Time for the annual hard reset. Ah, the potential … 📚 #IAmReading #BookSky

I saw this sign in Nimbin - the “cannabis capital” of Australia - last year, at #MardiGrass. In and of itself, it has nothing to do with #weed, but my oh my, how it shows us the way we should strive to live in this fuc$ed up world of ours. Genuine #Aboriginal #wisdom. #WeedWednesday #FreeTheWeed

Wherever you are in the world, may 2026 bring you healing via the herb that should always have been legal! #WeedWednesday #FreeTheWeed

I nearly forgot, it’s the last #WeedWednesday of 2025! #FreeTheWeed #CannabisHeals

I’m knackered, but the good news is that the bushfire risk seems to have abated, thanks to a wind change. Having stayed up past midnight these last two nights, I’m not sure I can manage a third, so good night to one and all, Happy New Year when it comes, and I’ll see you all on the other side! ♥️💚♥️💚

#QuoteOfTheWeek and as fine a sentiment upon which to end 2025 as I can conjure: “By nine sacred prognostications of Wyrd! Long may the Goddess of Fate look kindly on us and guide us to the appropriate nine worlds of the Tree of Life.” Peter Tremayne ‘Grave of the Lawgiver’ p.235 #WyrdWednesday

Thank Nashville he didn’t mention Willie Nelson!

My last read of 2025 - David Stuart Davies’ 2007 pastiche of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Anthony Hope’s The Prisoner of Zenda, in which #Holmes must track down the missing Rudolph Rassendyll to help Colonel Sapt save #Ruritania (again) from Rupert of Hentzau. #BookSky

Why we need to keep the arts in education:

A map of Rohan, Gondor and Mordor with Tolkien's handwriting on the plot notes for The Lord of the Rings, Book V (1944). Tolkien made these notes to coordinate the plot with the map and the phases of the moon. - The Tolkien Estate Ltd; Bodleian Library #TolkienTrewsday #TolkienTuesday

I’m a 7th century Irish noble, forced against my better judgement to visit the Kingdom of the East Angles, then roped into solving not one but three murders (thus far, at least - there’s doubtless time for a fourth before I set sail for Muman, and home). #BookSky

#QuoteOfTheWeek and as fine a sentiment upon which to end 2025 as I can conjure: “By nine sacred prognostications of Wyrd! Long may the Goddess of Fate look kindly on us and guide us to the appropriate nine worlds of the Tree of Life.” Peter Tremayne ‘Grave of the Lawgiver’ p.235 #WyrdWednesday

My interview on Ireland AM today about being diagnosed as autistic aged 34, and compiling an anthology of essays by Irish #Autistic adults Wired Our Own Way @newislandbooks.bsky.social 😊 youtu.be/KCHeGOL7v4I?...

“The news where we are is the news. It comes first. The news where you are is the news where you are. It comes after. We do not have the news where you are. The news where you are may be news to you but it is not news to us…” James Robertson, “The news where you are” m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhL5...

Just about to turn in for the night, only to discover that I’m slap bang in the middle of a bushfire watch-and-act zone. I guess I’m not going to bed after all. Aircon off, windows closed. It’s currently about a ten minute walk south of us, with winds blowing to the north. Fire teams on the scene.

This may be the oddest thing I’ve seen on social media in a LONG time. 🤯

Dude could not keep two tiny hobbits out of mordor, I wouldn't trust him wth your home security, lads.

I’ve been a little slow coming to The War Between Land and Sea, but am I the only one disquieted by the thought of a US General leading UNIT? It just doesn’t seem … well, right. #DrWho

Six hundred years before the Great Pyramids of Giza were built, our ancestors hauled 200,000 tonnes of boulders into place to precisely mark the rising sun on the winter solstice – all so they could say, "There’s a grand stretch in the evenings." Incredible when you think about it.

Irish nature is in crisis. We know what needs to be done & we know we can succeed. We only need the political leadership to deliver an ambitious Nature Restoration Plan and the funding to make it happen. www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

This #AI summary has me crying with laughter. I meant to type #SpeirGorm (BlueSky in Irish, used to highlight Irish / Gaelic posts. I transposed two letter, typed #SpierGorm, and got this: “spiergorm refers to a pre-print research paper regarding ancient Irish goat genetics.” Literally AI’s GOAT! 😂

What’s everybody reading to close out 2025? You simply must tell us! I’m just about to start Peter Tremayne’s “Grave of the Lawgiver,” the latest in his Sister Fidelma series set in C7th Ireland. With a fair wind, I might squeeze one more in after that, ahead of the bells. #BookSky #SpeirGorm

Largest oil reserve in the world: Venezuela. Significant offshore oil reserves: Greenland. Second-largest oil reserve in Africa: Nigeria. Largest untapped reserve in the world of documents about a convicted sex trafficker, child rapist, and former BFF of Donald Trump: the US.

What I expect the economy to be like in 2026. For roughly the same reason.

Quote of the Week: “The fellow who goes the opposite way from everyone else isn’t necessarily wrong.” Ellis Peters, “Fallen Into the Pit” (1951)

Did - very heartwarming too x

“What in the world is become of that unlucky perverse callan Lord Byron? I have not heard from him these two months and more. I have really been afraid for some time past that he was dead or perhaps even married and was truly very concerned about the lad” - James Hogg re. Lord Byron.

“I would not breed from this officer.” British Army Officer Fitness Report.

A reminder that Christmas is a great time to become some sort of nutter that people avoid talking to, for fear of what you might start ranting about

This evening's thought to ponder from Maggies Farm.

I’m almost embarrassed to admit this, but in all my years spent reading and enjoying Ellis Peters’ work, I’ve never read any of her Inspector Felse books. Boxing Day seems like a good time to remedy that, so if anyone asks, for the next few hours at least, I’ve “Fallen Into the Pit”. #BookSky

Damn it, @caimhmc.bsky.social - I now realise (courtesy of p. 442) that I’m older than Vincent Bancroft, and I’m not at all sure I’m happy about that. I had the one with the rubber keys prior to the tape deck upgrade. This puts *you* on my naughty list. 🤨

Merry Christmas to my mother, who got my toddler a toy fire engine that not only makes lots of noise, it also sprays real water

Decisions, decisions … Whether to crack open the Gunpowder Proof first, or to try the Over Proof … ? How happy could I be with either, were t’other dear charmer away! This might prove to be a two pipe problem, by the end of which I’ll probably have forgotten what it was I was trying to decide! 😉

I’m signing off for the night, but a very merry Christmas to you when it comes. Peace and love to everyone! 🎅🏻 🪴

I know the Bellamy Brothers haven’t exactly aged well, but I do still think this Christmas jingle will weigh in their favour come the reckoning. Lyrics to the 🧵 below. m.youtube.com/watch?v=3zKG...

As 2025 draws to a close, it’s time to wake up Australia! We’re not criminals. We’re healers, growers, patients, creatives. We’re community. We’re not the problem. It’s the law that’s the crime! #WeedWednesday #FreeTheWeed

Are you getting ready for those New Year’s resolutions? #WeedWednesday

Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.

With the new Quintin Jardine behind me (and what a story that turned out to be!), I’m now ready to “Ring the Bells” with @caimhmc.bsky.social and the team at The Stranger Times. 🎅🏻 #BookSky