A bit of floral colour to start the week at @thebaytrust.bsky.social - crocuses/croci in #ThePinesGarden. Elsewhere everything from a grant funding panel to proposals for tea ceremonies are in this week’s diary…

Given I work for a charity that has had a very modest capacity to generate some green energy for the past couple of decades, it’s probably no surprise that I find the #LocalPowerPlan to contain encouraging ambitions (including of socioeconomic nature too.) Worth a read. www.gov.uk/government/p...

In the new #gardenofcuriosities exhibition (curated by @danthompson33.bsky.social) at @thebaytrust.bsky.social #PinesGarden there’s a little bit on necessary movement of populations from places destabilised by a changing climate. This article makes for timely reading alongside it IMHO.

With all the excitement (and lovely feedback) surrounding the Cafe & Visitor Centre at #ThePinesGarden @thebaytrust.bsky.social - including the #GardenOfCuriosities exhibition - we can report work is still going on in the gardens themselves. Here’s something from behind the scenes.

My first 2026 music challenge, the @tansleyjames.bsky.social facilitated #OrchestralManoeuvres, starts tomorrow. Songs with string arrangements, in random order. No instrumentals, so the wonderful ‘Façades’ #PhilipGlass (from ‘Glassworks’) misses out. 🧵 begins here… en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasswo...

If you live within a few miles of Europe’s first “cradle to cradle” designed events centre - #PinesCalyx at @thebaytrust.bsky.social - you could win free hire of it for a community event. Info below :-) #volunteering #RammedChalk #Guston #Langdon #StMargaretsBay

My @thebaytrust.bsky.social colleagues, working with @danthompson33.bsky.social, have done a phenomenal job in setting up The Pines Café & Visitor Centre. The story of #ThePinesGarden, the charity’s work and some very fine cakes (savoury delights available too) in one place :-)

#10UpbeatPosters day 10 is @tansleyjames.bsky.social. There are numerous good music challenges to provide happy diversion on #BlueSky and James runs many that I’m not only tempted to participate in but sometimes actually do!

#10UpbeatPosters day 9 is @samreadbookseller.bsky.social. I only get to go here if on holiday nearby and their posts are often a reminder of good times. The music book edit is very good - I’ve bought works by @simonreynolds.bsky.social @juderogers.bsky.social & @willsergeant.com here.

#10UpbeathPosters day 8 is @eurostarjustin.bsky.social. There’s some good rail content on #BlueSky - @everylaststation.bsky.social & @jenonthemove.com are further examples - and Justin’s often brings the “distinctly continental” home, like a good book might.

#10UpbeatPosters day 7 is @grindrod.bsky.social. Whilst his explorations of the human dimensions in latter-half 20th century architecture & planning is an entry point, you also get subjects like Wang Junxia or the magnificence of #FrazierChorus. Fantastic!

#10UpbeatPosters day 6 is @brunelsbridge.bsky.social. Welcoming engagement with a truly iconic structure. A place of beauty, tragedy, art, science, romance et al. #Bristol #Clifton #SuspensionBridge #Brunel

#10UpbeatPosters day 5 is @radiolento.bsky.social. Sounds of places to escape to and, often, welcoming pictorial interaction too (such as the recent #LentoAdvent.)

#10UpbeatPosters day 4 is @sulkrooms.bsky.social. I came across him via my @voltagepoetry.bsky.social account - and not only has he recently released an album called #Rewilding (inspired by the subject!) but blogs about his allotment too. The music is beautiful IMHO.

Day 3 of #10UpbeatPosters is @hedleythorne.bsky.social. Often sharing magical drone shots of sites in southern parts of these isles. I’m quite taken by #hillfigures (hence looking forward to the new book by @jonwoolcott.bsky.social!) and Hedley posts images of various of those occasionally too :-)

Day 2 of #10UpbeatPosters is @glastomichelle.bsky.social. I used to work across the Somerset Levels (& Moors) and, like Burrow Mump or Brent Knoll, #Glastonbury Tor gives an elevated perspective on that landscape. Michelle posts tremendous Tor images constantly :-)

As a “New Year thing” I am, over the coming ten days, going to share / promote 10 #BlueSky accounts that I think make this platform a good place to spend time. #10UpbeatPosters is the hashtag. @danthompson33.bsky.social is the first; #beavers #books #rewilding #seasidetowns & much more besides…

Something to look out for at @thebaytrust.bsky.social in early 2026 :-) In case you are wondering, the #wildflowers in the photo are among a planter that is actually part of a building designed by #ChristopherWren - it’s been at #ThePinesGarden since the 1970s!

