@rolandbates.bsky.social see this? www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

At an extraordinary gig last night - a celebration of Martin Carthy’s life and songs. A jaw dropping line up and wonderful playing/singing. And in the midst of it all that great but humble man seemed so interested and curious about all the performances; as well as taking part. A special evening.

Reminder that 100,000 people marched for Trans Pride in London earlier this year, but because they weren't violent fascists, there was minimal press coverage, unlike the Nazis today. https://www.them.us/story/london-trans-pride-march-turnout-record-uk-transphobia

good that Keir has broken his silence this morning to ... continue posting on a website run by a man who yesterday addressed a far right rally to call for his overthrow, while not in any way addressing said far right rally

The fascists who marched through London yesterday attacked the police. They attacked the police, in large numbers, with direct violent intent. This morning the only newspaper front page that mentions this, in passing, is the Sunday Express.

STOP APPEASING FASCISTS. Just sums up everything wrong with this government's approach at the moment, encouraging division rather than finding ways to bring the vast majority together.

Be good if the prime minster were to make a statement to this effect

Absolutely horrified and disgusted to see so many people openly attending a fascist rally in our capital. All reported breathlessly on news channels and in some sections of the media. Everyone attending is complicit in this country's rapid decline into extremism.

Amazing how such small numbers have been identified as the voice of the nation when, for comparison, 100,000 turned out for trans pride last month in London.

Hey @angelarayner - hands off our allotments! No more sell-offs of these precious green spaces. Take 1 minute to sign our petition today. 👇#HandsOffOurAllotments

UK companies are destroying forests and trashing the climate through their global supply chains - and UK law lets them get away with it. We need a new #BizHumanRights law before #COP30 to make them accountable👇 Sign @friends-earth.bsky.social’s petition if you agree: foe.uk/lruxt

A Friday evening that includes a crumhorn is a good one in my book.

Have they contemplated trying to win over Labour voters?

Oh, to hell with it. Who wants my Unbound incompetence story! Yay!

“238 authors and agents were collectively owed £657,000 by the failed business and are also unlikely to receive a dividend, along with the nearly 8,000 website customers owed £391,000.” More detail on Unbound’s debts. This is shocking and shameful. www.printweek.com/content/news...

I’ve supported various books through the publishers ‘unbound’ in the past. This thread explains very clearly why I won’t be doing the same with the replacement company ‘boundless’.

Siena exhibition at the national gallery really extraordinary. Wonderful, moving, impressive 14th century art.

The Greens now have nearly 200 more councillors than Reform. This is not something you'd be likely to guess from all the copiously salivating media coverage of Farage & his crew of billionaire-backed far-right chancers.

Motion passed by doctors at the British Medical Association refers to the recent Supreme Court ruling as ‘scientifically illiterate’: ‘sex and gender are complex and multifaceted aspects of the human condition and attempting to impose a rigid binary has no basis in science or medicine’.

If you want to know how serious our decline in the UK, when North Carolina did what the Labour Government and EHRC have done, the then UK Government told LGBT+ people to beware travelling there. (Credit to @kazhawa.bsky.social.) www.voanews.com/amp/uk-issue...

Send a letter on 6th May to celebrate the penny black stamp!

Do take this opportunity to sample the delightful and meaningful world that Anne creates….

‘The things Chris Jefferies loved – books, music, theatre, opera, architecture, poetry – were, in the hands of the press, weapons to be used against him. They were evidence.’ @padrig.bsky.social on the ordeal of a former teacher wrongly accused of murder: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Arrived home this evening to find one of the cats had scattered rose petals all over my bed. Don’t quite know what to think.

#SaveThePCC Some of you may have read about the situation regarding our new landlord wishing to add a new redevelopment break clause, with only 6 months notice to our lease. For now, we're simply asking you all to share & sign the petition below; you.38degrees.org.uk/p/princechar...

Describe your ideal life:

@letterappsoc.bsky.social article possibly of interest to our fellow letter writers… www.theguardian.com/news/2025/ja...

Sincerely delighted to discover, 45 minutes into this nearly-wordless three-hour documentary about French monks who take vows of silence, that among the reasons they *can* talk is "to make sure the monastery cats know when it's mealtime by making little kitty-calling noises at them."

I am a climate scientist and this is correct ⬇️

In general, all of humanity would be better off just sort of adapting this basic mechanism to their lives. (Conveniently, this is an LA Times article.) www.latimes.com/nation/la-oe...

Caught my cats - one inside, one outside - in mysterious communication earlier.

This is the second article I’ve seen this week from the BBC blaming the “government “, rather than the “recently evicted Tory government” It’s deceitful and politically motivated

In Rouen and staying in a lovely apartment just off a tiny medieval alley (ridiculously picturesque) behind the cathedral, with the clear beautiful sound of the bells on the hour. 😍

Beautiful light over Blackheath pond yesterday morning

This thought, this theme, is as perennial as the frost, as the rain, as the sun. If this writing—folded into tales of friendship, food, and fierce, deep magic—appeals to you, do consider giving yourself the Advent gifts of hope, peace, joy and love by joining @annelouiseavery.bsky.social on Patreon.

Fascinating concert last night with the Elgar Sinfonia conducted by Adrian Brown championing more obscure pieces - Elgar’s music for the play King Arthur; all 5 of the pomp and circumstance marches; 1st public performance (!) of the Imogen Holst violin concerto; plus Finzi Ecolgue.

A very happy birthday to @annelouiseavery.bsky.social (and old wolf!) with hopes you have a beautiful day.

Important context here: ● over half of farms are less than 49 acres (20 hectares) ● "a big farm" is 217 acres. Now let's see who's angry: ● Clarkson farm is 1,000 acres ● Lloyd Webber farms 4,000 acres ● Viscount Rothermere (Mail owner) 4,700 acres ● Dyson owns 36,000 acres