SWIFTTTS!

British Columbia’s provincial health officer says one of the four Canadians isolating in the province who had been on board a cruise ship where there was a hantavirus outbreak has received a “presumptive positive” test.

Logging on and seeing Eurovizion skeets

@channel4news.bsky.social -

Once more the people at the back. It’s King IN The North, not King OF the North. I read one think piece last year that assumed Andy Burnham is Rob Stark in this scenario and doomed to slaughter before any triumph. Oh media illiteracy!

Genuinely extraordinary to hear Westminster mps argue that A) the electorate wanted Keir Starmer (99.9% just wanted the tories gone) B) Wes Streeting would be a good leader (no words for this other than No No No) C) Ed Miliband (even less words)

Polly's work is terrific.

In my "Folklore of the Lake District", I write about my encounter with the 'Red Lady', the ghostly figure in a red cloak walking through a wooded area. I met the owner earlier and she informed that her late grandfather often talked of something "otherworldly" there and best avoided at night.

So chuffed to see this first review of Emergency Dream @serenbooks.bsky.social -

Looking forward to this new book from Polly Atkin and tuning into her (hybrid) event at the gorgeous @portybooks.bsky.social tomorrow, Tuesday May 12th, 7pm GMT. Info: www.theportobellobookshop.com/events/polly... Congrats! @pollyrowena.bsky.social #swimming #indielit #naturewriting 🌿

A reminder the launch for this is this coming Tuesday 12th May. It's hybrid so you can join us in-person in Edinburgh or online from anywhere in the world where you have internet access. Please do, and spread the word! #BookSky #NatureWriting #SwimLit #BookLaunch #HybridEvent

“Why can’t we all just get along…”

Happy Mother's Day! 🪶

Labour have waited until after the local elections to start calling out Reform's racist candidates — too busy attacking the Greens before?

maybe the funniest possible sentence to include here

A reminder that @pollyrowena.bsky.social will be at @portybooks.bsky.social on the 12 May at 7:00pm to launch Swimming the Seasons 🏊 🎟️ www.theportobellobookshop.com/events/polly... We hope to see you there! #BookSky @portyliterary.bsky.social 📚💙

A reminder the launch for this is this coming Tuesday 12th May. It's hybrid so you can join us in-person in Edinburgh or online from anywhere in the world where you have internet access. Please do, and spread the word! #BookSky #NatureWriting #SwimLit #BookLaunch #HybridEvent

*adds to my to-buy list* #BookSky 💙📚

Happy publication day @pollyrowena.bsky.social and Swimming the Seasons 🏊‍♂️ Follow poet and nature writer Polly Atkin as she swims through the turning year in the rivers, lakes and tarns of the English Lake District, in this lyrical ode to the uplifting power of water 🏊‍♂️ saraband.net/sb-title/swi...

Publication day! #SwimmingTheSeasons: A freshwater Almanac out now with @saraband-books.bsky.social. Signed copies on the shelf @samreadbookseller.bsky.social and launch in-person and online @portyliterary.bsky.social on Tuesday 12th, when I'll be talking with @elspethwrites.bsky.social #BookSky

“Not for rinsing or washing,” they said. (Seen at Union Station.)

Needed a good long recovery sleep after a long day of zoom meetings yesterday. Instead, woken too early by the sound once again of chainsaws in nesting season.

'What would a literary opposition to violence even sound like?' The 2026 @englishpen.bsky.social lecture has been given by the renowned English writer Max Porter. The PEN Lecture was delivered live at the Curtis Auditorium in Newcastle last night. Read in full here: buff.ly/nTPdRGk

We have an *extremely* important announcement to make. From Wednesday, we will be launching our puffin live cam, coming to you from the Farne Islands. So you can watch puffins all day long. In celebration, please enjoy this clip of puffins being really busy for 39 seconds straight.

Well, look what’s about to appear in the world! With work from the collectively and individually fab @katharinenorbury.bsky.social @anitasethi.bsky.social @pollyrowena.bsky.social Josie Giles @helenmort.bsky.social Kate Davis Beatrice Searle Anna Fleming Linda Cracknell and Gail Simmons

Tonight!!