Nice article on the #RoofOfEnglandWalk here. Something to try in future. Also good to see the #UNESCO #Geopark mentioned; in my day job at @thebaytrust.bsky.social we have one of the Geosites in the “applicant” Trans-Manche/Cross-Channel Geopark. @northpennines.bsky.social

Did you know? The Pines Garden is owned and cared for by The Bay Trust, a local environmental education charity, and that so much of what we do is possible thanks to our wonderful volunteers! 💚 If you’d like to get your hands in the soil and join our friendly team, we’d love to hear from you! 🌱

Attended the London part of #Communicate2025, for @thebaytrust.bsky.social, today. Fascinating insight on research and/or in stories shared by @climateoutreach.bsky.social @greensolitaire.bsky.social @green-alliance.org.uk & @89up.org among the highlights. Time spent well.

At this @outdoor-learning.bsky.social conference for @thebaytrust.bsky.social today. Excellent session from @drpatmaher.bsky.social on outdoor learning research, including a nice nod to the work of @ltlnews.bsky.social.

Hugely helpful to chat with Rhys Furlong, from @uninorthampton.bsky.social, earlier today on his #allotments #research. It triggered a few ideas for possible future work by @thebaytrust.bsky.social that may just make it to our 2026-29 plans :-)

Really sad news that @mrmarchant.bsky.social has passed away. ‘Parallel Lines’ remains one of the most entertaining books I’ve ever read. I wrote to Ian, out of the blue, to say how good it was and had a tremendous reply about three days later. Rest in peace. #railwaybooksnotliterature IYKYK ;-)

Some promo! @danthompson33.bsky.social was in with us at @thebaytrust.bsky.social yesterday, working on our #PinesGardensIn30Objects project. He’ll be in #Margate on Thursday, hosting a conversation with @holsmith.bsky.social on her ‘Up In The Air’ book. You’d never guess I studied town planning…

November’s musical diversion is the @tansleyjames.bsky.social enabled #90sTop30. My choices will be in the thread 🧵 below. One song per artiste and, this time, in alphabetical order by composition. As with #80sTop30, feel free to comment…

Good praise for my gardening and #volunteer colleagues at @thebaytrust.bsky.social here. The dead hedge in our #GenerationRestoration area is coming along nicely, whilst the #PinesCalyx roof mowing reminds me I have a case study to send to @asbpuk.bsky.social soon! @unep.org

Possibly my first suggestion for a @richards7370.bsky.social poll (though I’ve voted on some past ones)… for #5DebutAlbums1014 here is ‘Total Strife Forever’ by East India Youth. Under his real name, William Doyle, he went on to make a record with #JonathanMeades.

Good praise for my gardening and #volunteer colleagues at @thebaytrust.bsky.social here. The dead hedge in our #GenerationRestoration area is coming along nicely, whilst the #PinesCalyx roof mowing reminds me I have a case study to send to @asbpuk.bsky.social soon! @unep.org

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday was perfect weather for mowing and tidying up the green roof of our eco venue, The Pines Calyx. Thankfully that's done and dusted, so we can make the most of today's wind and rain to get to work on some indoor jobs! 🌱

Fascinating project from @guyshrubsole.bsky.social. Certainly of day-job interest to me at @thebaytrust.bsky.social with our modest ecosystem restoration work, participation in the Transmanche (chalk) #Geopark bid & “cradle to cradle” designed #PinesCalyx built of rammed chalk.

Quite an ornate one for #FingerpostFriday this week. Outside @brunelmuseum.bsky.social in Rotherhithe, London.

