Voices of the Commonwealth 12 June, Glasgow: free 4 leading poets from across the Commonwealth – Imtiaz Dharker, Peter MacKay, Nick Makoha & Fawzia Muradali Kane – celebrate its diverse voices & perspectives, & read powerful work challenging uncomfortable truths www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/uncomforta...

Took a rowing boat on Coniston Water this afternoon. You might like these photos @ruskinsociety.bsky.social

Another early morning walk to beat the heatwave. Only there isn't a heatwave today. Well worth it, mainly for the ringing song of many skylarks echoing over the moor..

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A reminder that the strict rules about timings etc are important. How that works across different time-zones I can't imagine. BBC News - Some A-level papers voided for students after exams leaked online www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Record temperatures for May! Do please sign and share

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Needed 3 diagnostic lines.

Morning walk to beat the heatwave. Now home. 1. Baby owl. I hope it's ok. Apparently was there a while and a vet has been rung. 2. My uphill track was entirely in shade. (Luck not judgement)

Don't forget to sign and share, please.

Don't forget to sign and share, please.

Heatwave! Don't forget to sign.

Wordle 1,801 4/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜🟩⬜ ⬜⬜🟩🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 I was so sure line 3 was right. 🤷

Of course the Castle, St Giles and Holyrood are on your list to visit. They're in the book. But what about the Hutton Memorial Garden, the Stones of Scotland, the Pubic Triangle, St Cecilia's Hall, Saughton Gardens, Leamington Lift Bridge, the Oxford.... www.amazon.co.uk/Getting-Know...

Very soon the new S6 Historians in Scotland will be starting Advanced Higher courses. Some of my Kindle pieces might help them choose which course, or get them started. Have a look. @htenuk.bsky.social @nexuseduk.bsky.social @newtscotland.bsky.social georgehharris.blogspot.com/2025/05/hist...

#wildflowerhour Seen this week in Saughton Park.

Wordle 1,800 5/6 ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜🟩⬜🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Took for ever!

Fancy organising action for nature in your community? Come along to our Nature Pioneers Gathering! Whether you are an established community leader or a passionate individual looking for a place to start, all are welcome. 💚 Find out more at bit.ly/49MsIOx

Medieval carving of a minstrel playing the bagpipes at Beverley Minster in East Yorkshire. The carving is one of over 70 depicting minstrels and musical instruments. 📸 My own. #StoneworkSunday #BeverleyMinster

A few photos to go with this post. The Oxford, famed in story. Saughton Gardens, not least the restored bandstand. Hutton Memorial Garden, small but special Large and breathtaking collection of old instruments in St Cecilia's Hall.

A few photos to go with this post. The Oxford, famed in story. Saughton Gardens, not least the restored bandstand. Hutton Memorial Garden, small but special Large and breathtaking collection of old instruments in St Cecilia's Hall.

Shield bug on window.

Classic pose of Jeremy Fisher in our garden.

What a story from April 1991 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Very soon the new S6 Historians in Scotland will be starting Advanced Higher courses. Some of my Kindle pieces might help them choose which course, or get them started. Have a look. @htenuk.bsky.social @nexuseduk.bsky.social @newtscotland.bsky.social georgehharris.blogspot.com/2025/05/hist...

Of course the Castle, St Giles and Holyrood are on your list to visit. They're in the book. But what about the Hutton Memorial Garden, the Stones of Scotland, the Pubic Triangle, St Cecilia's Hall, Saughton Gardens, Leamington Lift Bridge, the Oxford.... www.amazon.co.uk/Getting-Know...

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #EFGH any bird name with any of these letters at the beginning of their names. Here we have a young Goldfinch - not yet possessing sufficient charm? #birds @alan678.bsky.social

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Waked by my blackbird, which whistles as well as ever I heard any; only it is the beginning of many tunes very well, but there leaves them, and goes no further.

Today, May 22nd, is Sherlock Holmes Day. Don't miss my play. In it Wiggins and his gang defeat a dastardly plot by Moriarty to blow up a music hall with Holmes in the audience. There are songs to hum along to and the fun is mixed with a theme of poverty www.amazon.co.uk/Baker-Street...

Peacock Spider (genus Maratus), a group of tiny Australian jumping spiders famous for their vibrant colours and elaborate courtship dances to attract its mate. They are very tiny in size only between 2-5 millimetres ( the size of a pea)

The Danish gov’t has installed floating platforms planted with wildflowers and native vegetation in the harbors and canals of Copenhagen, to create urban habitat sanctuaries for birds, bees, pollinators, insects, and even some aquatic life. #FlowersOfBluesky #InnovativeSolutions💡

@rodmannix.bsky.social Many thanks for the repost. In the big climax scene, in the music hall, the audience were invited to join in the choruses of the songs - they had the words printed in the programme.

Today, May 22nd, is Sherlock Holmes Day. Don't miss my play. In it Wiggins and his gang defeat a dastardly plot by Moriarty to blow up a music hall with Holmes in the audience. There are songs to hum along to and the fun is mixed with a theme of poverty www.amazon.co.uk/Baker-Street...

Join me in August for a tour of Edward I's magnificent castles in Wales. www.traveleditions.co.uk/tour/great-c...

Classic frog place - under the water lily leaves.

🪶Common Loon #BirdOfTheDay #HeadShots #VermontBirds

One of the bits of advice was Dont Use Pesticides. Here's our pesticide-free garden a week ago. The pond and other wild stuff is out of sight to the left.

May 22nd 2016. This was the last in my year's sequence in the old house. It ends with advice for would-be wild gardeners. (The point about bird feeders is now out of date.) #Biodiversity #Nature #Gardening mywildgardenyear.blogspot.com/2016/05/my-w...

If you are in the UK, please sign this Parliamentary petition to bring the climate and nature crisis to every citizen through a televised emergency briefing. 🧪🌏https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/767687

Signed.

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Kid Albrecht Dürer in 1484, age 13. Child prodigy. Seriously, I could not have done this at that age! And today is his birthday.

Sweet Jesus - am I the only one who understands how catastrophic climate breakdown is??!

NEW: Net migration has fallen to 171,000 in 2025- lowest level since 2021 and covid pandemic. Down from 944,000 peak in 2022-23. Use of asylum hotels down by a third since peak.

Extraordinary from St Giles: "My house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves." My book has lots of nice things to say about the High Kirk - rewritten for the 2nd Edition. Maybe I should write a third edition! georgehharris.blogspot.com/2026/02/gett...

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A sad story but important to take note of. BBC News - Sick walkers rescued after drinking river water on West Highland Way www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

For years, scientists and environmental organizations have warned that certain pesticides can cause severe harm to pollinators. Through stricter regulations, France has positioned itself as one of the leading nations advocating for enhanced environmental protection and more sustainable agriculture.