If you enjoyed the Accidental Tour-ist, then perhaps you might put your ballot paper in the digital box? I'd be enormously grateful. I mean, there's bigger things in the word than this. But the really teeny tiny things also matter (to me). peoplesbookprize.com/2025-categor...

Watch out for Ea Nasir this Halloween!

Really enjoying the talks this afternoon at the @pictishartssociety.bsky.social conference! Re the invisible charcoal industry, I'm wondering if some, at least, of their cooking was done using charcoal - this would just increase the need for a managed charcoal industry . . .

So a train ticket from 1996 I’ve found in my second hand copy of Women’s Work: the first 20,000 years. I’d like to think it belonged to the person who’d bought the book when it was newly published and hope they enjoyed it and found it interesting.

I have achieved the impossible and picked my one courgette 🤣🤣 from the allotment. Maybe I’ll have more later . . .

As I have a long day, it's a bacon roll for breakfast; porchetta cure bacon from Turnbull's of Alnwick - absolutely delicious. Thoroughly recommend it if you're anywhere near Alnwick this summer!

Added another 10grms or so to this bobbin, grey masham dyed by @freyalyn.bsky.social for day 8 of #tourdefleece #TDF2025 Been in the stash for several years, so time to get it spun!

The last of my Scottish merino was plyed yesterday. #tourdefleece day 6. Second image shows all the skeins of this fibre - 253 grms in total. I’m hoping this is enough to make a top for me. Pre-wash it’s about fingering weight, will check when I find my yarn balance, but c800m.

Today’s Tour de Fleece work, Scottish merino as a two ply. #TDF2026 #tourdefleece

Tour de France is up and away! #TDF2025 #TourDeFleece

I love it when little gems like this appear!!!

Birdsfoot trefoil (I think) in the short turf at The Ring of Brodgar in Orkney earlier this week. #WildFlowerHour

Slightly damp visit to the wonderful Ring of Brodgar, on a day carefully chosen to avoid the crowds!

I do like watching harbours, there’s always something happening even if I don’t know what’s going on. And just for now, the weather is pleasant.

it's amazing what 3 hours at the allotment can do, planted courgettes, squashes and pumpkins, all a bit small, but as I can't get there for the next couple of weeks, better there than in pots, plus runner beans, beetroot, swiss chard, kohl rabi, pak choi, radicchio, radish, psb, now resting with tea

No idea why there’s a cannon here, next to the river in Morpeth. Not sure who it’s protecting what from, though it is near the castle.

Love this

@nedboulting.bsky.social - one for you?

At last, the weather has broken and it is raining here, with thunder and lightning! Maybe I won’t need to water the allotment today after all 😀🌱

tiny, wild buckwheat: thymeleaf buckwheat (Eriogonum thymoides)

My first swallow here in north east England!!

The bulbs in pots by my back door are looking glorious today and the scent is wonderful. #spring 🌱

This year’s knitted Easter eggs, two sizes this time! #knitting

My afternoon study buddy

The scent from these is glorious today in the sunshine in my backyard. Only wish I could share it 😀

Today I’ve largely been potting up dahlias and a few cannas to start into growth on a cool windowsill.

So lovely box of books delivered yesterday via bookshop.org.uk. One more still to go but plenty to read in the meantime 🤣🤣

Denmark have installed these traffic lights to celebrate their Viking connections, and we've never wanted to be Danish more.

I've just seen a fish on the fish doorbell - this has made my morning!! visdeurbel.nl/en/

So very nearly in flower . . .

I’m loving the way these three yarns give a gentle mottled look and a bit of halo from the kid mohair - I’m going to enjoy wearing this 😀

🌱

I can thoroughly recommend this event, the past ones have been super fun and always something new to learn, I have no idea how James manages to keep going for the whole day but it's a great way to spend all or part of your Saturday!

Trying to study this afternoon but am being ‘helped’ by a large tuxedo cat who clearly wants my attention. It’s not helping me understand Viking war bands any better 🤣🤣

A few new bags finished up today featuring fern fronds, bamboo stripes and pine trees. www.redrubyrose.com

Oh oh, definitely a red sky this morning over the gardens here. Waiting for the stormy weather to arrive.

iocus bellorum stellariorum /Minimi (A Star Wars/Minimus joke). Luccus: haec est Ala X mea (Luke: this is my X-wing). Rufus: sed alas IV habet (but it has four wings). #ilcd25 #ilcd2025

Becoming a student again after several decades is quite daunting; luckily I have a furry friend who seems very keen to help, though I’m uncertain he knows very much about Viking studies 🤣🤣.

@woolsackuk.bsky.social - your book just got a very positive mention in the Soc Antiquaries lecture!!

"fuzzy walking watermelon" is a great description !! Listen to the tiny little squeaks it makes.

My kitchen assistant, sigh

So the world has gone mad, but I’ve got bread rising in the warm, I’ve made blueberry muffins and I sat in the sun to have coffee (yes it was bloody cold!) for the first time this year! Now to sort out the last of the roast chicken ready for tea tonight.

Tonight’s weaving while catching up with the cycling! #weaving

Viking-style sailboat helps revive boat-building skills

If you are feeling overwhelmed, I strongly recommend the livestream of the corpse flower at Sydney Botanic Gardens on YouTube. There are currently 1,500 people in chat waiting for a flower to open, and occasionally claiming that it definitely has moved this time. WWTF: We Watch The Flower.

Today seemed like a good day to do something for me, so I've made all the bookings for a trip to Orkney later this year. My weak excuse is that it will be helpful for the MLitt I've just started, but the truth is . . . . I just want to go back to Orkney!!

I don't know which "ideas person" came up with the name 'Brightspace' for their VLE, but I do know there is a special place in hell reserved for them! What a stupid name, sounds like some quasi-religious sect who are waiting for the rapture to arrive; not where I'll find my course materials. 😦

Out doing my weekly shopping and I’m extremely grateful to all the people who’ve gritted the roads and pavements. Now sat by a fire having a late breakfast and coffee with a chum

First plants of 2025 have arrived! A few plants from the lovely people at Sienna Hostas. ( who aren’t on BS) I had good sturdy plants from them before, so am hoping they’ll be good too. Tomorrow’s job will be to pot up the bare roots. #plants

Christmas knitting eventually cast on yesterday - a Trillian scarf from yarn brought back from Iceland by a friend. A nice, easy pattern for doing while watching tv or chatting with friends.