Good PM at @asbpuk.bsky.social Reuse Summit. One highlight was the phrase “possibilism is your friend” from Will Arnold of @istructe.bsky.social as it brought to my mind ideas for celebrating @thebaytrust.bsky.social #PinesCalyx (itself made of reused materials) 21st anniversary in 2027!

Really nice exchange with @jonwoolcott.bsky.social last eve. I only knew of his upcoming #HillFigures book thanks to a @grindrod.bsky.social repost… his Monstrosities Mon Amour series features @danthompson33.bsky.social who was working with me at @thebaytrust.bsky.social today. Happy linkages :-)

Whilst I was in London yesterday, at a public spaces expo no less, it didn’t include a visit to the Cleary Garden - these shots were taken by a @thebaytrust.bsky.social #volunteer recently, and are great to see! #FloweringFred #CityOfLondon #ClearyGarden #ThePinesGarden.

Attended #Futurescape2025 for @thebaytrust.bsky.social at ExCel (London) today. A genuine highlight was the seminar from Marcellus Baz & @landscapepolymath.bsky.social on widening the pool of people who might work in landscape roles (and so much more besides.)

#FingerpostFriday. Quite a new looking sign at the junction of two lanes - seen a couple of weeks ago, just north of Grasmere. Features a Wainwright insignia too.

Into October at @thebaytrust.bsky.social now. This month includes some schools’ workshops, a wedding, announcement of the opening of some new accommodation and launch of a modest community initiative… I’ll be out and about, on the Trust’s behalf, in a few places too. #GenerationRestoration

A further musical diversion. Throughout October I will be taking part in the @tansleyjames.bsky.social enabled #80sTop30. My choices will appear in the thread below and listed in alphabetical order by artiste. Feel free to comment…

It’s been great to rediscover #fingerpostfriday here on #BlueSky. I used to post to it, on another platform, and will start again next Friday here. In the meantime here’s a post from today, by @lougulltull.bsky.social, featuring some bridges I’ve a few happy memories of.

Away (2): Great to see colleagues work at @thebaytrust.bsky.social depicted here - some of this is around the holiday cottage (yes, you can stay at #ThePinesGarden.) The grape 🍇 harvest looks lovely. We’re recruiting for a new cook too - see the Trust’s socials for more info :-)

Away (1): En route to @samreadbookseller.bsky.social this week(I did buy a book there!) I came across this, on a table at #TheYan. Had the joy of working with Geoff some years ago, albeit not on an #Herdwick agenda. A nice reminder. RIP.

There was a yoga class on the #Calyx terrace this AM, a wedding here last Saturday, chats on our next #biodiversity surveys & #permaculture training, customers aplenty in the tea room (including some from France today) etc. across this week. @thebaytrust.bsky.social #PinesGarden open as per below…

A few happy things from @thebaytrust.bsky.social as September starts.

Something uplifting from us at @thebaytrust.bsky.social #ThePinesGarden this week - our first kiwi fruit :-) 🥝

In case anyone “unbooked” was coming along, this event has been CANCELLED due to illness. Any news on rescheduling will be announced through the @thebaytrust.bsky.social feed here on BlueSky. #ThePinesGarden.

Looking forward to hosting this at #ThePinesGarden @thebaytrust.bsky.social tomorrow - particularly the section on the sounds of soil - it may be the first time it has run outside of #Devon (though I will check!) Anyway, meet-up is at 10.50am outside The Pines Tea Room…

Looking forward to welcoming everyone who is attending ‘The Wishing Tree’ with @bernadetterussell.bsky.social at #ThePinesGarden @thebaytrust.bsky.social today.

A new musical diversion; the @tansleyjames.bsky.social curated #00sTop30 starts tomorrow (1st August) and my suggestions will appear in the thread below. The ordering will be relatively random and I’ll be posting on a “one track per artiste” basis…

This event we’re hosting at @thebaytrust.bsky.social includes a section on the sound of soil - like a live “underground” version of a @radiolento.bsky.social podcast or field recording albums I enjoy (e.g. @david-soulscorch.bsky.social or @modernaviation.bsky.social ‘Look to Imber’ come to mind.)