Gutted to come out of house after meetings and find new owners of How foot have chopped up this beautiful tree. I don’t remember seeing this on their plans 😭

We, the employees at Hachette Book Group, are proud to announce that we are unionizing with Washington-Baltimore NewsGuild-CWA Local 32035, of the AFL-CIO, in order to ensure better benefits, protections, and rights for workers as well as increased equity, transparency, and agency in the workplace.

Wonderful young Gazan poet Haia Mohammed's poetry collection with unfunded small press @outspokenpress.bsky.social has been shortlisted for the Discovery Prize at the British Book Awards (The Nibbies) @thebookseller.com - hurray! but a ticket to the ceremony would cost her £390. Support her here:

Tomorrow evening! Join us @samreadbookseller.bsky.social to hear me interview @beewyld.bsky.social #BookSky #BookLaunch #NatureWriting

Oh hi. It’s toes out day already.

#Caturday morning Mikle.

Lebanon ceasefire strains as Israel and Hezbollah exchange attacks www.channel4.com/news/lebanon...

Hegseth's repeal of universal flu vaccines is nonsense on so many levels, but his claim vaccine mandates were an "era of betrayal" irked me as a historian. Here's my response, in @thebulwark.com this morning; www.thebulwark.com/p/george-was...

Grim but useful read. Global energy markets are on the verge of a disaster economist.com/finance-and-...

!Book launch Klaxon! Join me and @elspethwrites.bsky.social on Tuesday May 12th - in-person @portybooks.bsky.social or online - for the launch of #SwimmingTheSeasons: a freshwater almanac @saraband-books.bsky.social. #HybridEvents #AccessibleArts #BookLaunch #BookSky #Swimming #LakeSwimming

For regulars and newbies - due to a calendar confusion we missed out on our normal date on 13th - so this month's Chronic Illness writing group through Open Book is this evening, 20th April - on the April theme of 'wonder' - sign up here -

#BookSky! @eandtbooks.bsky.social @beewyld.bsky.social

A week today! Join us for the online launch of @beewyld.bsky.social's new book #TheApothecaryByTheSea - a year in an Orkney Garden - pictured here during a glorious #Grasmere #GoldenHour. Vik will be interviewed by our own co-captain @pollyrowena.bsky.social - April 28th, 7.30pm BST. 
Link in bio.

Interested in postgraduate study? Why not join me online at 6pm on Wed 29 April to find out more about our unique Ambleside-based MA in Literature, Romanticism & the Lake District (with full time & part time study options available): www.cumbria.ac.uk/events/open-...

For regulars and newbies - due to a calendar confusion we missed out on our normal date on 13th - so this month's Chronic Illness writing group through Open Book is this evening, 20th April - on the April theme of 'wonder' - sign up here -

Wow. This fine for 'not protecting' 'free speech' in UK universities is going to be the last nail in the coffin for universities isn't it? Because it's not about freedom. It's about protecting the ability for bigots to bigot in places of education, not the rights of students or staff. Slowest clap.

One of my rules of thumb for disability discourse is WHO speaks of and about disability. And if you pay attention to when families, relatives and caregivers speak on behalf of disabled people about disability, you will see traces of what I’m talking about. Not always, but all too often.

The Marsh Marigolds at the #weedypond are now in full Sun Worship mode. They started to come into flower in mid-Feb & they looked rather forlorn then. There's a busy metropolis undeath their leaves which is full of invertebrates - "Downtown" for the Wrens... @bsbibotany.bsky.social #PetulaClark 🌿

Calling all Elizabeth Bowen fans! This will be available to view online. #BookSky 💙📚

A YEAR IN AN ORKNEY GARDEN? Yes please! I just pre-ordered THE APOTHECARY BY THE SEA by Victoria Bennett. Looking forward to the (virtual) book launch @samreadbookseller.bsky.social on April 28. Vik will be in conversation with the wonderful @pollyrowena.bsky.social 🥰 #naturewriting #booksky

3 week countdown to the publication of my little book about swimming all year round in the Lake District, #SwimmingTheSeasons from @saraband-books.bsky.social. In the May issue of Cumbria Life - out now! - you can read an intro and extract, and see some of my favourite May lake photos. #BookSky

Helpful webinar alert! On April 28th from 6-7pm ET, @thesicktimes.org will share how to find data on COVID-19 and other pathogens in your area, and interpret those data to inform safety measures for you and your community. Register and more details here: luma.com/5mthaudg?mc_...